Everyone needs them. When you are famous they come to you, but when you are an amateur you need to go out there and find them yourself. Models.
At some point the family gets tired of posing in your studio aka the livingroom, and friends get this tired look when you show up at their doorstep with your camera, full of new idears and new setups.
When you get to that point in your career you have a range of options.
The easy solution is to pay a professional model to pose for you. In Denmark where I live that will be about 80 to 200$ per hour. Well photography is an expensive hobby, and I rarely have this kind of money lying around for a model.
If you, just like me, cant spent that kind of money, you have to be a little creative. I read somwhere that a guy put a fanpage on facebook asking models to participate in a photoshoot. He was honest and stright forward and explained that he could not pay them, but they would of cause get a copy of some of the pictures. The result was amazing. Lots of people responded and he had enough models to do several shoots.
But does it have to be on the internet? I dont think so.
Join a photoclub. I bet there is at least one close to where you live. Talk to people there. They know where to find a model that will pose for you to get some new pics for their portfolio.
Or just talk to people. When you meet someone, tell they about your hobby. Offer your services and ask if they know somebody who would like to try to model. For lots of people it is a challenge to get up there in front of the camera and let someone else tell them what to do. Dare them.
And if you are brave enough, just ask people in the street. If you see someone and think "that is a model for me", why not just walk over there and ask. You will be surprised how often you get a yes.
What matters most is that you are honest, and explain what it is that you do. Dont exaturate. If you are an amateur with little experience, dont hide it. It is better to give your client or model low expectations and then surprise them with a brilliant result, than to get their expectations way up and then disapoint them.
Just be honest.
Now - on a lazy sunday afternoon. What do you do for a model? The family is cuttled up in front of the tv. Friends are out there enjoying the nice spring weather. And you are in the mood for some studio-photography.
This is what I did. Enjoy.
http://archive.lazyreddog.com/c/lrd/gallery/Kodak-Six-20-Junior/G0000_TRdtVF3hGE
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
The importance of being prepared
Yesterday I had a photosession with a couple of parents and their 8 month old princess. it was a session that had been planned earlier and then rescheduled, so everything was planned and had been set up once - and then put aside again to make room for another session.
No sweat, just put back the props and go again.
So 30 minutes before they arrive on set, the photographer (yours truly) starts putting together the props - and knocks over one of his lamps. A lot of swearing later he finds out that the damage is minimal.
Back ot settingup the props and - oh yes - remember to turn on the computer so the client can se the pictures right away. But the computer keeps rebooting due to a faulty update. Again a lot of swearing about some major software company. And then again a praisal to the same company for putting in a restore-point to go back to.
The customer who almost always is early or at least on time is delayed a couple of minutes this time. So whe they finaly arive everything looks fine. Props where set, light was set and camera was ready and connected to the computer.
The only thing that was not ok was the photographer. Blook pressure was way too high and creativity was way too low.
And this is what this entry is all about. IMHO the stress of not beeing prepared is eating up the creativity that is needed in this profession. Of cause I can only talk on my own behalf, but I thing we all know the situation where the pressure gets the best of us - when it is actually creativity that deserves the best of os.
So next time I am going to be prepared. Sitting down in the studio or on location, just letting the pictures enter my mind with no filter. Letting idears pop up and just wait to se witch images stick when I get up again.
Next time creativity and the customer will get the best of me. I promise.
No sweat, just put back the props and go again.
So 30 minutes before they arrive on set, the photographer (yours truly) starts putting together the props - and knocks over one of his lamps. A lot of swearing later he finds out that the damage is minimal.
Back ot settingup the props and - oh yes - remember to turn on the computer so the client can se the pictures right away. But the computer keeps rebooting due to a faulty update. Again a lot of swearing about some major software company. And then again a praisal to the same company for putting in a restore-point to go back to.
The customer who almost always is early or at least on time is delayed a couple of minutes this time. So whe they finaly arive everything looks fine. Props where set, light was set and camera was ready and connected to the computer.
The only thing that was not ok was the photographer. Blook pressure was way too high and creativity was way too low.
And this is what this entry is all about. IMHO the stress of not beeing prepared is eating up the creativity that is needed in this profession. Of cause I can only talk on my own behalf, but I thing we all know the situation where the pressure gets the best of us - when it is actually creativity that deserves the best of os.
So next time I am going to be prepared. Sitting down in the studio or on location, just letting the pictures enter my mind with no filter. Letting idears pop up and just wait to se witch images stick when I get up again.
Next time creativity and the customer will get the best of me. I promise.
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