There is something magical about working in a team. I say this is as deeply introverted, spends most of his time alone by choice type of person. But it's true. Not every time, but it's true when it's true, and it's damn nice when it is.
Years ago I was privileged enough to work with choreographer Gillmer Duran and a number of dancers with Eugene Ballet on a series of casual photography sessions in and out of the studio. Collaborating with Gillmer was incredible. He had ideas, endless ideas, and a good sense of which dancer would be the best for any given idea.
Collaborating with Gillmer and Amanda in particular was a truly enjoyable experience. Gillmer has a keen eye for lines as if he invented them. Amanda, at the time a talented apprentice at the Eugene Ballet, seamlessly complemented Gillmer's approach to work, fostering a communication so intuitive that words often felt unnecessary. As for myself, attuned to their dynamic, I was eagerly engaged in capturing their ideas and turning them into gorgeous photos. Coupled with intriguing locations, ample time, and fewer distractions than today, the outcome was positively rewarding.
In one afternoon and evening Gillmer, Amanda and myself worked in three locations using natural light or natural light lightly-assisted with a small speedlight. We walked away tired, hungry, and with a lot of images for our portfolios.
It's funny to look back on shoots from 15-odd years ago and think about how I would approach them today. Would I shoot from the same angles? Would I use a lens with less pronounced character? Would I keep the apertures so wide open? Certainly I would use a camera with far better autofocus (it was incredibly dark near the end of the shoot). One thing I don't do is judge the images outside the context of who I was as a photographer and the resources I had available at the time. Whatever I might do differently it's important to undersdtand that all of the creative context and the visual effect of it is important. These photos with Gillmer and Amanda are a momentary intersection of three creative talents that have since scattered to the winds. They tell a story of who, what, and where we were at that time. I wouldn't want to change that, or even dishonor it by ruminating over how I would do it differently today. Photos have value exactly because they capture these tiny histories, subjective as they may be.
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