Calling an Audible: How I Used Light and Authentic Moments to Capture the Spirit of Two Teachers

One of the most important skills in photography is being able to call an audible when things don’t go as planned. Flexibility is key in this line of work, and recently, I had a shoot that reminded me just how much a little improvisation can enhance the final image. The assignment was to capture a portrait of two Denver teachers, Gerardo and Kevin, while they recorded their podcast, “Too Dope Teachers and a Mic“, at their school. But when I arrived, I found out they no longer recorded it there.

Cue the audible.

When I asked where they used to record, they took me to an old storage closet in the school auditorium. They didn’t think it would make for an interesting photo, but I knew that this little closet, the origin of their podcast, was perfect for the story we wanted to tell.

What made this storage closet so interesting was its dingy, claustrophobic feel—exactly what you’d expect from a space repurposed out of necessity. I wanted to honor that authenticity in the portrait, so I chose to use the available light in the closet as motivation for how I lit the scene. The lighting wasn’t glamorous, but that was the point. I wanted to maintain the gritty, no-frills atmosphere of a storage closet because it was integral to the story.

Using a mix of my light and available light from the overhead fluorescent lighting, I was able to keep that slightly dingy, utilitarian feel, while still making sure Gerardo and Kevin were the clear focus of the shot. It wasn’t about creating a polished, perfect image—it was about staying faithful to the space where their journey began. This is where they first started sharing their voices, and I wanted the lighting and setting to reflect that raw, grassroots energy.

When I first met Gerardo and Kevin, it was clear that they had a strong bond. They made each other laugh easily and were completely comfortable around one another. As a photographer, one of my goals is to capture the essence of my subjects, and with these two, I knew I had to portray that natural camaraderie.

Instead of posing them in a forced, stiff way, I decided to just let them continue joking around while I snapped the portrait. They were already making each other laugh, so I let that energy guide the session. Sometimes, the best way to capture authenticity is to step back and let the subjects be themselves, and that’s exactly what I did here.

What resulted were images that didn’t just show two teachers—they captured their friendship, their humor, and the joy they bring to their work. It’s one of my favorite aspects of this portrait because it feels real and unfiltered. You can tell from the image that these two have a unique connection, and that’s what I wanted to come through in the final shot.

One of the best parts of this image is something that wasn’t planned at all: a small piece of tissue paper on the floor. It’s such a simple, everyday object, but it speaks volumes about the setting and the story I wanted to tell. The storage closet wasn’t pristine, and neither was the image—and that’s what made it perfect.

For a school, like all schools, resources are tight, and this tiny, overlooked detail is a reminder of that. You make do with what you have, and Gerardo and Kevin did exactly that by turning a small storage closet into a space where they could share their passion with the world. That little piece of tissue paper became one of my favorite parts of the photo because it symbolizes the scrappiness and resourcefulness of their project.

This shoot is a great example of how important it is to stay flexible and open to changes in photography. The original plan of capturing the podcast in action didn’t pan out, but by calling an audible and working with the space and personalities in front of me, I was able to create something even better than I initially imagined.

The light, the setting, the laughter between friends—all of it came together to tell a much richer story than if everything had gone according to plan. In photography, it’s often the unexpected moments, the unplanned details, and the last-minute changes that lead to the most memorable images.

So, the next time you’re faced with a situation that requires a pivot, embrace it. You might just end up with a shot that’s more interesting, more authentic, and more impactful than the one you had in mind.

Check out Gerardo and Kevin’s podcast, “Too Dope Teachers and a Mic“, and see where their journey began—right in that humble storage closet that ended up being the perfect setting for one of my favorite portraits.