My first impression of Jason was – ‘Wow, he’s a lot bigger
than I thought he was.’ Not big as in tall or heavy, but solidly built, like a
bear.
I arrived at Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery airport an hour
before our scheduled flight down to Ushuaia. The plane had just started to board,
and I was waiting impatiently at the gate, trying not to think about what Jason
had said a week earlier: “I’m notorious for missing flights.” I was vainly
attempting to dial international on a nearby payphone when I heard, “Anna! Anna
Zhu!” I look over to the window, and there he was, bulk silhouetted against the
back-light and waving a giant paw in greeting.
I was relieved and intimidated at the same time. My mentor-to-be,
is clearly a physical mass to be reckoned with. He’s broad shouldered and sturdy,
with a footy player’s build. I guess I took extra notice of his size because
I’m pint-sized in comparison. The physicality of professional photography is a
challenge I’ve already started battling as a photographer’s assistant. It’s
also been one of my top concerns in the lead up to Antarctica. Jason looked
liked he would be right at home on the ice, whereas I’m more suited to lazing
about on the beach.
We spent a slow afternoon in Ushuaia, getting to know the
town and each other. It was evident pretty quickly that Jason is a dream
mentor. He was unerringly patient, listened carefully to all my questions,
encouraged my thoughts, and was never condescending. On top of that, he was belly-achingly
fun to be around.
I learnt not to discount the little things – flowers on a
windowsill, a construction site, a church, teenage skaterboarders. When fitted
together these images all help to tell a story, and it’s the well-rounded narrative
that photo-editors will be interested in buying.
And knee-bending is very
important. It’s something that many photographers forget to do. Lower yourself
and the angle of your shot, you just may get something more interesting.
