Last Day Of

The eventful week is done. School ended on Thursday. We made the above shot on the last day of school. The blog will be quiet as family vacation takes over.

The Gods and Goddesses of photography smiled on me this week, beginning with a call from a photo editor. She had an interesting story and an inspired idea as to why she wanted me on a project. The magazine had a concept for the shoot and the subject had nixed it. In the wake of that, the p.e. and I spoke and just really decided to trust our instincts...trust the force that is out there and it will lead us to understand how to tell the story with humanity and humor. The p.e. surrendered, I surrendered, and we just went into it without a script. We did our homework but showed up with only a pencil.

Sz and I flew out to Seattle to put together this story. Sometimes it is us against each other--we have different ideas as to what will make the shot work. Sometimes it is us against the photograph...neither of us can find the solution. Sometimes there is harmony and we find the photographs easily....they are all layed out before us to come and receive them. This day was a struggle: we needed both brains working to figure this out. I get stressed out worrying about the big picture where she is able to note the details that can tell the story. I respect the battle ...it is conflict and chaos for a while, too many ideas and options and voices, but then it kind of slides into this palatable shape and form. When it starts to take shape is when it feels like...."oh...we are really working today...and after all this messy stuff I think we may have it."

When we finally met the trio of people we were to photograph, the heavy lifting had been done. The actual picture making was effortless. The hours before the button was pushed was where all the work was.

I'm not sure what, but there is a lesson in there somewhere.