I think that people get into trouble when they photograph something that they... that is not in their world. It's like when they say "write what you know." Carol Friedman More Quotes by Carol Friedman More Quotes From Carol Friedman I think mentoring is essential in life, both being a mentor to someone and being mentored, and I think that when you are mentored it inspires a generosity in you to mentor others and that I know is what happened with me, so for instance, the people that come through my studio to work for me, it's not good enough for me to just give them a paycheck. Carol Friedman generosity people thinking When people are described as difficult and have a reputation as difficult it's 99% of the time because they've been disappointed over and over again by people who don't really know what to do for them, and I know I'm going to make them happy and I can't wait to work with them. Carol Friedman reputation waiting people My days are kind of controlled by my projects, so sometimes they're album covers. Sometimes they're commission portrait shoots. Sometimes they are editorial, so it kind of - I don't dictate it. Carol Friedman portraits albums kind I can't tell you how many reshoots I've done from, you know, famous photographers who really love just to shoot models and failed at shooting a Patti Labelle or someone like that because Patti Labelle didn't turn them on, so you have to shoot what you care about. Carol Friedman shooting care done I think that people have to just go with their gut and follow their passion if they're photographers. Carol Friedman passion people thinking You know I don't care if it's you know an intern or a full-time employee. I want to help them arrive at who they are or who they want to be in the world and that is one of the questions I ask them when I meet them. You know, who do they want to be. Carol Friedman care want world When people warn me about someone - the label head or the publishing head - that somebody is difficult, I'm in heaven. Carol Friedman labels heaven people I think my most favorite subject was Lena Horne, because she embodies soul and grace and elegance and 'street'. She embodies everything. And beauty — great beauty. Carol Friedman soul grace thinking Many of the jazz musicians whom are no longer here. You don't realize that it's history when it is happening and then time passes and you look at a picture and you say "Wow, there is history attached to that." Carol Friedman wow musician looks Giving someone their style or bumping up their sense of style to be a better version of what it is, is part of the fun of what I do, and I actually approached Al Sharpton. They didn't come to me. Carol Friedman style fun giving I don't photograph anyone if I can't meet with them first because if I don't do that, then they're just going to the dentist and they're filled with fear. They don't know who I am. Carol Friedman dentist who-i-am firsts This whole business of all these lenses is ridiculous. You know, it's like you have to capture your picture. You have to create it. You have to see it. You have to seize it and you have to move in to get it, so those lenses are just an escape of some sort or a shield. Carol Friedman shields lenses moving There are certain people that you don't have to even work at extracting their inner life. It is just there and they're happy to share it with you. Carol Friedman certain share people I guess I'm half traditionalist, half modern girl and I just never... I love the digital world and I love electronica and after I shoot everything is digital, but I just... I don't know. Carol Friedman girl half world I love my cameras. I love contact sheets. I love the visceral thing of film and I'm not positive that I can replicate my lighting digitally. My assistants tell me I can, but, just stubborn I guess. Carol Friedman assistants stubborn cameras I kind of - you learn it, you master it, and then you make sure that it just disappears. You know, like if I could have invisible lights, I would, and invisible cameras. I'm just really trying to get at my subject and I respect the technical aspect, but it is not anything that I think about at this point. Carol Friedman light trying thinking For me there's several components to picture-taking and it starts with my goals as an artist. It's capturing I guess the inner life of my subject and then it is giving them their idealized version of themselves. Carol Friedman picture-taking artist giving We all look in the mirror and see us a little blonder or a little thinner or a little younger, whatever that ideal might be and most of the people that I'm photographing are selling something, you know whether they're on the front of an album cover or a magazine or they're a corporate person ready to switch companies or a doctor selling a skincare line... so I want to help them achieve that. Carol Friedman doctors mirrors people You know a photo session is really a dance and making sure that they're comfortable and for me it's the music, the music, the music. That is everything. Carol Friedman session comfortable knows I do select a soundtrack for each of my subjects and again my assistants you know they make fun of me because that is more important to me than the lighting, which I just do in a minute right before, but I spend a long time on the soundtracks. Carol Friedman important fun long
