Find Your People
Not every shoot has to be a whole production.
Sometimes it’s just a friend, a really good jacket, and a free afternoon. This one happened on top of a parking garage in downtown Chicago, which already feels like the kind of place you go when you want the city to show off a little.
I really love shoots like this. There’s less pressure. There’s room to mess around, try things, move weird, laugh at the bad poses, and then accidentally find something that actually works. When it’s just you and a friend figuring it out together, people usually settle in differently. They feel less like they’re performing and more like they’re just there with you.
Some of my favorite photos have come from afternoons like that.
And honestly, it’s good practice too. Shooting portraits or fashion in a random place with whatever light the city gives you keeps you sharp. You’re making quick decisions. You’re adjusting constantly. You’re trying to notice the little things before they disappear.
