Week 3: Connecting

Building a Relationship that Yields Meaningful Images

So never in a million years did I think I would be into taking pictures of people. I'm a shy person, so I'm naturally afraid of social situations. And because of this, I personally believe the universe is pulling a practical joke on me. The thing I love to do is what I fear the most. I'm a walking oxymoron! Every time I do a photo shoot, I'm in a battle of overcoming insecurities. But I keep at it because I want to help people document their relationship with themselves and their world. It took me many years to learn that the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself/God. That is why I love individual portraiture. I love capturing the connection people have with themselves and life. I have this desire to help people see their beauty the way I'm able to see it. And establishing a trusting relationship with the subject is vital in the creation process. I LOVED this weeks lessons and I'm forever grateful for them.

The Questionnaire

Oh what a fantastic tool this is to use as a starting point to get to know the subject. This was the first time I used a formal, written interview (via email) and I'm doing things this way for now on. For this shoot, I learned that my 1 year old subject, Harlee, loves nature and flowers. So on the way to the shoot, I gathered some pretty wild flowers for her to play with. It was a hit as you will see :)

The Location Challenge and Teaching People What They Want

In the questionnaire, I ask them to think about locations that would bring out their personality, places that mean something to them, and where they would feel most comfortable. I want people to be able to choose their location so that when they look back at the pictures, they mean that much more to them. I thought people would be all over this, but I've learned they need some help. People think there is a right or wrong location. They feel a need to pick a beautiful or trendy place that has nothing to do with who they are.

In this situation, despite me listing the importance of customizing a location, the mom insisted she wanted me to pick a place. I gave her some more direction on the topic to help her choose, and told her to think it over for a few days. She ended up choosing her yard, which was PERFECT! In the end, I think she was glad she got to choose, because her daughter was so comfortable in her own surroundings and it was a pleasant experience. We explored her yard and she was able to just be her. I didn't tell her to smile once. We just had a play date at her home and the images are a result of that :)

Theme of the Week: MEANINGFUL IMAGERY