Mickey - The Shoot, Behind-the-Scenes

It had been ~ about five years since Mickey and I did a shoot together (the last one was in 2020; I’ll link it here later).

It was his idea to commemorate his 20 years since his Diabetes diagnosis. After all, how it started is no longer how it’s going. And 20 years felt different, big. So, he chose this moment to pause and reflect.

The Prep

Unlike most shoots, this one made me a little nervous. I really wanted to honor the time of reflection, showcase his strength, and share the bumpy journey honestly. When we talked about our vision for the shoot, I knew the glow of sunrise would be essential, and a mix of cliffs and nature was necessary.

When we talked about outfits, things to bring, etc., I told Michael to bring whatever felt right that morning (which is a little more go-with-the-flow than my usual advice, but it felt important for this shoot). 

He did & we were able to capture just enough- 

These are only a handful of empty vials of insulin that he’s needed over the years and this is the log book we used to record his sugar levels in (back before we had an app for it): 

The role of lighting 

During the shoot, Michael asked me if there’s a way to cut down on my editing time by standardizing a few settings. I told him, "Sometimes, but when you’re doing a sunrise or a sunset shot, the lighting is constantly changing, so I always need to take special time and attention for those, regardless." 

That’s what makes sunrise so perfect for this shoot. At different parts of the reel, lighting will change the photo's look, and you subconsciously register that time is passing and things are evolving. We wanted to showcase evolution and growth, making the changing sunlight an excellent tool to carry the story. 

Candid vs Posed

My photography style is very candid, and candid poses played a unique role in this shoot. It’s important to let your subject be present and for me, as the photographer, to just be ready. 

Duration 

We hiked a little to get to this spot, but if I remember correctly, the duration was pretty tight—maybe an hour and a half. 

Post Shoot

What’s it like to finish a shoot, and what happens next? I sent him a few standout photos. I like to do an early preview to help get an idea of what editing will look like, and it’s always nice to share a first look while the session is still fresh. 

More from this shoot coming soon.