Art In Bloom: Day 4
Today might’ve been the craziest day of photographing this event. Shahzia was back in town to film a documentary about her work and current exhibits at both CAM and CMA. She wanted BTS shots of the production, but I also had to photograph two drag shows for the museum simultaneously. To achieve this, I kept running the stairs between Shahzia’s exhibit on the second floor and the lowest level where the drag shows were held.
It was wild to switch between a quiet, contemplative exhibit with just a few people and a loud, raucous, high-energy room full of fans and performers. While a load of work, I think it was the most fun I’ve had all weekend.
While I’ve photographed drag performances in the past, I relearned something today that I think is worth mentioning. If you’re a photographer and you are given the opportunity to photograph one of these shows, always make sure to photograph the audience. I know the inclination is to focus on the performers, and it’s great to get shots of them doing their thing, but I promise you’ll make some of your best material if you aim for the reactions of the people in attendance. I was smiling ear to ear while reviewing images from both shows simply because the energy and glee in every frame was contagious.
To say I’m tired is an understatement, but I cannot think of four days within the last six months when I was as creatively satisfied as I am right now.