PSA: My client in a tiny town asked for a 'cinematic' shot of a mailbox

I was on a job last fall in a place called Millersburg, basically a crossroads with a gas station. The client wanted a promotional piece for his hardware store and insisted we get a 'big, epic' opening shot of the store's branded mailbox by the road. I mean, it's a green mailbox on a post. I spent like 45 minutes trying different angles, getting low, using a slider, the whole deal. He finally walks over, looks at the monitor, and goes, 'Perfect. It looks just like a Transformer about to stand up.' I still don't know what he saw. Has a client ever given you feedback that just left you totally confused?

3 comments

3 Comments

fionafoster27d ago

Used to think clients just didn't get it. Like the guy who wanted his breaker panel to look "heroic" in a brochure. Made no sense. But then my wife saw a photo I took of an old, rusty service box. Said it looked like a sad robot face. Now I get it. They're just seeing something else entirely. That mailbox transformer thing? Kinda makes sense now.

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fionafoster27d ago

It's called pareidolia, seeing faces in things.

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ruby65927d ago

Totally had that happen with a shot of some plumbing pipes. Looked like a grumpy old man to me, but my buddy said it was a happy otter. Once you see it, you can't unsee it, and it makes the whole image way more fun.