I really wanted to share with you a vintage shoot that I shot this Monday with Miss Rosie lea. My self and Rosie had never met till the day of the planned shoot. After a friend request, and then a status requesting photographers to do TF base work... I decided to respond. I am a full time pro photographer, and usually get paid for my work. But I decided I wanted to try my new lights and practice some new lighting techniques.. without the stress of a fixed brief or client pressuring me. This way I could retain my creative freedom and get back to what I love most.
For me this is where the positive side of social networking really excels. Until the days of social media, finding a photographer or particular genre of photography would have been less accessible. But with the advances of technology we can narrow searches and find people in our locality that have similar interests...WOW!! The world just became so much smaller and easier to explore.... research and seeing whats happening around you can be so inspiring and enriching.
Rosie and myself struck up conversation through FB...with reference photographs streaming there way through, we new what look we wanted to achieve.. we were getting more and more excited by the looming shoot. Its always nervous meeting someone for the first time. But being out in front a lens can be even more daunting. So I used my skills and tried my best to make Rosie as comfortable as possible. Making sure that whenever I asked for a certain look, that I explained it so that not only could she see what I asked, but she could feel what I was portraying to.
How to pose naturally in front of the camera
Posing in front of the camera can be so scary, when you are the subject of the photograph. Putting a model at ease can also be difficult, usually you will find a photographer that fits into one of the two categories. Which ever one you are, my advise to either the model or photographer is research... know your subject, or style. This way you will both be speaking the same language on the day.
Two things can happen...
- The photographer may expect you to know how to move, waiting for you to find the right angles at which point he will take the image. If you are a professional model with experience that should come a lot easier then someone starting out. Alternatively your photographer may portray a character within a scene so that you can see it in your minds eye. It is then up to you to translate what he/she has asked of you.
- In this case, you're given clear direction, open communication throughout the shoot, and even physical direction where needed. Generally a confident photographer whom is aware of what shapes they want to create will be ready to show you as well as tell you what they want. They will also tell you when its not working and how to make it right. This is all done with tact and patience. So that the model is at ease the whole way through. The main key is open communication through out. I would also suggest open communication along with research and reference photos prior to the shoot.
My main aim is the later... its took me many years to be confident enough to direct someone. As a comfort or for a sense of security, I would take a fellow photographer friend. In the fear that I would be shooting above and beyond where my own knowledge could take me. Soon I started to feel like I wanted to be on my own, and this actually gave me more confidence talking to my model. I soon came to realize, that we are all nervous and that the model wants you to direct her/he. They cant see what we see.. so therefore we should say what we want, more importantly we should explain it clearly as it leads to less frustration. We should also be brave enough to experiment and to also admit when what we wanted didn't work. At least the model will know its not just them that isn't feeling that particular moment. Don't be embarrassed, Its no different to a artist chucking away a sketch. Its sometimes through the artistic journey that we end up somewhere else.. that suddenly caught our eye.. which in it self can be quiet organic.
My self and another model Vintage Candy have a little joke... as we have worked together many times. Candy knows when I am not feeling the image. But when I do you here a OOO...! and when I say I have the shot... I really do. But that has took me sometime to feel confident about if a image really does work.
For me and Rosie this is what happened. We tried out various poses.. and as she moved I was able to see positions that I wanted to use.. and the shoot became slightly organic. Even the lighting took on a life of its own as we compensated for the varying heights. Every body has a angle that works well for them.. and with lighting we can enhance this. Poor lighting can do the opposite and make even the most beautiful look horrible. So careful lighting, understanding the angles of your lighting and the different strengths and ratios can make all the difference. Plus, we must not forget the model. Rosie made my job easy.... I could concentrate on all my techy bits while she held her poses and changed them with simple direction.
I truly love what I do and its a awesome feeling knowing you are meeting unique people. Here is the work that we have produced together thus far.. I do hope that there will be more to come as Rosie works on a career as a Vintage Model.
