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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.

Brief “shrinking world” anecdotes: Saturday was a bin full o’ art, starting with the Ray at Night art walk. There was a giant robotic walking giraffe, replete with blinking lights and electronic music – sort of a raver version of SRL. Of course, I said hi to Amy and hung out for a bit (her evolutions in wood-burned/epoxied/waxed pieces are phenomenal – get a website already, Amy!) Aileen also had some wonderful new photos up, and a beautifully disgusting close up of someone licking an ice-cream cone of yogurt, hair, corn, and all sorts of revolting things combined.

I ran into a student (this keeps happening more and more) who was wandering around the galleries – not one, were I required to guess, who I would peg as an art lover – but that’s why I love San Diego. Once you get past the tanned silicon, there’s really fantastically surprising crowd down here.

Shortely thereafter, I ran into a girl I’ve been out with once and have been talking on the phone with lately, or rather, she ran into me. I was hunched over flipping through the portfolio of a great nature and landscape photographer showing at Warp 9 when she came up behind me and tickled my head. Strange thing was that she appeared to be hanging out with a few people: a mutual acquaintance, a friend that just moved down to SD, and someone I could swear she was on a date with. (Who caresses a girls forearm when asking them what to do unless you have some degree of romantic interest flowing?) Anyway, it was a little bit of a relief for me, as I was starting to think that all the phone time put in on my behalf was imbuing some sort of “more into you than I really am” sort of connection when I’m really thinking more along the lines of “we seem to have fun when we’re out, but it’s not like we’re exclusive.” (I’ve never really been one for the phone. I’d rather just use it to set up some time to meet in person.) Cool. Maybe we’ll hagn out again. Anyway, after introductions and a brief conversation, I flew home to grab some grub and pick up a jacket.

On to the meat: I head over to the San Diego Sports Club in Hillcrest for the “Fashion Whore” fashion show, where the (very cute) Ginger is doing some body painting. Saunter up, grab a Guinness, and she asks if I have my gear in the car.

“Of course.”

“Want to shoot candid pre-show and the show?”

I scan the room: dimly lit, there are a couple other photographers wandering and shooting, but the room is dominated by a professional and his lighting gear. He needs it, there room is horribly lit, with neon, fluorescence, mirrors and spinning reflective things, etc. Very inconsistent with extremely hight contrast. Ouch.

“I guess I’ll try. No promises.”

I do a bunch of the pre-show, and meet the other photogs, who seem nice enough. I think I’m the only one (aside from random models’ and designers’ friends with point-and-shoots) that shot the show. The pro only agreed to the pre-show, and I can see why: the show room was even harder to shoot than the prep room, with very little space for yourself much less auxiliary gear. Given the conditions, I opted to take advantage of having to bump the ISO up to 1600, and shot harsher without a bounce on the flash even with my 50mm f/1.8. Kind of a gritty Nan Goldin underbelly at the bar sort of look. Still culling the photos, we’ll see what comes up.

But, yeah, I hung out with a bunch of hot girls in various states of undress and photographed them. Unfortunately, as soon as my eye hits the viewfinder, I end up entering “pro” mode (hah!), and am really only seeing composition, lighting, and shapes of the human body. Even though the photos may ultimately passionate emotion, the models had turned into subjects, and I was no longer seeing them outside of the frame. Fun regardless, and perhaps some portfolio work there.