This Atlanta Photo Shoot Is Rated P.G.

Patty shot on the Sony A7IV with 50mm 1.2 GM Lens

It was 2017 when I found one of my favorite photographers on Instagram and one of my favorite people in life after meeting Patty. When we finally got to our first photoshoot, both favorites came together in that moment. Unfortunately, I probably-- no definitely- went way to stylized with our first photo shesh. Creators tend to imitate before innovating and I certainly had a case of trying to copy other photogs and not doing enough... well... for lack of a better phrase... "YeagerShots" during our first shoot.

"I certainly had a case of trying to copy other photogs and not doing enough... YeagerShots"

Five years have passed, so I really, really, like really wanted to do a follow up with Patty as I call her P.G. I then remembered it was also my first time recording a Vlog for YouTube. Making it the first time I did photos and still video at the same time. Something I'm still doing 'til this day. In my pre teens and teens whenever I'd see a behind the scenes video on the making of a movie showing the crew film a scene I'd think to myself, "I can't tell what the hell is really happening, how do they put all that together to look like a movie?" Those that have been around me can see where this going... it was 2017 when I learned that making digital still photos and video look like it was shot using film is very much a thing! My mind was blown to see digital cameras mimic film print. Not just mimic, but down to the colors of specific film stock that I used back in high school. Buying a film stock named Agfa Vista because it was cheaper than Kodak (which I only used on paid gigs) is how I tripped up to ever finding other brands. The Agfa Vista Lightroom Preset leaned a bit magenta on the computer screen. It really did look like I remembered when photos were printed in my hand.

kaleidoscope photo — Told you it got-- experimental back in 2017

The point of all this film talk you maybe asking? Well I may of over done the use of creative styled shots from this photog I like, but the use of digital to make something look like it's shot on film is really what I keep coming back to. No matter how much a try and stray away I'm like a pet roaming but always finding my way back home. I used VSCO before knowing how to edit on the computer to achieve these film looks and for our portrait video in 2022 I used Kodak 2383 LUT (Look Up Table) as a base to get our portrait video looking like it was shot on film too. Not 100 percent but in the neighborhood, there's still a few things like "gimbal jerk" that wouldn't see in older cameras. When first trying to make our images pretty in the edit we turn up the "saturation nob" and "contrast nob" way to hard on a photo/video. Thinking why hasn't anyone in history done this before! Like we invented something. In actually our eye hasn't developed yet and a pro colorist will annulate any beginner at any point time. So imagen my nervousness to hear a pro colorist on YouTube saying, "Embrace turning up the contrast and adding saturation when needed for the story". Going against what I thought I knew. Turns out I ain't knew nuthon'. See how it all turned out in our portrait video right here:

We're so used to seeing film it's not jarring and it's also a step removed from reality. 35mm film shot at 24 frames per second does not not look like a digital 30 frame per second sporting event on cable TV with motion smoothing turned on a TV. As a side rant turn that smoothing feature off when watching movies the creators will thank you.

I'm only half of the team on this photo session though. Patty came through with her look from head to toe. Well actually she had like several great ideas on how to appear on camera so there wasn't going to be a bad choice. Hopefully no reader takes this the wrong way I'm very focused on wedding days knowing that's a huge touch stone in clients lives. I want them to feel like the most important people in the world because that's their day. However, I noticed my nervous excitement for operating a camera on a wedding day is nothing like for these modeling shoots where I the photog might require a pep talk and a pause for deep breaths. Patty on the other hand is like being out with a celeb and is always so calm and cool with it. She just moves with total confidence. Totally who I wanna be whenever the hell I grow up. It's almost like cheating to try and do something interesting when you have one of the most interesting people you every met in front of the camera. Honesty, it would of been enough to sit around, just running our mouths that weekend, but then there wouldn't be pictures and video to post here if they camera didn't come out-:)

I really can't thank Patty enough for being willing to "improv" the shoot and just see if we "got something" worth sharing. What a leap of faith especially after seeing our first shoot and vlog from 2017... which you can watch me revisit here to help anyone make better vlogs if they're into that sorta thing. As 2022 closes out A LOT has changed since our first photo session, from how we use a camera and craft the final images. Luckily, the best change has been a stronger relationship with one of my favorite people. Thank You P.G.