Memories of photographing a Saint

“Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Mother Teresa

I was assigned to photograph Mother Teresa who was visiting her Mission Sisters of Charity in The Bronx in 1995. She was blessing everyone in her path with her hand outstretched and touching heads. While I was photographing her she reached out and touched my head while saying a prayer she had been repeating. As she headed to her car a little girl from the neighborhood stood outside her seat and Mother Teresa reached out to bless her--the girl smiled at me, a day I'm sure she will never forget.

And now Mother Teresa has been granted sainthood and I honor the moment with sharing these two photos I photographed.

Mother Teresa in front of her Bronx Mission 1995

Mother Teresa blesses a little neighborhood girl before leaving her mission in The Bronx 1995

How to be Photographed in Your Environment Part I Women in enviromental portraits

—  “A portrait is not made in the camera but on either side of it.”

— Edward Steichen

The Environmental Portrait is my favorite, as along with photographing a unique and individual personality, the style and positionsing within the chosen environment tell the story of the person.

I took This photo of Helen Gurley Brown for the cover of the  New York Times Business Section.

Susan Farley Photography  

http://susanfarley.com   2019
T
I photographed this artist for the New York Times for a story about Book Art and Book Artists, Here the subject holds a book she created and is photographed in front of the writer's cabin her husband built for her to work in.  The image tells the story of the author's book art creation with her storybook writers's cabin in the background filled with personality and uniqueness.
 I photographed this Environmental portrati of an artist in her upstate Barn turned gorgeous and spacious home for Wharton Alumni magazine.

A croquet player in this story-telling portrait I photographed for the NY Times for a story about private Croquet courts at people's homes.

 An environmental portrait of a Gyn.OB doctors in her office for a NY Times story  2019

 An environmental portrait of an Estee Lauder executive in her office for a Quinniapac U. Alumni Magaine story

How to be Photographed in a Group shot Part II

“A thing that you see in my pictures is that I was not afraid to fall in love with these people.”

Annie Leibovitz

Certainly great photographers like Leibovitz bring an energy to their photographs and subjects.  The most important quality a people photographer can have is the love and understanding of People.

I am presenting a few more examples of group  images I have created (as opposed to individual portraits) where you as a potential photo subject can gather ideas of how to enjoy and be present within the group.

Female executives pose for a cover story of a trade magazine.
Each person is fully engaged in the moment and responding to directions. The group looks cohesive yet strongly individual.
Tip-In this photo shoot there was a hair and make-up artist employed.  For an important planned group shot, consider the appearance you want to portray.
www.susanfarley.com

Commercial shoot capturing a slice of life scenario. Here is a multi-generational birhday party scene for a senior living retirement organization. True engagement in a mutual activity creates a fun dynamic image, with emotion and personality.

www.susanfarley.com

A group photo of co-workers taken after each one had there individual portrait taken. A unified and focused engagement while forgetting about the photographic result created a relaxed and joyful group shot.

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While photographing at Good Morning America, the audience lost any self-conciousness and engaged in a puppy for adoption created a sweet moment of this group. Photographed using the available TV lighting.

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Impromptu Group shot, While photographing the Global Arts groups' visit to Governor's Island  the beautiful lighting of the City inspired me to request the group to gather for a group shot.  They did a great job of assembling with only a few partially hidden, as they could not hear my suggestions and was a brief few minutes.
Tip--If you are in a group situation and are even partially behind another person, try to move do that you can fully see the photographer.


www.susanfarley.com

CITY ISLAND

The Carmans, active members of the City Island American Legion

Christine, City Island mom of two and arm wrestling champion

Children perform in community show Kiddy Kabaret

Boy Scouts are an important part of the youth culture on City Island

City Island is an Island in The Bronx, often described as "New England with a Bronx accent."

"City Island" is now also a movie starring and produced by Andy Garcia, and also starring Juliana Marguiles and Alan Arkin. The movie is a fun and touching take on a "dysfunctional" family of clam diggers .(The name given to residents who were born or have spent their entire lives on the Island)The movie also "stars" the Island.

I have recently added a gallery on my website http://susanfarley.com featuring 18 of the 49 portraits I shot for a personal project on the people of City Island, which I call "Faces of City Island." I exhibited at the Focal Point Gallery and the response was warm and wonderful. The show was reviewed by Time OutNY and I won a BRIO grant from the body of work.

I loved working on the images, setting up a studio with a plain background and inviting an assortment of locals to pose with outfits and personal items which said who they are.

My very last subject was our mailman "Tommy" who took a minute break from his postal rounds to step into my "Studio."