Model Shoot Advice Needed

sactown024 · Oct 31, 2012

Good Evening Photographers,

I am back once again with another question which hopefully wont turn into a 5 page argument like the last thread.

I was recently contacted by a amateur model looking to expand her portfolio a lot like what I am trying to do with photography. She is currently a promotional model for bars and things like that, very pretty girl. we went back and forth with emails about what clothing to wear, makeup, location etc.. We decided that she would bring multiple outfits and different types of makeup. Lucky me, I have a friend in town that owns a gym and is allowing me to use his aerobics room as a studio and the outside is very industrial looking so I will most likely shoot out there too. Since we are both trying to expand our portfolios there is no money involved and it is strictly to help each other. I have her watching videos on posing and how to use the photographers lighting since I openly told her I dont have any experience with models and how to pose them.

My question is since ill be renting some gear as I think this could be a good boost for my portfolio, what should I be renting? As for off camera lighting I have 2 options, use my single speedlite (YN 560II) and buy a stand, trigger and umbrella for about $100 or rent 2 canon 580 setups with stands, umbrellas, pocket wizards for $75 shipped for 1 week. Is 1 off camera enough for great photos or should I go with the 2 580's? whats a safe setup for lighting, first time using off camera

ale:,will try to practice before shoot and I have been reading strobist.

No idea what lens i should rent, prime, zoom, wide? the room is about 25' X 25' one wall being completely mirrors. I have a trippod but the head kind of sucks, i couldn't hold up the 70-200 without drifting down.

I use a Canon body and have a 50mm 1.8.

below is a photo of her

Samerr9 · Oct 31, 2012

Are there any windows in the room?

sactown024 · Oct 31, 2012

No windows : /

Samerr9 · Oct 31, 2012

You can always do alot with anything you have! even you can turn on and off the lighting in the room.

But my recommendation will be to go with renting the two flashes. It will give your more options like hair/rim light.

I wish you all the best. I was panicking when I was in charge of a photosession with a model for the first time. Be calm and put you knowledge in what you are doing and you wil do great

Robin_Usagani · Oct 31, 2012

sactown024 said:

Which one is she?

Anyway, I do mostly only 1 off camera flash. If you are still questioning whether 1 is good enough or not, trust me that you are not ready to shoot with 2. Just do the photos outside man.. Shooting indoor especially with one wall with mirror is crazy hard. It will be a lot easier if you had windows. You can do A LOT with 1 flash.

2WheelPhoto · Oct 31, 2012

OCF for the win

shortpants · Oct 31, 2012

Hello neighbor

Natural lighting and a reflector could be enough for a great photo, this really depends on your ability (and conditions of course.) I'm not the lighting guru or anything but absolute minimal I would have on hand is a reflector. What you really need is hard to say. If you've never worked with a two light setup and you don't have time to practice you might want to keep it a little more simple. Simple doesn't mean bad, and with less variables thrown in the mix you're more likely to get useable pictures. One flash off camera balanced with natural light outdoors can look great. As far as a lens, longer than 50mm is more flattering. Avoid anything wide. Oh and personally I would just use the speedlite you have and buy the stand and trigger. Seems silly to rent for a trade shoot, invest in your own equipment and then you have it for more practice later.

kundalini · Oct 31, 2012

For equipment rental in the USA, Lensrentals.com FTW.

MLeeK · Oct 31, 2012

I think you are over thinking this a little, and I also think you are jumping on the lighting wagon for a shoot when you haven't learned how to manipulate the lighting.

You have given us all of the OTHER information, now how about what you envision for this shoot? Tell me exactly the image(s) you want to create. If you are unsure, spend some time surfing flickr and get your ideas together.

I might have told you this before... I can't remember... Back when I was shooting pool competitively my coach once told me something that I live by in every aspect of my life; "Plan your shot then shoot your plan." Ironically enough it doesn't even need to be re-worded to apply to photography.
Plan exactly what you want to produce. Sketch it out if you have to. Then LOOK at your vision and decide where the light will need to be. Then figure out if you can do it naturally or if you will need light or lights.

sactown024 · Oct 31, 2012

here are some shots I would like to get get, I am so new to this and so is she so we are both going to spend hours trying new things. I just dont want to be stuck with photos with horrible shadows from one flash, but it sounds like I may be able to avoid that.

http://www.marshu.com/articles/imag...ricas-next-top-model-season-3-yaya-spider.jpg

http://cdn-premiere.ladmedia.fr/var...evient-sur-June_image_article_paysage_new.jpg

http://www.italyhairfashion.com/Photos/Models/hr_models/2020beigeModel.jpg

table1349 · Oct 31, 2012

MLeeK said:
"Plan your shot then shoot your plan." Ironically enough it doesn't even need to be re-worded to apply to photography.
Plan exactly what you want to produce. Sketch it out if you have to. Then LOOK at your vision and decide where the light will need to be. Then figure out if you can do it naturally or if you will need light or lights.

:thumbup: +1

MLeeK · Oct 31, 2012

You are a man after my own heart. I love the dramatic stuff.
The first one looks like probably 3 lights
The second one LARGE softbox with a strobe and probalby at least a fill.
The third is probably one large softbox and one fill to our right.

How do we say that? We just look at where lights are hitting. The first looks like one on first look, but if you look to the sides there are lights hitting her hair on either side toward the back too.
The second could be 1 softbox over head to our right, but it hints that there is a bit of fill to our right too. Could be just one
The third looks like one at first look too, but the highlight on the hair to our right makes me think two. Key light positiones to the camera right and a fill to the camera left.
NONE of those address lighting the background and I am ok with that.
Could I be way off? ABSOLUTELY! LOL!
What would I want to create those? If it is speedlites my key light I'd want about 4 heads on a LARGE soft box. My fill one maybe two speedlites on a small softbox.
Strobes: I could do something close with 2 150WPS strobes, but I'd like one larger. One LARGE softbox and probably an eggcrate and one strip box (long and narrow) with an eggcrate.

Are you planning on shooting indoors or out?

sactown024 · Oct 31, 2012

MLeeK said:
You are a man after my own heart. I love the dramatic stuff.
The first one looks like probably 3 lights
The second one LARGE softbox with a strobe and probalby at least a fill.
The third is probably one large softbox and one fill to our right.

How do we say that? We just look at where lights are hitting. The first looks like one on first look, but if you look to the sides there are lights hitting her hair on either side toward the back too.
The second could be 1 softbox over head to our right, but it hints that there is a bit of fill to our right too. Could be just one
The third looks like one at first look too, but the highlight on the hair to our right makes me think two. Key light positiones to the camera right and a fill to the camera left.
NONE of those address lighting the background and I am ok with that.
Could I be way off? ABSOLUTELY! LOL!
What would I want to create those? If it is speedlites my key light I'd want about 4 heads on a LARGE soft box. My fill one maybe two speedlites on a small softbox.
Strobes: I could do something close with 2 150WPS strobes, but I'd like one larger. One LARGE softbox and probably an eggcrate and one strip box (long and narrow) with an eggcrate.

Are you planning on shooting indoors or out?

haha looks like I am not getting those with one speedlite, rats...so you need 4 speedlites in 1 soft box to get the face to light up?

I plan to do both, and yes I love the dramatic look, dark backgrounds, subject lit up.

MLeeK · Oct 31, 2012

sactown024 said:
MLeeK said:

You are a man after my own heart. I love the dramatic stuff.
The first one looks like probably 3 lights
The second one LARGE softbox with a strobe and probalby at least a fill.
The third is probably one large softbox and one fill to our right.

How do we say that? We just look at where lights are hitting. The first looks like one on first look, but if you look to the sides there are lights hitting her hair on either side toward the back too.
The second could be 1 softbox over head to our right, but it hints that there is a bit of fill to our right too. Could be just one
The third looks like one at first look too, but the highlight on the hair to our right makes me think two. Key light positiones to the camera right and a fill to the camera left.
NONE of those address lighting the background and I am ok with that.
Could I be way off? ABSOLUTELY! LOL!
What would I want to create those? If it is speedlites my key light I'd want about 4 heads on a LARGE soft box. My fill one maybe two speedlites on a small softbox.
Strobes: I could do something close with 2 150WPS strobes, but I'd like one larger. One LARGE softbox and probably an eggcrate and one strip box (long and narrow) with an eggcrate.

Are you planning on shooting indoors or out?

Click to expand...

haha looks like I am not getting those with one speedlite, rats...so you need 4 speedlites in 1 soft box to get the face to light up?

I plan to do both, and yes I love the dramatic look, dark backgrounds, subject lit up.

No, not just the face, but the front body OR to use a huge softbox. You could probably get it with a single speedlite in a smaller soft box fairly easy if you are going for the head shot.