Yesterday’s photo shoot was interesting in many ways, but not for the usual creative reasons. I was assigned to shoot an editorial of an Austin band that may or may not, as is always the case, “make it big” in the coming months.
Having been at this for the better part of 25 years, I know my way around an editorial shoot. I know what to do with a group of guys who are just a little insecure about their up-and-coming public image. And most of the time, the band’s done it’s homework on the photographer before the shoot takes place.
It’s that last little bit that usually pays off big for me and the resulting photos. I’m usually greeted with some kudos for my past work, and an enthusiastic, “Hey, man, just let us know where you want us, and what you want us to do.” But sometimes the band doesn’t know what the photographer’s capable of. Sometimes their only other experiences with photographers left a lot to be desired. So, the band feels compelled to micro-manage the situation. At first.
This band, in particular, didn’t want to do the same old “band from Austin” photo, they said. They didn’t like the location the writer had us meet at, a very “Austin” coffee house, for pictures. And, by the time we got to the fourth (yes, fourth) location they looked at, I had to stop things there and explain we were going to get good photos there, and we didn’t need to keep looking.
Side note: I always find it amazing when bands from Austin don’t want to look like they’re from Austin.
This band, at one point, had the idea to pose in front of a New Orleans-style facade so it could look like they were in New Orleans. One idea was to stand in front of a school bus. I said no to both. I explained that for the shot I was doing, an actual location wasn’t important anyway. The shot was going to be about the band, and not about a location.
After several drinks, the guys just kind of let go. I did my thing. We got some nice photos for the article.
Lesson for performers: Know your photographer’s work, and trust him/her to make the creative decisions about the pictures, and give them something to work with as you perform for the camera. If you don’t have confidence in front of the lens, you’ve got to fake-it-til-you-make it. And again, trust your photographer. If a magazine assigned him to shoot you, he probably knows how to make you look like rock stars. And don’t get drunk. It really won’t help the pictures look any better.
Lesson for photographers: Keep your eye on the time, how much they’re drinking (too bad if they are), and get the safe shots first. You need to walk away with something if the shoot goes to shit real fast. If time permits, indulge the subjects (collaboration can be a great thing if the band has some visually creative members) and see what happens. Always try for the amazing shots. Sometimes they happen if you fight for them. But also realize, sometimes you’ll get little, to no, cooperation. Know when you’re done, and end the shoot.
This particular story ends well. I really liked these guys. Even though they were a little too concerned with things they shouldn’t have been, they were cooperative, considerate, and apologetic about it all. We did manage to pull out some great looks. Odd stuff, too, which I love. But, experience will get you there. The subtle give and take can be a very effective tool to getting the photos you can be really proud of in the end.
