The setup
I never would have expected winning a random Instagram giveaway to become one of the most memorable shoots of my photography career. This past year, I have been focused on expanding my creative range as a photographer. One way I have specifically done that is by branching out into architectural photography. Since I have so much training and experience in architectural design, it made sense to use those skills and incorporate them into my photography. Combining my understanding of design concepts with my eye for strong images felt like a perfect avenue to move into.
About six months after I started my journey into architectural photography, an opportunity came across my desk that I could not pass up. The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, through their Instagram, hosted a giveaway for opportunities to have two-hour photoshoots inside the Main Lobby of the Meyerson. Another photographer mentioned it to me, so I tried my luck and entered the giveaway, thinking that I likely would not win. To my surprise, I found out a few days later that I was selected, along with two other photographers, to host a photoshoot exclusively inside the building. Later that day, a representative reached out with the details, and I was assigned the midday slot. Once I locked in the date and time, I started developing a shoot and assembling a team.
The Venue
The Meyerson is a building designed by I. M. Pei, one of my architectural heroes. I have always been drawn to his use of strong architectural forms and materials that give his buildings a monolithic, almost sculptural quality. Pei actually designed three buildings in Dallas alone, so I had lots of examples of his work to look at. The Meyerson, Fountain Place, and Dallas City Hall are three incredible buildings and great examples of Pei's work.
The Meyerson is an incredible celebration of light. The juxtaposition of spherical and orthogonal forms creates an environment that brings natural light deep into the lobby, while the various surfaces allow that light to bounce and diffuse throughout the space. As a photographer, this creates an incredible range of lighting conditions—soft and indirect in some areas, while dramatic and directional in others.
Because the giveaway involved this building, I immediately entered myself into the drawing. Getting to photograph an iconic architectural landmark like this was worth trying, even though I was trying to contain my excitement in case I wasn't picked. Imagine my excitement when I was selected!
Image courtesy of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners
The Team
Model
Zack Morris
@arielka00
Primary Shooter
Ariel Shienberg
@zmorrisphoto
Second Shooter
JOhn Monterosa
@streetpeepz
The Process
Developing the shoot was a fun challenge. Since I had been doing so much architectural photography recently, I was inspired to develop a shoot that would incorporate the architecture as a second character in the story I was trying to tell. I started storyboarding a set of specific shots that would tell the story of the model and her interaction with the building. I refined the set to twelve shots that explained the entire progression of the model as she entered the building.
The story was arranged into these twelve shots:
- The Arrival
- Crossing the Threshold
- The Grand Lobby
- Hollywood Portrait
- The Invitation
- Ascension
- Shadowplay
- Elegance in Motion
- Celebrating the Light
- The Center of the Score
- Star of the Show
- Curtain Call
Each shot showed the progression of the model from being overwhelmed by the building around her to developing a presence and energy that felt larger than the building itself. I passed the shot list on to the team, and we had a game plan for shoot day.
Join the list for new work and updates.
The shoot
This shoot was a big deal to me because I finally had the opportunity to meet and work with folks I had been following on social media for a while. Ariel, the model, did a fantastic job. She was a good sport, despite the ridiculous heat she had to go through to get there in a heavy dress. Streetpeepz, who I brought on as a creative director and second shooter, was also a great time. He helped me throughout the shoot, providing some solid ideas for poses and placements that helped flesh out and improve the final results of the shoot.
It's funny how things can be planned out to the last detail until you arrive on set and start photographing. Our day at the venue happened to be the hottest day on record for the year, so I had to make a game-time decision to scrap all of the shots planned for outside. It made no sense to put Ariel outside in 110+ degree heat and direct sunlight in a heavy dress. So, we made the decision to stay inside, and I think the results speak for themselves. We made the right call.
The Story
inspiration
One of my biggest inspirations for this shoot was the Hollywood portrait. Looking back at portraits from the 1930s and '40s, the strong black-and-white imagery, ambiguous backdrops, and dramatic lighting have always been beautiful to me. I believe it's because of the over-the-top dramatic and theatrical feel these kinds of portraits give off, which was characteristic of the style of that time.
Because of the theatrical and intentional use of lighting in the Meyerson, I knew that capturing a few shots like these would be very achievable. The dance of light and shadow would create some strong, dramatic images that would showcase both the beauty of the architecture and the beauty of the model. A few of these could easily be some of my favorite shots that I've ever taken.
The Muse
Lone Star Roads
In Conclusion
This shoot was one of the most fun and rewarding shoots I have ever done. Getting the opportunity to create a Fine Art portrait session inside a building designed by one of my favorite architects was something I honestly never expected to get to do. What started as a random Instagram giveaway turned into an opportunity to combine two areas of photography that I have been working to develop: portraiture and architectural photography.
What I think I will take away from this shoot the most, though, is how much can change once you actually get on set. I had spent a lot of time planning the shots and developing the story, only to have the Texas heat completely change the direction of the shoot. Instead of letting that derail the session, we adapted, worked with what the building gave us, and ended up creating some of my favorite images I've ever made.
I'm really grateful to everyone who helped make this shoot happen, and especially to those who took the time to follow along and read through the process. Thank you for making it this far. I really appreciate each and every one of you who takes the time to look at my work.
If you have a creative idea that you would like to bring to life, feel free to fill out the contact form below, and we can set up a time to talk it through.
print gallery
Get in touch
This is a paragraph. Click edit and enter your own text. You can make changes like making the text bold, underline or italic. You can come back at any time to make more changes.
MY BLOG
Creative Work
Professional Work
