giving thanks in a cocktail lounge

At this very moment, it was technically Thanksgiving..

Phoenix is a big city but in a lot of ways it is very small. If you are from Phoenix then you know.

It is not uncommon to run into friends, acquaintances, humans you follow on the internet, etc.

This night, however, was special.

There is beauty in consistency and on this night, like similar nights before, I went to The Womack with Giovana and Laura. The Womack is a “cocktail lounge & bar.” At least thats what you’ll find upon a quick Google search. For us it is a dimly lit, oft-crowded, vibe-y spot with good drinks and great music.

That night I got to hang out and spend quality time with not only Giovana and Laura but also

Antoine - My best friend who is pictured above.

Heather - Antoine’s girlfriend and my friend.

+ Braden - a friend I had not seen in over a year who happened to be there that night.

Yodit - our friend who happened to be in town and who Antoine and I had not seen in 5 years.

The serendipity of this happening, technically, on Thanksgiving is not lost on me.

If the night were a scripted online television situation comedy it may even be a little too on the nose. An obvious episode meant to show and remind the viewer to cherish the people around you and be grateful for your chosen family.

Although, excited to see everyone that night, I will say it took decompressing and reflecting on what happened to come to that realization. Even now, thinking back to how fated the night seemed with all of us under one roof right before the holiday is so cool and crazy.

Anticlimactically, like during most times spent together, I wanted to capture a piece of the evening on my phone and have Antoine be my model. This is something that was not new. I don’t dare count how many photos I have of him on my phone because it would be astronomical relative to anyone else. He’s one of the go-to’s. He is always down to humor my model requests and because of that I keep going back.

Hashtag friendship.

I really wanted this photo to come out at least decent but hopefully more-than because the in-person felt so representative of the nights vibe. I loved how he was naturally sitting in between two tables. I loved the wallpaper acting as his background, the lights from the lamps, the highlights on the black leather booth. And I loved the balloons that were uncharacteristically all over the place - possibly in celebration of the holiday.

I had him grab one balloon at first. I took a photo with him covering his face and with no flash. I liked it but it wasn’t quite what I wanted. So, we grabbed more balloons! I started shooting with the flash on and liked the style so kept firing until I found what I wanted. I tried balloons in front of his face again, different angles, and I even had him stand up at one point. In the end, I knew there was something in the batch of images and once I reviewed them I knew which one it was.

I edited the photo in the Lightroom app on my phone and then in VSCO.

I really enjoy the final edit of this photo. It was a little touchy to edit because of the lack of light/flash/skin tone/preset combination but I found what worked for me. It checks multiple of my boxes. Portrait - check. Environmental portrait - check. Aesthetically pleasing - check. Relaying the mood - check.

It was a great night. And, for that, I am thankful.