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Friday night I had the opportunity, thanks to a friend at Silk Road Productions, to shoot the Dynastaes show and cast photos. It was another paying gig (this is good), and I can’t say that I’m averse to photographing an all-girl performance troupe, with acts ranging from music to dancing and acrobatics. Those girls are positively amazing, so if you’re into Chinese culture, check it out. Hopefully I’ll be able to post some of the low-rez versions over on osbornphoto.com pretty soon.

Friends continually wonder how, with gigs such as this and the fashion shoots I’ve been doing lately, I manage to keep my tongue in my mouth and work without distraction. It’s true, sometimes the subjects are just so damn beautiful that they catch you off guard, but most of the time your head gets so locked into chasing the light, composition, timing, focal length, aperture, shutter speed, theme, emotive response … well, you get the idea. I could be looking at anything from a nude model to a corroded tin shed, and I’m looking for the beauty in the shot, I’m thinking of the presentation and the mood and the if I want a representational shot, or something more artistic, or if the two are the same.

I’m thinking of balancing the desires of the client withing the shots available, and thinking how much license they will give me or are expecting me to take, reviewing the pre-show conversations and/or contract to ensure fulfillment. I’m considering the story I want to tell, I’m thinking of how my actions and speech affect the personality of the subjects, and if I want to encourage their emotions in a particular direction, or if I want to be invisible. I’m wondering what will happen if I try something new, something I’ve never done before.

Even when the shots are provocative, it’s chasing beauty that’s appreciated by the heart over the loins. During the fashion shoots, I make mental notes of those models I think have the attitude and looks to make it, those that sizzle or sparkle or project some understated allure, but it’s because I’m thinking of reserving more shots for them, for capturing that magic. It’s not until the way home I think, “Damn, that girl was hot!” When I review the photos for print, I’m back behind the lens – even when browsing Ginger’s Playboys I caught myself examining the lighting, that the play of light and dark on bare skin, of how the composition leads you to … well, where it leads you.

There are martial parallels here: I am training myself with a focused mind, completely intent on the task at hand. This is good, this is better than shooting mindlessly – without plan or goal, without efficiency. Perhaps someday I will be good enough to shoot with “no mind,” to be able to effortlessly produce that which I seek without the impediments of analysis, and it’s not until the act is complete that I think, “hmm, yes, that was good.” Of course, that’s a long way off.

Oh, what, you’re naked? I hadn’t noticed. I was kinda’ preoccupied.

No, really.

But you can call me tomorrow.