Baby Its Cold Outside!

Back in December, we did a senior photo session at The Golf Club at Newcastle, just outside of Seattle, WA. I love hitting the links just as much as the next person but boy was it cold out there, about 36 degrees, cloudy, with mist and occasional rain.

This shot was a special client request, inspired by a shot that our client shared with us during our planning sessions. To capture the exact composition and proper angle, Lara had to get right down onto the wet green to get this shot. I’m holding a shoot-through umbrella mounted to an SB-800 Speedlight connected to a Phoenix Odin II trigger mounted on an extension pole. Because if I don’t have to lie down on a wet and very cold putting green in the Pacific Northwest in the middle of December, it’s a good thing.

This is one of those really cool, densely symbolic, and artistic compositional opportunities that don’t often come from the client. Often we find that we’re the ones suggesting and selling the artistic angle to our clients. The symbolism of the fancy heel on the one side as opposed to the golf shoe resting on top of the golf ball on the other side, both shoes were worn by the same person is really unique. It really captures our client’s unique lifestyle and personality.

But wow, it was really cold and I was freezing my butt off. Cold, wet, and damp, lots of wind and 30 miles an hour gusts and we were on a hilltop on the Eastern shore of Lake Washington. Luckily I was rocking the knit fingerless half-gloves that my daughter got me for Christmas last year. They kind of half kept my hands warm and doubled as a towel to wipe grime and moisture from golf balls and clubs. I guess old caddying ways die had.