So, I am definitely late on sharing this on the blog but better late than never! Back in January, I was invited to be part of a group of photographers involved in an exhibition at the Brevard Art Museum. The Council of 100 had a vision for an Alter Ego themed event featuring photographers from around Brevard County, pairing them up with local celebrities. The idea of Alter Ego is to expose another side of yourself, maybe a side of you others are less familiar with, then have both of these personalities combined into one photograph. There are endless approaches to this and to be honest I was very intimidated by the task -but not enough to turn down the opportunity! I always love a challenge.
So, I was paired with Dr. Larry Bishop and had a phone call with him right away to discuss his personality in the public eye and his personality behind the scenes. He explained that as a surgeon he is obviously very meticulous, sharp, steady and clean. Then he told me about his love for adventure when he’s not working, a fearless and almost reckless tendency to explore, climb, jump, hike or attempt whatever extreme sport comes his way. I couldn’t help but picture the iconic Indiana Jones. We decided to revisit the theme in a few days when we could get together at his practice and I could see the operating room, etc.
Once he had a chance to discuss with family and friends our ideas, it was confirmed; they all agreed that Indiana was definitely Dr. Bishop’s alter ego! After meeting up to get acquainted, view the possible setting of the operating room and brainstorm ideas, we set a date for the session. Dr. Bishop had terrific ideas of his own for the finished shot so it was truly a collaborative project. We combined different parts of our vision into the finished work. I am not big on photoshop special effects so I even sought out help in that area in order to bring everything to life in the final image. I remember about half way through the project, mentioning to Dr. Bishop that the opening night at the museum would include an announcement of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place awards. At this point I was still quite nervous and just hoping not to be laughed at. Dr. Bishop, however, was excited at the thought of being judged and from then on he was determined to win! No pressure, right?
Well, the opening night was lots of fun – great food catered by Green Turtle, wonderful people and terrific artwork. What was surprising was what happened at the end when Angel Gray Photography was announced and given the first place ribbon for the Alter Ego project with Dr. Bishop! I don’t enter a lot of contests so it was really fun to win something! Of course, it was a collaborative effort, so the award is not mine alone. I am just super honored to be recognized and so glad to have taken on the challenge! Big thanks to the Brevard Art Museum, The Council of 100 and Dr. Bishop!
And here is the finished image!
