“It’s not our job to….”
I was talking with another photographer a few days back. We were talking about the lack of Fashion models and TRUE Fashion model photography here in Colorado. Often times, Photographers will shoot fashion, and the model will walk away feeling good, but in reality, they're not fashion models, never will be, never had a chance.
My question to you is simple, do you feel it's the photographers job to tell a model what styles she's better suited for? Now I understand that many of the photographers out there don't know the requirements for fashion models and so on, but do you agree?
My stance is this, they come to us to get our knowledge. They trust us to get the shot, lighting and to know what's best for them. If we don't know, should we really be doing this? If we're not going to be on the level, are we doing these girls a disservice? This photographer and I were talking about a 5'3 145lb model who wanted to fashion. I told him I said she didn't have a chance. He frowned upon it and we agreed to disagree.
So my question for you is, do you tell these girls? or do you let them continue chasing something that would never happen?
Ali Sonoma April 18th and 19th!
Thats right!
Ali Sonoma is OFFICIAL!!
April 18th and 19th she will be in Colorado for two full days of shooting!! The cool thing about this? She's a REAL model! Former UFC Ring Girl, Star of ABC "The Mole" Ali Sonoma is not only gorgeous, but a total sweetheart to be around!
The workshop is totally affordable and class size is limited to around 10 people. We'll have her for 8 hours each day!
I have some really cool plans for this shoot, so I hope to see you all out there! My sponsors have stepped up and we're giving away the following:
1 Wacom 4x6 Bamboo pen tablet
2 20.00 Gift Certificates from Englewood camera
2 DVD's from National Association of Photoshop User
1 Free month to Kelbytraining.com
Colorado SuperShoot is donating one free hour shoot with Ali, with me as your personal assitant/lackey boy.
This is going to be one of the best workshops to hit this state!
I'm giddy!
Another old workshop video!
Here's another video from my workshop back in 2005 or 2006, the wife and I argue about the date.
Old school workshop photos!
Packing up my desk area getting things backed up and came across my old workshop photos. Cleaned a few up and will put them on Colorado SuperShoot page.
Models are:
Kat
Sydney
Brooke
Megan
One of three main light sources for me
One of the three main light sources I use is a Diffusion panel. Currently, I use a scrim jim created by westcott, but I also have one I created on my own.
If you look to the right under "Pages" you'll see a tutorial on how to create your own diffusion pane.
What is model photography to you?
As you know, I've recently started back teaching a bi monthly workshop called Colorado SuperShoots. Colorado Supershoots is my way of still staying active in the modeling world, a world I've "retired" from. I'm still VERY much active in it, so no worries, the stuff I teach won't be outdated, but the reason I've gotten out, is the very reason I don't think people are getting into it for the right reasons.
Model photography is a business!
I don't have anything against people who do TFCD shoots, or even photogs who pay models. I have a problem with it all, when it's EXPECTED! When a model EXPECTS a free shoot, or the photog to pay. This begs the question "What is model photography to you?"
For me, it's a business! It's how I feed my family. It's how I make mortgage payments, buy this and that for my girls. It's not fun and games. Gone are my days of shooting just to see naked models or shooting a new setup or so on. It's a business.
A few years back, a good friend and mentor of mines issued me a challenge. He said "I dare you to not pick up your camera and shoot a model, unless you get paid for it" I took him up on his offer. I went from doing about 12 shoots a week, to zero, ziltch, nada, none. Sitting there looking at my phone, waiting for it to ring. About three months into it, he called me and said "This will prove if you're as good as you think you are. If you're good, people will pay, if not, you'll go back to shooting free shoots." Being true to my word, I didn't accept a free shoot, but I did in fact, book a few paying ones! Soon after that, I was able to buy an upgraded camera (Went from a Canon EOS Digi Rebel 300d to 20D) and buy strobes and accessories.
I was amazed at the level of professionalism involved once money was brought into the equitation. Models actually started showing up....early most times. And there was a new found appreciation of my work, both on models point of view, as well as my own. To keep the edge going, I started sending and getting publications to major magazines and ezines and kept the momentum going.
For me, Model photography is a business. It's something that involves all the steps of a business, the good and the bad. I've had a few photographers as well as models tell me that they've "heard" I was a bad guy. After getting info from them on who said what, I was able to quickly put to rest, the rumors and bull poop. But I let them and other models/photogs know, I'm a business man. I don't shoot photos for the fun of it. Every time I click the shutter, I need to have or will make money from it. What does this mean? This means if I shoot a model on a tfcd purpose, I'm sorry, but I can't delete the photos because mommy or daddy found out about it. For the most part, I will remove images if I put them up, but so few images mean enough for me to say no. Now if a model is rude, crass or gossips about me, yes, I will leave them up. But unless they're in my portfolio and I have plans, I'll just remove them.
My question to you is simple, what is model photography to you? Oh, and in case you're wondering, I don't listen to, nor do I care about gossip about me and other people. The majority of people who are gossiping hens, are those who won't be around in five years. I've been here for five years squared and going stronger every day. Do you really think I care what a "model" says about me? chances are good she won't be around in the next eight to 15 months.
A video!
Hey,
I speak the praises of RAW all the time. In this video, I show WHY RAW is so important
This video is sponsored by National Association of Photoshop Users and Wacom Tablets
I’m back!
Alright, I'm back in the swing of things! Today I'll update two photo sets!
The first one is of "Mo" this chick is awesome!!! She's older, so she's mature and very easy on the eyes heh. She will be at the next Colorado SuperShoot workshop
So far, she makes me almost miss not doing general model photography lol.
Wacom sponsorship!
Today, the wonderful UPS man dropped off some Wacom tablets from? you guessed it, Wacom.
Wacom has agreed to sponsor my workshops so woot!
By the way, I LOVE wacom tablets!!! best thing since before sliced bread and jam.
If you don't have one, you're just not cool.
I’m still with ya!
Hey all,
I'm still with ya. I know I need to update, I'm working on a few things. My girls have been home less than a week, so we're all doing the close lovey dovey stuff, should wear off by saturday and I'll be back to work.
Just a quick update:
I now see why I stopped doing tfcd shoots. Since starting my book idea, I started doing tfcd model shoots. In that time, I've had four "models" change their minds about modeling (one was really good at it and had potential) another two decide they don't want to shoot nudes and want any artistic nude shots removed! One did so because she claimed her mommy found out (Her husband sent me an email asking me to take the one photo down, although you can't even tell it's her lol) and another model contacted me just the other day. The model who contacted me the other day, she's a real sweetheart, so I took them down since I didn't want anything to happen to her, but man does that put a damper on what I do!
"Models" don't understand that a free shoot, isn't really free! it costs the photographer money in ways they'll never really apprecieate. Most models think a shoot is done once they leave, that's when the real work begins.
My new years resolution? no more free shoots again! when I was charging, I never had this problem. Crazy that I only have this problem when doing free shoots, models that pay, show up on time and they know what they're getting themselves into.
Who's going to take the stand with me? When I did this a few years ago, two photogs took the agreement, both were back to tfcd shoots inside of a month. I kept it going and they were jealous lol.
NO MEANS NO!