Summer Shooting

Jenn from Summer 2011

I love late spring, summer and early-to-mid fall for shooting glamour in the Pacific Northwest. While I also enjoy shooting in the studio and in environmental settings, just being able to enjoy a warm day shooting with a lovely model is a real delight for me. The light is more challenging and often the rewards are greater because when you nail the shot you can truly capture the essence of the natural world.

I'm fortunate to live is such a beautiful area of the country, and even more fortunate to have a wonderfully supportive wife who modeled for me for many years, and who still supports my passion for photography with few complaints and much encouragement. I'm also luck to have a good friend who lets me use his property for shoots almost anytime I ask. He often helps me with reflectors, props and by shooting the behind-the-scenes images.

Let's not forget the models. These ladies gallantly hazard stinging nettles, mosquitoes, bees, poison ivy or oak, sand, dirt, gravel, freezing water, and sunburn to help me get great images. Some I've shot with only once, while many of them have become my friends through multiple shoots.

Lindsay at Sauvie Island

I'm winding down my model shooting this year and focusing more and more on different genres. I have a few shoots to complete during the summer shooting season so that I can wrap up several projects. Other shoots are at the request of models that really want to be part of one project or another that they particularly like (yes, Floofie, you will get to be a fairy).  Finally, there will be the shoots that support a model or two in their commercial endeavors.

It appears that this summer will be warmer and drier than last year's so my shooting opportunities will be expanded even if I'll be shooting fewer models overall.  With any luck, I'll get my lovely wife to do a few shoots with me as well.  I've also promised to shoot with a couple of friends this summer and I hope to be able to fulfill those obligations as well.  As the summer progresses, you can watch this blog to see what the lovely ladies and I are able to accomplish.

Respect Your Models

Audi in the Woodlands

I recently completed a small project during which I shot with several models, including two very lovely ladies for whom the project was our first shoot together. During the course of the shoot those two models, as well as two of my regular models, told me how nice it was to work with me.  I have received this compliment many times over my years of shooting and I had really never given it much thought. After all, I’m a good person and I try to treat people well, so I certainly had hoped that shooting with me would be a “nice” experience.  The first model that said this to me during this most recent project, however, said it with such intensity that I simply had to ask her what she meant. Her response surprised me.

She told me she had recently worked with a photographer who continually commented about what he didn’t like about her body or her poses. He made snide comments about her weight, though in my opinion she has a very well formed and toned body; how he didn’t like some of her poses and generally was not pleasant to her during the shoot.  This young lady is one of the most pleasant people you’d ever want to meet. She has a gorgeous smile, is always ready for a shoot, shows up on time and puts great effort into giving the photographer what he or she wants. I’ve worked with her four times over the last year and she’s just a real sweetheart.  I’m shocked that anyone would treat her so.

Her story made me think about the photographer to model relationship and what it means to me. So when I received the next such compliments, I asked the question, “Why do you say that?”  In every case the model was able to tell me specific aspects of shooting with me that made the experience pleasant and an event to be repeated rather than to be avoided.  Two of the models also related experiences they had encountered with other photographers which made them unwilling to work with those individuals again.  Once again, I was surprised that these ladies would be treated with such disregard for their feelings.

Now, I certainly hope these photographers are the exception and not the rule. It’s certainly been my experience with the few other photographers that I’ve occasionally worked with that models are treated with respect though, of course, shooting with a group of photographers and models is quite the different dynamic than when a model and photographer are shooting in a one-on-one situation.  Still, it doesn’t benefit photographers as a profession or avocation when models are treated poorly by someone who professes to be a photographer.

I am therefore going to share my philosophy and process of working with models in the hope that it will help other photographers who may not have much experience in working with models, and specifically glamour models, in front of their lens.  Certainly not every person who reads this will be influenced to change the way they act towards their models.  The ones that won’t change probably treat people poorly because of their personality and their  attitude toward humanity in general. Nothing I, or the models, say will change how they treat others.  I’m betting, however, there are a few photographers out there that simply don’t know what’s expected of them during a shoot and are willing to consider better methods so that they get the results they want while ensuring the models will want to work with them again in the future.

On the Beach with Sierra

I think the most important thing to keep in mind when shooting with a model is that they are your collaborators in the process of creating the image. Yes, you’re setting the exposure, the lighting, choosing the composition and the depth of field, and perhaps even directing the model into specific poses, but without the model, what would be your subject? What element beyond the background, the foreground and the props would you have in your final image? You need the model, otherwise you would be shooting still lifes, landscapes, or bugs.

If you’re shooting with a model, she or he, as the case may be,  is most likely the subject in your image. If you want the most from your model, treat them as a dynamic partner in the creative process. Talk to them, listen to them, and consider any suggestions they might have for the image. If they are experienced, they already know the poses that make them look the best and they often have great ideas about what poses would work well for the image or scenario you’re trying to capture. Consider what they have to offer and make use of it as appropriate.

Models are people too.  Don’t treat them as simply objects or props. Many of my models have willingly put themselves into awkward positions, donned uncomfortable clothing, stood in the cold, soaked themselves in freezing water, and posed with sand blowing in their face while standing barefoot on a hot desert floor because they shared my vision of the final image. They also did it because I explained what I wanted, made sure that a comforting towel and robe, a hot cut of tea, a wet washcloth and a cold drink or a helping hand was available to them immediately after I got the shot. I always keep what I call a “comfort pack” with me when I shoot. It contains a robe and slippers for the model, a pack of wet wipes, mosquito repellant, a large towel, a bottle of water, a washcloth, lotion, paper towels, and a clean brush. Some items seldom get used and some items get used quite a lot. But, they’re always available if the model needs them. Most of the time, depending on the duration and location of the shoot, I have hot or cold drinks available for the model as well. Keep the model comfortable or at least aware that the discomfort will be short, and you’ll get far more out of your model than you could otherwise expect.

Encourage your model. I certainly can stand to improve in this area.  I often get so caught up in the techniques of the shot that I often forget to provide feedback to the model. I’m still working on this, but I do try to let my models know when I think a particular pose or expression is working. I use words like “great,” “gorgeous,” “beautiful” or phrases like “that’s it,” “very nice” and “terrific expression,” to encourage my models. What’s more, I mean it. If I don’t like a pose or an expression I don’t tell them I don’t like it, but rather I suggest another pose or another look. The idea is to keep up a positive flow of energy between the photographer and the model. Reinforce everything that is working and let what doesn’t work slide on by.  Keeping the model happy and encouraged makes the shoot flow better and keeps the energy high.

Keep your hands to yourself as much as possible. In most cases, it’s not necessary to touch the model. Talk to the model before the shoot and let her know how you give directions. I often demonstrate glamour poses to my models and I know it has to look silly for a person who looks like me to strike a glamour pose, but hey, it gets the job done and I can indicate to the model what I want without a lot of words or trying to push her around like a mannequin. Sometimes you do have to move a hand or an arm slightly, but before you touch the model, ask (and get) permission first.

Finally, and I think this is where a lot of photographers get into trouble, understand your model’s limits and don’t try to push them beyond what they are comfortable shooting with you. If in doubt, ask before the shoot or before you get to that particular sequence in the shoot. If the models indicates discomfort with the pose or the concept, don’t push it. If such a pose or concept is integral to your shoot, it’s imperative you discuss it with the model before getting her to commit to the shoot and don’t spring it on her as a surprise the day of the shoot. It’s always okay to ask about a concept, but it’s never acceptable not to take no for an answer and to try to push a model into an uncomfortable situation.

Models are people just like your sister or your mother. They can collaborate with you and help you create some wonderful images if you treat them right. If you don’t, well, word has a way of getting around and you may just find yourself unable to get anyone to work with you at all.

Lindsay by the River

End of Summer Shoots

I'm wrapping up the summer shooting season here pretty quickly. I have just a couple more shoots scheduled, though I'll probably head to the Pirate Festival tomorrow to shoot a few wenches and scalliwags.

I think at the end of this year I'm going to take a break shooting with models for a while and concentrate of finishing my books and perhaps work on landscape, experimental and macro photography. In the meantime, I'll enjoy shooting with the lovely ladies for the remainder of the year and sharing my photos here with my few loyal readers.

Warrior Jasmine

Lindsay at Sauvie

Queenly Kim

Christy at Dragonfly Landing

A Fomer Model

Not long after I moved to Oregon I started shooting models again. I had done a fair bit of glamour photography over the years, beginning in Connecticut and New York, but other than shooting my wife and a few of my friends, I really hadn't done much glamour photography in the 10 years prior to moving to Oregon. My focus on photography in those days was primarily family, events, travel and landscape images.

One of the first ladies I met and engaged as a model after moving here was Veronica. Once again, Veronica was primarily my friend, but she is extremely photogenic and loved to model. She is also quite fun to be around with her ready smile and sparkling attitude. A bit of an exhibitionist, Veronica, could sometimes startle me with her willingness to show some skin in public, but it was all good.

Veronica started modeling for me when she needed some shots for a project, and then our partnership grew from there. I shot images for her that got her published in a couple of national men's magazines, and for a few contests she entered. As far as I know, she didn't work with any other photographers here in Oregon, but we certainly didn't have an exclusive arrangement for photos.

While Veronica primarily enjoyed shooting outdoors when we shooting together, she is a beautiful model both indoors and out, as you can see from the images I've posted here.

Veronica is a natural red head with the fair complexion and freckles that are natural to those lovely women.  When I first met her, she had long red hair down to her bottom, but by the time we started shooting together, she had cut her hair off short and varied the length and style constantly over the years we worked together.

About 6 years ago, Lynda moved to the East Coast and though we exchange the occasional e-mail, I haven't seen her in all that time, but I am grateful to her for being something of a muse to me for all those years and for rekindling my interest in glamour and figure photography.

Studio Fun

I've started processing the photos from the weekend's shoots. I'm very pleased with the images so far. Bridgett did a great job as the Reaper Fae, and I'm very happy with the costumes, her look, and the variation on the themes we did. I had some concerns about lighting the background and the model and providing some degree of separation between them, but the addition of a Lumopro Reflector Panel let me swap one of my lights for background light while allowing me to have a sufficient degree of fill on the model.

Based on my previous experience shooting the Dark Fae, I knew it would be difficult to separate some of the costume elements from a black velvet background, so I ordered a couple of new backgrounds from Backdrop Outlet. I have used them with great success in the past, so I had no concerns about order a new Elite Blue backdrop and more specifically, the Scarlet Flame Muslin that I planned to use for the shoot. I ordered them in plenty of time for the shoot, but only the blue backdrop arrived before the weekend. The Scarlet Flame was put on back-order just after I ordered it. So, I had no red backdrop for the shoot at all.

Fortunately, Mike Lowery at Focal Point Photography came to my rescue. Not only did he sell me the Lumopro Reflector I mentioned above, he had a cranberry muslin in stock I was able to purchase. That's the back drop you see in the image above and to the right. I hit the backdrop with a red gelled strobe and it was almost perfectly what I had envisioned for the image.

Mike also loaned me what he called his "seagull droppings" background to use. This was a very fun background with which to play. It's partially translucent and therefore takes on the color of whatever strobe is placed behind it. The images below show three examples of it's use:

First is with a blue gel on the backdrop light:

Then with a red gelled light:

And finally with no gels:


Now, if I could just get him to sell it to me.

Most of the day was spent shooting Bridgett and Wanda, and then that evening I shot with a new model, Melanie K. Melanie posed for my Fae in All of Us series as one of my Fire Faries. She brought her fiancé along to the shoot, and he and Wanda had a pretty good time talking to each other while Melanie and I were shooting. Wanda grilled him for some of his favorite shooting locations. Additionally, Melanie's friend Betsy dropped by the studio for a bit, and she make actually become part of the project as well. I'll be talking to her soon about becoming my Wind (or Air) Fairy. Here's a shot of Melanie as the Fire Fairy. It's not the best shot from the series, but it does give an idea of the set-up and the look of the set:

When I get more of the images processed, I'll probably post a few more here.

A Studio Weekend

I was able to spend all day Saturday shooting in the studio and I had a great time. I was able to shoot with my good friend and model, Bridgett, for two shoots and got to work with a fun new model for the last shoot. All in all, I was able to get in about 6 hours of solid shooting, including a couple of hours of shooting with my wife.

I was able to work on two of my projects. Bridgett posed as the Reaper Fae for my Fae in All of Us project, and Bridgett and Wanda both posed for my Women in Chains series. After those two shoots, we went out to dinner in St. Johns with Bridgett, Mark and their son, Morgan, and had a nice time just chatting and catching up with them. Afterwards, Wanda and I went back to the studio to set up for the next shoot which was a reshoot of my Fire Fairy set.

The photos you see here are from the 1st shoot. These ladies weren't the primary models I had planned for the shoot. In fact, they were my back-up models. The primary model was to be shot later the same day that these pictures were taken, but the model was a no show. This was especially frustrating because this model had been planning to shoot this particular set for over a year. Whenever we would plan to shoot, scheduling issues would prevent us from getting together. At the time, I didn't consider this a major issue, since I felt that I had plenty of time to complete the shoot this year and I also knew I could easily get another model for the shoot. Also, the scheduling issues were on both ends of the equation, so I felt I owed her an opportunity to do the shoot.

Finally, this summer, it seemed things were about to come together for the shoot. I found a studio that I could rent for a reasonable rate, although because of the large windows and skylights it would require the shoot to be at night. I was also able to complete a test shoot with the model and she was ready on time and worked well with the camera. She was able to self-direct well, and was also able to take directions easily. Based on her test shoot, I reserved the studio, gathered the needed props, and paid the deposit for a day of shooting.

As you can see from the images above, the lighting for this shoot is quite elaborate. It involved 5 strobes. A large softbox on camera left, a gridded hairlight with a red gel on a boom above the model, and three gelled strobes below the model with barndoors. The model posed on a plexiglass platform with two strobes with red gels lighting her (them) from below, and the third strobe with a yellow gel was set to illuminate the smoke from an industrial fog machine. Additionally, a black velvet background was used to absorb the light and the softbox was flagged to prevent any light spill onto the background.

Earlier in the week the model wrote me (she doesn't have a cell phone or land line) to say she wasn't sure she could make it and asked me to reschedule. This was after confirming two days earlier that the shoot was on. After I told her the studio was reserved and paid for and I could not reschedule, she told me she would be there and we made the final logistical arrangements for the shoot (I was to pick her up at the Max station at 7 pm and she would be bringing her sister along as an escort). That was quite fine with me, but I did have a unsettling feeling about this, so I arranged for the two other models just in case. I also had arranged for a makeup artist for the shoot, but when the MUA called me earlier in the day to confirm, I told her to wait until I was sure the model was going to show before she headed to the shoot.

As it turns out, that was my best move in the whole situation. I figured I could at least use these models to set up the lights and fine tune all the elements of the image so that when the primary model showed up, I would be ready to go for the shoot. Due to the setup time and the time it took the two models to get into makeup and costume, we only got to shoot for about an hour and a half, at which time we all went to the Max station to pickup the third model and her sister.

Since that model had no cell, there was no way for me to call her and confirm she was on her way - so we got to the station early and waited for two trains (a half an hour) before I decided to take the two models to where they needed to be. I came back by the station after dropping them off, and waited for two more trains. At 8:30 pm, I gave it up, called the MUA to cancel and then went back to the studio and spent the next two hours breaking down the studio equipment and stowing it in my truck.

During all this time there was no call at all from the model to explain the situation. In fact, it wasn't until 5 days later that I got a note from the model. She told me she had been in a car accident on the way to a cookout before the shoot, and although she didn't get hurt, her friend who was driving bumped his head and had to go to the hospital and so she had to stay there with him.

I have no idea if this is true or not, but I did tell her in my reply that there was simply no way we'd ever be able to work together given what happened and that a call would have been the most courteous thing to do in the situation.

Fortunately, my shoots this weekend helped me to move forward and I'm just going to chalk this up as a learning experience - never shoot with a model that isn't able and willing to maintain multiple lines of communication. The hassle just isn't worth it!

Shoot Plans for the remainder of the week and month

Well, so far, due to my forced bachelorhood, I've managed to:

Rake the yards, trim the bushes, clean up and rearrange the garage, edge the lawn, mow the grass, fertilize the shrubs and plants, fertilize the lawn and apply Scott's feed and moss killer. I also made two trips to Good Will, vacuum and shampooed all the carpets, cleaned up the three bathrooms, repaired the lower dish washer sprayer, wash all the linens, as well as all the laundry, filed the taxes, reorganized our filing system, cleaned out the refrigerator, cleaned the oven, completed one landscape field trip down the coast to Florence, as well as a 1 1/2 day photo shoot with a remarkable young model.

I've also worked full time at my day job, taken care of my grand kids 8 out of the last 12 days, as well as taken my youngest daughter and her children out for lunch on her birthday, So, I'm ready to do just a little more stuff for myself. So, I have three shoots planned for the rest of the week.

Tomorrow, I'm shooting with Ashley with the theme of the House Fairy, that magical creature who, with the properly incentives, will come to your house and clean up all the mess from the big party. Every home wants one, but not every home can get one. It takes strong belief and a welcoming attitude (as well as an open bar since House Fairies are notoriously thirsty). Still, they'll do any task that needs to be done, so they're great to have around. Fairies like Ashley are very easy on the eyes as well.

On Thursday night, I'm shooting with Krisa. Our intent is to add a variety of shots to her portfolio. Krisa is so much fun to shoot with, it's hardly work at all. She's very photogenic and full of energy. I have a broad plan for the shoot, but we're going to keep it pretty flexible to accommodate shots she wants to add to her portfolio.

Finally, on Friday, I'm shooting with a differnt Ashley, the young lady who was the first model of my fairy series. My intent to is do see if I can get more enthusiastic poses and expression from her in an outdoor glamour setting.It's a challenge to me to see what I can do to work the model as to achieve her very best.

Then, at long last, Wanda will be home and I will pleading with her to start posing for me again. She's my best model and the one I love to shoot the most. It's fun to work with new models and capture new looks on film, but no one can ever replace her in front of my lens.

Shooting as Fun and Therapy

Wanda is away for a couple of weeks. Her mother took a severe turn for the worse and she made snap decision to make the trip back to Georgia. It was certainly the right decision, given the circumstances, as her mother almost died before the doctors got her stabilized. She's out of the hospital now, but Wanda needs to remain with her parents for a while longer to assist with setting up her mom's home therapy and to help get both her parent's affairs in order.

Her mothers sudden turn was precipitated by a fire that destroyed both their outbuildings, included her father's woodworking shop and resulted in the lost of several thousands dollars worth of equipment, as well as many precious family heirlooms. The stress of the event (which has been determined to be arson), was just too much for her mom who has been chronically ill for several years now.

I have, of course, had more time on my hands with Wanda gone. We talk every morning, and I'm doing a lot of on-line research and paperwork for her parents, but given the three hour time difference, my evenings are mostly free except when the grand kids are here (a couple of nights each week so far). To get my mind off things and to give me something to work on while she is gone, since I've cleaned the house, the yards and the garage already, I took a road trip on Sunday and then shot with a young model I'm helping to get into the business on Monday and Tuesday.

The road trip was quite relaxing. I took Hwy 26 and Hwy 6 to the coast and it was a gorgeous spring day for the trip. From Tillamook, I took the Three Capes Scenic Route and did some photography out at Cape Mears and the lighthouse, then drove down the coast to Florence to meet my model and spend some time with her parents.

The model, Gabriell, is a lovely and talkative young lady, had expressed an interest in modeling part-time to earn extra cash. She is quite photogenic. I've known her for several years and Wanda and I are great friends with her parents. I photographed her for her senior portraits last year, and she was the Sand Fairy for my ongoing project. I definitely wanted to have a discussion with her parents before the shoot to keep them in the loop and to explain what we would be shooting, especially since I expected that Gabriell would be interested in the more lucrative areas of modeling (glamour and artistic nudes), based on her previous history. Of course, it was just fun spending the time with two good friends and chatting about life and family as well.

On Monday we got an early start shooting per our shoot plan, and headed out to Collins Beach, on Sauvie Island. As you can see from the image to left, Collin's Beach is a Clothing Optional area. The look on Gabriell's face was something to see when she saw the people on the beach, but she was quite game to get started and we got some great shots. The day was beautiful with a clear sky and wonderfully, warm weather and we had great views of Mount St. Helens and other peaks in the background. We spent about 3 hours shooting there in various outfits, and I think we got a number of great images for Gabriell's portfolio.

Here are just a couple of shots from that session:



Over the remainder of the day and the following morning, we got quite a number of additional images, but I haven't had the opportunity to process any more of those (the grandchildren have been staying with me since Tuesday), but I certainly think that this young lady has potential and with some hard work, she could make some real money as a glamour model for local artists and photographers.

Last Shoot of the Summer

I have time for one more shoot before the weather turns gray here in the Pacific Northwest. I've been trying to find a model to shoot with me tomorrow. I thought I had a couple of prospects, but they have failed to follow up with me, so I don't know if I'll be able to pull off another outdoor shoot this week or not.

"My concept for this shoot would be to achieve a series of glamour and outdoor nude shots in a wooded and rural setting. The idea would be to compare and contrast the beauty of the nude female form with the beauty of nature for the nude images. For the outdoor glamour, I would want to shoot some images that used the smooth female skin juxtaposed with rougher materials such as weathered wood or stone."

These were the words in my last casting call posted a few hours ago. I wonder if I'll actually get anyone to join me for a shoot. As of late last night, I had no responses, and I also contacted a couple of models I have used in the past to see if they were interested, but got no responses. I do know the middle of the week is a hard time to schedule shoots, especially at the last minute, but I figured it was worth a shot.

Shooting with Sierra

I'll be shooting with Sierra again next week. We're doing a glamour shoot in the Columbia River Gorge at some of the waterfalls. They will be mostly bikini and perhaps some wet t-shirt shots, as well as some simple barefoot glamour images.

The weather is looking pretty good for the shoot, and if it holds, we maybe shooting on Sauvie Island on Tuesday as well.

It should be a lot of fun.

Garden Fairy

I got to shoot with the most amazing model yesterday. London Andrews was everything I had hoped for and more. She was extremely professional. She could self-pose with exceptional proficiency. She even did her own makeup and hair. And to top it all off, she was intelligent, fun to talk to, and a lady in all respects.
I wished she lived in Portland so I could use her as a model more often.

She was orignially scheduled to be my Summer Fairy and I was going to shoot her out in the woods in Gaston. But the weather was just too chancey, so we wound up shooting in my backyard, which is small but quite photogenic.

We went through several costume changes (and three sets of wings), and she was game for just about anything I asked of her. She's definitely a lady in all regards, and I'd recommend her to any photographer who wants a classy model for a photo shoot. Even the test shots for exposure came out great (see the image above and to the right).

I'm more than willing to shoot with her again, bu alas, she tells me that she's retiring form modeling at the end of this year. What a loss for us those of us with an interest in glamour photography!

Shooting with London

London Andrews is in town. She's a model that's been traveling across the US for most of this year on her roadtrip to Alaska. She's a beautiful, young model from Syracuse, New York with an astounding portfolio. She's worked with an astonishing number of photographers over the past few years and she's writing a blog about her travels in 2008 as she visits various cities and points of interest along the way. If you're interested in reading about her travels a link to her blog is listed under My Blog List, (but I'll make it even more convenient for you and list it here: London's Blog). She's not only beautiful, but she's an excellent writer as well. She contacted me several weeks ago to tell me that she liked my portfolio and to let me know she'd like to do a shoot with me if possible.

She's on a tight schedule, so we agreed to set up a tentative date to shoot her as part of my ongoing fairy project. The goal was to use her as Summer Fairy, drape her in flowers and shoot her out in a pretty copse of green trees. Unfortunately, tomorrow's weather is going to be anything but summer like. The weather forecast for the my zip code tomorrow is:

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Northwest wind between 6 and 9 mph.

Yeah, Portland in June! Of course, by the weekend it's supposed to be:

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75.

Timing is everything. So our shooting plans have changed. Instead of shooting Summer Fairy out in an rural setting, we're going to be shooting Garden Fairy in my backyard (see the photo above). With the weather that cool and windy, I simply can't justify taking the poor girl out in the woods with no access to heat, a warm drink, and shelter from the wind.

This, however, means the wings I had ordered for Summer Fairy aren't going work. The garland I had planned to use for the drape now won't match the wings I had to go buy today. I have to be more discreet with the poses (wouldn't want to offend the neighbors) and I'll need to find a dark, green thong somewhere. But, I am looking forward to the shoot and to working with a new model.

Unfortunately, it seems London will be retiring from the modeling business to concentrate on school after her road trip is complete. I haven't met her yet, but I can tell from her e-mails and from her blog that is is an intelligent and friendly young lady. I considered canceling the shoot due to the weather, but I just didn't want to pass up the opportunity to shoot with her.

I'll post some photos and a follow-up entry after the shoot tomorrow. Wish us luck!

Test Shoot with Lilly

I did a test shoot with a new model on Friday. Lilly is a lovely, slender girl with long dark hair and beautiful brown eyes. She has agreed to be one of the models for my fairy project and I think she's going to make the perfect woodland fairy.

We did our test shoot in Cathedral Park under the St. John's bridge. It's one of my favorite places to shoot, and I've shot several models there including Sierra, Autumn and Gabriell. If offers a great variety of settings which include a small beach along the river, several wooded areas, park benches, a dock, willow trees, an open fields, a concrete pavilion, and the bridge struts itself.

Since Lilly was test shooting for a woodland fairy, we stuck to the wooded areas and primarily concentrated on how she self-posed, how well she took directions, and how her skin and hair tones stood up against the wooded background. I have to say that everything was excellent. She also got into character and worked at showing me some fairy moods (curious, reflective, frightened, etc.). Her skin and hair tones stood out quite well against the green backdrops and complemented the dark brown of the tree trunks and limbs. She has a natural ability to pose, and can get into character quite easily provide a variety of expressions. She also has the ability to express emotions with her body language, which will help a great deal as we get into the actual shoot.

I brought all the costume materials to show to her, explained how we would proceed through the project, i.e. how the materials would be used, what kind of makeup would be involved, how we would progress from the fully covered shots to the final artistic nudes and got her opinions on the make-up and costume materials. She told me that after seeing the materials I had accumulated for the project, she was quite excited about moving forward with the shoot. Now it's just a matter of location, weather and timing.

My daughter's boyfriend has offered the use of his mom's property for my projects. His mom, a very lovely and nice lady name Shannon, has a lovely home on property out in Gaston. On the hill behind her home is a trail that leads through a heavily wooded areal with old trees, stumps, ferns and everything else one would need for such a shoot. Additionally, she has a large cleared area on her property that would work well for some other projects I have in mind.

There are other options too. There is a large wooded plot of land across from my house that might work well too, though not was well I think as the property in Gaston. Additionally, I have a friend, Mark, who lives up on Bald Peak, and I have permission from him to use his property for several shoots as well. In fact, the first fairy shoot (Autumn Fairy) was shot on his property. Another friend of mine, Dave, has offered me the use of his land as well, and I'm sure there are a couple more friends who would be willing to allow me the use of their property for a photo shoot. So, I'm lucky in that regard.

My only problem right now is a location for my water fairy shoot. I need a shallow steam of water that's fairly isolated. I have a spot in mind, but it's a distance away and is near a state campground, so it's not as isolated as I would like, though I have shot there in the past. You can see an example image from that location directly above. During the shoot where this shot was taken, the model and I were undisturbed and the closest people were three fly fishermen several hundred yards downstream. They didn't notice us at all during the shoot, or if they did, they sure didn't seem to mind. So, I'll probably go for a drive, despite the high gas prices, and make sure the area is still suitable before actually shooting there, but it would still be nice to find someplace closer, if possible.

Senior Portraits

A couple of weekends ago, I had the delightful opportunity to shoot some senior portraits for a young friend of mine. I have no idea why she chose me as her photographer, but I certainly tried to give her some great images for her final year of high school. She had to travel up to Portland from Florence to do the shoot, but fortunately, her step-dad was already attending a conference in the area, so her mom was able to drive her up the night before and we had almost a full day in which to shoot.

The shoot was quite enjoyable. She seems to be a natural at modeling and she obviously was having fun throughout the shoot, even though the weather was not very cooperative and she did get quite cool during certain portions of the shoots.

I was able to take her to several locations that I've used for my photography in the past; the PCC Rock Creek Campus, which has lots of interesting statues and structures that make great backdrops and props; an old railroad trestle with huge wooden beams; and Cathedral Park, underneath the St. John's Bridge. All the locations provided us with wonderful backdrops and she was able to have several outfit changes at each setting.

Here are some other images from our shoot:

This was taken under the St. John's Bridge

This was her "princess" shot for her mom.

New Models, Projects, and Frustration

I'm a member of several photography sites and forums. I have a portfolio on One Model Place, another portfolio on Model Mayhem, a Flikr account, as well as an account on Photo.net. I'm pretty well established as a photographer on several forums and in some print media as well. So, you would think that I would have too much trouble finding new models to work with as I develop new projects. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I recently put out a casting call for a series of projects that I plan to work on over the summer months. The casting call was for ethnic models, specifically black, asian and latino models, but of the 14 response I've gotten to the casting calls, only three models have actually taken the time to meet with me. Of those, one is actually moving away from Oregon in the next couple of weeks, so I'll be unable to use her in my projects anyway. The other two are in Salem, which is much more difficult, logistically, for the shoots, but because both models have acted professionally and have significant interest in shooting with me, I'm planning to use them for the project.

What I don't understand is why some models will respond to a casting all, indicate interest, and then refuse to meet with me to discuss the projects to determine if they would be a good fit for what I have in mind. I made it very clear in the casting call that I would work within the limits the models set for the images I wanted to shoot, but it seems every time I call or write the models that indicated interest, I get no response from the majority of those who replied.

It's really a shame because I would like to find two or three models I could use on a regular basis to explore different aspects of photography (Muses so to say). Sierra is probably the closest model to that right now. At least she's dependable. I think these other two models will work out quite well too, but I really do need another model with an African background to add to my portfolio as well. So, if you're a black female model in the Portland, Oregon area and you'd like to work with me, drop me a line please. :)

Lisa

I had the distinct pleasure of working with a new model today. Lisa was prompt, professional, and very classy. She takes direction easily, self-poses and understands the photographic process. She understands hot to quickly accommodates the photographer's needs. She collaborated completely in the creative process and provided excellent suggestions on how to make the shoot better. Her enthusiasm was invigorating and contagious and made the shoot one of the best I've done in a very long time.

We were able to get through several scenarios in about 2 1/2 hours of shooting and it was definitely enjoyable for both of us. Lisa is very photogenic, curvy and has great legs. We were able to have a great conversation throughout the shoot which made it even more enjoyable for us both. I certainly look forward to shooting with her again.

Sarongs

I really love the look of sarongs on a model. There's something so sexy, and a bit exotic, about them. The sarong is very versatile too. It can be wrapped in so many different ways and used to hide flaws or to accentuate the form. The fact that sarongs come is so many different sizes, styles and colors is a great benefit as well.

A few years ago, a gentleman in India saw some of my Oregon Country Fair photos. In the images, many of the fair goers were wearing sarongs of one sort or another, including several of the ladies in my party. He really enjoyed the photos and was kind enough to send me a huge box of sarongs from his factory in India for use to use at the next fair. Both of the sarongs seen in this posting came from the supply that he sent to us and I still use them for the fair and for use in photo sets.

Whenever I travel, especially to any place tropical, I always look for new sarongs to pick up for my photography sessions. In 2006, on a trip to Hawaii, we picked up several new sarongs, and even bought some for souvenirs to bring home to the family. These were very well received. they came is especially useful when we had our Luau Party in 2007.

Clothing certainly helps to determine a mood, and sometimes a sense of location, in photography and the sarong suggests an exotic tropical locale, especially used with water and direct sunlight. Add a bit of sandy beach and a model shoot done is Alaska can be made to look as though it was shot on a tropical island.

I used a sarong for this model shoot with Sierra in September of 2007. Even though we were shooting along the Willamette River in Oregon, the sarong and the framing makes it appear as if we were shooting in some exotic tropical location.

So, if you enjoy shooting glamour, or enjoy just want a different look for portraits or other shots, pick up a few inexpensive sarongs and experiment with them. I think you'll find they're a lot of fun for both you and your model.

Exxageration

Back a few years ago, a Harley Davidson Drag Racing team came to me with the idea of creating a t-shirt they could sell at their drag meets. They lined up the girls, the graphic artist that would convert the photos into the final t-shirt graphic, as well as the t-shirt printing company. So early one Saturday morning in July, a big trailer pulled up in front of my house, and this very interesting bike was rolled out of the back and into my garage where I had set up a back drop and some studio lights.

The backdrop didn't matter a great deal since it was going to be cut from the final photos when the images were turned into the t-shirt graphics. The interesting part was that the bike, with it's extended front rails was much, much longer than I had anticipated, and though I thought that I had more than enough room in my garage studio, the front end of the bike stuck out of the garage and into the driveway a bit - which prevented closing the garage door.

This really wasn't a problem until the models showed up, and I realized that what the team had envisioned was a couple of nude girls on the bike with their "bits" to be covered by the team banners when the graphic artist did the final work later. To top it off, my 13 year old niece and my 65 year old mother were visiting from their small hometown in Georgia. I wasn't too worried about my mom and my niece, though they were quite curious about what was going on in the garage, but I didn't think it was the best idea to be shooting nudes in my wide open garage on a Saturday morning in the summer.

So, I got the bike team to help me rig another set of backdrops over the garage door to add some privacy and we started shooting. The team had several ideas, and we tried a number of variations, which did include some bikini shots. The rider had to dress up in full leathers and a helmet, and this meant we had to take several breaks to let him cool off (both physically and mentally).

At one point, my niece eluded my wife and manged to get out to the garage to get a drink from the beverage refrigerator, and her eyes got quite wide when she saw the shooting activity. She just had to run back inside to tell my mother that "Uncle Mark has a bunch of naked women and a biker gang in the garage."

Of course, that meant Mom had to come out for a look herself. She just chuckled at the site, and then she started chatting up one of the bike team members. Soon enough the shoot was over, the models hung around to get a few shots for their own portfolios, and the bike team loaded up the equipment in the trailer and got ready to leave. While I was burning the raw images to a disk for the team, the girls got dressed, the team finished their loading and my mom invited them all out to the back deck for a cold beer. She must have kept them out there talking for the better part of an hour, and when she got back to Georgia she bragged about how she had beers out on my deck with a biker gang and a bunch of naked women.

Favorite Models

I'm writing a series of articles for my personal website. The articles include lens reviews, places to shoot, tutorials for photographic techniques, and other subjects photographic. I finished a couple of articles yesterday; one on the Canon 85 f/1.2 L lens and another on the Canon 135 f/2 L lens.

I illustrate my reviews, of course, with photos taken with the lenses or at the places of which I'm writing. In the case of the two lenses I wrote about yesterday, the model here was used prominently to illustrate the lenses capabilities and to provide example shots to draw the readers' attention. As you can see, Christine would draw anyone's eye.

Christine is an aspiring model, and I worked with her for a couple of years assisting her with some shots she needed for her portfolio and for some modeling applications. She works hard, shows up on time, and really contributes to the creative endeavor. I really miss working with her. It has been over a year now, and I do hope she is doing well with her career.

The last time we worked together was in August of 2006. We were working on getting her a portfolio established on one of the major online modeling publications. We had gotten several shoots completed for her outdoor glamour portfolio and were about to start working on some more generalized fashion and activity shots when she abruptly told me she wouldn't be modeling anymore for very well thought-out personal reasons. It's really a shame, because she was truly my favorite model and I do miss working with her.

When I was writing yesterday, I found the photos of her best illustrated the particular concepts forwarded by the articles, and that got me to thinking about Christine and how she was doing and how much fun it was to shoot with her. I miss her energy and her willingness to try new poses and concepts, as well as her ability to look at the positive.

Christine, wherever you are, I hope you're doing well and that you've taken up modeling again.

Montana

I took a longer lunch today and did a photo shoot with a long-time friend of mine, Montanna. I've known Montana for about 5 years, I think. I met her through another friend of mine, and we've done a few photo shoots together. After modeling for a while, she took a break, but is now looking to get back into the business. She has a portfolio on One Model Place and I'll be helping her build and expand her portfolio over the next several months (I hope).

The photo shoot we did this afternoon was fairly quick. We shot under the St. Johns Bridge and it was quite cool down by the river. Montana is a slender young woman, and I could tell the chill was getting to her when we weren't in the direct sunlight. She was quite game and very enthusiastic about the photo shoot, though, so anyone that hires her as a model would be very pleased with the results, I'm sure.