San Francisco, March 2018 — In the world of photography, sometimes the best moments come from the most unexpected circumstances. On a sleepy Saturday in March 2018, I had the opportunity to do an impromptu fashion shoot with the immensely talented designer Thoki Tafeni in the heart of San Francisco. We had met online through Instagram and had planned several weeks in advance to meet up when both our schedules aligned. I left Sacramento, CA, early that morning with my photo gear in tow to meet up late down in the bay. Despite battling an unexpected day of spring rain showers, we did our best to turn potential setbacks into a day of creativity and solid imagery.
The Challenge of Rain and the Charm of San Francisco
San Francisco's weather can be notoriously unpredictable, and this shoot was no exception. Rain poured down as we arrived at our first outdoor location, but we did our best to embrace the challenge instead of letting it dampen our spirits. The California Palace of the Legion of Honor's classic mix of architecture and natural beauty provided us with countless overhangs and covered spots to explore.
Indoor Retreat at the Botanical Gardens
When the rain wouldn't let up, we decided to move our shoot indoors to the San Francisco Botanical Garden. This lush, verdant sanctuary offered a serene escape from the bustling city and an exciting setting for the photos. The natural light filtering through the greenhouse windows created an ethereal atmosphere, highlighting Thoki's designs. Although batling lens fog during the shoot became a real thing when moving between the different greenhouse rooms!
The Perfect Tool: Leica Q Camera
For the outdoor part of this shoot, I relied exclusively on my well-worn fixed-lens Leica Q camera. Known for its impeccable image quality and portability, the Leica Q proved to be the perfect tool for capturing the essence of the shoot. Its fixed 28mm lens allowed me to get up close and personal while still capturing the unique details of the surrounding backdrop.
Embracing Black and White Photography
One of the highlights of this shoot was making the artistic choice to implement black-and-white photography on the outdoor set (#BNW). Stripping away the colors in Adobe Lightroom and going monochromatic allowed me to harness the somewhat harsh outdoor light while retaining a timeless look.
A Day to Remember
This impromptu fashion shoot with Thoki Tafeni in rainy San Francisco was filled with creativity, adaptability, and productive photography. It was a reminder that sometimes, the best photoshoots happen when you least expect them. The combination of Thoki's look and designs, the charm of San Francisco, and the forced versatility of the day resulted in a collection of images that we both were happy with.
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