Angelina Jolie - No Tatoos

In addition to her long legs, ample lips, and stunning blue eyes, Angelina had, as they say in the theatre, a terrific grasp of the moment. Some actors and models have the facility to observe themselves as they are performing. They don’t need a mirror, but rather see themselves in their mind’s eye. When a photographer is fortunate enough to have one of these quintessential beings in front of the camera, hardly any verbal directions are necessary. Only comments that approve or give small suggestions to improve a pose or an expression are necessary. I always keep a large mirror behind me during most sessions. With Angelina, no mirror was necessary.

Some factors make such a shoot an extraordinary success. The first consideration is to work quickly and expeditiously. With this kind of sexy and fearless subject, the trick is to keep the level equally vibrant throughout the entire shoot. You can’t let the subject burn out. Do not allow the clothing and makeup changes to take more time than necessary. Get them out of the dressing room as quickly as possible.

Secondly, music is an invisible motivating factor, which inspires me as well as the subject. Choose something that keeps the energy level upbeat at all times.

Thirdly, use staff assistants that are enthusiastic about the client. Assistants bring their own feelings and thoughts, political views, etc, and with sensitive subjects who are very aware of everyone in the studio, the goal is comfortability. Some clients meet with everyone in the studio before the shoot begins to find out who is participating and why they are attending the shooting.

This session with Angelina Jolie was a great introduction to a young woman, who, without the aid of an agent, manager, parent or boyfriend accompanying her, produced a career-launching performance for the camera.

Technical Notes: Angelina is a very mercurial subject, a complex woman with many fleeting expressions and rapidly changing body language. The camera of choice is a Nikon motorized N-90s. I love the 35 to 135mm zoom lens that Nikon makes. It is the fastest equipment a photographer can use (next to a motion picture camera).

I used Kodak Portra 160ASA N.C. film on Angelina and shot at f.11 most of the time. We always check exposures with a Polaroid back (on a Hasselblad at about the same exposure as the shooting film) to see if all the strobes are working in conjunction with the main flash or the “ Key “ light.

I use Quantum remote transmitters on all the cameras on a shoot, all synchronized at the same wavelength. Then whichever camera I pick up, I can shoot without connecting a sync cord to the studio strobe.

On Angelina we used Ascor power packs, one main which has the Quantum receiver attached, and two others for hair lighting and background illumination, all “slaved” to go off at the same time with photo electric cells. These studio strobes have a flash duration of 1000th of a second and can easily freeze a jumping ballerina.