Let there be light

Me: Hello little girl, you are very pretty.

11 year old girl: Thank you, old and slightly creepy man.

Me: I would like to take some photographs of you. If you let me take photos of you in a variety of poses; then I will buy you a new phone.

11 year old girl: OK!

The good news is that the 11 year old girl is she who must be obeyed’s much younger sister; and my photographic intentions extend no further than wholesome photos of a young girl such that might sell on a stock site. I leave it to she who must be obeyed to explain to her little sister that this is an offer she should normally refuse.

Sister has come to stay with us for a couple of weeks. This is not a problem because she is unfailingly polite and fun to have around. She is also a potentially excellent subject for stock photos. Young girl leaping about; young girl using iPad, young girl doing homework, young girl engaging in endless activities as dreamed up by her sister and shot by me. Result: massive sales and a life of leisure. Well, probably not, but hopefully enough dollars to pay for the studio lights I have just bought.

Yes, the arrival of the sister seemed an excellent excuse justification for the acquisition of some lighting. I have always had a hankering for a little home studio, without having a clear understanding of what I would do with it. But now I had clear need, at least for a week. Endless sister shots resulting in huge earnings, it was a winning concept!

So on Monday afternoon I was in Bangkok and was soon the owner of a set of three lights, assorted stands, softboxes and reflecting umbrellas. The set came with a free flash trigger and a couple of DVDs which purported to explain how to use them; but didn’t.

Back home and I set everything up and pointed the flashing contraptions at a bottle of wine.

Nothing special, but at least everything worked, and I can foresee weeks of fun photographing assorted objects and sticking the resulting photos up for sale, and nobody will buy them.

So this afternoon we started on the sister shoot. Sister combing hair, sister drying hair, sister talking on the phone and sister eating apple.

Panasonic GF1

After an hour or so, the photographer was tired and needed a rest, so we will resume in the morning. Full day of shooting planned; unless the sister dies of boredom or the lights explode. Either would justify me not having to buy that new phone.

Comments 🔗

2010-10-21 | genuinej says

Only slightly creepy?

2010-10-21 | Spike says

I did say she was unfailingly polite.

2010-10-21 | Ray says

The girl -exquisite, sublime, Impressed.

The booze - questionable taste! Maybe you need to get out more! (joking)

2010-10-22 | Spike says

But as you advised, room for improvement.

As for the wine; it was a gift from someone I don’t like, and the feeling must be mutual. I don’t plan to drink it. Might be ideal for polishing chrome.

2010-10-22 | genuinej says

Lovely photos, but I think you need to be careful when an apple and a female are involved. Remember Eve, (who was probably the inspiration for that sound legal advice “caveat eater”).

2010-10-24 | Billy the Brush says

Any chance of getting one of the Honda girls under the umbrella, with or without apple?

2010-10-24 | Spike says

genuinej, no I don’t remember Eve. More your age group I suspect.

Billy, we can but dream.