Shooting The Horse

The cover of SIRPAUL's latest album 'The Horse'
available on iTunes April 3rd, 2012

When my friend and electropop superstar SIRPAUL says that he has a vision for a photo shoot, you usually need to be sitting down. The ideas are always great, but you usually need a moment to figure out 'how the hell are we going to make this happen?'. The idea? SIRPAUL wants to do some photos for the art work to go with his soon the be released album 'The Horse' with a horse. Simple enough, right? No. He wants to be on the horse - naked. Tied to the horse - naked. Naked. No clothes. I am not a prude. I am a bit of a realist. Getting naked is easy. Finding a horse who would allow someone to redefine 'bareback' would be the challenge, I figured. SIRPAUL had all the based covered.

He is great friends with a wonderful woman named Marci Goldstein. Marci owns a stable and several horses. The stable is in New York State about 90 minutes from Manhattan. She would allow us to come up to her stable and do a full out photo shoot. So, SIRPAUL, his husband Paul Petersen, and I, headed north a few weekends ago to make this vision happen.

This is the photo of SIRPAUL he decided not to include in the album
art work. He said that this was the exact moment he felt the most fear.
He didnt include this photo because he felt it was 'too personal'. 

This would be the most rewarding shoot I have ever worked on. It was simple, but complex, involving several people to handle the horse while SIRPAUL was basically naked. (He did have a little something on. In fact, I don't even remember. I wasn't looking 'there'. I was looking at lighting and shadows and my exposure, not his.)

The stable we shot in was more of a training facility than a 'barn'. But it had character. I was torn between shooting using the epic size of the room or staying intimate. I discussed things with Paul Petersen. We needed 'initimate'. So, we found our way to the very back of the stable where the sun was coming in through some windows and it all seemed right. I set up my two strobes, where one of them had a giant 7 foot umbrella attached. The sheer size of the umbrella and the flashing from my strobes could upset the horse, so I was a bit nervous I would be the cause of  'Cowgirl' to be unhappy. SIRPAUL was nervous and worried for himself. There was no saddle on 'Cowgirl'. There was nothing to hold on to while on the horse. While SIRPAUL was on the horse, 'Cowgirl' was so good about SIRPAUL moving around on top of her for different poses. But when some flies came buzzing around due to my lights being on so brightly, the flies would land on 'Cowgirl' making her move around a bit as they tickled her. This would make SIRPAUL ripe for being bucked or thrown or slipping off the horse. And while he was tied to the horse, if 'Cowgirl' took off, SIRPAUL would be been stuck on the horse for the ride of his life...on his back, naked! (Remember, this was HIS idea!).

SIRPAUL and 'Cowgirl'
One of my favorite shots of the day

When all is said and done, the photos are beautiful (if I may say so myself). 'Cowgirl' was wonderful and seem to enjoy the attention. SIRPAUL was profoundly affected by the experience. We are both so proud of the shots taken. Truly amazing results. SIRPAUL provided some clear and compelling art direction and produced a beautiful, dramatic, and sophisticated photo shoot.

SIRPAUL is THE most creative person I have ever met. But he isn't just a 'thinker'. He makes things happen in a realistic manner. He provides a practical plan or roadmap to making a vision become real. He is really the BEST all around executive producer and art director I have ever known.

This shoot has made me rethink some things about how to approach a shoot. I am really a 'face' person. And I always will be. But I need to think sometimes about 'setting'. I need to think about the entire frame more. I guess that would be the difference between 'portrait' and 'editorial'.

It is worth it to think big, dream big, plan big. Very worth it.