Process 071 ☼ Isabella (A Creative Connection)
GIVEAWAY: $100 gift card for film and more from BuyMoreFilm
Dear friends,
This week is about the magic that can happen when a photographer and a sitter truly click on a creative level and find a visual language of their own.
Last week’s issue about common mistakes and how to avoid them was so well received that I have decided to bring this topic back in the future.
This week’s PROCESS GIVEAWAY is a $100 gift certificate to BuyMoreFilm!
Isabella in Mexico City
Isabella and I met in Mexico City when I was invited to be a guest docent at a workshop organized by local photographer Eduardo Acierno. During this workshop Eduardo and I guided photographers through a studio shoot and several outdoor locations for the day with Isabella in town as the sole model of the day.
Isabella is an actress and it showed in all the right ways. With the help of a stylist and hair and make up people she showcased a wonderful variety of looks and vibes. The two images below are from that first studio session.
One of the reasons I love working with actors is because they have more sophisticated storytelling experience than most models. They have honed ability to manipulate their body posture and perceived mood to enhance whichever story we’re co-creating. And that’s exactly what it is: co-creating.
When a sitter and a photographer are on the same page and understand each other instinctively something magical happens. It’s like being able to speak the same made up language, often times without actual words.
I felt this happening with Isabella but, since this shoot was in service of the students and their growth, this wasn’t the right time to explore it. We made sure to meet up again a week later in another studio and it was the start of a great collaboration that would last for the remainder of my time in Mexico City and a few dozen rolls of film.
One of the more obviously striking elements of Isabella’s look during these shoots was the color and cut of her hair paired with her freckles. Depending on the film stock or digital camera used it would take on a different tone and even work in black and white.
The image above was shot on Kodak Portra 160 in 35mm and later flipped to black and white. The image below is noticeably gentler in its color and was shot on medium format Kodak Portra 160NC which expired in 2008.
The studio had the loveliest indirect natural light which gave us the softest colors ad tones which Isabella adapted to with a gentler and more vulnerable character (see above). Later we went out on the balcony into the harsh midday sunshine we segued to a tougher character to match that atmosphere (see below).
Back inside we explored various story-lines that were mysterious and shy.
Sometimes a unique piece of clothing took us into a different direction altogether, like this beautifully intricate jacket. My own hat also kept popping up as a prop.
All of these images were scanned by my assistant Fernanda who put love and attention into getting everything out of each negative.
Both the images above and the two below were shot on Kodak Portra 400.
My favorite thing about digging through my archives to create a contact sheet issue like this is finding images I previously disregarded but now upon a second look and a fresh edit fall in love with. The image below is an example of this.
The takeaway is simple. If you discover a powerful creative click with a collaborator dive in deep and create together as much as you can. It’s a gift that keeps on giving and it will push your work forward. The last time I’ve experienced this, aside from working with Isabella, was in various places along the Atlantic coast in 2014/15, but that’s a story for another time since more chapters will still be written.
That’s it for this week! Please share Process with someone you love who is searching for their creative voice.
Next week: I’ll launch a small number of new mentoring sessions/portfolio reviews. I will also share seven questions I ask anyone I do a session with.
Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others.
Wesley
Process Giveaway!
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