Lesson 1: If you shoot someone who is a musician then check your playlist before you play it on a shoot!
Just as we were getting ready to shoot Courtney, setups were ready and Courtney was just about to walk into the set, Little Roy’s cover version of ‘Come as you are’ blasted out over the speakers. My play list mix of reggae, soul, rock had come to an unexpected end tune that I had not planned. My assistant gave me a look of slight worry - a little whisper and a nod later, he ran over to the stereo and changed tune…. Courtney walks in and I ask: “Any music preference?” Courtney replies: “Not Reggae!!!”
So the first setup with Courtney was a matter of getting used to each other. I tried the general chit chat and minor directions, but I didn’t feel it was getting me anywhere. A change of outfit and a slightly different technique meant a completely different story. I kept quiet, let David Bowie do the talking over the stereo. Courtney became herself, a moving target filled with strange and wonderful poses. It was more like a dance with Courtney than a shoot. No slow dance to end the shoot, but that’s maybe something that was best left in the 80’s.
