MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: 

There's a good chance you know Gloria, or at least have read or seen some of her work. It's hard to describe what she does, but at the core she's a creative storyteller. I've been following her work for years and have a great deal of respect for her talent. So much of her work appeals to me, including her photography.

The other part of the story, that is important to mention, is that over the years Gloria and I would occasionally go for these epic coffee dates. These session were raw and real. We'd sit or walk for hours. For me it was very therapeutic and much needed. I always left those sessions feeling a little vulnerable - but also a lot lighter. I can't say for sure, but I think she really enjoyed our yearly chats as well. So when I booked Gloria in for a portrait, I had an expectation that since we both knew each other and were fans of each other's work, that we'd agree on most creative decisions.

The shoot was a blast, she was great to work with and we got lots of awesome photos. But when we got to the review session at the end, I was surprised that we rarely agreed on the photos we liked. This was the first time I encountered something like this. It was confusing because most of her favourite photos were not appealing to me as strongly as they were for her. Not to say they were bad photos, just that she had a very specific style that she gravitated towards. It wasn't' a big deal, but it did surprised me and made me reflect on what I could learn from that experience, for future shoots. 

ONE LESSON FROM THIS SHOOT:

There is no right or wrong in photography. Everyone has their own aesthetic sensibilities and taste. This can be a frustrating discovery, but it can also be a liberating one. The human brain seeks closure. The human heart seeks certainty and conviction. But the soul is wiser than both. It transcends binary human constructs such as right and wrong. When I realized both Gloria and I could be "right", I had to also accept that there is no objectively perfect photograph. At that moment I felt untethered and free. The feeling was fleeting, but it planted a seed inside me. It made me realize that trying to get to a place, where everyone felt the same way about my work, is a terrible trajectory. I can't control any of that. So now, I had to find a better plan - one that relied less on the external world. 

“Design your home. 

Design your business cards.

Design your work space.

Design your time and schedule.

Design your sexual identity.

Design your purpose.”

I am facebook. I am instagram. I am netflix. The content is irrelevant. With each new medium, I have agreed to enter a new reality, which will drastically reshape my brain. It's best to imagine this as a physical entity, for each medium's impact is not restricted to digital interactions only. It actually psychologically re-jigs our brains and changes who we are and eventually what we value. 

The content (aka the message) is never as important or impactful as (agreeing to join) the medium. 

The fact that you are an instagram users is more important than any actual message you could receive or could create through instagram. The medium is the point. Not the message. 

Portrait 004 had a few lessons that have helped a great deal with future shoots. The most important lesson was that a happy model does not necessarily guarantee you happy (looking) photos. 

If you know Turtle (AKA Faramarz Hashemi), you know that he's one of the most optimistic, happy dudes on the planet. He's always saying something nice about people or telling you an epic story about some incredible synchronistic adventure. 2 mins alone with him and you'll be able to see the magic that exists throughout the Universe. 

Something very interesting happened during our shoot. I'd be talking with him and that loveable Turtle that I knew would be totally present, but the moment I'd bring the camera up to my face, he'd immediately (and subconsciously) default to a very sombre and subdued pose. This happens a lot, especially with non-actors and non-models. It's very typical. They have no idea they are doing it. The moment you bring your camera down they usually revert back to their normal selves. It's such a fascinating phenomenon to witness. It can also be super frustrating if you can't work around it. The solution is simple. You need to get them out of their head. I've found this is best accomplished through a strategic mixture of Confidence + Distraction + Flow

a) CONFIDENCE: You need to find authentic moments and actionable feedback to sprinkle in as early as possible to get them feeling confident. The key is not to over praise them. If you tell them every shot is "great" then they will eventually become numb to your encouragement and lose trust in you. 

b) DISTRACT: Give them activities to do that will get them out of their own head (genuinely engage them in conversation, get them to pick the playlist, have them tell you a story, make them laugh, etc)

c) FLOW: Sometimes even if people are taking bad photos, I'll just keep shooting and progressively get faster and faster. The idea is to shoot faster than that little voice in their heads can speak. You need to pace yourself with this and make sure your not tiring them out. Each person will have a different ideal flow speed. It's your job to find it and push them to their limits, without exhausting them too early. 

For Portrait #3 I experimented with asking my collaborator (AKA the person I'm taking photos of) to think about different people in his life and key moments in his past that were filled with emotion. Not sure where I got this idea, might have been film school, but the results were not what I expected. Surprisingly the darker topics actually produced softer facial expressions and vice versa for the happier topics. 

The other lesson for this shoot was that as a photographer you need to make a decision early about your shooting style, regarding authenticity. There are lots of tricks and tips that allow you to get a specific look out of a model. For example, you can get a deeper person to look light and friendly by cracking some jokes or posing them in certain angles. This is great for headshots, which in general are intended to be utilized as a promotional tool for your clients (eg. actors headshots, LinkedIn profile photos, etc). 

Personally, I believe portrait photography serves a different purpose. For me, I am willing to forego standard poses in order to chase what I believe to be the true personality of the person in front of my camera. That's why I take my time and strive to have genuine conversation with each person. Being in front of a camera, especially this type of in-your-face studio lighting is very intimidating. It takes time for people to feel comfortable and for us to build trust. That can't be rushed,

The other lesson I learned is that for this to be an honest conversation it needs to go both ways. I can't ask people to open up and be vulnerable, if I'm not willing to take that same plunge and get raw with them. This part can be scary, but if it comes from a sincere place it can also be cathartic and allow you and the person in front of your camera to have a genuine connection. 

With Pacman (AKA Ryan Pakyam) it was quickly obvious to me that he had a unique mixture in his personality of strength and tenderness. If you know the guy, which I am lucky to say I do, you know he is one of the kindest dudes you will meet. If there's a way for him to make your life easier, he's there in a heartbeat. He isn't the loudest guy in the room, put his presence is always felt and appreciated. The other thing that caught my interest about Pacman was this deeper reflective energy that kept coming through in the photos. When you look into his eyes you get a sense that there are many untold stories and that this is a brother with great depth. 

Thank you Pacman for your patience and for your support!

I love the high contrast look of a beauty dish with a grid. There is something magical about the deep shadows and rich highlights. But it takes some work to maneuver the lights, camera and the posing angles to find a way to soften the intensity of this particular lighting style. 

It helps when your model looks like she belongs in a film noir. Really works with this aesthetic. 

Had a great time shooting with the enchanting, Melissa Way. Can't wait till our next shoot!