Oh dear.. now what?

[heartyfisher]

Have recently been looking at a bit more of some portrait and fashion pictures

(among other pictures) and have been chatting with some photographers and models

in some forums about their photos and other general stuff.. and thinking it

would be nice to try my hand at these type of pictures..

 

Well while surfing around the other day I saw a posting by a model to do TFP/CD

and out of impluse replied. well she said OK and we are planing a shoot in about

2 weeks time to be confirmed.. well I have started to think of the shoot and

what I would like to take and poses and accessories and location etc.. and I

have started to realise I really know nothing..

 

A bit about the shoot.. It will have no nudity and that is very fine with me.

She has curly red hair and freckles. what colours goes with that!?

 

What length of time does a "shoot" normally take.

Where can I get a model release? is it international or specific to a country?

Any standard methodologies and protocol?

 

Suddenly I am much more aware of pictures in magazines and what the models are

wearing and the lighting used.. and my goodness! it looks like a tough task to

take those great pictures.. sigh I was even browing those fashion shops and

trinket shops.. which I didnt pay any attention to in the past !!

 

so with a slight panic I am asking for some advice here.. any scarp pf help with

be greatfully considered!

[heartyfisher]

Oh answers to questions I dont know to ask would be highly encouraged !! :-)

[doug_axford1]

Your biggest problem will be nervousness.

 

Shoot where you are most comfortable with lighting and location. I'd stay outside if possible or somewhere where you can use natural lighting. Keep equipment changes to minimum. Talk to her and ask questions about her interests to keep you both relaxed. Length of time is determined by how interested/excited you both are. Which means when she gets bored/tired/etc. you are done.

[brucecahn]

You are asking to be force fed something that takes many years of hard work to learn (not unusual on this forum). A complete answer would take a whole book. Will supply a little information, hope others supply the rest. First decide if you are doing portraits or fashion. They are very different. A portrait is supposed to reveal something about the subject. A fashion picture does not do that. It should show the clothes to the best advantage. The first step, long before the shoot, is to make some sketches with notes of what you are going to do. This is designed to get your creative mind working. Put down the pose, lighting, and a note about the background. When you start shooting you do not have to follow these notes, but should improvise freely. As to colors with red hair, the following should work: green,blue, violet, grey, yellow, black and white. I would stay away from red and orange. Do not be frustrated if there are flaws in your results. Keep at it, looking at the results of each shoot with the question, "how can this be improved?"

[beauh44]

Hi Tze, First off, no one to my knowledge ever got cancer from taking a bad photo or having a bad photo taken. It's easy for me to say from afar, but try not to be nervous and have fun instead. The world won't end if you shoot a few clunkers.

 

The first few times I shot with a model doing TFCD I took them outdoors in the late afternoon when the sun was low in the sky so the light would have a nice quality to it. (You didn't mention if you have a studio or lights)

 

I used a long telephoto (Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS) lens, shooting mostly wide-open, in Av mode. (This knocks any distracting background out of focus and makes her "pop") I had a friend along with me to hold a reflector for me. I left the makeup, jewelry and wardrobe to the model, telling her to just wear whatever she was comfortable with wearing. Her best feature was a very pretty face, so I took a lot of head shots that turned out pretty well if I do say so. She was very happy with them.

 

So I wouldn't at this point go looking to fashion magazines that have photos in them that may have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce. I just don't think that's realistic to shoot for - yet. Realize your limitations and work within them and you can still get great shots!

 

I may be crazy but even for a TFCD shoot I look at the model as a "customer" and try very hard to make her happy. Because if I do, chances are good I'll get to shoot with her again. So that's all I try to do, basically. Take a deep breath, relax, try a sense of (appropriate) humor and I bet things will work out fine. Good luck!

[bruce levy]

A short answer, that's only true sometimes: When I do a shoot the prep takes most of the time. Once I start shooting it goes pretty quick. I recently did a CD shoot. We had previously met at the location, walked around, shot some tests and left. We spoke a few times. Once we were at the set to shoot each shot took approximately 10-20 min. to cover it's possibilities. We did about 4 or 5 scenes and the whole shoot took less than an hour (an intense hour- because that's how I shoot). If it's a very complex scene that's a completely different story. We did shots on location and we knew where we were going with it. The more prep, the less shoot time is necessary-ideally. The real trick is to develop the report between photographer and subject quickly. If you take too much time, because you weren't prepared, it's eventually like beating a dead horse. The energy's gone and report is a lost cause. Know what you both want out of the shoot.

[heartyfisher]

Thank so much for all your replies. After reading all your replies and thinking more on the task I am much less worried now. For a first try I will just work with available light and reflectors and fill flash I think. I have a theme in mind and the more I think on it the clearer the pictures I want to get are. so I am more confident now too.

 

Thanks Doug & Beau for the outdoor suggestion. I was thinking along those lines but was getting confused by the glossy magazines. Beau's suggestion of a longer lens help me decide on which lens I should take along. Thanks.

 

Bruce Cahn, Haha yes thats what Photo.net is so great at doing. I am so amazed at all the amazing, generous, well considered and experienced answers that are contributed in these forums! These are really one of the best forums I have ever been in!

Colours? well I asked for advice and then... well the colour scheme for my theme is totally oposite from your sudggestions !! Haha! oh well I will think on that more !

 

Brude Levy, I agree preparation is very important! Well if it rains that will be fun too! :-) Luckily Sydney is not known for Rains..

I am only planning for 2-3 scenes at the moment.. Hopefull it will be short and sweet!

 

Thanks guys for the wonderful responses!