Villans, Super-heroes, Witches and more at Hip*Wa*Zee

It has been my experience that photography is as much about the skill level of the photographer as it is about luck. My recent shoot in Columbia, SC with the hippest costume outfitters I know, HipWaZee, was a fantastic combination of skill and luck. We had a great location that I’d never seen before (luck). We had incredibly hot and harsh SC summertime light with very little shade - this is where the skill came in handy. I used one strobe and let the light of the bright day fill in our shadows. The knowledge of Leslie Minerd, owner of HipWaZee, combined with the styling and modeling of her amazing staff, made one of the most fun photo shoots that I’ve ever encountered. We didn’t know who was going to show up, or what anyone was going to wear when I arrived; we played it all by ear, and the music we made was delightful. As luck would have it, as Cruella DeVille took her place in front of the camera, a little white dog showed up on the sidewalk – we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have this sweet pup in our photo. I’d personally like to thank everyone who participated in this photo shoot for contributing their style, personality, and generous attitude to the daylong event. If you are going to be shopping for costumes, shop local, and shop HipWaZee.