as a portrait photographer I pride myself on having the ability to get people to relax and let down their guard down in front of my camera. It's important to me because I want my photos to be honest, and that means managing to capture the real person, not a front, but also because I am SO BAD at posing for photos, I really empathize with the person.
Recently I was asked to take some pictures for a NIA website. If you don't know what NIA is you should totally check it out because is awesome, and revolutionary, and good exercise, but that is besides the point. The point -for me- is that I don't normally do "action," so it meant I would be working outside my comfort zone.
I had a visual plan, I didn't want flash freeze portraits, I wanted something that reflected the movement, the mood and the spirit of what NIA does, fortunately K and I agreed on this, and so we met one afternoon.
K, for those of you who don't know her, is a warm and passionate person who not only teaches NIA, but is also an aid worker, and has produced a film on Congo, and so so many amazing things. She was also a big helping hand when I first arrived in Holland, and has been a source of support since. So trying to catch all that was a hell of a challenge.
Unfortunately, K seems to be as camera phobic as I am. As soon as she started speaking about her ideas for the shoot I pulled out the camera because all the pictures and all the spirit that I was hoping to capture where right there, but I soon as I did she froze, time and time again.
Eventually I decided to turn the music on and leave her do her thing while I tried to do mine. A few minutes in and K forgot I existed. A couple of times I tried to give her directions, but it was pointless, she could no longer see or hear me... so I gave up and just allowed her to do, while trying my hardest to record what was happening.
I am quite pleased with a few of these. I hope she is too.
1 comments:
Qué grande eres, pequeña. Te admiro muchísimo. A.(Pebbls)
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