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How to Prepare and What to Expect During a Photo ShootPreparation: Please Note: This is your photo session and I will photograph you in pretty much anything you want to wear from professional and formal clothing down to lingerie or even nothing at all. First things first: You should either email me at jeff@jstphoto.com, pywrit@msn.com or call and leave a message at 720-381-0089 and let me know of your willingness to model. I will return your communication within a couple of days and we can further discuss what you have in mind or discuss your session. If there will be more than one person at the session, it is a good thing to inform me of this so I can come prepared. Remember, you should have an idea of a theme that you want to promote: casual, businesslike, sexy, etc. I can help you decide if you are not sure. Practice posing. This is critical. Do it in front of a full length mirror. Look at the photos in magazines and try to imitate the models in the ads. For most photo sessions, you can check out newport-news.com for great modeling poses. For swimsuit and lingerie modeling, check out victoriassecret.com. Tear out the ads or print them from websites that have poses you like and have them with you at the shoot. This will give me a better idea of what you want to accomplish. I do not do "studio" sessions. All photo sessions are done at a location that you provide. That means you provide the place where we will shoot. This can be outside at a park or on the street or a backyard. It can be inside your home or an office if you have access to one. It can be pretty much anywhere that you have legal access to and where we will not end up with strangers getting in the way. I try to make this as easy and comfortable for you as possible. You are also responsible for providing any props you may want to use such as furniture, equipment, etc. Your background can be as simple as a plain white wall or more complex if it suits you. It is good to think these things out and have them ready the day before the shoot. Your setup can be as cheap or expensive as you want it. Don't forget, the session is about you, so the "less is more" rule applies: the less stuff you have around you, the more the viewer of your photographs will focus on you. This is a very important concept if the photos are for your portfolio. All locations should have suitable lighting for photography. Big windows for inside shooting are preferred as the natural light coming through them provides wonderful light for photographs. However, I can provide some portable studio lighting if needed. Get plenty of sleep the night before the shoot and avoid partying. If you are tired and/or suffering a hangover, the camera will know. Be prepared for postponement of your shoot if you've scheduled an outdoor session. Mother Nature has her own rules and not I nor anyone I know of can alter her plans. On the day of the shoot, be prepared to start working soon after I arrive. This means having your make-up already applied and any clothing you want to wear ready. Make-up should have a matte and natural look. Anything shiny will stand out in the photograph as glare and limits its usefulness. Yes, even the guys may need to have their faces "powdered" to prevent this. Your hair should be combed and styled. It is never a bad idea to have someone help you with these things. Your should prepare at least two looks. The clothing should be clean, unwrinkled, and free of any pet hair, logos, trademarks, or defects. It should be appropriate for the theme we are shooting. If you are going to be modeling swimsuits, lingerie or doing nude work, make sure you do not wear any tight clothing for several hours prior to the session. This causes lines on the skin that will show in the photos. It is good to have some samples torn from magazines or printed from the web showing the types of shots you would like. The shooting area should be clean and clear of anything that will not be used in the session, and there should be enough room to set up my camera and tripod and a couple of studio lights. Depending on what we are shooting, you may want to hang a large, clean sheet on the background wall and floor. This sheet should be a solid color, not a print, and should be a neutral color such as white, black or gray. Other colors work sometimes but should be discussed prior to the shoot and must provide some contrast to what is being shot. Example, black hair or clothing usually does not show up well against a black background. Likewise, white clothing does not show up well against a white background. You should have any props necessary readily available. Once I arrive, I will give you some final pointers about your clothing, hair, and make-up if necessary and set up my equipment. Once everything is ready, we'll start the shoot. I've said this once and I'll say it again, this is not portrait photography. I will not sit you down and tell you to say cheese. You will be posed and be expected to hold that pose while I make any necessary adjustments to the camera. Instructions can be almost anything depending on the pose and the intent of the shot. Expect commands like "throw your hair over your shoulder", "stand up straighter", "pull your shoulders back", and yes, I may even tell you to stick your chest out a bit more or slump a bit. I may tell you to look pouty, confused, scared, ecstatic. I may tell you to look happy or sad or bewildered. Facial expressions are critical and I will guide you through them. Think of modeling as "acting - one frame at a time". The amount of guidance I give you will depend on your own natural ability and flare. Shots will consist of headshots (upper body and head), 3/4 and full-body shots. For each change of clothing, I will take anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, maybe more. A session can last from a few minutes up to two or three hours or more depending on its complexity. Be prepared to freshen or alter your make-up as necessary between shots. Something as simple as going from a light lipstick to a dark red lipstick can dramatically alter the effect of an image. Anything else we will "wing" it as this is an art, not a science. Once the session is done, I will take the images back to my computer and go through them, taking the useable shots and post processing those shots to make them look even better. Depending on the number of useable shots and my schedule, this can take from a few hours to several days. I will then burn the images to CD and deliver them to you via the USPS. This is just a brief overview, of course, as every shoot will be different, but it does give you an idea of what to expect. |
