Filling your heart with “song” each morning is like putting on a new set of clothes each day.
Anticipation is the beginning of each new relationship. We often color the direction of the result, by the anticipation of the effect, before the cause.
If we expect failure, we will probably achieve failure, so I set out expecting success. I have been rewarded in life so many times by that expectation; I feel it is a guiding principle. So, the right ‘attitude’ in the beginning is the right ‘start’ in my mind.
Next comes “preparation”, or plotting one’s course. Direction and supplies needed, determining much of the trip. Control what you can.
We needed that kind of preparation on the Willie and Sandy shoot for THE UNITED WAY. A newspaper ad I photographed for charity.
Willie was the star outfielder for the San Francisco Giants and Sandy the star pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers and though opposed on the field, they both agreed to one thing, THE UNITED WAY as “the charity”
I started with a “seamless paper” background so I could “control” the background value. I chose a medium grey since the shoot was to be B&W. I felt the team suitcases would be right for Willie and Sandy and the little “Theme Girl” to sit on would be in the right character for the shot. I tested the strobe to see it was working properly, and loaded the film magazines on the Hasselblad Camera I was using.
Sandy was not pitching that day, so we were able to position him and the “Theme Girl” ahead of time on the suitcases. When Willie came bursting into the locker room, surprised by the us and the set-up – – with, “What the…?” – – we were ready for him. The strobe was adjusted to a window light, side light and BAM, we shot. The photograph only took a few minutes because we had prepared properly.
All I had left to do was to tell the little girl to, “look sad”.
All this, was a reminder of “proper preparation”, before an important event. Had any of these legs failed, I would not have achieved success. So, prepare.
Jack Allen