Before we begin, I ask that you give me a break on this post...It has been a while since I've worked at this, and it may take some time to get back into the swing of things.
Okay, we are going to rewind time all the way back to the first week of April of this year. April normally begins as a wet and dreary month, as the temperatures start to warm up and all the snow starts to melt. However, this year Northern Michigan was dumped on with not one, but two late season snowstorms!
This meant that I had one last opportunity to work on some winter photos, even though I was already planning for sunshine and warmer weather. Once again, Mother Nature was going to test my patience... Having survived another long winter, all I wanted was to work on some new photos!
In addition to my usual anxiousness to get started on new work, I was excited to be able to work with Lexie Smolinski and have her as an assistant, model director, hair/makeup specialist, and creative consultant. ( I'll be honest, I'm terrible at giving pose instructions, deciding on outfits, and anything about hairstyles and makeup. I truly appreciate all the help Lexie brings to each shoot and the value she brings to my photography as a whole. I'm more comfortable and confident in my work, and I believe that the models I work with will be too.)
After talking with both Lexie and Brandi, we were able to find a day that worked with everyone's busy schedules. However, we could not figure out an exact theme for this shoot. Instead of going to some specific location, I invited the girls over once again to work on a variety of themes and ideas. We were basically going to throw a bunch of ideas together, and see if it would make for some good photos.
With suitcases full of clothes, Brandi and Lexie picked out outfits, figured out hair and makeup, and a basic plan was formed.
The shoot started off with some simple portraits outside in the snow. With over two feet of snow, our options were limited for backdrops. However, we still were able to come away with some great shots.
Next, with everyone starting to shiver from the cold...we moved the shoot inside the workshop. Now, I know that I've already done quite a few photo shoots using the shop as the setting... but unfortunately under the circumstances of the weather I didn't really have a choice. We tried our best to make these photos different from what had been done in previous shoots.
Brandi started off posing once again with my Mach 1, while it was in the shop awaiting parts upgrades. However, this time Brandi looked the part of a master-mechanic while wearing heels, jeans, and an exclusive "Tyler Sorget Photography" long sleeve t-shirt! If you recall from a previous shoot with Brianna, I'm slowly starting to create my own apparel and try to push my name out to a greater audience.
( Side note: I'm currently in the process of creating new designs and figuring out an exact inventory. I hope to have new apparel available to the models I work with, and quite possibly the public very soon! It is a goal as I look to move forward with my photography going into 2019.)
In addition to using my own car as a prop, while we were in the shop we took the opportunity to also feature a Mercury Cougar drag racing project car, owned by my uncle. Since my dad was in the process of doing some body work to the car, the idea of having Brandi jump in and pose as if she was the one doing the hard work. In typical Brandi fashion, she took every idea and suggestion with confidence and a hint of attitude.
Once we had finished with all the automotive themed photos, we decided to end the shoot with some indoor portraits. With Brandi, Lexie, and myself scrolling through Pinterest we were able to find some ideas. Brandi wore a comfy sweater and curled up on the couch for some photos. I was a little unsure how my camera was going to do with indoor photos, but I feel like we were able to get some good shots. I'm excited to try an indoor photo shoot again soon.
It was so nice to have Lexie there to help with everything. She jumped right in and started directing and suggesting things, as if she had been doing so for years. All I had to do was to focus on taking the photos. As a result, there were far less photos taken...but a greater number of high quality photos.
There was a sense of comfort with this shoot and between Brandi, Lexie, and myself that I hope continues as we work on more shoots in the future.
I hope you like it...and stay tuned for more!