Real People . . .
By
John Terence Turner
Stock Asylum Columnist
June 1, 2006
©
2006 John Terence Turner
Here is a poor, homeless teenager lurking in the shadows of some urban
backwater. She’s estranged from her parents, living on the margins
of society, scrounging for meals and a safe place to sleep.
Not exactly. She’s a teenager playing a part. She’s neither a homeless kid nor a professional model.
Shooting real people in a make-believe setting is something that many photographers frequently do. In this case, I shot a “real” non-professional model as a homeless street girl.
 Working with real people instead of professional models presents a special set of challenges for photographers. ( © John Terence Turner ). |
“Real people” often appear more authentic because they have none of the affectations of models from the fashion business. Sometimes you can’t find a professional model with the qualities you’re looking for. Sometimes only the real thing will do — though not too real.
Photographers should not be too ambitious when working with real people. If acting ability is called for, hire an actor. But when photographers work with an amateur correctly, the results can be very good.
 Sometimes non-professional models feel more at ease when they are doing something they normally do like simply walking. ( © John Terence Turner ). |
Since real people may be uncomfortable once the camera is pointed at them, it is the photographer's job to set the stage and put the model at ease. There are several ways to do this.
One way around their discomfort is to have them do things they normally do. Walking (see second picture), running, and talking about a favorite topic are some that work.
Photographers also can sometimes loosen up models with humor, but must know when to use it. As you can see, a funny comment might have broken the serious mood of this scene and ruined the picture.
Nowadays, with digital cameras that have large screens on the back, the shooter can show the talent the most recent frame and offer instant feedback. In this case, the model was so into her part that I only needed to make gentle suggestions about what I wanted her to do.
The model in this shoot was a beautiful 15 year-old girl whose parents are my friends.
I knew Mika was interested in drama because she had directed a one-act play at her all-girl prep school. Her wardrobe also displayed an obvious flair for the dramatic and offbeat.
So, I told her what I had in mind. I wanted to photograph a girl in rebellion, estranged from her family and living alone as she searched for a path in life.
Mika had no on-camera experience, but she had the luxury of time before this shoot. She could think about the part she was to play and work her way into it. Most shoots do not afford the model that much fore-notice.
The young model carefully prepared for the shoot. The motorcycle jacket came from my son who had outgrown it without ever owning a motorcycle (thankfully).
She didn’t wash her hair the week prior to the shoot. She fasted beforehand. Her dress was recovered from her mother’s ragbag. She distressed her tights with a pair of scissors and dragged them around the garden.
Though she simply had to look at the camera for this image, she did a lot to get ready mentally. She made an effort to understand what a homeless girl would feel. Her efforts show in her expression, which does much to make this image work.
For the shoot, we went to the Seattle Public Market, but not the well-known area where whole salmon are tossed across fish-market counters for the entertainment of tourists (locals don’t want their fish handled that roughly).
One level down is Post Alley and the shops that open onto it. The walls of the alley are usually papered with posters for rock bands, political rallies, and alternative theater offerings. Many of these are old and peeling off the walls, providing a rich textural history of recent counter cultural life in Seattle.
Additionally, there are parts of Post Alley with a view west over Elliot Bay, through which natural light enters. I had scheduled the shoot late in the afternoon so we’d have a chance for that light.
I asked Mika to light a cigarette, to think how hungry she was, how lonely. I had a 85mm f1.8 lens on a Nikon F5 and the camera on a tripod. I measured the light on the bright side of her face with a hand meter and shot with the aperture wide open to blur the background. Had I closed the aperture down, the sharper background would have drawn the viewer's attention away from Mika.
I like the warm light on the side of Mika's face and leather jacket. There is just enough light on the wall behind her to convey a sense of mystery, disrepair and desolation.
Mika’s expression conveys a hint of hostility and suspicion and longing — just right for the part. Our preparation paid off.
(John Terence Turner has been shooting stock photography for 20 years. His work can be seen at Getty Images, Alamy and, of course, The Stock Asylum, where his column appears twice a month. He lives and works in Seattle, WA.)
Turner's web site can be found at: http://www.johnterenceturner.com.
For more of his images: click here.
For all of Turner's columns: click here.
