I am always interested in telling a story in my work. Recently I have begun incorporating video into my photo projects to expand the possibilities of telling a narrative. In this video I worked with cellist, Younga Reitz. I'm calling this a video portrait. It is a brief minute and a half of video with a narration from the subject.
I treated the video as I would a series of images. I focused on close ups and details to immediately connect with the subject, given the short amount of time. I also experimented with camera movements to take advantage of the visuals I can not achieve in a still image. The interview that I conducted was the element that brought the whole video together. I had about 5 minutes of interview that I could have used if I needed it, but I was very conscious about what was important to include. Every line in the video has a purpose in conveying what I want the viewer to learn about my subject. I focused on Younga's love of the cello and her passion for playing music.
Younga Reitz and her carbon fiber cello.
It was an absolute pleasure to work with Younga. I have photographed her student concerts in the past and I am familiar with the energy and passion that she puts into her work. She was the first person I thought of to tell this type of story.I ended they shoot with still portraits for her portfolio. This combination of visual mediums is something that I plan on incorporating into my portfolio in the future.