I was tapped to shoot this guy for a law journal in Missouri last week. The story was about this lawyer representing a group of chicken farmers who are going bankrupt. Above he's standing in one of the empty, and very smelly, chicken houses. I shot it with three off-camera strobes, one just to the left of his face through an umbrella, and other two pointed back to light up and give a little depth to the chicken house. 
The other two were shot outside the chicken house on the farm. They really just wanted one portrait, but I sent them a few photos to give them some options. Who knows what will end up running. 
Freelance work is a mixed blessing to me. I like doing it, but I always feel the pressure to shoot something great. I guess it's because I'm shooting for someone that really doesn't know my work, and all I have is this one assignment to prove it wasn't a mistake to hire me. Speaking of things I almost forgot about, who knew Aqualung put out another CD? My sister, apparently, who tipped me off about the release yesterday. But what you really may be wondering is who the hell is Aqualung? Good question.
I didn't know who he was either until about two years ago. My sister and I were heading to the Austin City Limits music festival, so to prepare we thoroughly went through the list of over 100 bands and musical acts. We scanned through their CDs in the store and sampled their music online to see which combination of bands we wanted to hear during the three day event. Aqualung was one of those acts that stood out to me. Aqualung mastermind Matt Hales writes these sweeping choruses and compositions that are just fantastically desolate and depressingly beautiful. His new CD "Memory Man" is slightly more up beat than his first U.S. release, "Strange and Beautiful," but he's got me hooked all over again.
I'm still not sure what a pressure suit is, though. I wonder if it's anything like a power tie. Next time I see the lawyer I'll ask him.
Pressure Suit.mp3 by Aqualung
The Lake.mp3 by Aqualung
3 comments:
totally love aqualung. i bought his cd when it came out in San Fran along with Frou Frou- Details.
hey mike-
i finally made my own blog so i figured it was time to reveal myself as an avid fan of yours.
i've shot a little freelance for you guys at the morning news, so that's how i learned of your work.
thoroughly enjoy what you do, just thought you should know!
--Tracie
Really like the top portrait, but I wish his head didn't touch the white drop cloth on top (so the black is surrounding his head).
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