Anniece Washington, Scott R Gane Photography Secrets

Expert professional photographers talk about the skill of bringing out your best through photography and the necessity for authentic relationhips between photographers and their clients.

Transcript

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
[Music] do [Music] and I am so happy that your relationship with your daughter has [Music] improved [Music] hello there good morning good afternoon good evening wherever you are in the world it’s Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman with Relationship Matters. I’m very happy to see all of you today and we have a very, very interesting show. Now I was thinking, how can I take pictures that don’t look horrible? I’ve tried many times and either I don’t get the lighting right or the person isn’t standing like I want them to stand. And so now that’s with the camera. Then I decided, okay, everybody’s talking about using your phone. I tried to use my phone. I still don’t like to bring my pictures come out and I’m not even going to talk about selfies. But anyway, I have today two expert photographers and both of them I have had photo shoots with. Did I say that right? No, photo shoots, photo shoots with. And the first one is Anise Washington and I’m going to show you something. Of course, I don’t see it. I have a video here. Let me find Anise. Uh, where is here she is. Okay, these are just a few, uh, and this photographs that she takes [Music].

Anise Washington
Hello Elise.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Hey Jay.

Anise Washington
Hey Doctor Jan, what’s happening?

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh girl, you are what’s happening.

Anise Washington
I’m doing well. I’m doing very good.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
That’s good, that’s good. Now I know that some people did recognize me in two of those.

Anise Washington
That’s one of my favorite pictures of you anyway, by the way.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Well, thank you. As a matter of fact, I used that in my promo.

Anise Washington
Amen, hello.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Because I really liked the picture and there were a lot of compliments about the picture. Yeah, so you are a professional photographer.

Anise Washington
Yes.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Now how long have you been a professional photographer?

Anise Washington
Professionally, I would say about three years.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Really?

Anise Washington
Yes.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh my God.

Anise Washington
I guess I’m good because I have a passion for it and you know, um, I had, I was, I was always passionate about it. I had, um, I was like, I’m like the family photographer, you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Anise Washington
And then so that passion never went away and then so it was just something that, um, you know, I just decided, you know what, I love taking pictures, you know, I love the joy that it brings me. I can do it so much that I can do it for free. I’m up sometimes to two, three in the morning editing pictures, looking at things. So you know, why not make it, you know, something that I can do professionally, you know, it’s nothing like doing something that you love, um, professionally being able to make a couple of dollars, you know, it’s nothing like that, you know, so when you find your passion, you need to follow that dream, you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay, so what did you do before you became a photographer?

Anise Washington
Well, I still am and I, um, I’m an investigative specialist, a claim specialist and I’ve been doing that since, uh, I was saying starting in the claims industry back in 1989.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
So, so what is that for an insurance company or?

Anise Washington
That’s insurance, you know, investigate claims, uh, for different type of scenarios.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah, and of course you have to take pictures.

Anise Washington
Yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh, okay. So is that how you became interested in photography?

Anise Washington
No, I, um, my kids were little and um, I hate it like what you said when you came on, I hated the way pictures looked. I didn’t like some of the poses, you know how some, you know how back in the day we used to go to those stores like Kmart, Sears and stuff like that, but it’s so informal and you never really, you know, you just show up, you get your pictures and you just get your pictures and you’re looking at them and you’re like, I don’t even like these pictures, you know, so I decided, you know, I’m gonna get a camera of something, you know, back in the day I just got a camera and I was very picky about, you know, how my pictures came out, you know, and I would take the family and you know, pose them and just take pictures and I started taking pictures of my kids and you know, they would come out really well and I would get a lot of compliments on the pictures so, you know, it was kind of like a hobby that I really enjoyed but you know, I was just doing it just to be doing something.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah, oh okay and then you just started really getting good at it.

Anise Washington
Oh yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay, okay and I understand that you like you say you’re self-taught.

Anise Washington
Self-taught, yeah through well self-taught by reading, you know, instructions, um, finding out things by mistake, um, following, uh, different people now on YouTube, you know, you can, uh, do that but you still need to know some things, uh, I took a couple of classes down at the Chicago Academy, uh, North and I have a mentor who is a professional photographer for years and, um, he teaches me a lot as well, you know, so I’m still kind of under his mentorship to the point where now what he’s doing is he is referring people to me and he wants me to become part of his team where we are also, you know, going to be working in the studio together and teaching and different things like that so I can’t wait to get that started.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh wow, okay that’s that sounds great that sounds great so you specialize in portraits.

Anise Washington
Yes.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yes, okay so why did you choose that as your specialty?

Anise Washington
Because I really like focusing on a person, you know, I like the art of it, I love how it turns out, I love it when people see themselves when they don’t think that they can look a certain way, I love to bring that out of a person so I love to have a nice portrait of someone that they can look at and be happy about the product.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah, since you mentioned that before you go any further I saw this.

Anise Washington
Oh yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
And I’m like what when you when you talk about you know women seeing themselves differently and I saw this before picture and this after picture how did how did that happen?

Anise Washington
I was actually in Mississippi and that is a family member.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Anise Washington
I we had a family reunion and since I was doing photography I put out a post to say hey look I’m coming down a little early you know if you guys want a photo shoot you know hook up with me and so um she was one of the cousins that reached out and the second picture in the red she’s we’re absolutely in the hotel lobby.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay yeah hey so you did you dress her or tell her you know change her hairs out or did she just do this on her own?

Anise Washington
She did that on her own, um but when you talk to people and you get them to be comfortable then they seem to gravitate towards wanting to do something different and then when they see it and they look at it they’re excited about it and when they see the outcome they are like oh yeah that was a good move you know so you know we we we work together.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
You do that with a lot of a lot of women.

Anise Washington
I do I do yeah I do I do um I’m very I try to be as patient and understanding as possible I try to put myself in the other woman’s shoes you know um even though I’m small frame I do have some you know insecure issues on my own you know because just because someone’s small frame doesn’t mean that they don’t have insecure issues either so um and I try to understand what the person is looking for and I also try to make them feel comfortable and secure in their own skin.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah okay so you you have a a conversation with them to I mean before you just start snapping pictures.

Anise Washington
Oh definitely, um I have a consultation with them, um prior to the photo shoot I try to get an idea of what they’re looking for their insecurities, um I let them know that I will assist them I always am careful to ask you know if they mind that I do things, um and I make them comfortable like I said to the point where they are open to ideas of a change you know you may come one way and have a whole idea but then if me as the photographer I may see something that you may not even think of and then it changes so, um when and you’ve been to my home studio so like I’ll have some clothes jewelry a shoe some wigs you know just difficult a belt you know something you know the ad take away you know but I’m always polite and ask if they mind doing it, um because you know you don’t see what the photographer the photographer can catch things that you don’t even know that they have captured and then if you could capture that moment and and get that person to you know be in the moment then now they’re hooked they’re like oh yeah I like that and they want to come back so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah yeah that’s that’s great and and why did you decide to focus uh mainly on women?

Anise Washington
Um well because I’m a woman and I have more of a uh understanding and relationship with women.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Anise Washington
Yeah and that’s just the truth you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Well that’s not about that I know he’s not a woman but you know I don’t know you might have it unless you never know but anyways people bring me in hey you know speaking of Scott I am going to bring to you another photographer and his name is Scott Gaine and I’m going to show you a little bit about his photographs [Music].

Scott Gaine
Hi Scott.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Hi Dr. GM.

Scott Gaine
Hi Scott how are you?

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Um finest frog here how about you?

Scott Gaine
I am doing just great I love your pictures of course, um that last picture yes I remember that day finally we had you moving around the yard and picking different spots and getting your pants dirty and everything.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay yeah yeah that was a really great photo shoot I I enjoyed it myself and uh I should have had the one I know uh we went over to the uh Buckingham Fountain in Chicago and I used those pictures too well the one with my head all and my hands all out like that I use my my faux Facebook um uh banner and I get a lot of compliments uh about the pictures that you’re taking now you that one with everybody there I’m like where am I that was at the Power of Wii Symposium and that was the Atlanta one.

Scott Gaine
Yeah oh that was in the Atlanta one oh that was the Atlanta one okay well I was there so let me tell you all a little bit about Scott he has been a photographer for over 40 years and before he became well well let me go back let me go back I understand that you worked for the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety as a firefighter really flash paramedic police officer when you photograph crime scenes and accident scenes correct?

Scott Gaine
Oh that’s my first professional gig if you will or was was a crime scene so yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
How long did you do that?

Scott Gaine
Uh I retired in uh medically retired in 1992.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
1992 okay so then you know I just and and after that you know I had a passion for photography I just really loved the uh I got kind of an engineer’s mind so the the technical stuff and lighting was tremendously important especially for crime scenes and stuff like that you had to have it properly lit because every time you push that button on the camera that’s an evidence photo so it had to be perfect you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah I couldn’t imagine that you had to get all up in there and see all kinds of gruesome stuff.

Scott Gaine
Yeah unless I was there first and then I would have to take care of that because I was a paramedic so I left somebody else to take the pictures so it depends on when I got there I got there first I had to take care of business if not I came up and then I I photographed everything after the fact.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Wow wow wow so that’s how you really became really I guess kind of interested you you were now when you were hired as a paramedic and all of that did you already know about photography or job?

Scott Gaine
No matter of fact one when uh was hired and and shortly after I was hired we had we had a traditional fireside and then the police side and then they um they combined the departments into a department of public safety so the paramedics you know they didn’t think they didn’t think we had enough to do and we had to have a suburban uh to carry all the gear your police gear your fire gear your paramedic gear so they said well you could carry more gear because you got this big suburban so we’re going to put the forensic the crime scene stuff in your in your car too so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Wow.

Scott Gaine
They sent me off to I got trained and I learned how to investigate accidents and all that kind of stuff but the the probably the best time I ever had is they sent me to the Kodak Institute in Rochester New York learn how to photograph really specifically crime scenes but but it gave you an opportunity that I learned everything about photography but this was well before the digital age so it was all film I learned.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
Yeah I learned how to process in a dark room and everything like that and then you know I get I get to play around with some effects and stuff it was it was great and it was just something I fell in love with at a very early time so when I retired I just I had I started being the family photographer you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Scott Gaine
And you know it would be funny because my uncle Roger or one of my uncles would they would start taking pictures and I just go I just start shaking my head and take the camera from them because I said you’re not getting this right let me get it for you that’s why you don’t see me in very many family photos because I’m the one that’s grabbing the camera and thinking right.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
That’s uh yeah that’s exactly right yeah so you two have something in common fancy photographer and you’re not in in photos right because you’re the one taking the photo right and then go ahead go ahead.

Scott Gaine
Well then I got uh fast forward a few years and my oldest daughter was getting married and at the wedding that the second shooter got ill for the uh the day before uh when they were having the bachelor party and and activities and stuff like that so uh she gave me a digital camera and a crash course on on how to operate the digital camera and you know I took the the pictures there and after my daughter’s wedding she called me back she goes oh Mr. Gaine these these are just fantastic I said well okay great so that got the bug I went out and bought myself a digital camera and haven’t looked back since so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah I don’t know okay but that’s uh you know and that’s lead led to opportunities I was I’ve been Chicago I shot uh I got I guess my big break was that I got to shoot the uh after part the finale and the after party of the the next design star at the merchandise mart they were filming it there so uh an executive producer up there was just enamored with my pictures and then that led to a couple other contests and I started taking uh little local Chicago celebrities and then that I ended up going out to Vegas and then out to California and yeah it’s been just it’s been a wild ride it’s really it’s really been great threat to all the people that I meet it’s just fantastic.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
So so you’ve been out in in California in Hollywood so what celebrities did you meet and and take pictures of?

Scott Gaine
Well some of them I signed an NBA with so I can’t talk about those.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh you can’t.

Scott Gaine
Yeah they were very prescript about you know no watermarks no nothing that these are just publicity shots that uh that they have so but I just continue considering what those gave me I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
But that was for all of them all of them not one forgot to make you sign that.

Scott Gaine
Yeah it was pretty standard because I went through uh they hired me through uh an agency.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Scott Gaine
I subcontracted through an agency.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Scott Gaine
I did I did the property brothers to Scott brothers.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh okay.

Scott Gaine
Got them yeah a couple that I can’t talk about but they have a they have their own studio downtown Chicago she has she has an apartment in the water tower place.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh so our celebrities and you can’t talk about anyone you know I know personally but are they more difficult than just regular non-celebrity people or is it about the same?

Scott Gaine
No you know a couple of them felt like a sense of entitlement and you know they were you know I was just there to do a job and there were a couple that um you know I’m like a niece I like to get to know who I’m shooting first have a conversation coffee or an adult beverage and we talk about where they want to do and what they want what what they feel they want and then I throw all that out the window and go do what I want anyway anyway anyway.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Well you know what you s I read your quote and it said if you love what you do it’s never work.

Scott Gaine
Yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
And I think both of you all have said that uh one way or another that you really love what you do is not a job and so now Scott I’ve also read that it said uh you have a journalistic style uh what what what is exactly what does that mean?

Scott Gaine
So like for like for weddings and and events and stuff like that I I don’t like the uh not that I don’t I wouldn’t shoot it but I don’t like the structured we’re going to line everybody up and hold in a row we’re going to take their picture and then we’re going to move on to the next group that’s in in a huddle and we’re going to take their picture I’d rather spend my time capturing those raw emotional moments uh that aren’t pre-staged if you will.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
So I want to tell a story.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah okay.

Scott Gaine
Telling the story of of the event or of the of even the person you know as as we go through and that means I got to get them relaxed and get them to trust what I’m going to do it’s going to be complimentary and flattering to them and they’re going to get great pictures too.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah so okay okay so you’re the perfect example Dr. Jan you remember our shoot one year you were chirping at Lauren and two you were fairly uncomfortable about getting your picture taken correct?

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
I don’t remember that.

Scott Gaine
I do I remember I remember what did we do we we kept changing places and we went um different places in the yard and I had you doing things and it took your mind off of what we were doing wasn’t it we were just having a conversation and I just happened to be taking your pictures right wait a minute no she doesn’t remember speaking of the devil right.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah I see it I see it right there ask her about when she had to sit down in the front yard for a photo was that with you that was me was that what you know that was with me.

Scott Gaine
Yeah okay I don’t know what he’s talking about I remember having to help her up that’s what he’s talking about but with both of you all I I have definitely enjoyed uh my photo shoot photo shoot but look Brenda Tucker Jeffrey’s asked you I guess she wants to she’s trying to find out who you’re talking about the celebrity oh my god do it with Tony dead celebrity it was that he had take you know that he took pictures everybody knows who but you know Brenda uh a lot of uh Tony Bennett has done a lot of drifts with a lot of different women but I know he’s talking about the late she’s talking about the latest one right I just did Brenda’s uh photos last year in the uh in the it was a memorial park we went to in in uh was it monster Indiana yeah and she just she did you remember you saw those.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah I’ve seen some of them yeah they’re beautiful um as a matter of fact Anise does a calendar uh every year and it’s for the models what is it fiercely seriously real fiercely real models and when she went fiercely real means they can be tiny in statue stature or they can be plus size women or they can be senior citizens like me and Brenda oh wait I’m and it’s a beautiful calendar we’ve done too and um so I think we’re doing another one uh soon right.

Anise Washington
Yeah yeah earlier this year um we have a schedule May 1st for we’re going to take maybe three or four of the models and this year I am um you probably don’t know it is Dr. Jam but I am like directing what to wear um you know really yeah so you you won’t have to worry about what you have to wear we’ll have something for you.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay so to be seen wait to be seen because I like to you know I used to um um I have a friend that’s into styling and she and I did some styling well she did the most of your styling I did the photography but you know I like I get involved with that too so yeah so we’re gonna.

Anise Washington
Oh okay now I know you focus mainly on women but Scott your photography is do you do you have a particular I don’t know if you call it genres in photography but subject matter or do you do all different kinds of subject matter?

Scott Gaine
I I do all different kinds of we’ve kind of specialized I found a female partner Angie and I just a week before the state got shut down with COVID she and I opened up a boudoir photography studio.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
I saw that and we’re going to talk about that I do worldwide too now you both do we’re going to talk about that right now I have to go to a couple of quick commercials and we’re going to come back okay and we’re definitely going to talk about that that was one of my questions my boudoir photography so we’ll be we’ll be right back [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] do [Music] so [Music] [Music] [Music] hahaha [Music] you [Music] [Applause] [Music].

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
All right we are back and let me look at some of the questions that have come in let’s see uh but okay so here’s a question for Anise she wants to know what techniques do you use to make people comfortable?

Anise Washington
Um well first I try and have a conversation with a person, um get to know them what they’re looking for and if they come to a studio I may have music I’ll try to make them feel comfortable through music feed them have some orders on the side or some wine or you know anything that that I think that would make a person feel comfortable, um try to make them laugh you know just try to find out what is going on with them make them feel kind of happy and just comfortable so whatever I can do to make them feel comfortable.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay what about you Scott do you use any any special techniques or what?

Scott Gaine
Yeah I mean the same thing yeah really get to know him a little bit more adult beverages help.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Scott Gaine
Yeah it relaxes people so now adult beverages let’s talk about this boudoir this boudoir picture so now uh both of you do boudoir pictures Scott now with women how do you make them feel comfortable when they are in different very vulnerable lingerie lingerie?

Scott Gaine
Yeah you know and it’s a relatable idea that I I I don’t know that I can say that I completely understand women but um I listen I take my time we’re not in a big rush, um we have a a female makeup artist and my partner is is female so there’s other females in the room so that.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Scott Gaine
Tries to uh adjust their comfort comfortable you know and you know quite frankly I respect them I know what they want and and I’m just trying to bring it out of them you know and shoot by the end of the session you know they come in they’re they’re nervous you know maybe adult beverage too helps but by the time they uh we have a conversation because hair makeup on average takes almost an hour and a half.

Anise Washington
Yeah it takes about a good hour.

Scott Gaine
Yeah yeah so I mean that gives me an opportunity to to talk about them and talk about their kids and talk and understand where they’re coming from why they’re why they’re in our studio for some boudoir photography in the first place.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
And and sometimes you know they’ll say that it’s uh it’s for their boyfriend or their husband or anything like that and then I I correct them I said no it’s for you they’re just the bene the boyfriend’s just the benefactor of of the shoot afterwards but these are for you.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
We need to get that straight first.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
And so breaking down that that little wall that I know is going to go up because I’m a male and a you know type situation but you know once once they get to know me a little bit and then uh we’re off to the races and and uh everybody everybody that we’ve had in the studio uh they come in either shy nervous or a little bit timid and by time they walk out they’re walking that much higher off the floor they’re walking taller and the self-confidence that they have it’s just amazing and that and that to me that’s a very satisfying thing to watch that whole whole process happen too.

Anise Washington
Yeah and then I also um also I let them see the photo so that they can say oh wow that looks good and then that kind of instills that trust factor that you know you’re making sure that they are the best and you making sure that they look the best because they want to see the results and you know a lot of photographers you don’t see the results before you know the shoot is over you just get the results when it’s done and so but if you can show them how the picture is becoming you know what it looks like then there they start to get a little bit more relaxed and they trust you and that you know so that kind of peels off that layer of you know then sometimes you get them there so they get there like this when they come in but when they’re when they’re they’re ready but they’re ready you know that you can you can’t get enough so right it’s like that so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah well my husband is sitting over here um would you like me to do a boudoir did you explain oh wait he says explain totally what the booth y is explain what boudoir photography is either one of you.

Anise Washington
Well I mean I know it’s a French uh uh word right am I wrong women in sexy lingerie women as they see lingerie they say oh yeah fine well I did send you some pictures Dr. Jan on your email of some boudoir photos so if you want to share those with your husband then he can have an idea of you know what it looks like so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Anise Washington
Yeah so I recently had a young lady I you don’t I don’t know if you know her name is Natasha White and she was feeling a little bit uncomfortable, um and when we were in the studio and she wanted to do boudoir so she came and um we took some pictures and after the fact when I got done with the photos she felt really good about them she because I like Prince I don’t know if you still like Prince.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh yeah.

Anise Washington
Yeah so I I offered prints in the package and she got 11 by 14 and she liked the pictures so much she got because that came with the package so she ordered a whole bunch of different um 11 by 14 pictures.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Wow.

Anise Washington
Yeah and then she sent me like this card in the mail and she was so grateful and you know it was just a nice you know thing to have someone that didn’t feel comfortable to always acknowledge the fact that you know by me being her photographer now that she is feeling like comfortable in her own skin and that’s a good feeling when you can have women that don’t feel so comfortable initially she’s a beautiful girl I love the pictures I don’t you know I don’t see that but she had something that she was feeling a little insecure about but those pictures are beautiful they really are.

Scott Gaine
Yeah yeah and and trying to to take away the the stigma of women’s bodies you know the body dysmorphia that women have you know up here and we’re just trying to get them out of their head a little bit because they’re you’re all beautiful.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Thank you Scott.

Scott Gaine
Yeah it and that’s the truth you know it is the truth right.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah we are never satisfied with our bodies.

Scott Gaine
Oh yeah you know for some reason well look at the body that I’ve got it took me 60 years to get that way and it’s it’s not going to change overnight so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah of course unless I photoshop myself now I’m going to ask some technical questions we got about 15 minutes okay now I know the camera I should have had my camera with me but you know all of those numbers and settings how do you how long does it take to to get the right setting that the right focus the right light what do all those little numbers around that lens mean anyway?

Scott Gaine
Well well that’s a that’s a good question right I mean unless we know what number you’re talking about.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay I mean what numbers like I had my camera in here after this.

Anise Washington
Yeah so what’s that better Scott?

Scott Gaine
Yeah most of the modern day cameras are they try to make it as automatic as possible but for us professionals there are some settings that we can adjust uh the light or the aperture we can just the how fast the shutter goes or uh the field of view that we’re looking at.

Anise Washington
Yeah because yeah we want something lured out you know we have a setting that we do that if we want to bring more light in we have settings that if we wanted to go faster or slower there’s just a bunch of different settings for all different type of you just have to know what you got right.

Scott Gaine
Okay but with your camera if you just turn it over to the a and it’s automatic and the camera does all the work for you.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh okay okay but it doesn’t get uh you know the camera the settings that Anith and I use are very specific as to how we how we want the picture to frame and compose and what we want to see and what we want and focus we can we can narrow down to just like focusing on your eyes and everything else will have a little softer focus and even behind it may not have be totally blurred out we’re able to do that manually with with the camera.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh okay okay uh now have you ever captured either one of you what you consider to be the perfect picture the perfect photograph?

Anise Washington
Yes.

Scott Gaine
Yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Really?

Anise Washington
In my mind in my mind right it’s a couple of pictures I mean like I like it when I can capture a picture that no matter what I do to it it’s still perfect like I can turn it into black and white I can put filters on it I can do this I can do that and it’s still perfect like just nothing really changes the actual quality of the picture it’s just nice.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
So what about you Scott?

Scott Gaine
I I there are several times that I fall in love with a picture that I’ve taken and I go that’s the best one I’ve taken until the next time I take one like that I have a couple I think I sent you the one um in the park with the little girl was helping the homeless guy that was at eight.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
Concert I was at a concert event called coming home coming together that they have in Benton Harbor uh they stopped having that event but um I just happened to capture that she was just this guy he I he was late 80s and one of the the acts at the at the concert was well the OJs were there and Nikki Harris nationally uh recognized uh jazz singer was there and he was having he was dancing and having the time of his life and uh he just got tuckered out and this little girl went up and and helped him get over to his seat and I just happened to capture that and it was to that day that was the most perfect picture you know but it tells it it gets back to what I like to do I’m telling a story.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah.

Scott Gaine
Or that picture leads me to tell the story of how that that picture came to be so.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah oh wow okay so it’s more so the perfect picture is more so the content rather than the skill of the techniques.

Scott Gaine
Yeah yeah yeah.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
All right so now who’s harder to work with um women or men or children?

Scott Gaine
I love I love kids uh the hardest to work with are um I’ve had a couple I won’t name names but they’re bridezillas.

Anise Washington
Oh well I haven’t done wedding photos so I’ll be thankful that you.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay so here’s Sandy Barney didn’t it and it says okay I need over and over 72 photos plus size photo shoot that can hide lots of dimples and wrinkles with or without filters so she wants to hide she wants to hide her dimples one wants to hide her dimples and she wants to hide her wrinkles all right again just depends on where her dimples are.

Anise Washington
Well hopefully I’ll be taking the pictures of the dimples that need to be hidden but you know what Sandy come on you know that’s a part of you that’s the beautiful part of you dimples wrinkles a lot of people don’t live long enough to have wrinkles we can get them out though it’s called editing it’s called editing I can get dimples out I can get bags under the eyes out pimples freckles whatever you want spots on skin I can get all of that out and smooth it out make it look like a newborn baby.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Oh yeah okay you know that’s that sounds really really really good so now this show is called relationship matters and [Music] what we’ve been talking about as far as photographing people relationships play an important part and so I’m so what I’m hearing from both of you is that you have to form a relationship with whoever it is that you’re photographing so that you can get that essence.

Scott Gaine
Yes.

Anise Washington
Excuse me.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah you know because I always wondered like some people when you see their port their portraits or the pictures of them it tells you exactly who they are and it you know it doesn’t seem like they posed for it you know so how long does it take to get that so that people see the person and not the picture so to speak?

Anise Washington
Well I mean it really depends on the person.

Scott Gaine
Okay.

Anise Washington
How open they’re going to be with you.

Scott Gaine
Yeah you have to gain their trust once you gain their trust and you start having a natural conversation you know they’ll start relaxing they’ll start relaxing their facial muscles and and um once they get to that thing you know even if they’re nervous coming into the chute once you get them to to do that relax and trust and and you have a normal conversation with them the better the pictures are going to come out.

Anise Washington
Yeah yeah and and um sometimes I can get it on the first shot like a test shot have you ever gotten on a test shot I have yeah I was just like okay this is just a test click oh my god that’s the perfect picture so you know it just depends it just depends you just you know sometimes you know you have to be patient you know some people they will they will test you you know they’re very very insecure about um what they look like and so they’ll be giving you the side while they’re insecure about themselves um you know and I try to encourage the women to if they believe they’re not photogenic you know like I had I had a recent customer no names and I talked to her on the phone we talked a little bit I always ask a person to send me an outfit so I can have an idea of what they’re wearing just to see maybe backdrop or if I want to do something outside or whatever, um and then I I also ask women shoe size or stuff like that because I know I don’t know about you Scott I keep extra shoes or you know I have um tool skirts and I have jewelry and I have wigs you know so you know maybe they want to you know add whatever so, um but I do tell women if they have things that they want to wear that’s fitting you know put on an undergarment right put on an undergarment don’t be a don’t hey do that put on an undergarment, um wear a better bra or get your makeup done you know get you don’t maybe you don’t have to get your hair done but have it nice and neat because if you don’t come prepared and you don’t wear makeup or whatever the camera is not a phone the phone sometimes don’t show all those blemishes and different things a real camera can pick up the smallest speck of fuzz on a shirt so come prepared you know I have things that help you get out that fuss but I really don’t want to spend time editing a picture getting fuzz off your sweater you know.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay.

Anise Washington
So be prepared you know have your undergarment put on lotion or oil you know if you don’t go to the salon and get your nails done trim them down a little bit put a little shine you know just do little subtle things to get yourself prepared you don’t have to go out and buy a hundred dollar outfit get your hair all done up you know at the salon unless you want to but you know some a lot of women go I don’t really wear makeup that’s okay but put something on you a little bit you know it doesn’t have to be a lot.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
So are there people who are not photogenic this is from Sandy.

Anise Washington
Yes.

Scott Gaine
Really you believe that Scott?

Anise Washington
I do yeah yes yes so if they come in into your studio and they want pictures photographs and they say okay I want to look like this what do you do take their picture to the best of your ability no I think everybody’s photogenic really I’m just telling the truth but I don’t think the fact of the person that being photogenic I think is the fact of the person being a little just I can’t say stiff but self-destructed like that just not willing to bend or do things they are not going to ever relax that’s not a that’s a person that’s not photogenic a person that’s not ever being relaxed not the way you look it’s just if you cannot come down it’s just hard to photograph that person.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Right okay look if if they want to get in contact with you Scott where are you you are in Michigan but you do come to Chicago right?

Scott Gaine
Yeah I’m in shock audience all over but yeah I come to Chicago quite often so I see my Facebook and Instagram right now my website is uh not working the way it’s supposed to so we’ll just go with Facebook and Instagram for now.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay so they can go on your Facebook page and they can get in contact with you they can okay people who are in Michigan boudoir pictures yeah and and the great thing about that is if you tried to book today you probably won’t get into September so.

Scott Gaine
Really?

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Yeah we’re both valid yeah.

Scott Gaine
Oh wow I guess is it because people have been at home inside you know with this cover and they want to get out and they want to look fantabulous.

Scott Gaine
Oh yeah you know and some some of the women set themselves a goal saying you know I’m going to beat this covet 10 or coven 15 or covet 20 and and I’m going to set my date to do my pictures on September 1st so they’ve set themselves a goal how how you know they want to they want to be able to do their shoot and uh be in the best shape so they they use that part of their the the commitment to take their their session is is the commitment to do whatever they want to do.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
All right and a niece how can people contact you it’s it’s I’m going to kind of I want to boot for a picture I am I’m on Facebook and Instagram and I have a website and the name of my um photography business is photography is everything.com and you can see my pictures on my website and on my Facebook I you know I really don’t do much on Facebook I’ve been posting more on Instagram I need to post more, um but you can find me on either Facebook photography is everything Instagram photography is everything or on my website photography is everything so I’m just starting to get into boudoir I absolutely love it absolutely love it a lot of fun it really is.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Well it you all have given us you two have given us some great information I have really enjoyed it at this show and uh I forgot to ask one question quickly in one sentence what is this is a question that came in what advice would you give a beginning photographer one sentence either one go out and start taking pictures even if you’re wrong.

Scott Gaine
Okay and mine’s would be get on YouTube get a mentor.

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman
Okay all right well thank both of you for being on the show this evening I have really enjoyed it you have given us a lot of information and I’m looking forward to having photoshoots again with both of you both of you well boudoir with you and these I got a great little business photos with you Scott okay fine I’m gonna let you know so you can come you know so I I want to thank you all again and um I want you both to have a pleasant rest of your day or evening wherever you are well both of you are in the Midwest so the rest of your evening I hope it’s pleasant I hope you stay safe and next week I have Christine Grant who does something really really extraordinary she writes letters for people you need to reconcile with someone she writes the letters for you and she has stories to tell so I want you all to tune in next Thursday 7 p.m central time 8 p.m eastern time and 5 p.m pacific time and again I want to thank both of you photography is everything for both of you so thank you Dan Dr. Dan appreciate it sounds good okay thank you it was a pleasure I plea I really appreciate it fun so good night both of you stay safe okay good night [Music] you.

Global Keynote Speaker & Corporate Trainer

Dr. Janice Hooker Fortman “Speaker for All Occasions” is an authentic keynote speaker, corporate trainer, author, life coach, and motivational and inspirational speaker for organizations and companies as well as individuals around the globe. Dr. Fortman gives real world solutions in powerful, engaging and memorable presentations.