Atlanta artist Courtney Khail in the studio | photo by Elle Golden
I feel like this post should actually be titled "what not to do when taking photos" or "why having a great photographer matters," but I thought I'd keep it simple. Plus, I'm not sharing any of the photos of me acting like a moron because this is the internet and NOTHING goes away on the internet so that title wouldn't fit anyway. (Take note kids. That snapchat seems harmless now, but someone took a screenshot and it will haunt you in 30 years when you're trying to get elected or something. Hashtag, make good choices.)
Anyhow, off that soapbox. A little while back my good friend, LeiLani (of Elle Golden Photography) came over to capture some images of me painting. Aside from classes, I'd never actually painted in front of anyone before- much less when I was also trying to sit up straight, not make awkward expressions with my face, or do anything weird with my resting hand- so while excited, I was also a little nervous. (Of course, there was absolutely nothing to be nervous about. As soon as I got into my rhythm, it was just like any other time we'd hung out. Except you know, instead of eating lunch, I was painting and she was photographing- but pretty much the same.)
A few things though- I'd never been so acutely aware of how I hold a paintbrush or just how restrictive jeans are when you're painting on the floor. Because while I do occasionally paint in jeans, those are my comfy jeans. My painting jeans if you will. The ones I do not wear outside, that are hanging on by a thread, and practically fall off when I wear them so they barely constitute as clothing. Definitely not what I was going to be photographed in. In the photos though, I'd chosen to wear more flattering (read- tighter) jeans which made for a few interesting moments while I tried to find a comfortable position that also photographed well.
Atlanta artist Courtney Khail in the studio | photo by Elle Golden
*Speaking of picking out clothes, during a previous phone call where I may have been lamenting what I was going to wear, LeiLani joked with me saying that if she had to wear real pants to work, then so did I- i.e. my cheerleading shorts and paint covered, ripped UGA orientation T-shirt from 2004 probably wasn't going to cut it. (side note, I call them cheerleading shorts, but aside from a brief moment in my childhood where I was enrolled in cheerleading camp, I have never been a cheerleader and therefore probably should just call them "cotton shorts I wear when I don't want to ruin something I actually care about" but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.)
Okay circling back to the point. So LeiLani came over with all of her gear and after I put on some cool jamz (that's right. jamz with a "z." The only appropriate term to categorize rap and hip hop that spans from N.W.A. to Ludacris with just a sprinkling of one hit wonders like Sisqo and 2000's classics like Britney Spears' "Toxic") we both got to work- me painting, her shooting. These are just a few of the images she captured (I'll share more later.) I'm so thrilled with the end result. (Aren't they beautiful? I just love the moments she caught- the movement, the thought, the light- all of it.) And just geeking out a little here, but if you look closely, you can see how I change as the piece evolves. In the beginning, my clothes are looser, my hair is down, everything is more flowy. As I move to doing the line work though, I swapped my shirt- (an unintentional move, I just wanted something more comfortable and less precious) my hair is tied back, and everything seems a little stronger and pulled together. That duality is pretty much exactly the feeling I strive to express in my paintings, so it was incredibly exciting to see that LeiLani captured it so perfectly.
Atlanta artist Courtney Khail in her studio | photo by Elle Golden
*A note about working with a friend- LeiLani and I actually met in a professional setting and had worked together on a shoot before this, but this was the first time I was the client. Watching her transform from "friend" to "photographer" was a little surreal, but in the best way. I'm always humbled by people's talents and being able to witness that talent coming from someone I call a friend was just amazing. So thank you, LeiLani. Not just for capturing such beautiful images, but for sharing your talent with me. It was an honor!