Elaine and Nic continue to be pillars of positivity and incredible cosmic energy in our community. Nic is now creating spectacular crystal jewelry and Essence of Healing is still going strong and hosting numerous events throughout the year...check out their calendar to see what they are offering.
I must mention the painful subject of Nic's little baby that was present during our shoot...tragically, Jacob left our dimension upon birth. However, his presence is forever etched in the Akashic record AND photographically in this project. Known as the "Littlest Mystic" Jacob has his own portrait in this series, still being hosted by his Mother, through unexplained lights he is featured on his own, in his own portrait !
Enjoy this very special re-release and please go to https://www.facebook.com/mysticwomenofsalem/ and LIKE the page! This is the ONLY thing holding this project back from being published !!! We appreciate your support!
R :}:}:}
Reiki Masters - Elaine and Nicol of "Essence of Healing" in Salem Ma.
On Saturday, April 27, 2013 it was Mother/Daughter Elaine and Nicol's long awaited turn to be photographed as the only duo and sole Reiki practitioners to be featured in The Mystic Women of Salem book. Both were interviewed almost 2 1/2 years ago, so they were quite anxious to finally have their experience in the studio...and what an experience it was! Like no other, for sure.
Interviewing over 40 women, shooting, blogging, facebooking, and a whole host of other PR efforts takes bookoos of time, as I state in all interviews. A sincere thanks to those who have graciously waited so long for their turn.
I had come to the studio the night before the shoot and prepared the studio (which is what I usually do) in effort to pace the physical demands of shooting and to reduce my stress levels. However, this time it was a bust! I came in and had begun to get the lighting set up when I prematurely checked on the remotes...not my usual drill for sure. I discovered that all the remotes were gone! I began searching throughout the entire studio hoping to find them laying around somewhere because some student was too preoccupied to follow correct procedures in equipment storage. After almost an hour I finally gave up, knowing that I HAD to make that dreaded call..."I have to cancel your shoot." This is soooo major, because most of the MWS women have their hair and makeup professionally done, which is quite costly. Some of the ladies even purchase custom tailored clothes and buy one of a kind props to use in their shoots. I was in a severe panic! I did make several calls to the ladies, but to make a very long story short, the final result turned out to be fantastic. I ran into the Chair of the Art Dept. in the hall and we discovered that one of the Professor's had the remotes and would be returning them to me in an hour. SO THE SHOOT WAS STILL ON!!!! YEA!
Elaine and Nicol arrived at Meir Hall around 2:30 pm. I purposely took an added 10 or 15 minutes to review and sign paperwork just to get myself back on track. I depend greatly upon creative energy and flow. For you artists out there you know what I'm talking about. Any negativity or disruption in the flow has an adverse effect on me, the subjects, the equipment, and finally the photographs. Definitely something I try to avoid at all costs!
When I felt calm we all headed up to the studio. Elaine and Nicol are truly two of the most positive and "light filled" people I have ever known...so, it did not take long to pivot and turn things around.
I had designed their shoot entirely to be a duo, complete with standard "umbrella style" lighting to begin our journey (the classic shots you'll see on smugmug). It is customary to ease the subjects into the "mystic" realm with test shots and "lite" music. When I change the first set up of lights to more dramatic setup, I change the music...pre-set to call upon the Guardians and Freyja herself. At that point I am hearing things, feeling things, thoughts are racing and messages are being heard. The atmosphere in the studio changes and the further we go along, the more dramatic and incredible things get.
Elaine and Nicol were easy to work with and took direction very, very well. What I did not expect...nor have I experienced before, a kaleidoscope of color variations and designs that I DID NOT set up myself. During the entire shoot I had our staple, black paper backdrop. I did set up back lighting, meaning the strobe was FACING the backs of the subjects (towards the camera). Knowing exactly how I had designed and set up the lighting I was continuously amazed by what was happening. I showed the ladies the images on my camera view screen repeatedly throughout the shoot for confirmation. I have learned over the last 3 years to do that so that I'll have witnesses to whatever is happening in the studio. Most of the time there is no logical or scientific explanation for what is happening. I have to be SURE and steadfast in recollection and clear about the events...as I am asked to explain the lighting set up or how and why I did this or that (to the Professors).
During the editing process I saw what appeared to the naked eye, to be a rather long scratch above Nicol's head. I thought dang...I did not see that scratch on the backdrop, which means photoshop to the rescue. Before I did that, a little voice prompted me to zoom in tight to inspect the scratch. It is not a scratch at all...but a tiny, fluid like ladder...just as plain as day. I knew Nicol and her Mom would be fascinated with this news.
Nicol's baby is named Jacob.
During the critique with Professor Lewis, we reviewed Guenevere, Mulyssa, Elaine/Nicol, and Karen's shoots. He was very, very pleased with my submissions (5 - 9 best shots). However, I think it is safe to say he was pretty "blown away" by Nicol's floor shot! He said it was the best shot of mine throughout the series. Now, what you must understand is that he is referring to many, many things...primarily technical difficulty of lighting, composition, beauty, etc..etc..etc.. He insisted that this shot be included in MWS book..."this shot is too good NOT to be in the book...you need to make it work so it's included." WOW...boy, he really liked it ALOT! One thing he was very pleased with is the background lighting...the rose tones around Nicol's torso and shoulders, then complimented by the blue lighting above her head. The back lighting is fantastic he said, and referred to the lighting several times during the critique. I was thrilled with his response/critiques even though I was exhausted from the "warp speed" shooting that I had been doing for the last several months. I needed this...I so needed this.
I just did not have the courage or strength really, to tell him...
there was NO lighting on the backdrop...zero.
:}
PS In preping for the pr launch I zoomed in again,,,just to make sure the ladder is still there. I discovered that there are dozens and dozens of what appear to be tiny stars and circles of light. Now...logically, if this were dust, they would be everywhere. They are only in between Nicol and Elaine (the hands over hearts shot) there are zero anywhere else. Just FYI :}
