It was like a movie scene. The light coming from the window, the long hair, the elegant gesture, the book in one hand. Laura is different. We feel ashamed in a literary conversation with her, she talks about poetry, her favorite authors, she talks about life, feelings and dogs. She was kind and polite during visits without medical purpose. I appeared that morning with a surprise, my camera. Can I come in?

It was the week before Mother’s Day. Mom and daughter were waking up, Laura was passing her fingers through the messy hair, the mother was packing something, apologizing for something else. I could wait, adjusting the buttons again and again, take your time, no worries.

I imagined a spontaneous scene, maybe the breakfast in that room and situation, teacups and books, sometimes we do create spontaneity, I confess. Laura didn’t change her clothes; she didn’t ask for objects or a prop lighting. She called her mom closer, so they posed together, looking at me.

I took 3 or 4 shots, and for some reason, I immediately liked them, even with the lack of inspiration and creativity. I had to go, there were other children to be photographed and not much time. A couple of days later, I was putting the pictures on the wall, I was proud of them and I got a lot of compliments. I was grateful but embarrassed, I knew that they could be more charming, more original.

One day, I met Dr André standing in front of the panel. I walked up behind him; so, did you like it? A lot, he said. I realized that he was looking at that photograph in particular, the one of mother and daughter. He pointed at it, this one is quite beautiful. He asked me to look closely. Can you see it? I couldn’t. My friend explained with his fingers, tracing a line from the girl above and the mom just below, in her arms. It was a subtle inversion of warmth, embrace, confidence, the true idea of hope, she was whispering, everything is going to be alright. I took another look at it, I was surprised, it couldn’t be.  I discovered the well-known Decisive Moment, it was there, the magic shot.

It was another scene in the movie, the embraced mom, the brave child, and the distracted photographer.

SUZANA BERLIM (2022)