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Lauren
& I met at my second annual
Artists & Models Get Together last
March, but we had difficulty finding
time to work together. However,
the planets finally aligned, and we
scheduled a sitting. Still, we
faced obstacles on the day.
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I
get a lot of feedback from
visitors to this web site (and
thank you for that). The
most common feedback is that
people appreciate my
commentary. So, I am
inspired to go off on a
tangent. I'll use this
black font for the
"tangent".
And
I'll use this brown font for
comments specific to this
sitting. For example, I
was looking forward to working
with Lauren because she has a
figure that is more curvy than
my usual tastes, and it is a
pleasure to work outside my
normal preferences.
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In my on-line
profiles, I call myself an advanced amateur, but to be honest, I
consider myself to be more "intermediate". I think I'm
"intermediate" because I realize that I still have a lot to
learn.
When I first
started making photographs, I used to carry my camera around with me
all the time, and I would photograph the landscape and the people I
encountered as I went through my day. This was a refreshing
approach, and to be honest, I often miss the ol' days.
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So,
as a "beginner", I
simply captured that which I
found in my daily
wanderings. In fact, I
thought it was wrong to modify
what I saw at all. For
example, if there was a little
piece of trash in the
landscape, I would leave it
there & either include it
in the photograph or work
around it.
As an
"intermediate"
photographer, I am attempting
to create an image from
scratch. Instead of
simply photographing the
people as I encounter them, I
contact models & negotiate
a time for them to come
over. We discuss
"looks" &
make-up & wardrobe (or
lack thereof) &
props. I craft a
lighting setup. I am
creating the image instead of
just finding it. Think
of it this way: I start
with a blank frame, and I
would add subject matter &
light to it until I was
satisfied.
Here's
a sitting favorite. I
guess I would describe
Lauren's look today as
"shabby chic" -- she
has a polished approach to her
makeup, but her hair is
wild. It's a fine
combination. I really
like her look.
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Another
favorite. I like Lauren's sultry look and the flash of
skin. I also like the textures throughout the image. To
be honest, "creating" an image is a lot more difficult to
"capturing" an image. To me, it's like the difference
between repeating a joke & making one up. I've come to realize that
"creating" an image is a fragile thing, at least for me.
Lauren
& I had logistical problems getting started. Long story
short: Lauren had to stop at the grocery store on the way over
here to get a razor, so that she could shave those parts that needed
shaving, after which she needed time to apply make-up. While she arrived on time, she needed time in the
bathroom getting ready, so we got started 90+ minutes later than I had
scheduled.
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Meanwhile,
an absolutely lovely patch of
sunlight moved across the
floor & up the wall, while
I am waiting for Lauren to get
ready. One basic
principle of photography:
The
Sun Waits For No One.
Further,
I had plans for later that
day, so it was clear that we
weren't going to get in the
three hours we had planned.
So,
admittedly, I was more than a bit
frazzled during this sitting.
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Before any sitting, I
plan a handful of concepts, but with our late start & shortened
timeframe, I had to abandon most of these. I'm sorry to admit
that I wasn't as prepared as I should have been as a result.
So, we
"winged" it. I think you'll agree that we still made
some lovely images during this sitting, but for the most part, I felt
off my game.
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So,
we started this sitting with a
handicap: we got started late,
and we couldn't go as long as
planned. Worse, I was not at
ease. When you are creating
images, you've got to be the one
setting the "mood" of the
sitting, inspiring the model, and
constructing a creative atmosphere for
the sitting. I was doing a lousy
job today of doing that.
This
sitting continues with Cool
In The Shade
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