Patience Pays Off
One day, out of the blue, a media promoter called and asked if I was available for a paparazzi-style shoot later that evening. It wasn’t something I’d done before, but I was available—and it sounded like a great chance to try something new. I agreed, and she said she’d add me to the list.
Her next words caught me off guard:
“Cool. Since you’re available, I can tell you it’s for Usher Raymond and his new cologne launch at Lenox Mall.”
At the time, I was just beginning to dip my toe into the entertainment side of photography, and this seemed like an excellent opportunity to take another step forward. She sent me the details, and later that day I arrived at Macy’s in Lenox Mall, heading straight for the roped-off area reserved for photographers.
They call it the pit for a reason—it’s a small space packed shoulder-to-shoulder with photographers all trying to get the same shot. Not the most comfortable or creative environment, but you make do. I pulled out my light meter, took a few readings, and set my camera. In this kind of shoot, you have to be ready before the action starts. With twenty or thirty other photographers firing at once, there’s no time for on-the-fly adjustments.
When Usher finally appeared on stage, he greeted fans and took photos with anyone who bought one of his fragrances. The energy was high, flashes were going off non-stop, and I knew we were all capturing the same standard images. In a setup like that, your shots can easily blend in with everyone else’s.
But I also knew something the others didn’t seem to: patience pays off.
As the evening went on and photographers began to pack up, I noticed there was one shot no one had taken—Usher with his actual fragrance bottles. Once the crowd cleared and I was the last photographer left, I saw my chance.
I asked his PR rep if it would be possible to get a couple of shots of Usher holding the large mock bottles. She said she’d check, walked over to him, whispered in his ear, and pointed in my direction. Usher looked over, thought for a moment, then nodded.
He picked up one of the bottles and walked toward me. I raised my camera—ready—and snapped the shot. Then his assistant switched bottles, and I got another. Just like that, I had two perfect, unique images that no one else captured.
Victory was mine.
That experience taught me three valuable lessons:
Always be prepared.
Never be afraid to ask.
Patience truly pays off.