Two nights ago on twitter, Zack Arias posed the following question:
“If you could photograph anyone you wanted to today who would it be?”
Wow. At first my brain started to scroll through the people I know that are close by, then I read the question again. Anyone you wanted. Hey, this is one of those ‘if you could have dinner with anyone – living or dead’ questions… Time to expand the search parameters. The first person to pop into my head was Iggy Pop*. Probably because I had typed his name twice already that day. But come on – look at the man! He so… sinewy. The lines on his face so deep. He would make an awesome subject. Plus I could ask him where he was in Oct ’65. And you might think for that very reason I would say Ted Nugent, but much as I would like to question his whereabouts (and get a sample of DNA), I really don’t feel inspired to photograph him in the same way as Iggy. See above.
I told Chris the question and all he said was “George“. As in Clooney. I was surprised that I hadn’t thought of him. His is one of my favorite visuals**. And yet, he hadn’t made the short list.
There are so many ways to approach this question. My mind was frozen by the possibilities. Do you choose someone for how they look? Someone you look up to? Someone famous? Do you make that choice just for the chance to meet that person? I thought about all the photographers whose blogs or books I am reading; if I chose Joe McNally would he teach me how to light the photograph? What about one of the many bloggers who make my laugh (and sometimes cry) everyday?
Can I choose my dad just so we can be together? Even for just an afternoon? I miss him.
Would Neil Gaiman tell me a story while I set up? Would John Lydon spit on my floor? Sean Connery could say anything he wanted to me. Wait, are these people coming to me or do I get to travel to them in this dream opportunity? It would be cool to see the Kremlin and Putin’s sour puss… Who lives in New Zealand?
* ok, to be completely honest, Zack himself was the person I thought of first. He and his wife just seem like cool people you would want to hang out with. And he is rockin’ that facial hair!
** I just did a google image search for George and well… dayum. I gotta go. oh, you’re welcome!
