The photographers, photographer?

It is always an honour to be requested by another photographer (or their partner) to record their memories. 

It is an unspoken confirmation of I am taking the right path, a little pat on the back by your peers.

The quiet 'good on ya mate' that I appreciate.

It is one hell of an anxious experience.

Travelling out to Orepuki I knew I wouldnt have the control I usually carry with me to a shoot.

It was a birthday surprise in the middle of the day. 

The weather was unpredictable. It was bright sun to rain in a matter of minutes.

The wind was just bearable.

And to makes things the worst, I knew to take into the epicness of the location, there would be no hiding in the shade, or seeking shelter from the elements.

It was to be, what it was.

I brought with me two assistants. My enduring wife, and my mother in law.

The wind meant no diffusion of light, bare flash was the only option.

To make things worse, a transceiver decided that it was having the day off.

So the mother in law got to stay warm in the car.

After all the doubt, after all the 'fek' moments.

I have taken away a certain confidence away from the session.

The brief was “We are a zoomed out family. We like being part of the surrounds”.

Ohh hell yeah. Brenziers method it was.

I have had the comment “People are too small, you cant see them”. 

But that is one image in isolation, put the wide image into a series, and I give you a choice.

Close up, or part of the landscape? 

Everyone has one part about themselves that they dont like.

Often those feelings arent made verbal, so as a photographer I may not be aware of that self doubt.  

I personally, look in the mirror and think how old I look. 

I have come to terms with my skinnyness, but seeing my dad in the mirror haunts me. 

My theory is, if you make a beautiful image, the people part of that image feel beautiful too. 

It isnt just about the physical appearances, it is about a mood, it is about feelings, it is intangible. 

One of the great limitations of social media is the scale and resolution I am confined to.

The subjects arent small, it is the image that is small.

In its native resolution, the people are'nt small at all, because the image is huge.

They are designed to print big, I mean really big. 

(Uncropped image)

(100% crop of above image)
 

Part of every family session, or photographic session, follows a routine. 

I always try to get the formal images done 1st.  The sit up and smile shots. 

I call these the money shots. Its what is traditionally is expected.

Worst case scenario, if everything goes to poo from that point onwards, if the kiddies pack a tantrum, if the All Blacks are playing in 10 minutes, or there is a family emergency. 

You will have something for your wall.

But the next stage is just as, or more important.

It is where you, get to be you.

I step back and say "Go nuts"

Sometimes there is re-posing involved. 

If you look dorky, I will tell you.

Sometimes a little encouragement is needed. 

I am a dude pointing a big ass camera at you, it is to be expected.

But worse case scenario, only you and the people you show will see them.

What do you have to lose?

I want to see who you are, not just what you look like. 

It is about memories.  About looking back at the day and thinking "I enjoyed that".

It is about the experience, often I call it an 'adventure'.

It is about having fun, leave the stress and technical geekery to me. 

It is about you being special, because you are.

We get to record a little of your personality, the coy looks, maybe a little of that shy ackwardness that inhabits everyone.  

Its not make beleive.  Its all real and unscripted. 

You get to be the rock star for the day.

Thank you Jo and family.

It really put me out of my comfort zone.

All too often I look at what is wrong, and not at what is right.

What the image could be, and not what it is.

Your infectious positivity has made me re-examine myself, and you have had a lasting impact on my thinking.

The fruit of your tree is not un-noticed.