99% moving furniture...

So the past few nights I've been researching inspirational photographs, that are timeless, as on Friday I will be photographing a well known designer and a "newer" designer for a new feature column that will be in upcoming issues of New England Finery Magazine. Through my research I came across this quote by world renowed photographer Arnold Newman "Photography is ONE percent talent and NINETY-NINE percent moving furniture" and I thought, finally someone who gets it! When I scout an upcoming shoot (yes that's right I scout every shoot I do), I am looking at the Architecture, that unmovable force that inspires the composition. Secondary is the furniture, sorry to all of my designer friends, but it's true. While your furniture layout may be brilliant in the room, it does not always work in a photograph, and sometimes it's as simple as moving a chair. Just think about a room where the central focus is the TV, typically the furniture is positioned towards the TV and that is what makes for good design and a happy client, but it doesn't always make for a good photograph.

Why do I scout every shoot, quite simple really. You are paying for a photographers time, period. Why pay for a photographer to work out the angles, figure out the sun's position and talk about what is missing for the shot, on the day of the shoot, when they are on the "clock". Would you design a house, or even a room with out a plan? NO! Scouting is a way of planning out the shoot, knowing what the shots are going to be and everyone (including me) being prepared to get the most out of that shoot!

And shhhh, good magazines work that way:)

Scouting Shot

Final Shot (Designer Anthony Catalfano)

Warm Regards,

Michael J. Lee