Fstoppers Interviews Limor Garfinkle on Her Upcoming Photo Gallery Exhibition, 'The Comedians'

Photographer and Fstoppers alum Limor Garfinkle has been working on a very interesting project for the last two years: designing and shooting portraits of comedians that show off their unique personalities. Now, the project is ready for its gallery premiere at the TBS Comedy Hub as part of the New York Comedy Festival, with the proceeds benefiting the Mount Sinai Division of ADHD and Learning Disorders. Fstoppers recently interviewed her about the process and fun experience of shooting these portraits.

Photographer Limor Garfinkle's "In Focus: The Comedians" is one of the more unique personal projects I've seen, as it captures the fun and always interesting characters who we admire for making us laugh, with such personalities including Tracy Morgan (who will be a special guest at the gallery premiere), Jim Gaffigan, Lewis Black, Jim Norton, and more. Originally from Israel, Garfinkle moved to New York City in 1998, where she quickly became friends with comedians in the city. One of them was involved in a serious car accident that left him comatose, and when he awoke and eventually rehabilitated himself, she shot a portrait of him with the theme "I'm back!" This immediately sparked the idea of a series of environmental portraits of comedians for the benefit of a children's charity, an idea that she has run with for the past two years. 

Garfinkle chose the Mount Sinai Division of ADHD and Learning as the benficiary of the proceeds as she's very sensitive to the mental health and well-being of children, noting that she's seen the difficulties it can cause first-hand:

I cannot stand the thought of a child having to deal with that and not getting help.

Her goal is both to increase awareness of the stigma around mental health issues and to raise money for research and treatment. She specifically chose Mount Sinai as she regards it as the best in the industry at properly diagnosing mental health issues, for their commitment to research, and because they welcome children and families who might otherwise not be able to afford such services and treatment.

In order to build the project's portfolio, Garfinkle had to first find comedians to shoot, of course, for which she turned to her friends, noting that it's a tight-knit community. While her friends and word of mouth got her a lot of opportunities, it also took a lot of cold approaches, during which she would show off images she had already made to help convince her soon-to-be subjects. Eventually, she created a pitch video that explained the project's direction and purpose. She notes that persistence played a huge part in her success: "if someone says 'no,' keep asking until they say 'yes.'"

The complexity of each shoot varied. Garfinkle notes that some were a one-on-one session, while some involved a full team, as each image was unique to the individual comedian. Each shoot began with a conversation with its subject, for which she notes she often had to ask rather personal questions to help generate concepts. The comedians were quite open in their answers, which helped create a collaborative idea that everyone involved believed in. which she felt was crucial. Next, she would meet with a production team to plan costumes, makeup, and locations (all of which were donated). The spirit of the collaboration really came out, as the comedians, their significant others, fellow photographers, makeup artists, set and costume designers, and friends all pitched in to make the shoots a success, for which Garfinkle notes she is eternally grateful. Equipment-wise, she used the same gear throughout the series:

• Nikon D800E
• Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8
• Really Right Stuff carbon fiber tripod with Manfrotto geared head
• Broncolor Siros L 800 Ws with Alien Bees for additional light

While the project was of course a lot of fun, Garfinkle notes that the toughest part was balancing it along with her full-time job as a photographer and being a mom. It was also logistically difficult at times, as most comedians have extensive travel schedules. On top of that, she funded the project herself, which she notes meant she had to be very mindful of expenses and often come up with creative solutions to move it forward.

Though the shoots were a lot of work, they were also a lot of fun, with Garfinkle noting she has so many fun stories from the experience that she "wouldn't even know where to begin!" Nonetheless, her favorite part of the entire process was the camaraderie: 

My favorite were the moments of working together with an awesome team, which was mostly comprised of the most awesome women I've ever met. We had so much fun coming up with these concepts, being our own bosses, working hard to make it come to life, and then seeing the final image. Sharing it with the team was also a moment I really enjoyed.

As for advice for other photographers, Garfinkle says: "Do your homework. Be prepared. Work hard." She also emphasizes the importance of persistence and perseverance. She adds that she was amazed by the kindness shown by people throughout the project, with locations and services that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars being donated to the cause and helping the project continue to grow.

People are good in their nature, and they want to help. So, do good things with your talent and pay it forward!

"In Focus: The Comedians" opens at the TBS Comedy Hub at the PUBLIC Hotel on November 8 with special guest Tracy Morgan and is sponsored by the New York Comedy Festival, John Gallin & Son, and Adorama Pix. If you'd like to attend, you can purchase tickets here, with proceeds from ticket sales and the portraits auction going to Mount Sinai. The gallery exhibition is just the beginning, as she plans to continue shooting for the project in the years to come.

You can also see more of Garfinkle's work on her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

All images used with permission of Limor Garfinkle.