Oct 10

Oct 10 Playing Photographer with Tanya

I've always been impressed with talent behind really good photographs and the kind of work that can come out of angle illusions, tool tricks and creative visions. There was a point in my life when I wanted to be a photographer—which explains my beginner DSLR purchase a couple of years back along with an old Flickr account. Unfortunately, I lost touch with it because of 'life demands' (college, work and things). But with this blog, I'm glad I get to play photographer, even briefly on weekends.

What would a 'fashion blog' be without staple macarons.

I tagged my friend Tanya to model for me. It was a quick run between getting lunch, picking up macarons and finding a great background setting. We were at Hell's Kitchen and it was easy to find colorful industrial buildings, familiar New York brick apartments and an easy afternoon vibe.

Lunchtime. Salmon in a bed of arugula. — ***Lunchtime***. Salmon in a bed of arugula.

Tanya was perfect for her eclectic style and I'm glad I found bright walls to match her mood. She's flirty and fun, wearing bright colorful tones, sunny nails, red lipstick and unique accessories. It was great capturing her energy and sense of style, quite the opposite of the typical greys and blacks you would find me in.

As the afternoon progressed, I realized the job isn't easy. Every little thing factored in on creating the perfect balance in pictures: I needed sun shades to block the harsh light; somebody to fan my model to not make her sweat; a guy to warn me of incoming traffic to avoid any type of accident; and a control of the things that mapped my background. At one point, directing how my model moved came naturally, I found myself asking her where to look, what not to do and how to just 'be herself'.

It was a great afternoon overall--Tanya did amazing and I think we both played the part well. I wish I had the luxury to do this more often, for better practice and to become truly capable of producing great pictures.