I did gallery today with Syd, Zenna, and a new addition: Cameron. I’ve never met the guy before but he’s a seasoned gallery shooter, and also an commercial photographer. He’s no stranger to doing gallery for films but also shooting stills on commercials. The guy has all the set ups committed to muscle memory, and we had an interesting chat about shooting unit stills vs. gallery, and he summed up exactly what I’ve always tried to convey, but failed to put words to. In short, I hate gallery. I used to be scared of flash and backdrops, but honestly now that I’ve actually done it, I realize I just don’t like it at all. He said he understands, that he felt the same way, only opposite.
And here is the wisdom he dispensed: there are two types of photographers: proactive ones who like to control the setting, the lights, the talent, and reactive ones that watch like a fly on the wall and shoot what they observe.
I am 100% a reactive one, thus love shooting BTS, but as soon as anyone asks if I do gallery, I want to quit the job all together. To me, it’s boring, and all together not enjoyable. I don’t want to meticulously set up strobes. I don’t want to direct, I don’t want to shoot posed photos. There’s something so much more satisfying when catching a moment that’s complete serendipity. Now, you can argue that unit stills are indeed meticulously set up and directed, yes, but not by me. I like to see how other people set it all up, and just be there to capture it. Sometimes I get really good stuff, sometimes if the DP doesn’t light properly, I get ugly shots. And that’s part of the fun.
Cameron got it, like really got it. He asked if I liked shooting events and street. Yes, that is exactly what I like.
So no, maybe I’m not ready to quit this work all together, I just want to shoot what I’m good at and enjoy. I want to be a ghost who delivers photos when no one realizes I’m shooting. I’m so glad someone was able to give me such a lucid distinction.