catie and ryan: day-after session
Monday, November 16, 2009 at 2:53PM exaggerate, romanticize & commit!
Many of you may admit that creating a series of compelling images require, forethought, creativity, technical prowess, dedication and a bit of luck, but what does that mean on the practical-day-to-day level? What does commitment, dedication and forethought look like? And who is required to have more of these at the shoot, the photographer, or those being photographed? Should the photographer have more forethought, but the client more dedication?
It's easy to look at a photograph and say "i could do that", and an entire different thing to actually do it.
One thing I do, is look through today's top magazines, scanning through the ads, and cover shoots, watching for color combinations, retouching nuances, chosen backdrops, and the cohesiveness of the elements in an image, all the while trying to imagine how the shot was executed. This inspires my creativity, and challenges me to give 100% to every shoot I undertake. This is part of my dedication, my forethought, and my continued journey toward creating a better photograph.
If you're the client, what do you do? What is your vision, and what is your dedication level? The pictures you see on this site creates an illusion of simplicity, comfort and ease. Many of the places we shoot have elements that are often uncomfortable to those being photographed. Fields with cow pies, ant hills, thorns and thistles. Weather that's too cold, or flaming hot. And humidity that makes you feel as if a rain cloud is showering under your clothing. But what is good art worth to you? You say you want something different, beautiful and special, but what will you go through to get it?
When we shot the Ryan and Catie out in the field next to the thunderbird, it began to rain. We had rented a 1956 thunderbird and had a half hour to get the pictures we wanted. None of us had planned on it raining. My photography gear is not water proof and can actually be ruined in the rain, not to mention, the only thing worse than high humidity for hair, is a steady downpour.
With the ground becoming mud-soaked every minute, we grabbed some umbrellas, and covered the equipment, while snapping off a series of shots that would later hold a magic we can only thank God for. It was a crazy 30 minutes, and yes, there were times of doubt while shooting, wondering if the rain would ruin the shoot, however, we all dedicated ourselves to the moment, and put forth an effort of perseverance, and were rewarded with an amazing set of images—that, oddly enough, we would not have captured if it had not been raining. The rain was a blessing, but while going through it, felt like a possible disaster.
I encourage each of you to develop a mindset of dedication; doing whatever it takes to get that "something different", all for that piece of beautiful art you will cherish. The more effort you put into something, the more gratitude you have during success. To answer my questions above, it is all our responsibility to help create an amazing image. The photographer may have the vision, but you needs to bring the trust, the willingness, and the dedication to stick with it, even when it rains, or when thorns press through your clothing, and when there are ants biting at your ankles.
We have some of the best client in the world. And yes, if you ask them, they say it's totally worth it!
wishing you well,
-TJ
day-after 
