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Smoke 'Em if Ya Got 'Em with Brooklynn
🕑 Added 2025-02-13 22:00:09 +0000 UTCEvery once in awhile, there comes along a person – a person that makes you look at something differently, revitalizes your passions, inspires you to do more or simply makes your neural synapses fire a little bit faster than normal.
Well, meet Brooklynn.
Brooklynn – a multi-talented photographer, model, artist, curator and analogue buff. A deep rooted past in all things film, hailing from the great Midwest and well versed in hot dishes. Well, the last part is an assumption – but an educated one at that. It is a wonder when we came across one another's social profiles, but I do know it was some time ago. We had, together, admired one another's works from afar for all that long time and only recently did we break a silence and begin to toss the idea of shooting back and forth to one another. However, with no real plans on when we would be able to make words become images.
January 5th – "Filmmmmm portraits?" and "Are you going to be around for Paradise Road Show at all?" rang through into my messages. To which I responded "For you, absofuckinglutely!" Then – the following weekend – we met, exchanged kindnesses, hopped in my Jeep and set out on an all day excursion across the vast desert landscapes of Inland California.
Destination – Bombay Beach, Salton Sea, California. It had been some time since either Brooklynn or myself had been there. It being some three hours from my home and even more for her coming from the Phoenix area. However, I can tell you, when getting to work with someone of this creative caliber – no destination is too far or out of reach.
We were greeted by gentle winds, warm sun and – to my surprise – no putrid smell that normally comes along with being on the shores of The Salton. Brooklynn and I hopped out of the car where we agreed would be the best shoot location. She changed while I got all of my gear set, we grabbed our things and then were promptly greeted by a man interrogatorily inquiring what we were doing and asking "Are you filming" – which is an entirely normal question I get while carrying the massive RZ67 in hand with a Pelican hardcore in tow. After a brief and kind correction to his inquiry, we were asked – or forced – to pay a fee in order to use the collective area that is Bombay Beach.
We had out eyes set on a set of three buses politely arranged to create a perfect corridor of leading lines and soft light. I chose the Leica M7 and Portra 800 combo while Brooklynn took kindly to the newly purchased Marlboro jacket and a lace pair of bottoms. In between our at-hand conversation I said "Are you okay with warming up with digital and then switching between digital and film?" It was well received so I picked up my D810 snapped one light test, looked at the screen and said "Yea, we're warmed up. This is perfect." – The World's quickest warm up all thanks to Brooklynn and her insane ability and modeling skill.
Remember how at the beginning I mentioned that sometimes a person just comes along? Well, this is where it really sinks in for me. Chemistry is important – seemingly paramount – in a creative shoot. It cannot be forced, it cannot be faked and it cannot be anything else besides organic. Images like this – to me – are the result of that very chemistry. The flow, the ease – it just happens. The focus turns from creating great images to just having fun because the images will be great regardless. The seconds and minutes blend together – then all of a sudden – the roll has met its end and you are jolted back to reality.
Enjoy.
– AW Media
