Often as a photographer I show up to a shoot thinking I know how the shoot will go. But usually things don’t go the way you expect, and that’s a good thing. If life never had surprises then, well, that would be boring! So I embrace and use unpredictable moments to my advantage whenever possible. Below are two examples of recent Snappr maternity shoots where the unexpected turned into a great image.

Family of Four

The first shoot with Katherine, her husband, and their dog  was one that started out differently because of the lighting and the fact that they brought with them their four-legged friend. The couple wanted their photos at Baker Beach during sunset. Normally, this is a great vantage point to see the Golden Gate Bridge in all its golden glory. But, when this shoot was supposed to start there was so much fog that there was no bridge at all! So, instead of photographing them with a background of fog (which can also be interesting), I got creative. Near the beach is Battery Chamberlin, an artillery battery that was built in 1904. I brought them to this spot to see how creative we could get considering the lighting constraints. I photographed them at the battery for about 30 minutes before I noticed the sky was changing. I asked them to walk to the top of the battery while I stayed below because I could see the potential of a nice silhouette photo. So they obliged and as they were up there enjoying the view, their pooch got between them and the photograph was made.

A big part of being a portrait photographer is being able to predict the future, but you also need to be able to adjust on the fly and improvise. Perhaps part of my past as a jazz drummer comes into play in situations like this. But if it weren’t for the fog that day then this photo would never have been made. So I often appreciate it when the universe throws me a few curveballs.

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Swirling Mists

For another recent maternity shoot, the fog came and then stuck around. The couple and I started the shoot at Palace of Fine Arts but by the time we got to Crissy Field the fog was coming in thick. Luckily the bridge was still visible, but the other issue was the lack of available light as it was about 7:30. I decided that the lack of light could be a good thing so I took them into a grove of trees where there would be even less light. While there I photographed them in a dark and mysterious grove with just a patch of light coming through. This made for a moody and lovely set of images. Toward the end of the session the bridge was slowly emerging from the fog. I saw a knoll that they could stand on while I stayed in trees. This way I could add the trees to the composition while getting the bridge in the background at the same time. To me this image looks best in black and white to emphasize the darkness and mood of the scene.

A lot of clients show up to photoshoots with a list of images they would like to see themselves a part of. In the world of Pinterest and Facebook it’s often hard for a client to go into a photoshoot without any specific expectations. But when I photograph people I like to go with the flow and feel the energy of the moment as much as possible. Letting one’s guard down and letting go of those expectations is what also let’s us be us. This is what turns ordinary moments into extraordinary ones, maybe even one you’ll put up on your wall.