One of my most popular models is Taylor. She stopped in to hang with me and of course we shot. Taylor is one of the few models that I enjoy TALKING to as well as shooting. We talked longer than we shot and as a result, I’m forcing her to come back in December. If all goes my way, those photos will be some of the best I’ve taken to date! I’m excited and so is she.
In tradition with meeting the models, I want to keep it going with Cass. I met Cass online about a year ago. She has a look that drew me in right away. I found her wit and quips to be second to none therefore shooting her was a must. We talked here and there for about a year, then one day she contacted me and told me she was moving to FL and wanted to shoot before she left. The day we shot, she just got her braces off earlier in the a.m. and was excited to shoot. We shot several different styles and I have to say, this series…captured my eye She had so much fun she’s coming back in on my birthday in a few weeks and we’re shooting again! I can’t wait as this second shoot will be even hotter!
A few weeks ago, I had a boudoir workshop in a local hotel. The workshop was really a shoot out, but everyone had a great time and got some awesome images. One of the things I made a point to teach was that boudoir is nothing more than glamour photography, just more focus on body parts. I get into arguments all the time about this as some of my peers believe boudoir is different, I tell them “Boudoir is a fancy word to say lingerie, implied and nude photography.” It’s a general portrait photographers chance to shoot nekked women and not be thought of as a bad guy.
Regardless of your reason for shooting boudoir, I enjoy it and for the same reasons I enjoy glamour; empowering women.
As of late, I’ve been playing around with a new setup. I’ve gotten into e-fights as to the modifiers I’m using as some people think it’s a ring flash. I am not using a ring flash. I am using an old school style of photography that obviously is forgotten about, it’s called The Arc of Equal Distance. This light gives me a great look, however, I’ve found I have to use some pretty powerful lights! The Arc of Equal Distance is basically using three main modifiers all set to the same power settings and positioned around the client in a crescent moon type setup. This is how I get the shadowless look and how my images are now.
Here’s another from early this year. I saw it and it looked good to edit.
Three light setup; two on background one on model.
Some people wonder why I don’t allow escorts. I’ve seen threads and arguments across the internet that ranges from the ridiculous to reasonable. Everyone has their own reasons for allowing or not allowing it. I can’t tell you to allow or disallow them, only tell you why I don’t allow them;
My sets are just that, my set. I have insurance and my insurance clearly states no one who isn’t germain to the shoot is not covered and any accident is my responsibility.
I don’t need onlookers either trying to Art Direct my session or offering their unsolicited opinion on posing/lighting.
I don’t want a fellow photographer who is too frugal to pay for a one on one session, coming in trying to steal ideas (Yes, it happened once)
My reputation precedes me, A model or model-wannabe should do his or her research on a photog before asking to shoot.
Sometimes, you have to ask yourself “What did I do to deserve this?”
Most times you ask that, it’s in a bad way. Kelsey is the total opposite for me. Our shoots are what everyone should experience; total anarchy, loud, crazy and giggly.
I met Kelsey earlier this year. I liked her look right away and saw that she had some previous modeling photos. Naturally, my ego took over and decided she needed to have “better” photos than what she had read: I needed an excuse to shoot her.
To make a comfortable living at modeling, one has to either be signed with a major agency, or networked their butts off! Agency models if they work hard, can make a normal living at modeling. Other models can make money by networking, getting published and having their own portfolio sites. I’m of the opinion that every model should have his or her own portfolio site! One of the models that does very well with her networking and portfolio site is a friend of mine, Carlotta Champagne. Carlotta was a guest model of mine a few years ago at a Jay Kilgore workshop and she was awesome. She knew her body, knew how to pose so it made it so everyone got plenty of photos and we ended up with a lot of down time!
I saw Anna and right away thought she had a great, great look and amazing body! She has a GREAT personality and is amazing to be around. Here’s a few grabs from our session. I have to get her back in!
As of late, I’ve been dedicating blogs to everything except photos so lets return to our roots eh?
Taylor M came in a few months back for some photos. I think we got some awesome stuff.
Taylor, like many of the ladies I shoot, is beautiful. I really wanted to pull out her dark features, so I went with one strobe through beauty dish on a white wall.
This setup has always worked for me over the years and didn’t let me down again. The other photo is using window light and a reflector.