Boran Zaza, Pianist & Marketing Manager at Orchestre Classique de Montréal
Who did I shoot?
Boran hails to us from Kurdistan, Iraq. She’s a multi-lingual pianist, and currently works as the Orchestre Classique de Montréal’s Marketing Manager. If you want to find out more about her, go and follow her on her Instagram @boran.zaza!
Where did we shoot?
At Pianos Bolduc in Montréal.
Useful to know
If you want to choose a location yourself, keep in mind that things can look very different in-camera than with your own eyes. How much light is there? What color(s) is the light? Where does it come from? Are there any interesting shapes/lines the photographer can use? Can you move around? Just a few of the considerations your photographer has to make. If you and me do a shoot, I will work with you to find the best location to suit your shoot.
Fun Fact
It was the middle of February. Boran came to me with a last-minute request for photos, and because I love working with Boran, I agreed on shooting with her on my last availability - 10 am on a Thursday. I had a flight leaving for Germany only five hours later- but I was confident we’d make it. On the way to the shoot, my tire got caught in a giant pothole and exploded. I’d never changed a tire before, and there was no time. So I left it in a residential area and took an Uber to the shoot, 40 mins late. Once we finished the shoot, I got an Uber back to my car, and in -20 degrees, proceeded to call my friend and have him coach me through the tire change. I looked at my watch - 1 pm. 2 1/2 hours until my flight leaves. Okay.
I finished up the tire change but knew I couldn’t drive to the airport on a spare tire, at least not during winter on the highway. So I drove to my cousin’s to drop my car off at his and take a Car2Go to the airport. However, slippery ice completely covered my cousin’s driveway, and my car got stuck in a snowbank. Look at my watch - 1:45 pm. My plane would take off in 1 hour and 45 mins. No panic. But they do tell you to arrive at least 1 1/2 hours in advance before your international flight takes off.
Through some miracle maneuvering, I got the car out of the snowbank. I took my suitcase. Dragged it through snow-covered sidewalks to the next available Car2Go. I unlocked it, threw my bag in, sat in the driver’s seat, breathed. Everything would be alright now, —2 pm. Or would it?
On the highway, the car in front of me splashed mud all over my windshield. Oh, and magnificent - the windshield wiper fluid was empty! I saw absolutely nothing. So I opened the window, pulled my head out from time to time to get an idea of what the road looked like. From inside, all I could see were silhouettes. Did I mention it was -20 degrees? And that I was late?
2:30 pm. The Car2Go is parked. I take my suitcase. Get on the shuttle. Pass security with no problem. Arrive at my gate just in time for boarding. And made it to Germany the same day.
Boran Zaza’s Review
Until next time,
Tam