The Wizard of Oz - Behind the Scenes Magic

In 2022, a friend reached out and asked if my kids would be interested in joining a community theater production of Mary Poppins, Jr. It sounded like a fun thing to do, so we said yes. And now here we are, three years and ten productions later, living the theater kid life. I could go on and on about the things I like about it and the opportunities it has presented for both of my children to grow and learn, but that’s another post entirely. Instead, let’s talk about how seamlessly the theater approach resembles my approach to documentary photography.

As a documentary photographer, I go into every session prepared with my tools and my knowledge of the environment I’ll be working in and an open mind. And then I just feel. It’s not about perfection, it’s about finding and seeing the magic that unfolds. No two sessions will ever be the same, just as no two shows will ever be exactly the same.

A couple years ago I had the opportunity to shoot behind the scenes for Horizon West Theater Company’s youth production of the Wizard of Oz. And let me just tell you, the real life magic of being backstage is fuel for this documentary photographer’s heart.