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This image of a fund-raiser was produced last week for the cover of a Philanthropy magazine. More space was left around her than is shown above to allow room for the masthead and type on the sides. The magazine requested pastel colors for the background so the background was made lighter and also softer to allow for better readability of the type. She brought a couple of different colored jackets and when I saw that one closely matched the colors of some nearby flowers, I decided to use this jacket and position her to one side of the flowers so the colors would repeat. I wanted something both soft and upbeat.
Images communicate best when they are tailored to fit the use, the desired mood, and the audience. The style and approach taken must vary based on the situation. There should always be a combination of planning and an awareness of new possibilities when producing an image. A photographer who produces images that always look similar is more like an omelette maker (who just knows how to make one thing) than a chef. A really good chef has the imagination to take a bunch of ingredients at hand and whip up something wonderful. Same with the best photographers.
