We Make the Road by Walking
This past week I was setting up to do a preschool in a church and I saw a book lying on a table, We Make the Road by Walking, by Brian D. McLaren. The title caught my eye and I thought how much insight could be gained from this title or simple statement.
Throughout history paths and roads have developed in this way. Whether we are talking about a game trail through the woods or a modern highway, the road well traveled is usually the most efficient and easiest way to get from one place to another. Repeated use results in a well defined road or path. Like a habit, with repetition, it gets easier to stay on the path each time we go that way.
Over the years I have developed a system of setting up my lights, camera and posing equipment that is the most efficient. It may vary slightly depending upon the location. Much of this efficiency comes from planning and deliberate design, but the rest is from experimentation and adjustment to arrive at what works. It does vary depending upon slight changes in the location or equipment used. Once established, I do not think about it much. I just do it, much as following a familiar path.
Similarly, I have created a path for myself and my regular customers in the methods that I use to work with them and their children. By being as consistent as human variability allows, my repeat customers have learned what to expect. This helps establish credibility with my customers and leads to increased cooperation. I have created this road by following it.
I had done this same preschool every fall for several years. The director told me there were several families that were coming early to have pictures of their preschooler’s older or younger siblings.
The first family looked and acted very familiar. By the time I had finished with what Mom wanted of her preschooler and two older siblings, there were several families waiting and watching. Because of this, everything went smoothly and quickly. When I had finished with these families I had photographed 23 packages in about 45 minutes. It all went quickly and smoothly because we followed the same path that some of them had been on before or that they had seen others follow immediately before them.
These sittings went well. Many of the parents were familiar with me and my style. They knew what to expect and what was expected of them. The other parents saw what was happening and understood well enough to be able and willing to do what I wanted.
Another time I might have spent more time getting parents to understand what they needed to do.
By the time I finished the extra children the five classrooms were ready to be photographed. The director and four of the five teachers had experience with me, my style and preferred procedure. It all went quickly and smoothly. We got great pictures of all of the children and a good time was had by all.
The point of this and the original title is that because I had guided many of these people (and myself) down this same path before and because it was a path that worked so well we got better pictures more quickly than if I had varied my procedure more.
No, everybody did not do exactly I wanted. We had 49 unique children, 5 unique teachers, one unique director and several mothers. All of these people were different and in a different mood or state of mind than they would be on any other day. But because of our trip down this same path before I was able to quickly adapt to whatever needed to happen to get what I wanted*.
Because of the groundwork I had laid in previous years the adults were all willing to follow my guidance. I had created the path that I wanted go down by going down it many times before.
The pictures accompanying this post were taken just this week at a small preschool. The mother of the children had told the owner/director of the preschool that the one year old would cry. The director assured the mother that I could handle it.
These pictures would not have been possible if the director had less confidence in my ability. I have photographed these schools for many years.
In a future post I will go into detail about how this sitting was done.
*What I want is what will most please the parents that I am able to do at that time.