So many projects so little time!

I had another 10+ hour photo shoot with Mark. Here are a few samples of yesterdays work. Obviously I do not post the best ones online, and Mark and I share ownership of them, so you can see more on his site. Check the link.

We conspire well together with great ideas for costumes, locations, and moods. We meant to keep it breezy this time, with only three looks, and three locations, but the time still got away from us. By the time I left his place with my copies, we still had over 700 photos! And that was after the initial sorting where I trash the obviously ugly ones.

Honestly, it usually takes going through them several times over several days to look past the art value of form and content, expressions on my face from sun in my eyes, and any blurriness. It can make a long day into a very long day, since we have to dump and preview each batch between locations. No complaints though, I always enjoy our work. We worked for over 10 hours yesterday, and it took another 4.5 hours today to do a second sort of my copies into keepers for projects, and re-size them to upload here. It will add even more time when I crop or edit the ones I plan to use for my next project.

I am learning a lot by working with Mark: such as how to work with a photographer that only occasionally gives suggestions, and very little actual direction once he's behind the camera. It is truly collaborative to have more freedom as well as responsibility in the shoot. It was really fun when his girl friend went with us to the beach and helped direct me a bit.

Sometimes I wish we worked over several days, instead of all at once, so I could process what I learn from each shoot and bring it to the next. When there is to much time between shoots I don't remember subtle body angles I want to change, or make up and expression tricks for harsh sunlight. When there is not enough time, such as back to back shoots, I don't get a chance to visually and mentally evaluate my own performance and contribution to the project, past initial facial expressions.

Other photographers I have worked with were very constant and commanding in their direction for body positions, and head angles, expressions, etc. Which I usually appreciate, since there is so much to distract one on location shots. Weather in the face, passersby and onlookers, balancing at weird angles, combating vertigo while trying to look comfortable, watching for wildlife or bird bombs, and showing just enough skin without overdoing it... But I am learning more this way. ;)