Background
I met Brittney back in high school where we had a class together. Many years since graduation, we reconnected on social media. Brittney had moved out of state and I had been on my creative journey here in our home state of Maryland. There was a few local contests that were looking for submissions that sparked a spontaneous move for photoshoots. I turned to my Instagram to find some volunteer models where eight people had responded to my call, including Brittney, mentioning that she would be in town for a few days. We coordinated a time to shoot at a sunflower field but unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with our plans. We made changes to shoot at a renowned botanical garden near our old high school and it could not have been better. Brittney was a natural for not having done this before... I'm still not convinced this isn't her first portrait shoot. She "knew" exactly what to do. All I had to do was to tell her to play with her hair! lol. All in all, the pictures turned out great.
My Gear for this shoot
Camera: Sony a7iii
Lens: Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master (Prime)
Lighting: Natural Outdoor
Editing: Lightroom
For photographers, I believe the best photos come from an authentic experience and the connection between you and your model. You have to get your model to be comfortable with you. When they are, their story and expressions naturally come out. They get into their "element." The more emotional connection you can create, the more experiential you can make it. The more experiential your photoshoot, the more powerful your photos will be. Guaranteed. And these are the kinds of images I endeavor to deliver.
I'll admit
The hardest part of being an introverted photographer is the directing part. Us photographers look for ideas on Pinterest, Instagram, or our fellow photographer buddies. We just need to get that "money shot." But when you have to explain this "shot" to your model, it's difficult because you know what you want but your character is not used to calling the shots. A few times in this shoot, I've told Brittney to do the same poses because I couldn't explain. I'm not sure if she picked up on it but I totally said the same thing multiple times in a row that I finally caught on to what I was saying... Oops.
I'm so thankful she had grace and enjoyed my effort lol
Overall
I'm happy with how this shoot went. Brittany was a natural and was full of life in this shoot. As I look back at these pictures, I found areas that I could definitely improve in but I am also extremely satisfied how I was once again challenged to push past my comfort zone. Huge shoutout out my bro, my fellow photographer, 2nd shooter, and friend Will for tagging along on this shoot. Check out his amazing work and creative journey at Wil.Media
Location
Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, Maryland