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