Mihia + Earl : The Ralph Abernathy Tunnel

Long before this shoot came to pass, I knew I was looking for something different. I’d been itching to find a location in the same way that Mark finds a picture before capturing it; I wanted to locate the pictures before I was at the location.

Really, it started out wanting a tunnel along the Atlanta Beltline. Then it turned into a 2-day hunt for this one tunnel. I’d seen pictures online, sent some emails to the photographers who’d taken them, and after a call to Jenny at Our Green Atlanta and some help from Mike and Google Streetview, I had a better idea of where we needed to go and could meet up.

I have to admit, from the street, it wasn’t the most impressive location. But once we steeply climbed down a drainage ditch, we were there. And guess what else was? 1,000,000,000,000 mosquitos (or more, it was hard to count). Panic set in, and the fear that the shoot I’d frantically, excitedly scoped out would fail due to the ridiculous infestation – sucked. Thankfully, my assistant, Mike (ha!) cross-crountried to Kroger and back to save the day, and more important, the shoot!

We began at 6:30, but more realistically, 7 p.m. right before sunset and took pictures outside the tunnel to capture some kudzu-filled tunnel shots. I loved how the tunnel archways framed Mihia and Earl, and this wonderful couple’s fierce appeal in every shot.

The inspiration for this came from LeahAndMark.com’s recent wedding pic, although not the beautiful Boston skyline, I really love how Mihia framed Earl in this picture. Even the new editing tools I learned at this week’s Photo Editing Class (which was so helpful, and I’m so glad I got to go to!) with LeahAndMark.com, really enhanced this photo’s natural appeal to look at Earl.

Like I said, I had Mark on this shoot, and with his help and instruction, I can tell how much having him one-on-one has been the most helpful part of this internship, and something I’ll continue to take full-advantage of the remaining 2 months. It really allowed me to ask, and watch how he does what he does, everyday – take amazing pictures.

But no worries, he really pushed me to set up this shoot and lead it. While I was initially extremely intimidated and humbled, it’s made me better, moved me leaps and bounds ahead of where I was a month ago, and caused me to think through what I’m doing, which afterall, isn’t that the goal of all of this?

This was the last shot of the night, right after Mike took down the flash behind them. Mmmm, a tasty, dramatic picture. Such a beautiful love to capture; love you two.

Like I already mentioned, Mark really pushed me in a lot of ways during this shoot, and I’m glad he did. He pushed me closer, pushed me to move quicker, to think quicker, to ask Mike for help quicker, etc. Take advantage of him if you can now, and if you hope to intern with him in two months, then start busting your butt now. If you hate your day job (while being excellent at it), enough to get uncomfortable, lose some sleep, miss some friends, etc., and you love and more important, need, a creative outlet, then in the words of Mark. “Go.”