This kinda started out with Alison describing herself as being a “sincere person”. I guess I’ve always been attracted to sincere and genuine personality and she wanted a headshot for herself. I was happy to help. Alison arrived at 11am on 10/22/2006, a day after my birthdate. She knew she has to drive me around since I got into an accident on Friday and won’t have my car for a good 3 weeks. What a mega bummer.

Backup two days on Friday. I swerved to avoid a car that didn’t stop at the stop sign. Hit a lamp post dead on after colliding against the high curb. The entire lamp post wavered for a split second, the lamp 30′ above me shattered. Bits and pieces of glass floated down my car like snowflakes. Amazing sight. Too bad I didn’t have my camera with me. :-\ City of San Jose isn’t very happy with me. Good thing my insurance cover that. But I think I’m taking the brunt of the “at-fault” clause since I hit a stationary object. Sheesh. Can’t they blame the lamp post for being there?

Well, back to the shoot, I did one with her looking up…way up with styled curled hair, a simple choker and earrings that I hand-picked. I knew I was going to cross-process this shot. Used a strobe, daylight balanced it against the ambient and got the money shot that I wanted.

And we got “Subliminal Charm”.

We then took off in Alison’s car (my car in the shop, remember?), with very minimal photo equipment, much thanks to sweet Alison who stuffed her trunk to the brim with clothes, handbags, shoes, jewelries, etc. I bet I can make a fortune by doing a garage sale on those stuff. LOL.

Yup, got to the location, Alison gave me a big fright by losing her handbag in the ladies’ room. Well, she didn’t know where she left it so I had to frantically searched through the haystacks of clothes in her truck, feeling for what is a cloth-like handbag among a thousand clothes. Great. She would then pop out of nowhere with her handbag dangling on her hands smiling from ear to ear. I shoulda kicked her butt. LOL

We did have a great time with coffee, chats and everything. It was great.

- Michael Soo

Soo Photography