Amateur Model Shoot question Not work safe

shardsofxapril · Aug 29, 2005

a good friend of mine would like me to take some photos of her in halfnude and underwear. now she would like these photos for a modeling portfolio aswell i wouldnt mind having some model photos in my journal. now I would like to know if anyone has any good tips for this kind of shoot. I have a friend who will lend me basic lighting equipment. and I'm using a SLR Minolta srt202 film camera. what speed film should i use? any tips on lighting? any tips owuld rock. thanks

DIRT · Aug 29, 2005

Hello, I would stress the lighting as one of the most important things with models. I like a flat, low contrast lighting set up, but not too flat. I would use 100 speed film for finer grain and try to get the model to relax, talk-laugh whatever just try to get her to forget that the camera is there as much as possible. Good luck and have fun. You might want to move this post to the portrait forum for better luck,

Reflexions · Aug 30, 2005

If I were doing this kind of shoot I'd set my main light at a 45 degree angle from the side least facing you. I'd then have her turn her head into the light till I saw a shadow on the side of and going to the bottom of her nose. Make sure the light hits the body at the same angle to give a 3 dimentional look to your shot. Your fill light should be above and behind your position and should be metered 1.5 to 2 stops under the main light. Use umbrellas or softboxes if you have them as they will diffuse the light for a "softer" look.
I'd also make certain there was another female there at the time.Good luck!

montresor · Aug 30, 2005

When I was a pimply adolescent exclaiming "Gawrsh!" whenever I saw a purty gurl, I remember reading an article with some kind of Playboyish photog who mentioned that it takes about half an hour for underwear lines to disappear, so have a fluffy warm robe for your model to sit around in until the skin relaxes. This would be a good time for the laugh-talk thing too.

Different film for different purposes: you want really fine grain, Ilford Pan F (ISO 50), rich tones for sure. You want lots of grain and the freedom from flash, Ilford 3200. The former if you're doing one of those "white backdrop" shoots, the latter if you're shooting in the living room.

Ditto Reflexions on the presence of a chaperone. Get proper release forms and pay a modelling fee, even if it's just a token, which can be a set of prints, as long as the contract says they're serving as the payment. Revealing stuff is potentially a dicey area, and it's best to make sure everyone's on the same page before you start out.

shardsofxapril · Aug 30, 2005

i thank everyone for their help. she is a friend of mine I've known for alittle while so I'm not worried about being uncomfortable but i think i may print up a contract/release form. she asked me to do this for her so i couldn't turn a pretty lady down. She just told me today that she has a Maxim audition coming up aswell which is pretty cool.
I'm currently a bit low on money and have some 200speed film laying around, will this be adequate enough for fine enough grain? it doesnt have to be perfectly professional just because this is basically her entry stuff.
I will be looking around at magazines to get ideas for poses and I will ask her if she wants to bring a friend along too. Does anyone with model shooting experience have any photos they can possibly share along with the camera settings?

photogoddess · Aug 30, 2005

I've shot some. 100 ISO film - rated at 50 ISO, f4 to f5.6 and I'd have to look through some notes for the shutter speed. We used multiple lights. Some with warming gels on them to simulate natural lighting. Here are a couple of examples.

shardsofxapril · Aug 31, 2005

photogoddess said:
I've shot some. 100 ISO film - rated at 50 ISO, f4 to f5.6 and I'd have to look through some notes for the shutter speed. We used multiple lights. Some with warming gels on them to simulate natural lighting. Here are a couple of examples.
]

awesome examples I appreciate that, now what exactly do you mean warming gels?

Smith2688 · Aug 31, 2005

They're basically little pieces of colored plastic film that go over lights to change the color of the light.

photogoddess · Aug 31, 2005

The ones in the black top were shot at 1/30 f4.5. Large window open to her front. Main light bouncing off the ceiling towards her face. Fill light on the floor bouncing off a reflector propped up on the wall, rim light pointing down and strobes in the bedside lamps.

The one in the pink was shot at 1/30 f6.3. There was a main light to the left, large bounce on the other side and a rim light behind and above her head. They also lit the back ground with a single light.

Hope the info helps.

shardsofxapril · Aug 31, 2005

helps a ton thanks, sounds like a lot of work ahha

photogoddess · Sep 1, 2005

It is lots of work but it's so worth it. This is actually one of my favorite things to shoot. Shooting a model that knows her job and poses herself is fun and pretty easy once you've got the technicals all down but making someone's wife or girlfriend see how beautiful she is is the best part of it all. :mrgreen:

LAB · Sep 5, 2005

Another shoot you didn't call me on.Come on "Pal" throw me a bone here.I need the work, shooting this mannequin is getting old.That's it I'm going to a Bird Show or a Horse Show this weekend.