Behind The Scenes

What do you do when you have a few hours to kill between corporate shoots in Las Vegas? Sit by the pool? Try Lady Luck at the craps table? A big waste of time. If you are like me, and you’re looking to satisfy some creative juices, you may want to head over to the old Vegas strip. Play some Sinatra on your IPod, find a seedy motel and rent a room on the cheap. Next find two attractive people, place them in a situation, and have them act out “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”. You’ll save your skin and your wallet. Shooting lifestyle isn’t always what you think you see, or is it?

The first thing I noticed was his skin. His skin didn’t soak up light, it illuminated it. I just had to keep my lighting simple and directional and his strength would be exposed. A delicate yet intoxicating portrait of a soul at peace.

Creating a cafe scene with a little edge starts with pumping up the grain, making it look cinematic, using strong contrasting light, and having some visceral focus. In this case, it’s the kiss of smoke that becomes the connection between the two, or you might say the disconnection of lovers at odds with one another. Vulgar? Yes, like a slap in the face. Words unspoken. Stories played out. Is she angry? What’s up his ass? What will her reaction be?

A film noir moment captured as a still photograph. In either medium it looks just plain sexy on film.

It’s like catching a rare sighting of Big Foot. Once you see one you can’t help but stare a little. And stare I did. When I shoot a portrait I look for two things. What are the eyes saying and what is the body language telling me? And Mohawk wasn’t hiding anything. I quickly saw this from the gaze in his eyes and the attitude that struck his face, but oh that hair. How to deal with all that real estate on top of this head. A perfect fan-like shape, comfortable, as if it had always belonged there. I shot him broad side and slightly on an up angle. The backdrop was this space between two buildings protected by a black wire mesh fence that closed off nothing of value accept the area between these large brick structures.

The day was overcast. Shot it flat just with available light. I’d punch up the contrast later. I kept staring. I kept shooting. And as time continued to eat up the day, I kept on thinking one thing – who does your hair?