Magical Thinking
With celebrities it’s assumed that it’s my job to get a remarkable and unexpected image at all costs. When I photograph people for personal projects I feel a responsibility to shield them from the most aggressive or manipulative tactics.
As well, when I have a client there is an implication that when I ask a sitter to do something it’s the magazine that wants it, not me personally. On a personal shoot I can’t hide behind that.
A friend recently suggested that I bring the subject into my journey; create a narrative where we’re going to make something exceptional together. He said that it’s reasonable that I aim to make outstanding work every time - I take my work seriously and I should not have to apologize.
A couple of days before my recent Los Angeles shoots I met up with photographer colleague Lou Noble and we went for a long hike. Eventually we sat down at a shaded picnic table and I told him of my quandary. He suggested that I talk like a magician. “You set them up for an experience that will be wondrous and otherworldly ...” he said, gesturing broadly with his hands.
He went on to rephrase it for my context: “This is going to get uncomfortable in ways that will be enlightening and delightful.” He added, “Don’t spell out the ‘how,’ as you don’t even know yourself, but it invites both of you to embark on something adventurous and curious.”
I tried something like this on the session I set up with Bandsplain host Yasi Salek, and at the end she said, “Well, it didn’t really get uncomfortable.” But I explained that since she expected discomfort, the unusual things that I asked her to do weren’t alarming (Yasi was also an unusually open sitter).
Early on I also said, “These won’t be the most beautiful pictures ever taken of you, but they will be the best.” This did two things: it took away the assumption that I would flatter her, while also raising the stakes generally.
Top Image: Yasi gets magical at the baseball field.
Bottom Images: Chris works solo, photo by Yasi Salek; Yasi by the LA River.