Meet Matthew Alexander.. the pride & joy of his parents Margaret & Robin.
If you had told me 6 months ago I would be photographing a newborn, I would have said you have a better chance of winning lotto.
I don’t shoot people.. strange how I got to this point.
In 2010 three fellow photographers and I were shooting sunrises for a company in the UK. Although the venture is no more, we became a team & our bond and friendship continue to grow. We took a trip together in April to Photoshop World in Orlando.
I opened my hotel room door and there he was. “Oh, my God.. you’re Jay Maisel!”… he looked, and said “How the hell would you know?” to which the New Yorker in me quickly replied, “more importantly why the hell would I care, right?”.. he chuckled and conversation ensued. He asked what I shoot , and I, still suffering from my self inflicted foot in mouth disease, replied to the world renowned street photographer.. “anything but people”. Insert awkward pause here…
He looked at me with a pensive stare and said “Why the hell not? What are you so afraid of?” It’s one of those comments I have heard before but much like something
your mom says, you hear it, but don’t pay much attention..but this is JAY MAISEL.. and for the past 6 months the question has haunted me.....
When Gene co-sponsored a concert at the College of William & Mary to get my company name out there, I was apprehensive. The concert featured The Deloreans who I had wanted to shoot for a while, so I went. Partly out of curiosity, partly out of obligation..
When I arrived I found that I knew the sound crew and Rob quickly pulled me up on stage for some better shots. I sent a link to the band manager Melanie and she liked the shots and invited me up on stage whenever they perform..nice…This is a photo of Robin who plays the conga drums in the band.
Shooting the Deloreans was so much fun I went to another show to shoot some more. A very pregnant woman at the mall approached me and asked if I did maternity shoots..I quickly said no.. perhaps I can suggest some people for you and didn’t give it much thought after that.
Two weeks ago I was shooting the wedding of Melanie & Tommy of The Deloreans, and low and behold as I was shooting guests, there was the same, very pregnant woman dancing with Robin from the band.. and finally I put two and two together..
We were introduced & made some small talk .. Margaret is one of those bubbly people, always happy, smiling and very photogenic so I fired off a few shots when she looked my way. She innocently asked what it would take to get me to come take some photos of her newborn in a few weeks when he arrived.
“Absolutely, I’d love to.. “ wait…what, what, what the hell just happened? How’d she do that? My mouth has once again got me into trouble..
So this morning I went, with my Google list of baby photo ideas to shoot “people”... Things don't alwaysgo as planned and the grandmother in me quickly sidelined the photographer, as I found myself wrapped up in the wonder of this perfect little bundle watching his first hours, his tiny little feet and hands, the instinctive grip on moms finger ….
So, while I didn’t get the shots I had “in my head” I did capture a few of this little angel and feel privleged to have been able to share some of this precious time with Margaret, Robin & their son.
There must be “something in the water” that the Delorean band members drink, because they all seem to have the ability to make me step outside my comfort zone.. seems Matthew the newest addition, is blessed with that same talent, as I plan to photograph him again in a few weeks, this time armed with new ideas & baby props! If you have baby photo ideas, I am all ears, send them my way!
Strange how one thing leads to another and how the road I thought I was going to take with landscape / bird photography has been changed by the people I have met. Jay may be onto something with this people photography… the people I have met so far have been wonderful & fascinating. I Still don’t want to pose people, or mess with lighting equipment, I prefer candids.. but hey.. so does Jay.
So for now I am tossing out my photography road map and yielding to whatever falls in my lap, because it seems to be working.. and is so much fun.
Congrats Robin & Margaret on your newest addition, see you in a few weeks for round two...
