Ever feel like time flies when pressure is at its peak? Let me paint a picture for you. It was a regular Friday, or so I thought, until an urgent call landed me in the chaos of an impromptu photoshoot. Ever faced a similar situation where every tick of the clock seemed to morph into a sprint against time?

If you think professional photography is all about leisurely lived passion and creating art at a steady pace, it’s time for a reality check. Surprisingly, about 63% of professional photographers have admitted to having their workflow turned on its heels with unexpected, high-speed shoots. And boy, don’t we have a story for you!

Racing Against The Clock

Like a bolt out of the blue, I had to rush for a commercial photoshoot downtown. The brief— to capture high-quality, expressive shots for a major brand’s product launch, scheduled in a mere 2 hours! The plot twist? They needed pictures that breath the essence of cinematic photography. Call it exhilarating or nerve-racking, this was professional photography on hyperdrive!

“Come on! You’ve got this,” I told my reflection in the rear view mirror, as I zipped through the city traffic. Just when I thought nothing else could go wrong, I encountered another hiccup…

The Unplanned Roadblock

Reaching my destination, I was met with an unforeseen issue – the venue allotted for the shoot was ankle-deep in water, thanks to a thwarted water pipe. ‘Looks like we’re not just racing against the clock, but also against the tide,’ I half-joked to the flustered brand representatives. The poor souls, drenched in anxiety, weren’t in much mood for humor though.

Determined not to let the flood unanchored my boat, I put Plan B into action. I asked them to relocate the setup to a nearby location. Meanwhile, I started sketching a mental storyboard, imagining the shots I could capture to incorporate the essence of cinematic photography, as per the last-minute brief. ‘This is going to be a sprint, not a marathon!’ I reminded myself as I checked my camera settings.

Snapshot Sprint

With venue issues settled, my heart felt lighter but the pace needed to stay high. The theme was fashion and the product – a line of premium watches. I had to click magnifying shots to reveal the intricacy of the watches, alongside wider shots to capture the models’ styled personas and the overall ambiance.

On-the-go Perfection

Positioning the models, adjusting the lights, and nailing each shot with precision – a buzz of activities made the atmosphere electric. Every eye in the room was tied to the ticking clock. Through my lens, I was creating the perfect balance of raw emotions and planned candor. The intensity, the urgency – everything contributed to the narrative of each shot, giving that sought-after cinematic feel.

Tick-tock, tick-tock – the palpable enthusiasm in every heartbeat echoed the rhythm of the seconds hand sweeping round the clock. It was exhilarating, challenging, and yet, strangely satisfying.

Racing Against the Tunnel

As the last shots were clicked and clock hands inched towards the deadline, I could see the end of the tunnel I had been sprinting through.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips but the joy in the clients’ eyes was the actual victory lap for me. The result? Brilliant shots that captured the essence of time – both on wrist watches and in real. It was indeed ‘Making Magic in a Rush!’