A short while back, I posted a lengthy, written soul-search specifically related to our photography business and direction. It can be found here if you didn’t get a chance to read it when I originally posted it.
http://www.azellephotography.com/blog/2010/05/me-a-d3-and-my-feet/
While we continue to work our toes into the entry of our foot-hold here in Savannah, Veta and I begin to see Azelle Photography as something different than a part time and/or a future job. Perhaps this business will one day be entirely different than what it currently is. Perhaps it won’t be a business at all, in that sense of the word. We honestly don’t know. What we do know is that as we continue to pursue this art form, we want to make sure that we never fall into the ruts that can fill a photographer’s road. I am certain that these ruts would make our job easier, but in turn, would destroy the truth that we attempt to reveal through our photography.
That said, how can we hammer through to the truth for our clients? I believe that it’s through our struggles. As our character is molded and amplified through struggles and tension, so is our art. We tell all of our clients during their session that the first images we shoot will not likely be the best ones. However, as we work our way through the butterflies, through the environmental challenges, through the changes in lighting, through lens choices, we begin to approach our goal. The truth begins to reveal itself as we’ve seen time and time again.
We never want Azelle Photography to develop a “staple shot”. We never want a “bulletproof lighting setup”. We never want a “perfect spot to shoot”. We welcome the challenge of working through strain. By doing so, we ensure that our photography remains genuine.
I wanted to use this post as an opportunity to expose a sliver of who we are and what went through us during the capture of a few images. I warn you that the photographs presented are indeed random. However, the content of the image is not what’s important here. The truth presented within and how we got there is.
1. Downtown Milledgeville in the Evening: Prior to getting this prize, I had shot several frames in the freezing weather with a variety of lenses. But none of these were what I was going after. It was only after I was tired, half frozen, and almost to the point of giving up that I mounted the fisheye and tried once more. I knew once I looked through the viewfinder that this was what I wanted but I wasn’t done yet. I had to wait through several lengthy exposures and for several groups of people to pass out of the frame before I got the final product. I think the truth in this photograph lies in the warm colors that represent the inviting feel that is Milledgeville, the absence of people which conveys the small town sense, and Milledgeville’s most popular downtown hangout which shows that this college town is capable of letting down her hair.
2. Lola Gray – A Princess: This photograph was captured during a family session last year. While the goal of the session was to capture the closeness of the family, we ended up capturing this quick shot of Lola Gray by herself. What does it mean to us? What you don’t see here is how inviting Lola Gray was to Veta and me even though she had only just met us. She welcomed us into her room and began to show us her prized possessions. Among her favorites was this mask which she believed made her into a princess. We struggled in finding the right lens for Lola Gray’s bedroom. Everything in our minds told us wide angle, but ultimately Veta approached with a macro lens. The truth in this portrait is Lola Gray’s inner desire to be special, to be loved, and to be beautiful. The subtle and probably overlooked detail here though is Lola Gray’s Mothers’ helping hands which are just out of focus. As Lola Gray transforms into the lady of her imagination, her Mother is there with immeasurable love to lend the helping hand needed to complete the transformation. This was a precious moment for us and broke the mold somewhat – it was one of the first photographs captured that day!
3. Kerastase Ad Shot for Atmosphere’s Salon: This photograph goes back to the days that we accepted the occasional commercial work. Even though we no longer shoot commercially, we remember this session and especially this photograph during the session. We had captured several good shots throughout the session and were overall pleased with ourselves. However, there was one shot that eluded us. We were specifically shooting for a magazine ad that would show the new product line that Atmosphere’s Salon had begun to carry. After moving the strobe a few times and shifting the model’s pose repeatedly, I was beginning to get frustrated with my lack of success in capturing “the right one”. With a sigh, I handed over the camera to Veta and told her to see what she could get. Apparently, the shift to her eye was exactly what we needed. She captured this photograph soon after taking the reigns and it was definitely the right one of the ad.
4. Serenity: This photograph was captured during a staged shoot this past spring. While the wedding was staged, the truth in the image is still here. As is normally the case, this photograph came near the end of the day. Our model was tired here and worn down by a full day of shooting. Our groom (her boyfriend) had just left hurriedly for class leaving her to wrap up a few more shots. Her enervation is captured perfectly as this photograph was unposed and was quickly shot before she realized we were even shooting again. Few of the photographs from earlier in the day approached the true emotion as captured here.
In closing, I’ll leave you with a quote from one of my favorite musicians, Jack White:
“When I used to work as an upholsterer, it wasn’t always fun. … Sometimes, it was just work, and you do it because you’re supposed to. You force yourself to work. I like to do things that make it really hard on myself. … I’m constantly fighting all these tiny little things, because all of those little things create tension.”
I go on to add that I believe that the truth and consequently, the beauty, is captured by working through this tension.
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