To the viewer, it must seem so easy—simply taking a photograph and recording a story—but the process entails so much more. Every shoot requires many different kinds of camera equipment, from the light box to the backdrop, and it’s strenuous to carry them to the location of the shoot and set them up—in all, that part of the process takes about an hour. Then, once everything is in place, I talk to my subjects, making sure that they are familiar and comfortable with all that is about to happen.
The most difficult part of a shoot is when I’m actually taking the photographs, which requires a lot of multitasking that doesn’t come easily to me. In addition to making sure that my subjects are doing what is needed to produce a strong image (making eye contact, sitting forward, etc.), I must focus on asking questions that will keep them engaged and inspire them to tell their story. At the same time, I’m trying to memorize what ISO to set the camera at and what light position will best reflect my surroundings. I found this process to be especially difficult when I was taking photos of the homeless teenagers because, in addition to these other tasks, I had to be extremely sensitive about not crossing any boundaries that would cause them to feel uncomfortable or scared.
The more I practice, the easier the process becomes—each mistake becomes a learning experience, and getting to see the results after a shoot makes all the work worthwhile. I love downloading my photos and seeing my subjects’ different emotions, whether they express these through their face or through their hands. It’s also fun to decide whether I want a particular photo to be in color or black and white, as the choice portrays such different tales. Last but not least, I upload the photos to my website. This puts a bow on the process—it feels great to know that my hard work is finally complete, and that the rest of the world can see and enjoy it.