How the “Fire Shoot” was born

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Where does a Little Green Eyes image come from? From conception to delivery, it can sometimes be a whirlwind process, and sometimes it’s spontaneous and straight forward. Today I’ll be elaborating on the Fire Shoot concept and how it has transformed over the last year and half.

First and foremost, I am no creative genius. Some images are birthed from my subconscious or mind’s eye, and others, like the fire shoot, are born from an image I saw somewhere, like this one from one of my best friends, Justin Nunnink:

From there, I basically tried to recreate his image but with my own spin. I enlisted 2 sisters, one of which was a previous model of mine, and Justin made a big burn pile in his backyard.

Now, if I can just pause for a minute and pay a massive homage to Nunnink - He is the wind beneath my creative wings and behind the scenes for so many of my projects. He is the muscle and the grounding energy I often need to make these images come to life. Anything from driving to some remote location with me, to pounding T-stakes into the ground and holding a leaf blower to mimic wind, to manning these giant fire piles and stoking them so I can solely focus on the images at hand. And yes, wild to think we are JUST friends - two creative soles that support each other. Two star crossed siblings.

I always start with a *beta* shoot. Something with no pressure of money that’s fully an experiment to see what comes out. I was so elated with these photos that I thought, how can I make this even more WILD?

Well, my answer to that question is, add more people. Not only is it visually entrancing, but it’s also much harder for me as I shoot more, edit more, direct more and coordinate more. But hey, if you aren’t pushing yourself, then what are you even doing with your art?

So I put out a call on my Instagram for models willing to run wild and free, naked around a fire. And by models, I mean inexperienced, unprofessional, excited bodies. To my delight, I had lots of interest. Recruiting people to be part of my harebrained ideas is no longer a slog, thank goodness. I seem to always have willing participants, from strangers to friends.

So the day before, Justin came over and cut up lots of brush, and we stacked a pile to burn. I had everyone arrive just before sunset and basically just threw them into the deep end.

Typically with my group shoots I offer direction, but I also allow the experience to naturally unfold. I meet people where they are at, seeing the way they want to move their bodies, and then pushing them just a little bit more to unfurl in front of the camera.

This beta shoot gave me the idea to make taking a photo with me more of an experience than solely about the images at hand. I’ve seen a need in the community (and hell, the world even) for more intentional connection. Both in relationship but also a desire for deeper, more meaningful friendships. So I set out to make a well-rounded experience that involved connecting before and after the photoshoot. I took a one hour offering and made it into a 4 hour offering.

Hour 1: is for personal reflection. I provide journal prompts to reflect on and center into your body and heart and ground into the intention you’re wanting to put forth in your life.

Hour 2: is for group connection. We sit around in a circle and ask questions from the Naked and Kindred Conversation card decks. This helps people open up and be vulnerable about their personal experience and feelings. I’ve seen this activity be the glue that keeps people staying in touch after the event is over

Hour 3: is the photoshoot. I provide a combination of group and solo shots so I can present a well-rounded gallery at the end.

Hour 4: is dinner. At this point, everyone is warmed up, literally and figuratively. They are more chatty, laughy, and open to talk about what they just did and continue to get to know one another.

I have seen the connections from these shoots outlast the experience itself. One of my consistent participants is a hairdresser, and I saw the other day that she had done one of the other gals hair. A few of the girls were getting up early and cold plunging together. I’ve seen long distance support and communication on Instagram in comments and DMs. There are more examples but you get the picture. These experiences are about connection to self as well as to others. Seeing this magic is what transformed a spark into a flame for me. A simple photo idea into an offering for community building.

So, logistically speaking, how am I getting people in the door and what are my sticking points?

1. I make booking with me as easy as possible. I have a Shopify page I use for my conversation card business, so I route people there to pay their deposit to secure their spot for the shoot.

2. I do most of my marketing on Instagram since that’s where I see the most conversion, but I also always send out an email for those that are avoiding the socials.

3. I’m going to make a payment plan for future offerings - while I only charge $300 a person for these experiences, it’s still a lot of money for some to fork out for something other than the roof over their head, utilities or gas. Making the shoots accessible has always been my goal.

4. When the shoot is over, I create an Instagram group thread, so everyone can easily follow and tag one another.

5. Sticking point : I’m still hitting a wall with signups. Maybe it’s my marketing, maybe it’s the times we’re in financially. Maybe it’s the fact I live in a tiny baby town. This article isn’t about how to make money, more so it’s about how to follow a creative idea and see where it goes. Hopefully you’re more business minded than I am with your own ideas. Or maybe it’s just a matter of time before these become what I’m envisioning. Sometimes it’s about sticking with something and not giving up. Trying new angles until you find your flow.

What’s the takeaway?

Creatively speaking, just go for it. If you have an idea, even if it’s riffing off someone else’s idea, just get out there and put your own spin on it, because you never know where it might lead you in your creative path. Let the idea unfold around you, let go of control and witness where it wants to go. These things can have a magic and mind of their own.

Also, enlist help if you need it. Like I said above, I don’t know where I’d be without the help of my bestie Nunnink. At first, he helped me out of the kindness of his heart, then I was able to start paying him once I started doing the shoots for money. It not only feels good to collaborate with him but to also be able to kick him some cash from time to time.

If you have any questions, just ask, I’m sure there are a few details I forgot here.