![Fine Art Print representing Shakespeare's Sonnet #18](https://jgalleriephoto.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/nd64257.jpg?w=627&h=492)
Nikon D600
Lightroom 5, Photoshop CC, Perfect Effects, Define
I have been reading a lot lately about seeking inspiration and organizing your ideas before the shoot. This post is not to debunk the importance in that, but there is also something to be said about leaving room for the idea to develop on location. Flexibility is a huge part of my arsenal. Especially when scheduling models. I have more often than you can imagine set up a model for a stormy moody shot only to wake up to beautiful blue skies and vice versa…
So, how do I go about planning a conceptual shot? First and foremost I keep my creativity beast well fed. I do this in many ways. I watch visually stimulating movies, two recent ones that come to mind are Cloud Atlas and Pacific Rim. I read and look at visually stimulating books, both fiction as well as books by other creatives. I wander the isles of craft stories and at Halloween time, costume shops, oh and there are the wonderful racks at thrift stores. And lastly and most inspirational for me, I spend as much time as possible outdoors. Ultimately Mother Nature generally provides me with my canvas.
Whenever inspiration comes to me, either during the above activities or while doing the dishes, I take a moment to jot down a brief description of the vision. Nothing elaborate just something like fill forest with origami cranes, young woman among them, Snow White’ish looking. Then I get to work on gathering the main props and let the vision stew a bit. I can’t let myself get married to too many particulars about the shot because it evolves at every step of the way. And Mother Nature does not always have the same vision as I not to mention the proclivities of some of the models.
For the above shot I was out to shoot a totally different image. I had two models with me and the other model was to be the focus. We arrived on location far to early and the shot I was there to get just wasn’t in the cards. We couldn’t hang out until the right time to capture my vision. As we were packing up to go I saw the field of lavender and asked the other model to get ready. Viola! When I was working with the image in post I kept seeing/hearing Shakespeare so I added Sonnet #18 completing the piece. Had I stuck to the rails on what I was there to shoot that day I would have come home empty handed. Instead I stayed loose and let my environment guide my way.
I eventually got the other shot, see my post on July 4, it is the smaller photo near the end of the post. In the end everything worked out perfectly. I had an extra day to let the other shot develop and found a much better location and ended up with more appropriate cloud cover, and as a bonus I got a great shot that I had not even considered.
I believe that no matter how your shot develops the most important thing to remember is to stay true to your voice. Let your surroundings and inspirations guide you, but make sure that your final image is a true representation of your unique voice.