Less Is More- 5 Ways To Turn A Terrible Shoot Into a Hot Show

Did you ever have one of those days where everything goes wrong in the studio? I am sure you did. It happens to all of us. I should have known that this time would be a hard day the minute that model’s agent called me to say that the fashion stylist canceled. The other flag that should have gone up is when the make-up artist told me that she would be doing the make-up AND the hair as well. Then when I saw what clothes the model brought with her, I nearly fell over. She was a very ‘green’ fashion model; this could have been her 2^nd or 3^rd fashion photography shoot. I knew I was in for a hell of a day. To say the least, this threw my entire game off. I felt it into my bones – I should have just gone home and worked on getting new clients, but that is just not me. I am one determined SOB. I do enjoy the challenge of making a great image from nothing and fighting thru it, and this was shaping up to be a battle royal! I said to myself that if I could walk away with one or two images that I was happy with, then the day would be a success.

Number 1: The Clothes Make the Image (and Ruin It)

I’ll start with the clothes. Why do fashion models think that wrinkled shirts and jeans are going to look good in an image? I have no idea what this model was thinking when she opened her closet. There was nothing to work with and I, believe me, I tried. Also, I think she got all her moves from watching Fashion TV. The cheese that she brought was not the good stuff but the cheap ‘cheez wiz’. Sure she had a nice body but nothing in the eyes.

Number 2: What You DON’T See is Sexy

Her agent pulled me aside and said “David, you have to make her sexy –if that means shooting her in her underwear than that’s what needs to be done!” Hey I am no sleazeball, and really for me what you don’t see, now that is sexy. I knew I had to do something, so I started.

Number 3: Start Small, Lose the Bra

We lost the bra, which did not look good under her tight shirt. No bra, a little nipple, but really just a hint of nipple. I felt the tide turning. This only after about 2 -3 hours of shooting with tears in my eyes. She was wearing this horrible denim shorts, but I noticed she was wearing a sexy thong. I had her expose her thong just a little. At that point, something amazing happened, and the uptight, difficult model started loosening up. Slowly we removed another article of clothing, and another.As the clothes came off her body, she actually gained confidence! . Looking at me for reassurance, I showed her a few images to assure her that the images were in good taste and that really nothing was being captured that resembled a porn shoot.

Number 4: Keep an Idea Book Handy

I also keep an idea book with me. As I find inspiring fashion photography images I print them and paste them into this book. I showed her a few nude images and said, “If we can get something like this, than I will be very happy” It was funny, because as she was taking off her clothes she asked me to look away. Not sure why, because once I was behind the camera I saw everything. I guess not seeing my eyes made her more comfortable.

Number 5: Always, yes always, Show Your Wife Your Work

The day drew to a close and I knew I had my two images! I always show my wife my images, even the risqué ones, before anyone else. When I showed her the two that I liked she said “Oh that’s no so bad you don’t see anything.” The next thing she said was “David those are really sexy.” My wife is used to my work as a fashion photographer and being around half-naked models all day, but I really hardly ever shoot nudes, honest.

What a day, taking a green fashion model from plain ordinary to something sexy as hell.

Has this ever happened to you? Do you find that as the clothes come off the model becomes more confident?

4 Unforgettable Lessons Learned From Finding the Perfect Location for an Editorial Fashion Photography Shoot

I’ve always loved old dilapidated buildings. It does not matter to me if it’s in a city or out in the countryside. I love the raw feeling about them, the mystery of what happened to the site, why it has gotten to this condition and always how will it look as a backdrop/location for one of my fashion shoots. There is something deep inside me that draws me to them. Every time I drive past one I quickly try and figure out how would I get inside the building. I find something very sexy about old broken down buildings I don’t know why but I do.

Lesson #1: Find the Perfect Location, THEN Worry About Your Gear

Anyway, I had made contact with a local modeling agency, Yuli Models, and we agreed that I would use one of their models for a fashion shoot that I wanted to do. I was new to Tel Aviv and had no idea of the area, no access to a studio so I decided to take it on location. A studio was not the only part of the production that was missing, rental equipment was practically non-existent, I was like a fish out of water. Putting together a fashion shoot in New York City is so much easier but I was determined to do it.

Lesson #2 Trust Your Feelings to Find a Location

As I said I had no idea of the Tel Aviv area. I had never shot on location here. So I first set out looking for my location for this fashion shoot. I am not sure if I could really see it in my mind but rather feel it in my body. I was looking for something that I would only know once I saw it, the location would have to talk to me.

Lesson #3 Don’t Let Carrying Heavy Gear Affect Location Choice

Funny cause the location that I finally choose was a pain in the ass to get to. I had to carry all of my gear, all of the models cloths, the hair and make-up stuff and all through sand. It took 45 minutes of back and forth to the car to get everything to the location. Out of the sites that I scouted this had to be the hardest location to get to. I guess I did not want to make my life easy. I always take the hard way even when it comes to locations.

Lesson #4 Location Shooting Can Be Full of Surprises

I rented a few lights, a brand that I had never heard of and cannot even remember the name. Trust me when I tell you they were very cheap and did not sync with my camera. I was shooting digital and I guess it had something do to with the electronic charge that was causing a sync problem. Fortunately for me I had a little on-camera flash that would give me fill light and a large silk to defuse the hard sun light. It was a day full of surprises at every turn. As a professional photographer I have learned to keep my cool, solve the problem and get the shot.

The end result was that everyone was happy with the images, the model, the agency, hair and make-up and most importantly, me the photographer.

Your Turn!

What have you gone through to find the perfect location for your shoot?

Peaks are part of the perks

In talking about my recent work, I recalled a fashion shoot that I did in New York for a fashion designer.
The shoot was for a look book. It was not going to be a stressful shoot and I wanted to try a new digital tech fresh out of RIT. I graduated from there so I felt like I was giving back.

So things started off cool and easy. The team showed up and we started working. You know, hair, make-up, breakfast a few smokes, coffee a few more smokes and of course getting the gear all set up.

I went over everything with the digi tech ( I was shooting with a Leaf back at the time) and he seemed to have everything under control and understood what I was expecting from him.

As with most fashion shoots the models are not very bashful. Getting dressed and undressed with relatively little privacy is the norm and is nothing new, at least it wasn’t to me.
I started speaking to the tech between shots asking him about something, when I noticed he wasn’t paying attention to a darn thing I was saying. I then realized that he was checking the model out. Yes, she was getting dressed or undressed, not really import, but this kids eyes and tongue were popping out of his head and dropping on the floor. Really I think I saw drool out of the corner of his mouth. I said to him a few times "dude, dude, YO dude” but I got nothing from him. He was in a sort of naked girl coma. I could not get his attention for anything. Granted this model was smoken hot, but nothing that I have not seen before on other fashion shoots and already became accustomed to. After all the peaks are part of the perks of being a fashion shooter, right. It must have taken me four minutes to get him to focus and regain his concentration. I told him, “Calm down, we’re only 2 hours into the shoot, you’ll have plenty of time to ogle the rest of the day.”
He spent the rest of the day glued to the computer peaking up every now and again looking for the perk.

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