The shot that almost wasn't

This recently taken image has become one of my all time favorites. It was a beat all odds type of photograph for sure! The model Kayla Malloy and I had finished shooting in the White Box Studio that day and wanted to get this one last shot in the Asbury Park Casino. While driving the few blocks down the shore road to the casino it began raining steadily and the winds were whipping and gusting off the Atlantic ocean. I gave the model one of my golf umbrellas and an XL north face denali fleece and off we went treking through the puddles to the casino. I had planned on shooting her up against the famous Asbury Park mermaid mural. But when we entered the casino we saw over 80 or so 55 gallon steel drum garbage cans directly placed up against the mural we intended to shoot against! UGGGGGH! After a bit of quick consulting and head scratching I decided to go turn over 3-4 of the big steel drums and heave Kayla up on top of them and just wing it and hope for the best! Once on top of the cold steel drums, it became quite obvious Kayla was suffering and shivering from being wet, the howling winds and chilly temps. Time was of the essence! The light had pretty much went away and it became very dark and dweary outside and inside the old casino building. In order to get the Mermaid mural framed how I wanted in the shot, I had to lay down on the cold soaking wet filthy casino floor and bend into nearly upside down angles. I began barking direction to the model over the winds and rain noise.... It was nearly impossible for her to clearly understand my direction, as she tried to grab bits and pieces of it and add what she could to the shot. She worked like a champ and braved the elements.

We were determined to nail this shot! And after we knocked off the 50 or so remaining pics on the memory card, we knew we just shot some memorable stuff. I am happy we braved the weather and darkness and hung in there to improv and create! Never run from adversity! Buckle up.... batten down the hatches and kick some ass! :)