Hello everyone!
After we finished a shoot, the studio still set up, my younger son, Olivier (14),
asks if I could give him some time to be his assistant in an idea he has!
Ok, alright… you're the boss! What do you want to do? … He rushed back
in the studio, some 10 minutes later, with a toy bike in his hands.
"I'm afraid this idea is not very serious… a toy!" he said.
Wrong buddy! It has nothing to do with the subject… much more with the
way you will show it. The bike is cool, full of details and nice colours… all
you have to do is to show me how serious you are about photography.
I'm not gonna tell you how long it took, all of the hesitations he had and the
many "What do you think dad?" "I don't know, it is your decision!"... All I will
say is that this is "HIS" shot, his choice of gear and his light set up.
So he came up with this first take: (D3X + 85 PC + 3x SB 900 + PocketWizards)
View attachment 44697
"That's nice!" I said.
"…now try another angle". This was the second take:
View attachment 44698
"Oooh! I like this view very, very much!" …and he wanted to leave, satisfied.
"No way, young man! You stay here… that is a somewhat cool shot for a
catalogue but this is not photography!
"Huh???" I saw on his face. "A picture is a document that will show something.
A photograph will INSPIRE more then (or as much as) just show! Let's put it in
a context, give it a purpose, tell a story…" I suggested.
We worked together (I, being always the assistant) and we came up with this
third and final take (same equipment):
View attachment 44699
What do you say?
I have always insisted that one or both my sons (19 & 14) assist me in studio work. I know it will pay off!
Have a good day…
After we finished a shoot, the studio still set up, my younger son, Olivier (14),
asks if I could give him some time to be his assistant in an idea he has!
Ok, alright… you're the boss! What do you want to do? … He rushed back
in the studio, some 10 minutes later, with a toy bike in his hands.
"I'm afraid this idea is not very serious… a toy!" he said.
Wrong buddy! It has nothing to do with the subject… much more with the
way you will show it. The bike is cool, full of details and nice colours… all
you have to do is to show me how serious you are about photography.
I'm not gonna tell you how long it took, all of the hesitations he had and the
many "What do you think dad?" "I don't know, it is your decision!"... All I will
say is that this is "HIS" shot, his choice of gear and his light set up.
So he came up with this first take: (D3X + 85 PC + 3x SB 900 + PocketWizards)
View attachment 44697
"That's nice!" I said.
"…now try another angle". This was the second take:
View attachment 44698
"Oooh! I like this view very, very much!" …and he wanted to leave, satisfied.
"No way, young man! You stay here… that is a somewhat cool shot for a
catalogue but this is not photography!
"Huh???" I saw on his face. "A picture is a document that will show something.
A photograph will INSPIRE more then (or as much as) just show! Let's put it in
a context, give it a purpose, tell a story…" I suggested.
We worked together (I, being always the assistant) and we came up with this
third and final take (same equipment):
View attachment 44699
What do you say?
I have always insisted that one or both my sons (19 & 14) assist me in studio work. I know it will pay off!
Have a good day…
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