Photo Styling in Paradise
Reminders come to me in all the wonder that exists in my world which I have experienced and my supply of my stories continue! I read a small story by a writer who reminded me I had forgotten about my fried Conch I tried for the first time while staying at Paradise Island. I stayed for 5 days, getting up at 4:30 am in the dark to see the Sun rise while doing a photoshoot for Kodak! We were taking a photo for Kodak's first mailer for cartridge cameras. There was a small Island that the sun came up and set behind it. I was to hold a fishline to the envelope in the water. I had to do the grunt work of positioning the envelope on the wavy water when it was precarious, in order to go on the trip. Three of us watched as the photographer wove his magic and the Art director wanted one more day. I left there with salt rot between my toes and fingers! We stayed 5 days because the sun couldn’t follow our hopes for the perfect photo. The fish line was to be retouched out.
The Art director drank too much and the photographer and I were lovers. I would do his bidding as he created his magic of impressing me with my new abilities. He was teaching me how to be a stylist and work with Photographers, props and crew. We broke up when I smashed his VW bus and broke my leg and I could no longer climb to our loft bed. I had to go because having a cast on my leg couldn’t help him even though in my paralyzing and shocked view of the world I climbed one more time to our loft bed after the crash up the ladder, and made love. Obviously I was in shock from what happened to his bus. I woke to the reality of my real pain the next day.
We kept our friendship, it was a 70’s thing, often people remained friends until it wasn’t convenient. I did learn a skill that lasted for 25 years as a freelance Photo Stylist. Kodak offered me a job later, I knew instinctively it was too traditional for me and I did have other dreams. My styling became a fun job that was then to carry me part time through Motherhood. The photographer even took our photos at my wedding and his new girlfriend came and his assistant with his girlfriend.
