Do You Want Some Color?

Last weekend, I had a great opportunity to be a part of a shoot for the Color Mania 5K. What is Color Mania, you ask? Color Mania is a short, casual, easy terrain race; this is not Spartan or Tough Guy so taper your cross fit induced runner rage. But what Color Mania lacks in distance and difficulty, it more than makes up for in family fun and colorful messes. In short, it is a 5K (3.1 mile) course with four color stations where ten race volunteers squirt colored cornstarch at you as you run by and either attempt to out run the volunteers or embrace the color. Unless you specifically tell the volunteers at the station that you don't want to be colored, you will end up looking like a walking rainbow by the time you cross the finish. I've run a lot of races over the years and I have not seen more smile or more fun being had than at Color Mania.

I know this isn't my usual type of post, nor is it the typical event I shoot. But what I loved about it was the color. I am always encouraging my clients to show a little color for their shoots. Most people are hesitant to do so, thinking that the color will take away from their images, when in fact it can actually serve to bring more life to the photographs. I realize that getting hit in the face with neon colored cornstarch is more than a step beyond what most people would consider their most colorful outfit, but just imagine this race with muted colors and khaki cornstarch...not as exciting, right?

The other aspect of this that made me want to post this was to encourage families and couples to think outside the normal realms of family/couple photography. Instead of colored cornstarch, we could set up a shoot of you having a paint fight. Instead of a shoot in your living room, we could plan to do it while your family ran a 5K or family fun run mile. Instead of going to the playground, your family could take a hike. Perhaps there is something else you have been thinking of doing with your family but just haven't done it. This isn't to say that we can't find and photograph the beauty in our day-to-day goings-on, but simply to say that if we step outside of our comfort box some amazing things (and consequentially, great photos) can happen. I would be more than happy to capture those images for you!

Spring is here. Just in the past 4 days the trees have come into bloom. The weather is getting warmer. It's time to get back outside! I'll see you there.