June 09, 2013 12:11am Some years ago a model friend of mine called and said he had an idea for a shot based on a dream he had. He dreamt he was alone on a two-lane country road at night, lying nude across the center line. Could we do that?
I had to figure the logistics, but I thought I could. At the time I lived about 45 miles from a stretch of deserted Gulf of Mexico beach, with a lonely stretch of road running parallel between a saltwater marsh and the beach.
It was December, but the coast is usually warm, so we started out one night around 11PM, and reached the location around midnight. I had planned to the last detail.
The model was nude under a robe, and wore flip-flops. We would both get out of the car, using the headlights for light. While I set up a tripod, he stood in the light and dropped the robe. As I looked through the viewfinder, all I could see was a fog that seemed to be moving. There had been no fog, so I was a little puzzled.
Just then the model yelled, "Take the picture! Take the picture!"
I looked up from the viewfinder to find him covered in a swarm of mosquitos which had been drawn to the light from the marsh. It hadn't been cold enough to kill them.
I ran over, grabbed the robe and began to swat the mosquitos, telling him to run for the car. But after all that he wouldn't leave until we got the shot. That's what I call a trouper.
All that to say KUDOS to you and especially to the model for going above and beyond the call.
Oh, and I didn't get a decent shot out of the whole thing.
