A few weeks ago, The Pajama Company took over a local high school in Connecticut for a photo shoot. Our brave models put on flannel pajama sets and hooded onesies and posed in the high school halls, classrooms and courtyards.
Photographer Alex Bordelon captured photos that perfectly reflect what The Pajama Company is all about: fun, friendship, comfort and a little bit of silliness.
Now that you’ve seen the photos, we wanted to get to know the person behind the camera. Bordelon, a high school senior, recently spoke with The Pajama Company about his passions, inspirations and plans for the future.
The Pajama Company: When did you first start taking pictures?
Alex Bordelon: I started taking photos when I was thirteen when I went to Italy. But I didn’t start taking an interest until my sophomore year when I was in an intro to photography class.
TPC: What is your favorite subject to shoot?
Bordelon: My favorite subject to take photos of are people. I love working with people and taking photos of them. It’s fun to bring out a side of them that’s not always seen.
TPC: What do you love about photography?
Bordelon: I love that there are so many ways to get involved with the art. Unlike painting, photography (specifically digital photography) is still a newer medium. Because we’re in the digital age, connecting with people online makes creating art and sharing it even easier. I love how photos can permanently capture a moment in time. I also love how nearly anyone can be a photographer. You can be five or ninety-five and take photos, and that is amazing.
TPC: Taking pictures of people can be tricky. What is your best tip for taking better pictures of people?
Bordelon: When working with people in a studio, or on any photo shoot, you need to make them feel comfortable. Most people aren’t used to having cameras and lights in their faces. By making them comfortable you’re able to get to that vulnerability people have when their guard is down. Telling jokes, playing music, and just talking with your subject will make getting the shot you want easier. The other piece of advice I can give is practice. As cliche as it sounds, the more you work with people and work with a camera the better you get at it.
TPC: Which is your favorite photo from The Pajama Company shoot?
Bordelon: My favorite photo from The Pajama Company shoot is the group photo in the studio (Ed note: It’s the one featured above!). It’s really difficult to get a group photo like that where everyone looks good. I’m really inspired by photographers like Annie Leibovitz. She has so many fantastic photos from her job at Vanity Fair and her project with Disney.
TPC: How do you plan to make photography a part of your future?
Bordelon: I love photography but making it big in the art world is incredibly hard. I’d love to work as a photographer for a big magazine like Vanity Fair, Harpers Bazar, or Vogue. I will be attending DePaul University in the Fall and I plan on majoring in International Relations and minoring in photography. Even though photography is my biggest passion, I still need the security of finding a job if I’m unable to break into the business. I still want to keep it on the back burner and take photos as much as possible while in school. If I don’t make it maybe I’ll be able to retire early and pursue it then. Either way, I will be involved with photography. When you’re that passionate about something, it’s nearly impossible for it to leave your life.
Check out more photos of Alex and the models behind the scenes of the high school photo shoot in this video.
