Directing Subjects. How, and More Importantly Why…

Directing people is a skill that can be more sharply honed once one important lesson is learned.The mood you get in this image above, is not derived simply from the lighting, nor from the choice of processing, camera angle or any combination of a myriad of other things that led to its creation. The ‘mood’ of the image… the feelings it evokes, are due largely in part to the state of mind of the person in the image. What you see in my images are people who are  really good at pretending. Whether they come to me with that talent, or they learn it from me. Every image of mine that you see, you are looking at someone who is believing…acting if you will to be someone else, to be themselves in a certain situation, or under a certain set of circumstances.  In this photo Brian is completely ‘in character’. Now, he is neither an actor, nor a model. He is a good buddy of mine, a fellow photographer, a hockey instructor, and an avid cyclist. You might think that because he is a fellow photographer, he would be camera ready… just set up the lights and watch him go! Nope, and its no fault of Brian’s either! Anytime someone is in front of your camera, they have no idea what you want them to do… they can’t read your mind, they may have never been in a position with 4 lights trained on them and several sets of eyes. (Yours your assistants…etc…etc.) Even if they are fully accustomed to such a setting, it still does not give them a clue as to what your vision is.

I can not emphasize that with enough severity. If you expect to make excellent images of your subject, you must utilize any and all means of communication available to you.  You owe it to yourself and the time you’re investing in making the image, and you most certainly owe it to your subject.

Cyclist Portrait #2 Nikon D-800 1/10sec. f2.5 85mm f1.8Nikkor

With Brian, I explained to him that in the first photo, I wanted him to look off into the distance, but I need it to be more than that, I continued…I need you to do so in the same manner.. the same mindset, as if you just finished a long arduous ride. Your heart is pounding, you have that feeling of accomplishment, and well being that one gets immediately following a successful ride. He was nodding as I was talking and his eyes were focused on me.. intent.. I could see already that he was going to remain focused, and was already trying to do his part to ensure the images were more than just someone standing next to a bike. I continued. I want you to look like you are completely in charge.. without looking arrogant, again… I want it to be more about the feeling of contemplation for the ride you just finished.. and for how good you feel.. while you are looking out perhaps surveying all the distance you just covered. Think strong, and you will look strong. He got it, now mind you, it wasn’t without a few failed attempts.. very close.. but an open mouth .. or the lack of a tiny bit of furling of the brow.. and the entire feel was just…a bit.. off. But at this point, Brian now knows what it is I’m looking for, and I can easily express to him encouragement, and the tiny little tweaks we need to sell it.  And boy does he sell it.. wouldn’t you agree?
People generally want to please. Heck even the most difficult people want to please, they just usually want to please themselves, but I digress…If you are given the opportunity to make an image for someone, you have a responsibility to make the very best image you can of that person. If the image becomes one sided, and by this I mean you are now pointing your camera AT someone and regarding them only as a subject that needs to be composed, lit and photographed, then you are treating them no different than photographing a still life of a fire hydrant. If you treat someone like an object, they are going to appear lacking something. They may be beautifully lit, but there will be a level of sincerity missing. The images become less like the viewer is stealing a peek into a scene out of a movie.. and more like they are looking at a set up photo.

Cyclist Portrait #3 Nikon D-800 1/3sec. f2.8 85mm f2.8 PC-E Tilt-Shift Nikkor ISO 80

If you want to make your images stand out, you have to realize that making someones image requires you to be able to involve the other person in a manner that allows them enough of a feeling of inclusion, so that they begin to take more pride in what you are doing. Believe it or not, this is true even when you are being paid to photograph the person! They think ok… I’m here.. your here.. it’s your job buddy to make me look good. You may be telling them move this way or that way… but if they don’t know why.. or more importantly what you want to accomplish.. then you’ll have someone feeling like they’re your puppet. Not an empowering feeling. How would you feel if it were you? The images will suffer. Every time.. they will suffer. Please believe! Give your subjects purpose… explain to them with conviction what you want to see….and you will see 1 thing begin to take place that changes the entire tone of not only the vibe on the set, but the quality and the gripping power and “believability” of the images you make. And that 1 thing is that a unified sense of purpose works swiftly to bring the best out in people, and brings results faster than anything you could ever achieve on your own. When you show up, you have to lure a performance out of the person. If you approach photographing them as a collaboration in which you are the conductor of a symphony, and they are the musicians… you can, as a conductor would…bring out all of the highs and low tones that encompass the range of human emotions. And when you are both in complete understanding of one another, your communication so good… and your bond strong, you’ll find that you can strike up such wondrously subtle differences in what you’re subject is bringing forth, that your performance will be ready for Carnegie Hall.
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“Portrait Of A Working Man” Nikon D800 ISO 50 1/80sec @ f3 85mm f2.8 PC-E Tilt-Shift Lens

His name is Joseph. He went from riches to rags…as he tells me. Wife, home, Mercedes…two daughters.”Now I do this” he says to me, as he holds up the cup holding a modicum of tips he’d amassed from the drivers who were human enough to not pretend as if they didn’t see him… hobbling there. His bent leg and cane lending to a gait that could not possibly be ignored. Especially when he is the only person standing on the side of the road… at the top of a hill, with a traffic light that seems to grab more cars in its path than it flashes the green light to. Yes, certainly they see him there. It is only two lanes. the road is narrow.. Joseph is tall. He waits at the top of the hill with a smile. For the those who fill his cup and those who stare sternly forward. Everyone gets a smile.
He saw me taking photos just around the corner as I was perched above the expressway,making rush hour traffic into a focusing game with the manual focus 85mm PC-E Tilt-Shift lens I have on loan from B&H, for a review of the new Nikon D800 I am doing for www.SeriousCompacts.com The lens is manual focus only.. and The distance above the traffic lent itself perfectly to test my ability to quickly focus such a large unforgiving lens while maintaining a narrow band of depth of field. I was in deep concentration to say the least when Joseph approached me. He greeted me as if we were on a pier, and I’d had a fishing pole in my hands…”Gettin any good shots!??”, He quipped. “I’m hopin so!” “Few keepers” I replied. We both laughed.
It was as I was headed on my way to leave that I saw him again. I was on the other side of the street.. nowhere near close enough to warrant a donation.. and I only mention this because he noticed me.. and wished me well.. said he hoped I’d gotten some good ones! He was sincere and warm.. and not out to try to even make a penny off of me. He simply was sharing a smile, albeit a toothless one, with a stranger. His kindness struck me, and I instantly realized it was warmth like this that needs more attention in the world. I spun right around.. went back and told him… I have x amount of dollars in my pocket. I’m going to give you half. That’s half of everything I have right now. We both laughed. He thanked me heartily and asked me what I was shooting. I explained. Then I said to him.. ya know, I’d love to make a portrait of you. He was thrilled and flattered. I was adamant about expressing how I was in no small way attempting to buy his sitting, in fact I’d best save the money for the models who charge for it. I simply wanted to share a lil because he seemed like a good person. He told me it didn’t make a difference. He would gladly sit either way and was happy I asked.
So I picked a spot… we talked. I shot…I spend 15 mins with him according to the EXIF data on the images. This was the first portrait I made with the incredibly challenging lens, and I’m quite happy with it. Many more will follow, I just hope they have half the heart and character that Joseph does!

~j.j.
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Roll Over the Image to See How It Looked Straight Out of The Camera

The Statue of Liberty, you could say today is her day. July 4th, a day of barbecues fireworks pool parties and family. I took this image yesterday while out on a job in NY’s harbor. A gorgeous day. You couldn’t paint a better day! Well…perhaps you could. I certainly couldnt. My mother is the painter in the family… hence the long history with cameras for me! Seeing Lady Liberty up close and personal on the day before the 4th, got me to thinking, and I’d like to share some of those thoughts with you.

Freedom. It’s something that was fought for, it’s also more prevalent than we are for the most part aware of on a daily basis. For instance we are free, to do as we choose.. for the most part. Most importantly though, we are free to make our own decisions. We are free to decide to not complain, free to choose to find a way, free to explore, free to embrace everything we can do and pay no mind to the things we can’t. We are free to decide that we deserve good things, free to treat others well, free to eat good healthy foods and avoid the foods that are bad for us. Free to create images that aren’t what we normally produce, free to experiment, free to fail! Free to believe that were worth more, free to love each other more, free to choose to not do one single thing we don’t believe in, free to decide. We… are free to decide. How often we forget this and we make excuses. Excuses are like shackles that will keep you right where you are, and deny you of the growth that is your birth right, deny you of the pleasure of  becoming something… someone… greater than you already are.  So decide to make no excuses.. decide to be aware that the greatest freedom we have in life.. is the freedom to choose.
Happy 4th Of July!!

~j.j.
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When I attended college at S.V.A to study commercial photography, I went with the intention of photographing products… tabletop setups… still life imagery. If you asked me then what I least wished to make images of, I’d have fired back out you without hesitation “People!” I was never comfortable having my image made, and the thought of pointing a camera at another human being… was.. to me, daunting at best. I knew that if I had a mild fear of having my image made, that it must be a horrific experience for others who declare they hated it! ( I could tolerate it, but it made me very self conscious and uncomfortable) This was not something I wanted to contribute to, plus (more…)
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Location….Location…Location………Why shooting on location is equal parts exciting and challenging.

I had a shoot yesterday late afternoon with a lovely model who had some time off her busy schedule that coincided with mine So we set out to make some images together .. for fun. No plan.. what so ever. All I knew going in was I wanted to make images for her that surpassed anything she already possessed.
She arrived with coffee… and a few outfits. Most notably was this flowing red dress. We agreed that because it was the most difficult thing to put on.. it would be best if she suited up with it first before we headed out.
Shooting on location is a perpetuation of challenges, such as this simple one, where to change! In our case we had a vehicle, but still this dress was a chore to put on and things like this have to be taken into account. So.. how do you plan? Well, for one its important to (more…)
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Metropolitan Couple

There is something so wonderful that happens when I get out of my own way, and let the images just happen. This day was a shinning example. I met the couple in Long Island City ( N.Y.) with a few hrs before sunset. I wasn’t crazy about the location, as I felt it might be a bit trite… and frankly an all too touristy spot to make images. ( least ones that I could be proud of) I reminded myself though, that whenever I leap.. without knowing whats to come.. and I focus on the excitement that it just may turn out amazing..it often does! Well I was so glad that I didn’t get stuck in the negative frame of resistance that I nearly caved to. ( I could have easily told them I had a better Idea..) As soon as I saw the skyline.. I noticed a few buildings whose angles would frame them perfectly.. and the color scheme of the shot, instantly entered my mind.. My assistant set up one light and I positioned the couple where (more…)
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Larry Bellino

This past Sunday March 11th, 2012 I lost a very dear friend. In preparing an image for his mother as a gift… something to portray him at the wake and funeral services. I did quite a bunch of thinking, and I came away with one important thing I’d like to share… (more…)
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When You’re Driven Past Your Comfort Zone… I think it’s important to remember that

I think it’s important to remember that nothing ever worth doing comes easy, and often times it is simply… when you strip away all the things your brain will label the “thing” it is you wish to do achieve, complete, create.. conquer etc. you’ll be left with a very simple fact. It makes you uncomfortable… because it is new, because there is uncertainty… because the outcome isn’t guaranteed. I say to you this… it is then in the face of these moments that you owe it to yourself to simply acknowledge what it is you are experiencing.. and push forward. I guarantee you’ll come out the other side stronger, brighter and with a heightened sense of being. ~ j.j.
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I remember what its like to be their age… I remember it with crystal clarity… with total recall.

I remember what its like to be their age, I remember it with crystal clarity…with total recall. It helps I still have my childhood friends to spark up the memories, constantly. In pointing a camera at these future makers, I have to be clear in heart. I have to respect them with as much depth of sincerity as any other subject… So I said to them.. (more…)
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Some tranquil thoughts to accompany possibly my most tranquil image to date:

The Dalai Lama’s 18 rules for living…. 

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

Follow the three Rs: (more…)
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Message in a Bottle

I went for a walk on the beach yesterday with my oldest friend. We were discussing a photo project that I’ve been working on. I stumbled upon this gallon jar of most likely old photographic developer or fixer…it had washed up onto the shoreline. Crazy thing is, before we knew what it was we said “Wow imagine if it had a message in it!!”, and my friend added ” yeah…and it said you must do this project….it’d be a sign!!”, and we laughed….HARDILY! Ten feet later I upright it….and we both almost fell over. It IS a sign……What do YOU think???

~j.j.

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Shooting in N.Y.C. is a blessing, so many amazing things to photograph. It’s hard to make a boring image… finding a new perspective for objects that are infamous however,…is a challenge.

~j.j.
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