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A Day In The Life: A Photo Shooter's Daily Log
After driving in a
blinding rain for two hours, I found myself lost
in a sleepy little midwestern town out on the
prairie that sat just off the intersection of two
major US interstate freeways. And like many such
places in rural America, the hotels were
scattered all over a broad area, determined by
which road exit they were near. I had no idea
where the place was located so I called and got
directions from Denali, the model waiting for me
at the hotel. She'd driven two hours from an
another state, when her car broke down preventing
her  from
finishng the trip. In order to get the pics we
wanted, I had to pack quickly and drive down to
do the shoot where she was stranded.A photographer and a model have a truly unique relationship. They spend hours together, both of them working extremely hard for long stretches of time, to create great images. Photoshoots can be a grueling grind on the best day, let alone one filled with travel and other problems. The model is naked, vulnerable and entrusting the most intimate parts of her body to the photographer. A necessary level of trust and chemistry must exist between them for the photoshoot to produce great results. That chemistry is usually established within minutes of meeting each other and if it isn't there, the shoot more than likely is doomed to certain failure. I had never met Denali in person before, so I really didn't know what to expect. We talked on the phone several times but it's always different when you come face-to-face with each other for the first time. As I trudged through the front door of the hotel, Denali stood waiting for me at the front desk. Six feet tall with long lanky legs that supported a lean, lithe body, her belly bulged in the middle of her otherwise slim frame. She brought to mind what a python must look like just after it swallowed a pig whole. She politely smiled, extended her long hand, introduced herself and we headed up to the suite to get to work. As we entered the suite, Denali introduced me to her traveling companion, her Aunt, who was fast asleep under a heap of covers in the bed. I said hello to the back of Auntie's head, but got no reponse as I set down my bags and began to unpack. I had a lot to do just to get ready to work. When you're working in an unfamiliar location, each setting has its own dynamics...some workable...some not. After studying the layout and assessing what might work, I began to set up my equipment. Denali slowly stripped naked, chattering on about her car breaking down, when it would be fixed and how she was going to get home. She sifted through outfits, asking my opinion when she occasionally came to a temporary stop in her stream-of-consciousness monologue. I answered her each time, but I actually wasn't paying attention. My mind centered on how I would solve the technical challenges this suite gave me. I looked at my watch. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon. We were getting started late and both of us were already tired. And we still had to drive home when the shoot was over. I was finally set up and ready to go. I turned to call for Denali. There's a moment in most shoots when the shooter really "sees" the model as his subject for the first time. His mind, having erased all the logistical clutter, settles on her as the sole subject of his attention for the next several hours. In that elusive moment, a great model will inspire the shooter to do his best work. Denali stood ready in a neon blue outfit that included a little tube top, three-quarter length sleeves and a tiny little skirt. The color enhanced her mocha-latte complexion and she looked stunning. The long legs and arms gave her a raw, angular hyper-sexual appeal. But her expressive face flashed a pouting impish quality that was unmistakable, too. She was hot and steaming on this gray, dismal day by a freeway somewhere on the prairieland of America. She inspired me and in that moment made pregnancy erotic. And I was there to capture it. For that, I thank her.
EDITORS NOTE: (The next 126 pics of Denali were posted February 14, 2009) |
