Weekend Work: Photo Shoots and My Thoughts

This weekend was BUS-AY!  After a week and a half of solid, non-stop preparation, I met up with Kimberlee at the Deco Modiste showroom to capture some of our spring and summer looks.

I like to look at opportunities like this as a learning experience; this weekend I learned a little bit about professionalism and what it takes to make a successful photo shoot.   It’s difficult work, trying to coordinate props and equipment, designers, models, hair and makeup – especially when you don’t have a set studio of your own, or models you know and regularly work with.

Of our three girls, we had two no-call/no-shows (*insert angry fist shake here*).  One model promised me on Thursday that she would be there, but then dropped off the face of the earth.   The second model called an hour after our call time to let me know she’d love to come, even though she wasn’t feeling 100%.  An hour later she said she was on her way, and an hour after that when I called to make sure she was okay (did she get lost? was she in an accident?), she’d turned her phone off.  We had a long delay while hair and makeup waited for these two girls that never turned up.  We didn’t have the time and capacity to shoot the full line.

This really emphasizes the importance of professionalism as a model; it’s like any other work, and it takes a lot of coordination to make editorial magic.    Portfolio looks aren’t an excuse to act unprofessionally – the poor work ethic a model exhibits has a resounding effect on their success.  There are designers and photographers, assistants, hair and makeup artists, editors and graphic artists whose jobs all depend on whether or not that girl is on set and prepared.  Those people know other people in the industry and the impact of that word of mouth is huge.  Like any other job, if you consider yourself a professional, you act like one.  Unfortunately, on large sites like Model Mayhem, it’s hard to tell who is professional and who is not – for both models and photographers.

(Kimberlee, prepping our model Pepper)

I needed a quick way to distinguish the professionals from the amateurs (who are usually the type to no-show) – however, you can’t really do that based on their photos alone.  A portfolio can only tell you so much, and it generally doesn’t reflect their work ethic.  In that light, it’s a good idea to ask models to come in for a fitting and test-shoot before the actual photo shoot, to get a feel for whether or not you need to have a backup on-call.  Most amateur models can be weeded out at this step.  There are a number of cues to study in test shoots – including range of emotion and pose, ability to take cues, what their “resting face” looks like, and how prepared they are.

The models we did have were fantastic!  Our original model, Pepper, arrived early with stockings, her own makeup kit and an array of shoes.  She looked amazing in pincurls, finger waves, and vintage-style dresses.  She was cute and coy one minute, glamourous and vampy the next.

(Kimberlee making a few more adjustments)

Our second model actually came down to hang out and assist as needed.  And you’ll never guess who it was…..  The lovely Laura from Birdie Royale!

I actually met Laura at Nadine’s Jersey Shore party a couple weeks ago.  She came out to my Birthday Bash and we’ve been trying to connect since then.  She mentioned she’d love to hang out behind-the-scenes and when our models didn’t show, we realized Laura would look PERFECT in Deco Modiste.  Note to self: Always bring a back-up plan!

Since we plan on doing many more of these little shoots, I need to make a list of things to bring (tripod, extra flash batteries, reflector) and a prep-sheet for the shoot.  Do we have a hair stylist?  Do we have extra bobby pins?  Is my makeup brush set clean?  Do we need some Sally Hansen spray on color for tattoos or bruises?  Do I have all the models phone numbers, measurements and shoe sizes?  Do we have a planned series of outfits?  At what point does the hair and makeup need to be retouched? Do I have a lighting plan?  Is our seamless clean?  There are a lot of variables to consider!

Doing this shoot gave me a lot to think about in how to prepare for the next shoot.  For example,  it would help to start picking models sooner than later.  Having an inspiration prompt for models really helped them prepare; to evoke a certain feeling in their poses and range of emotion.  I think the key is to build a rapport with models before the shoot – and though you may end up using the same girl twice, you have someone who’s versatile and knows what you’re looking for in your own shoot.

On that note, I know we’ve got hair and makeup nailed for the next shoot and I can’t wait to start putting that event together.  In the meantime, I’m going to be a busy bird, editing all these photos!

Edit: The gallery for finished photos is here.  Enjoy!