Live in Love Photography

We drove to a 2 story house in Hyde Park, my freckled boyfriend behind the wheel and rap music blaring from the radio. Camera in hand, I prepared myself to meet a group of teens who will someday rise to greatness. Who may someday top the charts, and even if they don’t they will have created music and art that leaves their unique mark on the world while so many of us simply get by and blend in. I Googled their names and listened to the voice of a long haired brunette with my sister this morning. LIstened to the lyrics she wrote herself as her delicate fingers made love to a piano, igniting a magical melody my 4 weeks of guitar lessons could never achieve. She has music flowing out of her and the subtle seductive curve of her lips and slant of her blue eyes promises Grammy awards and TV appearances and songs that teenage girls will sing in their showers when their hearts are broken or their hope is lost. z
Yesterday, in the sweltering heat, I captured a connection that could never be replicated or repeated. She wore pearls around her neck and the scruffy faced boy with the white guitar grinned with his eyes. Sitting on a checkered couch under the orange glow of a single spotlight, their journey to fame has already begun. Who knew Cincinnati could be so full of promises, a yellow brick road to the bright lights of a future so many dream of but so few grasp. Shot after shot, my nerves get me every time. I am not sweating because it is 89 degrees outside and my pink shorts are too tight, I am sweating because I want to create something that captures their effortless calm confidence the way that they capture the notes from their guitars, drums, and pianos. I want to make sure I don’t miss what’s at the core.

Who knew a thirty minute visit to party city could spring such retro inspiration. Thanks to my rose-giving boyfriend my studio is completely assembled and better than ever. I spent my Friday afternoon painting green eyeliner and hot pink lipgloss onto the faces of the girls I love most. I  pinned twenty dollar wigs to their little heads and laughed at the reflections in the mirror. With plastic tiaras in their hair and 59 cent bubbles in their hands I snapped shot after shot of these bright eyed goddesses who have no idea how beautiful they are. They made love to the camera and we all “oohed” and “aahed” over the results in the morning after I spent an hour on photo shop and the whole night watching Gossip Girl. It was a weekend of creativity and I am praying for more to come.

Sometimes the challenges that scare us the most are the ones that present us with the biggest rewards. Walking into an office in too-small leather boots with pearls around my necks and a camera in my hand, my comfort faded away. I forgot the young woman  I had always been and replaced her with someone who was unsure of her talent, uncomfortable in her sorroundings, sweet-smelling and innocent and terrified of failure. I have always taken for granted my ability to bring a smile to anyones face. I never realized what an asset that friendliness is to a photographer, and though I tossed and turned in bed the night before the shoot for Abundance Technologies, the next day I was jazzed up on Low Carb Monsters and Starbucks coffee. With the help of a beautiful blonde haired makeup artist and the support of the familiar faces I love I stepped into a studio to the soundtrack of Guster and Carol King and photographed a friendly man with a brilliant smile who adored his wife and brought a rainbow of ties. I found my safe zone in that studio, I transformed from a hesitant 18 year old blonde into a confident, professional yet playful photographer who loves what she does. 

If i learned anything I learned this- whatever you do, do it as yourself. Being professional isn’t about a firm handshake and monotone direction, it’s about being self assured and presenting the best version of your authentic self. It’s about showing the world who you are, and spreading your art and your abilities to all kinds of people. If I stayed in my safe zone, photographing bright eyed children and gorgeous girls and jubilant families and passionate couples I would have never known all that I had to offer, I would have never challenged myself.

Yesterday blessed this photographer with sunny skies and innocent smiles. I chased around after a car loving two year old for an hour but it paid of in the end. I had prepared the yard with a technicolor quilt and bubbles and a tiny toy piano that played a bit off key. But this brown eyed angel needed only the playfulness of an 18 year old photographer, his loving mommy, and my brothers old toy cards to bring giggles into his universe.