First model shoot

[loopguru]

I will be doing my first model shoot in 1 or 2 weeks. It will be outdoors and various wardrobes...bikini, formal dress and one more.

I have several ideas for locations: beachfront for bikini and fountain in city for dress and possibly third location. The times I suggested are early morning and hours before sunset to get more dramatic colours. I will be shooting with a Nikon D200 (D70s backup) with 50mm, 70-300mm, 18-200mm lenses and a standard gold reflector with SB-600 slave flash.

What other things am I forgetting to consider? I don't want to be blindsided by a variable I forgot to expect beforehand.

Also, any tips for lighting, etc. that others may have encountered in similar situation would be great! The goal of the shoot is less portrait and more oriented toward shots similar to FHM and Maxim magazines.

 

[Luke]

Ony my first shoot i learned some things that ill share...
You will not need the zooms, they will be less sharp, and not fast enough for decent depth of field, which you will need.
If it rains, you will be ****ed, but, your cam should be able to survive a little rain, which allows for to make some nice dramatic shots. (torrential rain on my first shoot)
which means lastly, got any photographic friends? bring them to assist, you need someone to hold hte reflector (above your head if it rains!!!)
Lastly, in between trying to be ansel adams about it, you need to keep clicking the shutter, if you are too slow the models find it hard, and you dont get a flow going, even if you know its a crap shot, snap it, you gotta keep the pacing. Also, compliment the models, and then tell them something that eludes to you actually being very experienced, like "okay turn your head to the right to exaggerate your eyes' or some ol bull ****e

 

[markc]

How you interact with models will depend on how experienced they are. Someone new will need a lot of direction, but someone experienced will do a lot of the work for you and will move on to the next pose after a couple of shots.

If you use the 18-200, I personally wouldn't shoot at anything below 35mm ("normal" for that camera, like a 50mm for a 35mm film camera). If you do use the zooms, pick certain focal lengths to shoot at for specific reasons. Don't zoom back and forth to save a walk. Choose between only somthing like 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 125mm because of what each gives you, and then walk to frame the image.

 

[Philip Weir]

Basically, I would start with some tear sheets from magazines so you have a starting point. I wouldn't consider using a w/a or standard lens [too short]. Shoot pretty wide on a zoom to obtain a short depth of field so as to seperate the subject from the background. Try and keep the background clean so as not to confuse the image. get some poses from your tear sheets. The best way to learn is to shoot, pick the best, then remember next time. Philip.

www.philipweirphotography.com

 

[Big Mike]

What about hair & make-up...is that going to be your responsibility or hers?

 

[loopguru]

Ony my first shoot i learned some things that ill share...
You will not need the zooms, they will be less sharp,

Is that a fair statement to make now? I understand this may have been true in the past but most zooms made today are mature and provide great quality compared to a prime.


Thanks for the shooting tips. One more question I had about technique: I don't have the L-plate that allows me to quickly mount the camera as portrait / landscape. Would you shoot handheld given *satisfactory* light or is it good idea to shoot while mounted landscape vs portrait?

Also, compliment the models, and then tell them something that eludes to you actually being very experienced, like "okay turn your head to the right to exaggerate your eyes' or some ol bull ****e

The best advice ever! ha

 

[loopguru]

If you use the 18-200, I personally wouldn't shoot at anything below 35mm ("normal" for that camera, like a 50mm for a 35mm film camera). If you do use the zooms, pick certain focal lengths to shoot at for specific reasons. Don't zoom back and forth to save a walk. Choose between only somthing like 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 125mm because of what each gives you, and then walk to frame the image.

I will most likely use the 70-300mm. That should give me a what - good 85mm-400mm - range? I too was thinking of sticking with "key" focal ranges for the various shots. One issue: is shooting portrait preferred because it forces one to "stick to the rules" (don't know if there are or what they are) vs shooting landscape for 1 person?

 

[loopguru]

Basically, I would start with some tear sheets from magazines so you have a starting point. I wouldn't consider using a w/a or standard lens [too short]. Shoot pretty wide on a zoom to obtain a short depth of field so as to seperate the subject from the background. Try and keep the background clean so as not to confuse the image. get some poses from your tear sheets. The best way to learn is to shoot, pick the best, then remember next time. Philip.

www.philipweirphotography.com

Thanks!! I've been going through photo.net portrait gallery and saving the photos that catch my attention. Pladgerism, i know

 

[loopguru]

What about hair & make-up...is that going to be your responsibility or hers?

She provides the wardrobe, makeup and I equipment, lights.

 

[Big Mike]

Is that a fair statement to make now? I understand this may have been true in the past but most zooms made today are mature and provide great quality compared to a prime.

Quality is a subjective term. While there are certainly some zoom lenses that are much better than zoom lenses of the past...they are top of the line and cost quite a bit. Consumer zooms (like most 70-300 lenses) are not all that good when compared to a prime lens. Things like sharpness, contrast, color rendition and chromatic aberration...are usually much better with a prime lens or a really good quality zoom.

 

[mentos_007]

is she a pro model? experienced one?

 

[markc]

Shoot pretty wide on a zoom to obtain a short depth of field so as to seperate the subject from the background.

Did you mean to shoot on the tele side?

 

[markc]

I will most likely use the 70-300mm. That should give me a what - good 85mm-400mm - range? I too was thinking of sticking with "key" focal ranges for the various shots. One issue: is shooting portrait preferred because it forces one to "stick to the rules" (don't know if there are or what they are) vs shooting landscape for 1 person?

On the Nikon that would be like a 105-450mm on a 35mm film camera, so pretty long. I would think the 18-200 (27-300) would be more useful, depending on the max apertures. Personally, I'd use the 50mm (75mm).

And yeah, I'd use portrait comp for most unless you have something on the horizontal that you find useful.

For an idea, this was my first model shoot a few years ago, and most of them were with my 50mm/f1.4 (like an 80mm when it's on a 10D).
http://www.markcarpenter.com/gallery/Tanya

 

[loopguru]

Hi Mark, can you post the EXIF for http://www.markcarpenter.com/gallery/Tanya/Tanya_1981

Curious if you used flash as main light and ambient light as fill light or the reverse. ( Set Flash Comp 1 stop higher and meter for background or meter for main subject and set flash comp 1 stop low? Not sure if I articulated that very well)

 

[loopguru]

is she a pro model? experienced one?

We already did a test shoot and she was very well in posing without direction upon the click of the shutter. Though, to answer your question, she is not a pro - yet.