BTS: PHOTOGRAPHING BOYZ II MEN
BY ORLANDO CELEBRITY PHOTOGRAPHER GILMAR SMITH

I know it’s taken me a while to write this blog post, but I’ve been on cloud nine for months! As an Orlando creative commercial and celebrity photographer, I’ve had the opportunity to work with some incredible people, but photographing Boyz II Men has been a truly surreal experience.

It all started with a funny mix-up. I was at a Halloween party when I ran into a friend I’ve known for a while that happens to work in the Boyz Management team. We were catching up when she suddenly said, “I was actually going to call you on Monday; we need new pictures of the boys.” Now, she has two kids, two boys, so I immediately responded, “Oh my gosh, yes! They’re getting so big!” She gave me this confused look and said, “No, my boys—THE BOYZ!” Cue the awkward laughter! My life is full of moments like this where I’m not sure whether to laugh at myself, run and hide, or just roll with it. I usually just laugh and roll with it!

BEHIND THE SCENES
WITH THE BOYZ

Back in the day when I was a teenager, I used to “borrow” my mom’s car without her knowing, pick up my friends, and we’d drive around town singing Boyz II Men songs at the top of our lungs—both in Spanish and English. This shoot was definitely a special one for me. Who would have thought that the wild teenager driving around town would one day be doing what she loves, photographing the very people who back then seemed to live in a different universe?

Even though I’ve produced countless shoots before, it’s always a bit nerve-wracking. Preparation is key. After sharing some ideas via text with the Boyz and their team, I got to work. I use Elixxier software to create all my lighting diagrams—it’s a fantastic tool that simulates lighting and helps you experiment, learn, and prepare for photoshoots. I always share these diagrams with my assistants so they know exactly what we’re doing and can help set up the lighting equipment. The light diagrams look like the one below and really helps to get a clear visual of the lights and results.

For this shoot, we were fortunate to have an amazing team. Flore Toussaint was our wardrobe stylist, Dobson Ayerule was my lighting assistant, and Christina Jensen was the wonderful producer. We worked through different sets and outfits, and the process was pure joy. Shawn even broke into song from time to time, and I almost fainted just thinking about how cool the whole experience was!

ALWAYS BE READY TO IMPROVISE

What I always tell my students is to have a few tricks up your sleeve so you can seamlessly transition from one setup to another without second-guessing yourself. It’s all about delivering in a state of flow, and that’s exactly how this shoot went. We were originally set to be in the studio for just a couple of hours, but the vibe was so great that the Boyz and their team asked to do more looks. I was more than happy to oblige because it meant they were loving the results and having fun (and I was having the time of my life). I had plenty of ideas ready to go, so we just kept the momentum going.

There’s nothing quite like receiving a message from your clients saying they had a great time and love the photos—especially when those clients are Boyz II Men! These images have been a key asset for their world tour, and seeing them displayed everywhere—from the Hollywood Bowl to Dubai, and even on massive building-sized screens in Las Vegas for their residency—has been surreal. They’ve also been used to promote the wonderful Shawn Stockman’s solo shows.

For a girl who started taking pictures as a way to process grief and depression, to now photograph her teenage heroes and see those images featured all over it’s a testament to the incredible things that can happen when you pour your heart into what you love. The universe truly rewards passion and dedication with amazing opportunities.

Credits:

Mulvigroup

Producer: Christina Jensen

Wardrobe: Flore Toussaint

Light Assistant & BTS: Dobson Ayerule

You can watch the Behind the Scenes video of our shoot here