Developing a Style
As I was developing my photography, I was still trying to define my style and my aesthetic. I wanted to continue to try different concepts to see what made my photography stand out. Fortunately, being in Lubbock, there are tons of different areas that are great photo taking locations. For this shoot, I took advantage of the trainyard that was based on the east side of Lubbock, as well as a tunnel that runs under the tracks into downtown.
The Team
I honestly can't remember specifically how I got in contact with Annabel, I just remember messaging her and her mom about scheduling a shoot. I believe I came across her account when I was doing shoots with other Diane Dick models. An exceptional talent, and was very willing to show up super early in the morning to photograph in a trainyard.
Zack Morris
photographer
@zmorrisphoto
Annabel Irving
model
@annabel.irving
Establishing the Feel
I arrived a little early to the location, so I explored the area to get some potential background images to use for potential Double Exposures, as well as possible stops to photograph with Annabel. The trainyard was actually really cool, because of the time of the day, there were some very dramatic shadows and lighting.
Getting Started
Once Annabel and her mom arrived, we settled on an outfit, and we started shooting. The setting of the broken brick and industrial elements was a great backdrop against the nice contrast of the clean white jacket and black shirt. The wind made it difficult at moments, as some of the photos can testify, but as I started working with it, we got some nice dramatic shots.
A New Experimental Concept
I've only done this shot composition once, but I definitely would love to try this again. I actually learned about this one from Mango Street during the pandemic, and set it up for myself. So I set up a fixed point for the camera with a nice range of elements. I then told Annabel that we would take several different shots with her posing in different spots within the frame. I would then go back and composite those images together to create a multiplicity-inspired image.
Mastering the Wind
We started moving around the trainyard, finding lots of unique items to create different feeling shots. The final being the highway that ran over the tracks, which created a nice framing and contrast with the shadows in the background.
Into the Tunnel
The final leg of the shoot, I wanted to create this Noir-inspired set of images, utilizing the area-specific lighting in the tunnel. This shoot actually was an inspiration for the Dreamy Noir shoot I did with Mackenzie. You can find that story in the link down below. The images were good, but I think I could have done a few extra things to get the desired effect I was looking for. However, I was still very proud of these, and I took what I learned from this, and used it in my future shoots.
Looking Back
This shoot was one of those that really defined my aesthetic and style as a photographer. I knew from this point on, that I preferred to shoot outdoors, preferably in industrial and visibly decaying environments. The older feeling environments just give a great contrast working with people, the youth and vibrancy of the model just stands out, making the images a bit more dramatic. I learned a lot from this shoot, and I can definitely see bits and pieces of what I learned in each subsequent shoot after. If you're not learning, you're not growing. Feel free to go take a look at my other stories here on my BLOG, and you can see it as well. Try the Noir shoot with Mackenzie, following the link below.
Want to do a shoot?
Reach out! I would love to get to know you and create photos with you! We can set up a meeting, grab some coffee, and talk about what you want to photograph. I also do TFP (Time for Photos) shoots as well, so if you have a creative idea you want to try, I'm open to that as well. Fill out your information, and I will respond to you a day or two later.
