When it comes to taking photos, winter makes it more difficult to layer things up with color and contrast, but if seen through careful eyes, dead trees and overcast skies bring an interesting mood if you apply yourself to making the best out of it.

This shoot with Elle, (elleseramusic.com) took nearly two hours. I have had the opportunity to team up with Elle numerous times over the past year and I couldn’t be happier to do it again. By the way, check out Elle’s single ‘Hey Little Mama!’ and give it a ‘like’!

I chose to bring only my shoulder camera bag with my 50mm F/1.4 USM lens and my 17-40mm F/4 lens. I also brought a flash and a small reflector disc. I thought that bringing an old transistor radio from my props collection could add an interesting dynamic to a portrait, and I dig the image she creates holding the radio when converted to black and white. I honestly wish I had brought one of my film cameras loaded with B&W film, but that’s the risk you take if you decide on a minimal workflow!

Another way we spiced up this shoot was with color. I photographed Elle holding her new teal-colored Gretsch guitar against a white fence and soon after I was drawn to the abstract qualities of reflective light on a full-size pickup truck parked nearby. Towards the end of this shoot, I also shot portraits of Elle next to a glass sculpture; giving us a set of playful images with warm colors that bring a relaxed feel.

When I was on Instagram, oftentimes I would be jealous of people living in a better climate. My perception was that undoubtedly, their environment played a significant role in the quality of those awesome images. These days, with the current pandemic hitting our way of life and forcing myself to be less influenced by an algorithm, I’m quite content just being healthy and striving to remain creative despite social limitations. Unless you engage with your subject with decency and a positive attitude, you would surely get stuck even if you shoot on a tropical island!