I had the pleasure of working with the lovely Jami Milne last month at the Global Insurance Accelerator #insurtechweek in #dsmusa . At the end of the week participating #insurtechstartups had the opportunity to go inside a bubble, have a conversation and get photographed. Naturally, I had to try it myself. She calls it the #creativeconfessional –and here is what it does-
Disclaimer: If you so choose to enter the bubble, you should do so with an open mind. Jami has the demeanor that naturally extracts meaningful conversation. You might laugh, you might cry-but one thing is for certain: This is not a traditional head-shot. From start to finish, this is an experience.
I made my way up to the 4th floor of MainFrame Studios down a long and angular hallway–different artist studios off to the right and left. Jami’s studio- is toward the end of the hall. A long narrow space–self admittedly in the works- it still possesses a unique and welcoming charm. A small desk with a white fluffy rug at the front , and at the back: the bubble. Built of a PVC framework, the bubble comes in approximately 2,000 pieces to be assembled like tinker-toys. Ok, 2,000 might be an exaggeration, but likely I am in the ballpark. It takes a little over an hour to assemble. Once the PVC frame is complete, a large plastic shell is installed over top. Inside the bubble: a couple chairs, a cozy fluffy rug, a few side tables and some wash lighting for good photographs.
As I climbed my way into the bubble and sat down, I have to admit I was a little nervous—what was she going to ask me? What if I say something stupid? Can she smell fear? Her first question to me was simply “how are you?” I smiled knowing “good” would not suffice. As I elaborated on why I felt my life was good I began to dive more deeply into all of the great things in my life. Next thing I knew I was reflecting on my past and dreaming about my future—all the while this tiny little sniper was snapping shots of all of it. Conversation came naturally and after awhile I forgot about the little clicks that came at random intervals and just became myself.
The session lasted about 30 minutes, which felt like just the right amount of time. As I l left the bubble-I felt happy. Getting to know Jami through an unconventional conversation in a bubble made our connection more meaningful. I learned we get along quite well and I can foresee many collaborations in the future.
Out of this session came these images . Quirky I would say, yet also telling. They express a lot of authentic personality. I must admit, It’s weird to look at so many pictures of myself but it’s kind of fun too. Curious? Get in the bubble