Home > Culture > Mentor Showcase > The 2007 Best-of Series: Esteban Aladro
The 2007 'Best Of' Series
We have now produced an annual Best Of issue of the ASMP Bulletin for the third year in a row. As before, we selected twenty projects for our issue — but this year, we had nearly 200 excellent submissions! It was a tough decision, and we thank all those who submitted their work. We hope you will enjoy reading about these projects.
Esteban Aladro, Brooklyn, NY
Web site: www.estephotography.com
Project: Environmental portraits of everyday people in their personal spaces.
Like many people, Esteban Aladro gets anxious meeting someone for the first time. He recently turned this social awkwardness to photographic advantage in an environmental portrait series for which he asks newfound acquaintances to pose in settings of importance to them. The presence of his large-format film camera and studio lighting breaks the ice, slows the pace and facilitates a collaboration between Aladro and his subjects. The resulting images communicate beyond interpersonal dialog. They celebrate everyday people as icons of contemporary society.
All images in this article © Esteban Aladro
ASMP: How long have you been in business?
I have been casually shooting since I was 11 as part of a photography magnet program in Miami, but I got truly serious about photography at 17. My last two years in college I focused my efforts on editorial/commercial work and assisting other photographers who do the same.
ASMP: How long have you been an ASMP member?
Almost a year.
ASMP: What are your photographic specialties?
My background is in documentary and street photography. Like many photographers, I was drawn into the sincerity of the work by Robert Frank or Gary Winogrand. I have since progressed to portraiture and editorial work using large setups with strobes. Mostly I just enjoy working with people, but I try to integrate my documentary influences into everything I do.
ASMP: Please describe the processes and techniques central to the making of this work.
With this work, process is everything. Seeking out candidates proves to be the most difficult because, once you do this, a lot of time is invested in coordinating a location and time to shoot. After a while the shooting becomes formulaic; you use the time that it takes to set up the lights to break the ice with the subject and make them feel comfortable, since most are not used to being photographed (and certainly not in this context). Frequently I go over my past work with them to give them an idea of what I’m doing, and assure them that this will be a casual thing. I believe that body language is crucial for the viewer to understand as much as they can about the subject, so once the lights are set up I do not impose anything on the subject. Shooting eventually becomes something that happens during our dialogue, and once they feel comfortable not only do the good pictures come out, but so do the good stories.
ASMP: What do you consider your most valuable piece of equipment?
I wish I had something clever to say here, but probably the camera.
ASMP: What is unique about your style/approach or what sets you and your work apart from other photographers?
I suppose it’s just how I perceive things. I have never really been a conceptual photographer, but I have always been interested in the difference between a photograph that was made and one that is found. What I like most about the work I’m doing now is that I get to ride that line. While I have control of the location, the person in front of the camera, and the shutter, the rest is left to chance. Although environmental portraits are nothing new these days, I believe that celebrating everyday people is important and, with the tools I use, I think I’m capturing these people in a different way.
ASMP: How did you find the subjects for this project? Please describe the search and casting process.
My good friend www.craigslist.org has been very good to me, though it does go in waves. Many people have also come to my attention through word of mouth, and of course there is the occasional friend who you just have to shoot.
ASMP: How much do you know about the person and location before the shoot?
Unfortunately I rarely get to see the location before the shoot, and really all I know about the person before I shoot is the basics, unless they have poured their heart out to me via email (which has happened). Location is important to me because it is a big part of making a good picture, so I inquire and discuss where we will do things in advance; but ultimately, since this is a collaboration with the subject, the final decisions are made by them.
ASMP: How much time to you spend with the subjects on set before you begin shooting? What do you talk about?*
Anywhere between 5 minutes to an hour, depending on how comfortable they are. I get anxiety when I meet someone for the first time; I worry if they are going to like me or if I can hold a conversation with them. I tend to meld all the information I know about them, from their voice to their job to where they are from and try to imagine what they are like. Turns out I’m pretty awkward in situations like this, which tends to put people at ease. They see I’m laid back and we really take things as slow as needed…. For this reason, I usually set aside about 4 hours to do a shoot.
ASMP: Who determines the shoot location? What is the site selection process?
Ultimately the model does, because the image needs to be an accurate representation of them. It is understood that the location needs to be relevant to them, so this makes that decision usually pretty easy.
ASMP: Do you advise on wardrobe or props? Do you get involved with styling or hair and make up?
My influence is minimal. I ask that people’s appearance be what it normally would be. Props are sometimes integrated into the picture if they are already at hand, but these are not preconceived for the picture. I don’t do anything for styling and make up.
ASMP: Do you interact with the subjects while you are shooting or prompt them in terms of expression or emotion? Please describe this interaction.
Interaction while shooting is key — it drives the shoot. As for prompting, I only advise things like eye contact or discourage a nervous gesture like putting their hands in their pockets. Getting a tour of their workspace or connecting on shared interest is always a huge help and I try and strive for these things. The social element of shooting is a completely separate skill that goes on while shooting, and it can be difficult to juggle both.
ASMP: Please describe your approach to lighting these portraits.
Lighting is done on a case-by-case basis. It’s important to light the whole environment so people can use visual clues to understand more. At the same time, I want to be creative with it, so I always use a key light above the subject and use a second light in response to the space. It’s actually a great exercise to become spontaneous and comfortable with the lights.
ASMP: Do you share these images with your subjects and, if so, what has been their response?
Absolutely. It’s really the only form of compensation I can give. I always share about five of my favorite prints with them. It’s interesting because they frequently like images that I would never pick, but they are usually concerned about different things than I am when it comes to the content, so it’s understandable. They are usually very excited to get their prints back… the bee keepers (who are mother and daughter) keep their picture in the living room as a family portrait.
ASMP: Please describe the biggest challenge you’ve faced in doing this work.
Consistently finding people who complement the project and help broaden its scope is always a challenge. I have had many volunteers who don’t grasp what I’m doing or just want me to photograph them skiing or playing with their band. And even when I find a promising person the chemistry just sometimes isn’t there. Since so much time is invested, I must really try and narrow the pool down.
Transportation also is an issue since I don’t have a car. I frequently find myself on the subway at rush hour with 50 pounds of equipment or on my bike trying to balance a strobe head on my handlebars.
ASMP: You shoot these portraits on film. Are there specific advantages to this? Do you have any intention of transitioning to digital capture with this project?
I like the uncertainty of film; you never know what you’ve got so you keep shooting. There is also a subconscious element involved when you know you have a limited amount of frames. And the use of Polaroids is a nice ritual to have with the subjects, so they can see what the light looks on them and kind of ease them into shooting on film, which is different because I’m moving around more and not announcing when I’m going to press the shutter. Film is a big part of how this is shot, but digital capture is certainly a possibility as well. I have tried it with editorial jobs and I do like the freedom that it creates, and I can certainly see the project progress in that direction. Even though I shoot film, the whole project was printed digitally because of the control over editing that scanning negatives gives me.
ASMP: What is the most significant thing you’ve learned about yourself through this project?
Probably that I am capable of all the labor involved with orchestrating shoots, carrying that much equipment, and interacting with strangers all the time.
ASMP: Has your work on this project resulted in any commercial jobs or contacts?
It has. I have been approached by some photographers for assisting, and also a few local weekly papers in Boston for freelance jobs that require environmental portraits. The work has been displayed in several juried shows in Boston, and New York. And of course it has gotten me in contact with the ASMP. =)
ASMP: If you had the choice of any one person in the world to photograph for this project, who would it be?
I would love to photograph Jon Stewart of The Daily Show… because I adore him. But more realistically, I’ve been really trying to get in touch with a window washer that works on a large skyscraper or a sewer commission worker. Trying to get people with more blue-collar backgrounds… that would make me very happy.
