I've specialized in organic aerial photography for over 7 years, hanging out of a helicopter with my cameras, photographing subject matter from extremely diverse altitudes.  Through these years, my pilots and I have formed lifelong friendships!  And my admiration and respect for their aviation careers has deepened immensely!  So I was over the moon excited when Scott Willis of Calcasieu Parish Mosquito Control requested a meeting back in February to discuss creative ideas to highlight our local pilots who quietly regulate these little West Nile carrying pest swarms while we sleep!  After an hour of ingesting all the science and technology that goes into such a commitment to our Lake Area, I was even more intrigued!  We developed a marketing plan that would begin with a photoshoot for the pilot segment of their work, followed by other accompanying shoots that would be focused on ALL of the aspects of these "behind the scenes" full time jobs of keeping our area enjoyable and safe:  the lab work, tracking different species, the how, when, and how much of such an operation!

The assignment:  Create marketing portraits of these "Midnight Mosquito Men" career pilots alongside their planes.

What's Needed:

• Mosquito free 48 hour timeframe so they could temporarily ground the planes - meant scheduling during a time without prior rain for awhile
• all pilots assembled (one actually flew in - literally in front of us- to join for a few hours)
• scout day to set and organize the aircraft, perform test shots as I'd sketched out in our initial meeting
• shoot day with an open window of flexible time due to increased wind on runways
• tripod, wind resistant high speed sync light setup, and ladders and fork lift gate on call incase we felt the need to shoot anything higher up

I went out and met up with Scott and aircraft mechanic, Ricky, 24 hours prior to the shoot, met their awesome and super helpful mechanic, Ricky, as well as his big fixed wing babies he cares for daily. I walked the runway, knowing we needed space large enough to maneuver the aircraft easily, be able to fit them in tightly - I wanted them atypically off centered from each other, staggered and tightly snuggled close, but the area also had to have enough visual space to welcome a setting sun behind them.

For two hours, we configured, arranged, and rearranged the planes, ran test shots, and did a dry run of the various lenses, lighting, and angles I'd been envisioning for the group hero shot, as well as individuals.  We marked the planes' positions, and tucked them away until the following afternoon.

With marketing photography like this outside, it's wonderful to prepare and adjust all that I can in the effort of efficiency of time for the day of.  Though the parts of any shoot are out of anyone's control always keeps me humbly ready for anything, despite so much pre-planning.  In this case, we had gorgeous blue skies, beautiful sunlight, and barely noticeable wind.  We expected the same for the next night.  I was feeling great within my test shots, confident I'd be able to use some of my light modifiers I was depending on lighting.  Thankfully, I also tried shooting without any at all - virtually bare bulb lit, in the event that the following day may bring more wind with storms approaching for later in the week.... and so very glad I did....

I love how you can see the sun rays even in Lisa's iPhone snapshots!

We arrived at 5:00, set up, ran through another round of test shots in the continuously thickening cloud cover on the runway, and then began shooting.  I LOVED meeting the pilots, getting to know them, and easing them in front of the camera. They enjoyed viewing previews of their portraits, while I giggled at their excitement and further requests to shoot "just a few more maybe over here?"

All in all, the session lasted almost 3 hours, including set up and breakdown.  And it went perfectly!  The wind was crazy strong (meaning I had to shoot bare bulb - without any wind-catching light modifiers), the sky became saturated with cloud cover, but it didn't matter.  We were going to make dramatic awesome portraits anyway!  And then an hour in.... something amazing happened.  The clouds parted and danced with the late sunlight.  The sky and ambient light shifted and changed, painting the most spectacular and dramatic sky I could have never imagined for this shoot!  IT WAS INCREDIBLE!!  Sun rays peaked in and out, contrasting beautifully with the drama of the thick, puffy clouds.  We were given a background skyline show we almost couldn't take our eyes off of!  My positive intention to create dramatic, hero-like shots of these career pilots was already running strong, but when the "silver lining" of a evening sky like that was produced, it quieted even MY mind in the moment and we blew through all I'd planned and wanted for them.  And then the production came to an end, just as the sun set somewhere behind the cloudy horizon.  

It really was kind of amazing... and I couldn't be more thankful to have captured that evening with so many well-deserved subjects!  Pilots, planes, and just another Southwest Louisiana sunset all received the attention and images they so rightly deserved!

Quick note of gratitude for Mr. Willis' extra compassion with our shooting timeframe:

My contact for this work was Mr. Willis, who, I can't say enough amazing things about.  The man was so patient.  I kept myself stressed about providing a tight time frame, thinking there's no way we could hold these pilots all together for any longer than an hour max.  Understandably, this is typically the case in commercial photography shoots!  Which isn't that tough to do... usually.  But as I've noticed, there's a huge time frame difference between open sky shoots, entirely codependent on a cloudless day versus an overcast day.  The ambient light (available, natural light), is as different as night and day, thus fully altering the shoot.  This left me unsure if we needed to wait and shoot between 6:30 & 8, or if overcast, we would need the strongest ambient light for the best background by starting closer to 4:30 or 5:00.  Scott continued to assure me that their highest priority was the best shots possible, and the pilots were happy to "standby" for hours if needed.  This immediately put me as ease leading up to the photography shoot, and I was finally able to provide a more accurate shooting window a few hours prior to beginning.

Last month, we had the joy of working with a local attorney group, Stutes and Lavergne to freshen up their website and marketing campaigns with some new photography images!  We had the joy of working with 3B&E Marketing (our downtown Lake Charles neighbors) who connected us with the law office to begin working on their photoshoot.

For efficiency with both the attorneys and their time away from the office, as well as the final planned shot (a group image of the entire team in front of their office on Broad Street), we brought the studio to them for their individual headshots and set up in their conference room.  With this plan, it kept each session per subject to under 20 minutes.

After a conference call with Kerri (3B&E) and Brittany (Stutes and Lavergne's marketing and photoshoot contact), I visited their office the day prior to the photography shoot to determine where the best set up area would be for my portable studio setup.  I was able to assess the lighting inside and out to determine where the group photo would be done, and to confirm the headshot background to be used, as well as how and when we would pull each attorney the following morning.  

My personal preference tends to be with any subjects that are "extra anxious" about having their portrait taken, we start with them first.  This allows us to naturally have the most of that twenty minute time frame still available for any that are nervous, and if time runs over on one or two, the last subjects of the group will typically have quicker success and thus finishing in less time!

My final continuous suggestion when planning these type of sessions is one I strongly urge to not be adjusted:  capturing the group picture last.

I cannot stress this enough when planning for any marketing or promotional business photography sessions with your photographer!  I use the analogy of a blind date always!   Headshots with your photographer are typically just that - a blind date for you both!  So to get out all of the initial wiggles and fidgets involved in becoming comfortable in front of the camera, it is so much more efficient to connect when there are only two variables in the one-to-one photoshoot.  A few minutes later when I have directed and positioned them and they have viewed the final images, we have worked out any personal concerns they had.  Everyone always feels MUCH better and comfortable about my photography style and direction, as well as TRUSTING that it works!

Capturing everyone individually before any group sized pictures are small, but VITAL investments, truly, to the success of the group image.  Because I've now worked with each of them individually, I know each of their great "sides", what expressions and smiles they're capable of providing, the speed at which we can get everyone set up saves MUCH time, and they trust any direction I'll be giving them in the group photoshoot!

So with this assignment, I was set up with the portable backdrop and studio lights by 9:15, and began with our first attorney at 9:30.  We needed to capture two different final images for each of them, and had to have all completed by 12:00.  By 12:15, we were setup for the group photo just outside their front door, with my tripod and I standing in the back of a pickup truck, with my studio light to the camera's left as fill.  We captured a variety of group images and finished by 12:45!

We love how the new headshots and marketing photography turned out, as did the client!  (*What matters MOST!*)

Last week, I traveled to the Southeast side of the boot to capture images for our beloved client, Canal Barge Company.