the book is on the table

Although generally shy to speak, a lot of people here in Rio can speak English. A phrase I hear quite often here among people who know little or no English is “the book is on the table”. Apparently there used to be a program on t.v. produced by the BBC that gave English lessons. I’m told the first lesson was a scene with a book sitting on a table with the narrator saying, “the book is on the table.”

Recently I met a Brazilian singer named Rita Ribeiro. She has musical project coming up with two other vocalists and she needed some promotional photos. After reviewing my portfolio she commissioned me for the project. While I was in her office discussing the details with her sister, who is her manager, she showed me some crafts their sister who lives in the north of Brazil makes. She told me they needed some product shots of the decorative boxes and books their sister makes because they are planning on selling them on Rita’s website. They asked me if I would take some photos of the crafts as well.

At first I look I wasn’t sure what I would do with the material I was shown but I decided to take a crack at it. I didn’t want to just take a picture of the items by themselves because I thought that would be a bit boring. I wanted to create photos that complimented each of the boxes and books without distracting the viewer from the item itself. I was given 4 or 5 decorative boxes and something like 30 books. I was a little overwhelmed at first. I wanted to do a different photo for each item without repeating myself but with the volume I was given and my time frame of a week I was a little concerned I wouldn’t be able to deliver the goods.

However I found myself inspired and just when I needed the ideas they came to me, until about the 20th book. Then there were moments when I was throwing anything I could find into the frame, I was sapped for ideas. But in the end I was able to do each book differently and my client was very happy with the end result. They were taken completely by surprise that I would make the pictures that I did. They were expecting each book against a white background, a completely straight forward utilitarian approach.

They’ve been so happy with the pictures that they’re referring me to their friends and colleagues in the music and art scene here so it will be interesting to see what kind of jobs may be coming my way as a result of going the extra mile and doing the unexpected. The best of the photos I made for them are below.

Tags: commercial work, decorative boxes, photos, product shots, rita ribeiro, still life