The Photo Op is a seasonal photoshoot event based in Philadelphia, PA. It was created and organized by Philly photographers, Tomie Wilson and Sarah-Elizabeth, and its goal is to engage with local artists and create community. I was invited along with three other unique artists to shoot portraits for a day. Aside from getting to shoot in a formal studio setting, I was also able to meet talented stylists and models from all different backgrounds.

The event exceeded my expectations. The confined space in the studio provided a stimulating creative constraint while the big factory windows gave us all the light we needed to work all day. Our models had lots of experience, so it was a joy getting to just flow with them. It’s so awesome when someone just knows their angles and we can just try things out. All in all, I had so much fun and would love to do it again sometime.

For the event, I was switching between my Nikon F3 with Kodak Portra 400 and my Fujifilm X-T3. My process involved getting into the swing of it while shooting digital and then shooting a frame on film when we found a moment that I thought was right for 35mm. It was very fast-paced in the studio, especially while taking turns with the other photographers. I didn’t even realize I burned through 36 frames of Portra halfway through the event.

The moral of the story: always pack more rolls!

Models:
@aabugiee
@thebriabyrant
@morgggan
@sensaysha