What would you call this photography or layout style when used to accompany an article?
I know it's always been somewhat of a joke when someone says they only read Playboy for the articles.
And certainly, I won't say the articles were the reason that I first opened my Dad's 1970s-era Playboy magazines. But other than for those obvious pre-teen reasons, one thing I always remembered was the Playboy interview, or more to the point of this post, the three photographs that accompanied the article which always appeared at the bottom of the first page.
So when I recently proposed that I shoot an upcoming interview "Playboy style" for our internal newsletter and was met with a blank stare, I began to wonder if my memory had failed. Then I mentioned it four more times, to both woman and men, of various ages, and again I was met with blank stares. This was getting weird.
Of course, I still had the choice to shoot the interview in apparently what only I was now referring to as Playboy style and I could let the editor think I had invented something unique. Or I could just stick to a standard environmental portrait and give up on the idea of three photographs supporting the interview.
Two things happened.
First, I did submit the three photos with instructions on how they should run and everyone thought it was a great idea.
Second, I no longer refer to this as Playboy style, at least when I'm at work.
* A quick search of the internet confirms that I am not imagining any of this and I'm by no means taking credit for it.