[Originally posted to deviantArt Jan 20, 2007]
Today was a very good day… I’ve enjoyed FotoFusion so far, even ended up with some free filter software from yesterday’s class (because I pay attention! Zone 9 – 247), but today was a really good day. Two photo shoots – one in the morning a spontaneous shoot with some kids in Veterans Park, and one in the evening, a nude shoot with 5 models on the beautiful grounds of a ritzy West Palm home along the Intracoastal – and my first portfolio review, very positive.
The morning shoot was with Colin Finlay, and it was about shooting in natural light. As we were wandering around, this little boy sleeping on a tire swing caught my eye… I approached the mother and her friend to ask if I could take some shots (a big victory for my reserved self, I might add). it ended up with almost the whole group shuffling around him and some other kids. The boy on the swing, Russel, barely stirred the whole time, another little boy with him, Tommy, was the opposite. He was quietly expressive, and very spontaneously draping himself over the playground equipment. I learned that they were both not feeling well, which is why they weren’t in school. Some really great shots. I also made a possible business connection with a passing jogger in the park who was looking for someone to shoot food for her healthy eating business.
The afternoon shoot was with Vince Versace (no relation AFAIK) and Kevin Ames. It was challenging in that the light fairly low, and there is a more than a few shots that I truly regret losing to the blur because my shutter speeds were too slow (I shot aperture mode most of the day). Nevertheless I do have more than enough good shots to not embarrass myself and not feel like I wasted my time and money; regrettably I will not be posting any of them because we signed an agreement that we would not sell or publish the pictures, even to the web – it was a learning experience, and apparently the sponsors have had some legal troubles arising from past shoots.
Looking back on the shoot, it was great experience. I was not at all uncomfortable or awkward as I feared, and I hit a groove that more than once Vince talked about – seeing the form, not the naked. I’d be dead if I didn’t realize that there were naked women right in front of me, but it was only occasional moments where I was aware of nakedness for it’s own sake, and much of the time I was thinking angles and framing and composition. Throughout the shoot there was a former model helping with lighting and making suggestions on poses and angles and working with the models. I need to try to find out her name again, because she was just great and I have an embarrassing memory for names. In fact, I have committed the unforgivable sin of Forgetting the Models Names! Not entirely true, but more true than not. I will find out, tho, when I send along some of the shots for the models to see.
The portfolio review was with Ed Kashi, and I was very pleased to hear that he didn’t really have an negative comments about my portfolio – in fact he made a point of saying he wasn’t going to really go into the photos because he felt I definitely have an eye for color and composition. I’ve been told this before, but it is very gratifying to hear it from someone in the business rather than friends and family who aren’t up on technique, or who are and may be biased. 😉 But I love ya!