The shoot went so well, and it was awesome to see my old friends—well, two of them, anyway! I asked them questions while recording their answers and taking their picture, all at the same time. I wanted it to be very free flowing and casual, and it went exactly as planned. I asked them to talk about something that defines them that other people wouldn’t necessarily know—it’s a broad question, which leaves room for interpretation and storytelling, and I couldn’t believe how much they shared with me, how honest they were. One friend talked about finding himself after being fat-shamed his whole life, while the other told me about being abused as a child. I have known both of these people for years, but this was the first time that I had heard these stories. I love my friends so much for their openness and vulnerability.
I also learned some important lessons for the future about multitasking and finding the right angles. When I photograph my next subjects, I want to remember to focus on framing and capturing my subjects’ hands. Hands are so evocative for me—I love how they can tell a story as vividly as the expression on someone’s face. And while I haven’t printed the images yet, I think they’ll be good. The only issue I ran into was when I tried to move locations behind Ralph’s Market to get more practice with different lighting and a security guy got bent out of shape for no apparent reason. A little power makes some people crazy!