It’s funny how a great song can change our mood and even give us new-found energy.
I have a very good friend named Dushyanthi who now works at the United Nations. When she lived in Los Angeles she worked for me and helped me put music together before jobs. The right music can set the tone for the day and even save a difficult photo session.
During the morning hours when my subjects are having hair and makeup done, the music is played low and it’s softer. When the actual shooting starts the music is more upbeat and energetic.
On one assignment for Olay, I was hired to photograph another good friend, Angela Bassett. The day before the shoot, Angela was shooting a movie and worked late into the evening. When she arrived at the studio the next morning I could tell she was tired. As we began to shoot my clients noticed that Angela’s energy was less than what we’d hoped for, so I spoke to Angela and we tried shooting again, still it wasn’t quite right. My production assistant, Dushyanthi, came to me and whispered, “I know the perfect song to play.” She switched the music and as soon as Angela heard this song she was the Angela I’ve come to know. The song was Tina Turner’s, Proud Mary, and it saved the day.
Angela played Tina Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, and the entire studio came to life when the song started to play. It was a magical moment when having the right song made all the difference.
Always Dream Big……….and play great music.