I often think about the “Beloved” Session that I did with Murray and Emma (See May 26th Blog Entry). For a guy like me, who theretofore was in love with portable off-camera lighting, I decided to follow the advice of Jesh DeRox‘s cohorts and go into Murray and Emma’s home with the minimum about of equipment. Taken to the extreme, I would have done it without a camera if I could have, just as I sometimes imagine that Bill Gates would have done what he did without developing software if he could have.
So, I did a mental checklist:
1. No lights, stands, tripods or reflectors (I feel naked to the world);
2. Make images in their favorite environment, not mine, the photographer;
3. Make no attempt to formally pose the couple;
4. Try using a wider-angle lens, say 35mm on a full-frame sensor (I’m usually an up-close and personal guy); and
5. Only use “Beloved” invites as a means to move the couple to a place of comfort.
Well, this doesn’t mean that one forgets the principles of light patterns, camera angles and/or position. But it seemed like flying a plane without taking a lesson for me. The couple had an exquisite, gentle energy about them. But they said what I have heard from virtually every one I have ever photographed: “I hate having my picture taken!”
With that as a starting note we began; I spoke the first “Beloved” invite (the details of which I elected not to discuss outside the session). Suffice it to say that instead of the photographer barking instructions such as, “Ok, Emma. Turn away from the light … now turn your head back toward the light … tilt the top of your head to the right ….. [etc],” the might hear, “Murray: remember the time that you were the most ….. [the invite continues ].”
The results were remarkable. Suddenly they were reliving a reality of love 30 years prior, and I was a “sacred observer” so caught up that I forgot that I had a camera and about this time that I was supposed to be using it. I gathered my wits and began to make images.
Click here to see the images.
Bill Leyden's Photog Blog 