Myself and Mr. Scott Hemsey ran a little Strobist workshop a while back. It was a grand time and we had a few models come out to work with our participants. As part of the compensation we offered the models, we had promised to make some shots for them after the show wound down.
I had seen the location before and I knew I could pull off something really cool on the highway above where we held the seminar. I just had to convince the models that running into the middle of the highway, breaking the law in a foreign country just to get a photograph, was a good idea. It really didn’t take as much time as I expected. The immediate answer was, “Sure, let’s give it a go.”
So we jetted out into the middle of the road and shot our first couple of frames. These were rudely interrupted by approaching traffic determined to move us off the road one way or another. I knew I would have to keep the models in the concept. So, I got them seated on the side of the highway and made a few simpler, safer shots, all the while assuring them that this was going to lead to a great shot.
By this stage, even my partner in crime, Mr. Hemsey, was shaking his head at my determination and possible suicidal tendencies. But, I knew I could make the shot shine, and I had to keep my game face on to be sure my models were up for it. After a few consecutive runs trying to get the pair of them together out in the centre of the highway, we decided to just go for one, and Kyle was all for it. This is what we came back with:
Well worth the effort I think. The simplicity of this shot pops for me. I surrounded man with his creations and had him as the most powerful element. Kyle’s wonderful job at just being a pillar of confidence with buses whizzing buy really made this one a winner. I would love to have laid myself flat on the ground to lend some more perspective to Kyle, but there just wasn’t time for that, unfortunately.
So, lesson learned from this. Believe in what you do and others will as well. I only met the guy a couple of hours before this, but I had him risking his welcome here, and his various limbs for a good shot. Believe, and others will as well.
Cheers to Nikelola and Kyle for making this possible!
