Mj Wilson Photography - Internationally published, female photographer for Fashion, Lifestyle Portraits, Events, Luxury Goods, Weddings, Music, Models, Actor Headshots, Corporate

Tag - creative photo ideas

The Family that Bathes Together…

I don’t remember whose brilliant idea this was, but on one rare occasion, when my brothers and I all happened to be back in Glenview, at the same time, we decided to recreate an infamous photo that my Dad had taken of the three of us, in the bathtub (see small inset photo.) (I’m also sure many “smart” cocktails were ingested before this shoot!)

The above photo was the one we presented to our Parents, as our gift to them, but as usual, the outtakes were pretty hilarious as well!

And yes, we all had clothes on, for those who were wondering (because there is always someone who does wonder!)

I still don’t know how we fit three grown people, all at or near six feet tall, into one normal sized bathtub.

Capturing the Moment or How I make your Photo say something about you

As professional Photographers we are always being challenged by our photo shoots. We have to take an inanimate and unemotional object (like a camera and a lens) and use those to try and create a photo that will stir emotion into the subject or make those that view the photo feel an emotion.

Over the years I’ve had to take that unemotional equipment and make Brides & Grooms appear loving to each other, when they were really very uncomfortable next to each other. I’ve had to take awkward musicians and help them to look cool in front of my camera and I’ve had to take beginning models and actors and teach them how to project their personality into their photos. I feel that it’s my job to find that one thing, that makes someone different, and to capture it on film for them.

Randy Gun - The Necessaries - Photo by Mj Wilson PhotographyI’ve had several people ask me this year (this means you Laura!) what was it (or who was it) that inspired me to become a Photographer. When I was growing up, we didn’t have the Internet and we didn’t have access to the depth of information that people have today. Back then, there really wasn’t any one person who influenced me. My father took up Photography as a hobby and he literally owned everything that Nikon made. He was excellent at shooting inanimate objects and took wonderful photos of all the countries he and my Mom visited, in their travels around the world. I found, that when I picked up that same camera, and directed it towards my friends, I caught something in them – a fleeting moment, a captured glimmer in their eye, and the end result was an awesome photograph. My father noticed this skill of mine right away and he asked me to teach him “how” to shoot people. It frustrated him that he couldn’t capture the same things that I did, when he photographed people, but back then I really didn’t know how to explain it to him, because I didn’t understand it myself. I just somehow “knew” how to do it. My inspiration was really pretty simple…I liked taking photos of beautiful people.

There are two things that I remember from back then…I remember seeing the movie The Eyes of Laura Mars and I was blown away by the visuals. Faye Dunaway played Laura Mars, who was a photographer, and she shot high fashion models on sets that had burning cars in the background. I was transfixed by it all. That was what I wanted to do! To be around that kind of energy and excitement and capture the kind of images that no one else was.

Then I read a statement somewhere that seemed to explain what it was that I was actually already capturing in my photos. I think I read this in a Photography Magazine or a book, and I wish I knew who said it, so I could give them proper credit. What I read was something to the effect that: “You almost have to want to make love to your subject in order to take a good photo of them.”

Randy Gun - The Necessaries - Photo by Mj Wilson PhotographyObviously you can’t take that statement literally, since I have photographed hundreds of women and men, over the years, and I have felt no compulsion to take any of them on as my lovers!

But that feeling is there subconsciously, each and every time I pick up a camera. I’m watching through my viewfinder for that one glance, that one glimmer in their eyes and if I click the shutter fast enough, I have caught it – a moment frozen in time. Back when I shot film I would always know, the moment I clicked that shutter, that the one image I had just captured would be the “best” image out of the bunch. It was just a feeling that hit me in that 60th of a second it took for the camera shutter to open and close. I just “saw” that photo the moment it was captured. I was so dead on with my feelings that nine times out of ten I was correct in knowing which image would be the best.

I want to point out how hard my job is now, when I have to go back and reshoot people who I had already taken awesome photos of, in the past.

For example – Last year I found six rolls of film that I had shot of my ex-boyfriend, Randy Gun. Randy was astounded when I showed them to him because he didn’t remember seeing the images back then (he did see them, but he just doesn’t remember.) He was happy when I sent him scans of the first three images that I found. He then became speechless the weekend I put all of the images online in a Gallery for him to see. After he had looked through all of them, he told me that he had never looked as good as he did in my photos (yes he did, he was just showing some humility.) He said I must have “beheld him” and he thanked me for taking those photos that made him look so good. I told him that I hadn’t done anything special…I had just taken photos of him and his band while they were playing a dive bar in Boston. I just happened to get a lot of good shots out of that one night because I was interested in my subject.

Randy Gun - The Necessaries - Photo by Mj Wilson PhotographySeeing dozens or hundreds of images at a time, is nothing new to me. I sort through hundreds of photos just to choose one good one. I really can’t imagine what it must be like, to be the person on the receiving end of my photos! It must be overwhelming to see so many good photos of yourself, from one source, taken at one time.

When I look back on these old photos that I took of Randy Gun, I can see how the statement I referred to above, was true in a sense. When I shot the photos, I had only just met Randy, so I certainly wasn’t consciously thinking about wanting to make love to him. Yet, the images that I took of him that night were powerful and emotional ones that still hold their own today. When I managed to catch a shot of Randy looking at me, through my camera lens, there was an emotion captured there from him, that was being directed at me. It makes me think that those images somehow told the story of what was to transpire between us later. It was almost like the camera knew our story before we even did.

Which brings me back to present day. How do you take photos of someone now, who you had already taken great photos of 32 years ago? That is a big challenge since the times have changed, the people have changed, the emotions have changed, etc. When I started helping Randy build a website last year, my images from 32 years ago were the foundation that his website was built on. We really didn’t need any other photos…except for the fact that it was 32 years later and he didn’t look anything like those images anymore. We needed new photos of him, ones that told a different “story” than those that I had taken of that 25-year-old guitar player, 32 years ago.

Randy Gun - The Necessaries - Photo by Mj Wilson PhotographyTherein lied my challenge. How do I trump myself? This was not just an “easy to do” photo shoot with a cute young subject. On top of being older and heavier and looking nothing like he did in the past, Randy also added the burden of trying to limit the time and place I would be “allowed” to take this updated photo of him.

For a couple of months we argued over the fact that we needed to do this updated photo shoot. At first Randy refused to do the shoot, then he made up a million different excuses on why he couldn’t come meet up with me, for a free photo session, while I was in New York. I begged him to listen to me and let me do what I needed to do, because this was all about him anyway. I needed time to shoot, and I needed different environmental backgrounds to choose from. We had the whole city of New York to work with and a week to do it in.

The end result? Randy limited my time by “allowing” me one half hour to do the shoot and we were going to have to do this half hour shoot late at night, in a darkened bar, where I would also be struggling with lighting. Did I happen to mention the fact that up to this point we hadn’t even seen each other in person for at least 30 years? All of this work and planning had been going on through phone calls, email, and texting. I even suggested meeting up for 15 minutes, the day before the shoot, so we could get over the weirdness of just seeing each other in person again, after so many years. He didn’t have that 15 minutes to spare me either.

So, Randy showed up for the shoot, it was dark, he was uncomfortable, and then he told me about how he wanted to be photographed, in a particular pose that had worked for him in the past, but it was a pose which looked utterly ridiculous to do now, at his current age.

I had less than 10 minutes to shoot an uncooperative subject in a hotel that was trying to prevent me from shooting in the first place. Because I know what I am doing, I managed to pull this shot out of that 10 minute time frame.

Randy Gun / Randy Burns - May 2011 - Photo by Mj Wilson Photography

Photo of Randy Gun / Randy Burns – May 2011 – Empire Hotel Mezzanine, New York City

I am very happy with the result and proud of the work that I did in that limited amount of time.

Are you wondering what Randy’s reaction was to the photo? He didn’t like it. He actually liked an image that I grudgingly took of him in that old favorite pose of his, just to get him to shut up about it.

This photo makes Randy look better than he actually does in person. The photo had to be touched up a lot, to make it look this way, which was another thing that Randy didn’t appreciate being done for him, (for free).

So there you have it. I certainly didn’t want to make love to Randy now (figuratively or literally) in order to get a good photo of him. With my background and skills I was able to produce an excellent photo from an unfortunate circumstance.

Another hazard of our trade is ending up with unappreciative clients. No matter how good of an image we have captured of them, there are those, like Randy, who don’t appreciate what you have done for them, be it from 32 years ago or this past year.

I guess I could pass on a quote to Randy, that my photo friend Clay Blackmore uses: “You might hate your photos now but I guarantee that you will love them 30 years from now!”

In the end I feel confident in my abilities and I know for sure that no one took better photos of Randy, than I did, 32 years ago.

As far as the image above, that I took of him last year – I did manage to capture the moment and the photo does tell a “new story” about Randy Gun. Also, it is probably the last good image that anyone will ever take of him.

Sad, but true.


Read more of my stories about Randy Gun

Feliz Navidad Holiday Cards

Ah…the Holidays…What a perfect time to showcase the last big photo shoot for our “out-of-the-box” Holiday Photo Cards.

Feliz Navidad - Holiday Cards by Todd & MjIt’s sad really, that there aren’t any more to show after this posting. That’s why I’ve been saving the best for last.

By the time Todd and I got around to this set of Holiday Cards, we were seasoned veterans, in coming up with creative costumes and photo ideas. Our ideas were all over the place, during this shoot, as you will be able to see in the Slideshow below.

We thought we would go for a more “traditional” theme that year, and chose “Feliz Navidad” as our sentiment. We decided to see who could come up with the better outfit, so we kept our outfits a secret from each other, until the day of the shoot.

When I went shopping for my outfit, I knew I wanted to portray a sexy (yet slutty) “Wench” kind of look. Something that looked like my clothes were disheveled and kind of ripped off my body. I was thinking along the lines of having huge cleavage falling out of the shirt but the only problem was, back then I had no cleavage! I found the Red ruffled skirt and White top, and decided that a Black wig would complete my outfit.

Feliz Navidad - Holiday Cards by Todd & MjI will never forget going over to Todd’s house that day to get ready for the photo shoot. We went into separate bedrooms to change and do our makeup until we were ready for the big “reveal” to each other. I knew my outfit would be the best and I put on my makeup super heavy, and used eyebrow pencil to make thick, dark eyebrows and even used that eyebrow pencil to create a Cindy Crawford-ish mole on my face. (Why I thought a mole would make me look more Mexican, I have no idea!) I had no clue about what Todd would have on, so as we counted to three, and opened our respective doors, nothing could have surprised me more than what I saw.

I remember the two of us just collapsing on the floor in hysterics when we saw each other! Not only did Todd have a hat and serape, he had penciled in a mustache as well. He died when he saw my wig and mole, and again, I think I had to go redo my makeup, because I ended up crying most of it off. Those outfits kept us in hysterics most of the day. (I also remember the mole being on the side of my mouth but in the photos it is up high on my cheek. Go figure!)

Feliz Navidad - Holiday Cards by Todd & MjWhen I look at these photos now, I hardly look Mexican or Spanish, while Todd looks like the “real” deal. I look like some skinny chick trying to look as curvaceous as Gina Lollobrigida, and not doing a very good job of it. Todd is in such perfect character, in all these photos, that I keep telling him he should have become an actor.

I keep repeating myself in my blog posts about the power that photographs can have. This shoot was so long ago, that I don’t remember very many specifics about it, but I do remember key things because I see them in the photos, and the photos bring those memories back.

The little dog with us, was my College Professor’s dog, whose name was Max (the Dog’s name was Max, Larry Ward was my Professor!) I don’t know how we got Max there or back home, but it was good of Larry to let us use him, because he also fit our whole theme and played the “cur” dog part, very well. (Although I do see Max trying to escape in a lot of the photos.)

Feliz Navidad - Holiday Cards by Todd & MjI think the backyard, clothesline, truck and White German Shepherd belonged to Lenore, who was one of Todd’s friends. I think we just barged in on her and started shooting all over her yard and alley. Her German Shepherd also made up one of the most memorable photos from this shoot. We hadn’t planned the shot, it just happened and it all came together perfectly. It’s the one above, where the dog is pulling on a piece of rope I am holding, while I am sitting in a lawn chair, with a beer in my hand. Todd is perfectly posed, sitting on a tire, with his arms crossed, ubiquitous cigarette in his mouth, glaring out from under his hat! I just start cracking up whenever I see that photo! We look like some deranged family in their backyard. I must finally frame that photo and put it up on my Office wall.

Feliz Navidad - Holiday Cards by Todd & MjAnd no, I was NOT pregnant in any of these shots! We had some crazy idea that I could represent the Mexican Virgin Mary with Todd leading me along on a bicycle rather than a Burro, so we stuck a basketball under my skirt! Oh Dear! If we had found a real Burro to use, God only knows what photo ideas we would have come up with. (Which just made me realize that we never, ever used any sort of livestock in our shoots…hmm…an idea for the future, perhaps?!)

My favorite shots (besides the one mentioned above), are the ones in the back of the truck. When we shoot, we normally try to avoid the glaring, direct sun. For this shoot, we welcomed the sharpness of it because we wanted it to look like we were in a hot, dusty desert somewhere, South of the border.

I don’t remember which of these shots even made the “cut” as our Holiday Card that year. Todd seems to think we just printed a bunch of different images and sent them all. I think the final image was the one above, with me, Todd and Max, looking out the truck window, so that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

So, while it’s sad that I don’t have more of these kind of photo shoots to share in the future, I hope our “Feliz Navidad” images achieved what we set out to do – which was to make people laugh.

Don’t forget to watch the Slideshow of all our images below, set to some very appropriate music. And no, it’s not the song, Feliz Navidad!

Creative License Nonsense

Lost Youth Card - Todd & Mj

Todd and I took a trip to Boston and New York, right before we graduated from College. Of course we took crazy photos and later on, I had these cards made and sent them to him. His response is below and then how he would “get back at me” follows in my next post.

 

Lost Youth Card - Todd & Mj

Of course, I always get model releases!

Model Release for Todd

 

Peace Holiday Cards

Peace Holiday Photo Card - Mj Wilson & Todd BallmerDo Blonde’s have more fun?

Seems like we were having a blast doing this Holiday Card Photo Shoot, with our incredible photographer friend, Linda Lazar.

I remember very little from this shoot…it was taken in and around my Townhouse in Redondo Beach and I have no idea whose Dune Buggie that was in the photos anymore than I know who did my makeup or where I got that wig from!

This card was mine and Todd’s homage to the Beatnik Generation. If you look thru the Photo Gallery below, you will see how hard it was for us to pick the “one” image to use for our Holiday Card, but the image to the left made the final cut.

Enjoy a few of the photos below and be sure to watch the Peace Holiday Card Video that I put together with all the images from the shoot, set to, what else? Suicide Blonde by INXS.


 

Our Family Portrait

At one point in our lives, I realized that we had no “current” photos of ourselves. (Go figure – the photographers who don’t have photos of themselves!)

Kevin Shawn Wilson & Mj WilsonSince I’m not really a “Beach Sunset Photo” kind of gal, I got a referral to a Fashion Photographer and Stylist, through the models I had been shooting, and Kevin and I booked an appointment for our Photo shoot.

The photos are dated now, to say the least, but here is “our concept” of what a Family Portrait should look like!

Why have the same photos as everyone else? Come up with a unique concept for your Family Portrait, and go for it. It makes for great conversation pieces when people visit you at home.