I think the world got a little bit smaller for me tonight as I wrapped up my shoot last night. This evening I finished a shoot with Ms. Bryden Jenkins. The last time i saw Bryden I was 13 years old. Weird right?

I was able to keep in contact and a couple weeks ago I asked her if she would be interested in shooting with me because I thought she had the perfect look for my concept. I was happily surprised when she agreed because I was afraid I would come off creepy since neither of us had really talked to each other since 7th grade! 

So its a bit past our scheduled shoot time and as I finish setting up, the phone rings. I go out to the front to meet her and bring her into the studio when I see she is accompanied by two other people.

Immediately, I shit my pants.

The day before, she had let me know that she was gonna bring a friend for makeup purposes, but when I go out front, I see another person with her. A guy. I knew it had to be her boyfriend. I was concerned because 1) multiple companions usually take away from the ability for me to communicate with my subject and 2) Boyfriends are never helpful. Now, I know anyone who is reading this is thinking that I dont like boyfriends to be on my shoots because I cant hit on my subjects, but please- lets be real:

Very much like a father, a boyfriend doesn’t want another guy to be staring at his girl, judging how she looks, asking her to do certain things for the camera, etc. It just inhibits my creativity and gives me another thing to worry about. 

THAT BEING SAID. Within 30 minutes of preparation, test shots, lighting adjustments, I learned that “John” was the exact opposite of everything I was worried about. He left himself completely at my disposal, continuously asking if I needed anything, giving me creative ideas to supplement the look I was going for. It was great because without me explaining anything, he understood the look I had in mind. He was even the one to suggest a topless look.

Now I mentioned the world feeling smaller at the end of it. Well during the catching up I did with Bryden I learned that she 1) lived down the street from me. 2) went to the same school as my assistant Harrison 3) had a younger brother who went to school with my younger sister. 

As far as the pictures are concerned, Ive become fascinated with my sisters polaroid camera and wanted to go for that nostalgic look so I used a speed lite and fired it straight at the subject to replicate the polaroid-esque flash. Time flew by because in the middle of shoot the camera flashed NO MORE SPACE. 600 pictures. Gone.