When the Shot Isn't Working
Every photographer gets stuck on set. Something in the shot just isn't working, you're out of ideas, and the layers of thinking start stacking up.
When I was starting out, I assisted a lot. I worked full time for an amazing photographer and mentor, Stephanie Rausser, and once we'd built enough trust she'd sometimes look over at me mid-shoot and ask: what do you see here?
Because when you're the director and the photographer, you're holding layer upon layer of different things in your brain. Sometimes you can't access your own creativity. You're distracted by something else happening on set, something you're worried about, and you can't see the shot accurately anymore.
A lot of the time an agency comes with a sketch, and you have to match it. And sketch first, real life second: the tree is a different shape, the light is different, the person's body doesn't work in that position. You can get stuck trying to force the shot to match the drawing and forget to stand back and look at the whole thing from a wide angle.
So I stay collaborative. I'll turn to someone on set I work with a lot, a digital tech, a lighting tech, a stylist who knows my style, and say: this shot isn't working for me and I can't see why. What am I missing? What would you do?
It's amazing what the people holding a little less pressure can see that you're blind to in that moment. So that's my tip. Don't have an ego about it. Ask someone. You might be really surprised what they say.