the paradox of art and business

as a photographer i've always had issues with two titles, pro and artist. i don't know if i'll ever be comfortable being called a pro, mainly because even after twenty years of shooting i'm continually learning and evolving. being called an artist i think i'm a bit more comfortable with because art is totally subjective. literally in the eye of the beholder.

for me the greatest thing about art and more specifically about making art is that it's part of you. it's a very cathartic thing to put your own style into something and not worry about being judged against others because there is nothing to fairly judge against, it's too individual and personal.

photography is one of the very few businesses that try to meld the two, art and business, together. it's not always an easy task and usually not seamless. my style is very defined, i think people have a good idea when they hire me that they're not going to get rigid posed sears images, technically perfect but soul-less. that's why i spend so much time talking with people before i shoot them. by doing this i'm not just trying to learn exactly what they want but also i'm quietly thinking how can i put my mark on this and make it indisputably mine. anyone can shoot a decent portrait, literally anyone. it's the attention to detail and the work in planning and execution that make it special.

the end results though still have to be what the client had in mind when they contacted me and that's where the tricky part lies. i have to make a memory that is as much their concept and vision as it is mine and that's not easy. sometimes our ideas mesh perfectly and sometimes they clash, in which case sadly capitalism wins. getting to know people and grasping an idea of their taste helps but i occasionally take a leap and hope for the surreal.

jill came to me for some unique images of her very colorful tattoos. we talked and agreed on a setup and location. i had some ideas where i wanted to go with it and she loved them. so we shoot and we get some great stuff. beautiful saturated colors (she is a gorgeous redhead so that just added to the color). as i was editing i came across one image that i just kept struggling with. i tried everything i could to make it work in color but it kept screaming at me that it was meant to be black and white. this is the point where art and business collide, the point where you have to rub completely against and go with art. i really wasn't sure how it would be received, we did get some spectacular images in full and glorious color but this one black and white was totally contrary to the intent of the shoot. i showed it to her and she loved it. fortunately a gamble payed off, enough so that this image will be in a gallery show in july. whew. sometime you have to jump without thinking.

top secret

at an undisclosed location, thunderstorms looming in the distance. it seemed like we drove forever to get there. then we walk and walk and walk a bit more. nearly lose a shoe in some mud, and finally we arrive at the coolest place i've been for a while. it always takes a few minutes to break the ice so to say, to get into a good groove and start making magic, but i think it took way less time than it usually does. partly because chelsea is phenomenally good at what she does, and partly because i had a very good idea of what i wanted from this shoot. we shot for hours and it went by like minutes, pure magic.

ok enough 1950's crime drama writing. this was a really fun shoot and since it was the first time we had worked together we had a blast trying all kinds of different things. i have yet to meet someone that versatile and i wish i could explain how fast she can go from laughing to ready to shoot. almost instantly. i'm still playing with my homemade light strips. i may never use an umbrella or softbox again. 

another great day in the life of a photographer.

don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times it sucks to be a photographer, or more broadly to be in business for yourself doing anything. the business end of it is tough and brain-killing at times. the bright side though is the extreme satisfaction i get when i get to have a jump up and down "i got a killer!" moment! i've said this before but it's such an integral part of how i work, i plan everything. i'm a chronic planner. i am very good at pre-visualizing what i want from a shoot, but i'm also good at throwing those visions out and changing course. enough on that boring stuff though.
last night i had one of those moments when i knew i had a killer. it was a great shoot altogether but there is just an instant when you glance at the display and do a little dance, and i have to give credit where it's due, my bestie heather actually set up the shot, she's been trying to find the right situation and model to do this for a very long time and last night was it. i haven't seen what she came away with from it but i'm sure it will be spectacular. here is my version of it:

there were quite a few images from last night that i like but this was my dance like an idiot moment. i have to thank margaret for being such a great model and for putting up with our insanity. last night was just nuts, we were all late (except for margaret) and in a very uncharacteristic display i had some technical issues that while easily resolved (again you can't get freaked out when stuff goes awry!) they were still frustrating. but all in all a great night. here are a few more...

i'm really hoping to make more regular posts but life keeps getting in the way! i need desperately to update my website but frankly i'm becoming rather addicted to blogging. gee thanks again for that chris.