There are a few things that annoy me as a photographer. One is my flash not going off when I want it to. Usually it’s just a loose connection, no big deal. Then there’s setting the camera to a setting I don’t normally use and forgetting to set it back. Potentially hazardous in a frantic shoot where lots of things are happening. So far this hasn’t caused any unrepairable damage.
Then there’s suede furniture! Or as I just learned in a recent shoot – micro fiber. While I’m sure it is a great fabric to sit on, it is a royal PITA to photograph.
Have you noticed how every time you rub up against the fabric it changes the texture? When you try and take a picture of suede furniture it looks dirty. The raised parts of the fabric are darker than the smooth parts and it is very distracting.
It is a very popular fabric, at least in the houses where I take pictures. So I end up petting the couch, or the chair. This gets the fabric to lay down in one direction, creating a nice even look. Frequently the agent gets involved and we are both petting the furniture. I’m sure it would be a strange sight if anyone is looking through the windows, two grown people petting the furniture. But it has to be done.
I think I’ll start a club: Suede Haters International. Or maybe a self-help group: Suede Petters Anonymous. Hello, my name is Scott, and I pet suede.
