I’ve always enjoyed taking photos, even before I started earning a living as a reporter who also knew his way around a camera. I count myself fortunate to have worked with the likes of John Gordon, Rob Newell and Ted Colley at the Langley Times, and could only hope some of their magic dust settled on me and my beloved Nikon.
Digital photography – no more counting the cost of film and developing – and a blog with which to showcase my work – bitemymoko.wordpress.com – only deepened my love for the art of painting with light.
A return to the Cook Islands has been this photographer’s dream come true. You can point a camera in practically any direction on Rarotonga and capture an image to rival the postcards.
So you can imagine my excitement at being recruited to take eight of the 13 photos needed for the 2011 Miss Cook Islands calendar. Beautiful young women, exotic locales: a match made in heaven, right?
Only if they herd cats in heaven.
To date, it’s been an, um, interesting assignment, as evidenced by the “blooper” photos I’ve included with this posting. But make no mistake: this is a job. As much as I envied those shooters who worked on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Editions, I now understand that it’s not all sun, sea and skin. There is also sweat. And, on occasion, swearing.
Of course, those elite photographers have an army of assistants working for them and, so I imagine, have little more to do than glance through the viewfinder and trip the shutter.
For the most part, I’ve had to put in most of the effort on this project, short of styling hair and applying makeup.
The majority of the models – all former contestants in the Miss Cook Islands pageant – have been absolute dreams to work with. Some of them have not, which probably explains why an assignment with a May 31 deadline has now drifted into June.
Mind you, I’m not complaining. I’ve taken some wonderful shots – I humbly call them “happy accidents” – of some stunningly beautiful women whom I felt privileged to work with. But I’ve come to realize that, if I hope to continue shifting my career arc away from journalism and into fashion/beauty photography, I need to get serious about my craft. This calendar project has been a wakeup call and I appreciate the lessons I’ve learned.
With three different photographers contributing images, the final product should have a very interesting look to it. I hope the Miss Cook Islands organizing committee sells thousands of calendars and raises all the funds needed to help sponsor the next event.
But, more than that, I hope I emerge at the other end with new skills and a new outlook and a new appreciation for how difficult even the easiest-looking task can be.
While aiming my camera at pretty girls, I’m also aiming to be a better photographer by the time the final shot is taken.
Back to the Beach 