Innovation

Sometimes I get asked to photograph things I didn’t know existed.  Most memorable — going underground to take pictures of a sewer pump for its manufacturer’s advertisements.  It’s a different skill set altogether to photograph an object.  People are interesting, each person has their own quality they will add to a photograph.  Both photographer and subject make an image and that’s what makes my job so much fun, not a single event will ever be the same.  On the other hand, objects can be a challenge to make interesting.  Especially when they’re so large it takes being hoisted in the air by a lift to be able to see them in camera, even with a wide angle lens.

If you’ve met me, you know I’m petite, so much so that I have to carry a ladder around to my shoots or stand on chairs to be able to photograph most people at eye level.  That’s why when I realized how large the machinery I’d be shooting for this industrial gig was, I had to take a moment to step back and breathe.   Lifestyle and wedding photographers don’t generally have much need for the type of lighting equipment necessary for large-scale commercial shoots.  Typically, that’s a problem solved by renting a few things for the day, but if you’re out of town and there’s no place to rent, all you can do is rely on your creativity to problem solve.

10 sheets of marker board, one fork lift, a few speedlights and a hand full of factory employees drafted into assisting …  and this is what we created.  It was one of those rare days in my life where I didn’t feel I was giving into my ego when I knew I did a great job.