Mentor Session with Michelle Black

So…  This summer I was able to have a one-on-one mentor session with the oh-so-awesome Michelle Black.  Even now, I can’t believe that I got to sit down and talk with a professional photographer all afternoon!  Not only did I get to talk to her and ask her hundreds of obsessively prepared questions, but she also took me along on a photo shoot!

Tagging along with another photographer was such an eye-opening experience.  I can’t even tell you how much I learned in that one hour.  I had the camera in my hand, asking her questions, as I snapped each shot.  Invaluable!

As photographers, we are isolated so much of the time.   This isolation always sends me into a world of doubt.  I have no idea if I am doing anything right during a photo session, and since I am so new to all of this, I am just sure that I am screwing most of it up!  Watching Michelle work and talking to her about my weaknesses really gave me the feedback and information I needed to move forward confidently.

She was also ridiculously encouraging!  I came in nervous, especially for the photo shoot part, and she was so supportive and full of energy.  I relaxed almost immediately. 

Check out some of my pics from the shoot.  We had a gorgeous model, Lorrine, who rocked the camera, and Michelle found our location and coordinated the look of the shoot with Lorrine.  (And found that awesome wig!!!)

Michelle took the lead during the photo shoot, which I found so, so helpful.  I was able to take all of the time I needed to watch and learn.  If I had to take over the whole photo shoot while Michelle watched me, I think I would have just peed my pants right there in front of her!  Talk about nerve wracking!  I felt like I learned a lot more by watching her first, listening to her tips and her process, and then practicing those things as she guided me. 

This was also the first shoot that I did in full manual mode!  (Yay, me!)  I got gutsy and thought that I might as well try it while I had someone there to help me!  Michelle definitely talked me through some of the trickier lighting situations and helped me nail my exposures.

Awesome day, awesome experience, and awesome pictures!