Making Lemonade

There are some truisms that are just so true, they have to be trotted out, no matter how tired they might be.  Kim and I have been trying to coordinate our schedules for a shoot for a long time, with many missed connections.  When we finally found some time, Hurricane Ida conspired with a cold front to drop buckets of rain, wind, and generally chilly, miserable weather on the Triangle.  We said we’d watch the forecast, meet in the morning for coffee, and see what happens.

What happened was magical.  We met and talked, discussed what we wanted to do, then Kim went and changed and made herself up.  We left the warm comfort of coffee-scented air and cushy couches and ventured out into the miserable rain.

The resulting photos, taken in Carrboro and Hillsborough, are, in my opinion, some of the very best portraits I’ve ever taken.  I’ve long been trying to merge my love of all things decaying with my love of portraiture, and Kim is helping me take  those first steps.  I’m also trying to expand my portfolio and perfect my portraits, since that is what I really love to do.  I feel like all of these shots of Kim really showcase her beauty and her personality, and really show how much fun we had shooting, even though we were wet, shivering, and being accosted by a parking deck attendant who probably though Kim’s clothing choice woefully at odds with the weather.  More importantly, they highlight that you don’t really need a spectacular location, or amazing weather (or even good weather) to shoot good portraits.  The bulk of the photos were taken in a parking deck and inside and behind Open Eye Cafe.  Nothing fancy, just quirky paintings of American flags and nicely textured concrete.  Fancy lights are all well and good, but finding good natural light is not so hard and is generally much cheaper and less hassle.

So thank you, Kim, for being a trooper and for helping me realize the vision I’ve had since we first talked.  I look forward to more shoots in the future, especially if we continue to get results like these.