Group Photoshoots 2: Skill Builder, Networking Mecca, or Time Waster?

Cat Moone

    In continuation from the last post, the question of the worth of group photoshoot events should be addressed. Do the benefits outweigh the negatives in the areas of skill building, networking, and efficient use of time?

Cat Moone

  The first area—skill building—is a complex one to address because how photographers and models learn can vary. I breakdown photographers into 3 basic groupings: theoretical actualizers, spur experimentalists, and task-dependants. 

Theoretical actualizers set up—via diagram or mental images—the shoot concepts, lighting, wardrobe, and potentially even the poses they desire. 

They then take this vision and attempt to make it reality in the actual photoshoot. Actualizers find pleasure in taking the concept to execution and may even enjoy the post-production work as much or more than the setup process. Spur experimentalists may have an initial shoot concept but work primarily from the idea that the best product comes from a collaborative flow of ideas as the shoot is going rather than a rigid plan of shooting: this creative process runs throughout all aspects including lighting, wardrobe, poses, etc. Task-dependants keep a relatively stable process that only varies in the dimensions required of the shoot. While they may not be the most intuitively creative photographers, they do produce a product of consistent quality.

Kimm Davies

   The issue then becomes which type benefits more from a group photoshoot endeavor and how does this benefit play out? Novice theoretical actualizers can benefit from a group photoshoot, but need to receive information about the shoot, lighting arrangement, wardrobe, etc. for them to utilize the shoot experience in planning the next solo photoshoot. In other words, the shoot done today helps improve the shoot done tomorrow.  The multiple model nature of most group photoshoots allows the novice spur experimentalist an opportunity to try setups, lighting, poses that haven’t been done before. 

However, the novice task-dependant is tends to benefit less in skill building than the other types in group photoshoots.

Kimm Davies

 If the photographer doesn’t have the resources to duplicate the shoot variables (environment, lighting, wardrobe, model, etc.), the novice task-dependant doesn’t really understand how to innovate beyond the groupshoot.  Thus, the type of photographer who benefits most from a group photoshoot is probably the spur expirementalist.

Natalie Angela

  When it comes to networking—the utilization of exposure, building of social capital, and the expansion of brand/product recognition—all three types of photographers can benefit from a group photoshoot. This is because the benefit has little to do with the type of photographer and more to do with the personality & likeability of the shoot participants, and the socializing opportunities available at the shoot. It is the same principle behind the success of meet & greet events.

 The last question about time efficiency is multilayered because ultimately efficiency depends not just upon the photographer but also the type of shoot and how many other individuals are involved in the shoot. Assuming all the non-photographer variables are equal, a novice theoretical actualizer can benefits if he/she has foreknowledge of the photoshoot variables. Thus the actualizer has the potential to cram many more high-quality photographs in than the average photographer. 

Kimm Davies

The spur experimentalist is also capable of obtaining more high-quality photographs than the average photographer. However, the spur experimentalist is also capable of ending up with more junk as well. Not everything tried will succeed, but when success is obtained it will yield wonderful product. So unlike the actualizer whose product is directly related to how much forthought is put into the group photoshoot, the experimentalist will—on average—benefit from the shoot, but there is no guarantee. The task-dependant is least likely to benefit from a group photoshoot, because the benefit garnered comes completely from the quality and organization of photoshoot organizer. A free-for-all shoot is the least efficient, a small, meticulously detailed shoot is more efficient.

Natalie Angela

   Today’s images are from a themed bodypaint shoot. The goal was to have the models painted in water-resistant paints in designs reminiscent to mermaids. Unfortunately the bodypainter really dropped the ball on this shoot, showing up late and neglecting to bring the proper type of airbrush paints. Consequently, once the models got wet paints wet, the paint flecked off rapidly and the designs became unusable within about 4 minutes. Overall the models were a pleasure to work with.  

Natalie Angela

      The father of one of the models had been diagnosed with a myocardial infarction the prior evening and was hospitalized. It was clearly weighing on the model (you can see in the images the progression of unhappiness) and she left the shoot early to go be with her family. Since that day, I don’t think she has modeled again, I’ve been unable to ever contact her, and she hasn’t logged onto to her MM account. I always wonder what happens to models that drop of the face of the modeling earth. Another model from that day has ceased to model and discontinued her MM account. I sometimes wonder if it is life, discontent, or familial/social pressures that lead once enthusiastic models to completely cease modeling. For women in their late teens and early twenties, I know from discussion that it is hard for them to forsee all the future consequences from modeling. But I’ve also witnessed individuals in their late twenties and early thirties summarily drop out so I’m unsure if unforeseen consequences is the only reason.

Cat Moone

Natalie Angela

Group Photoshoots: Skill Builder, Networking Mecca, or Time Waster?

Veronica Vaughn

 Pt. 1

    I just finished processing images from a group photoshoot event I participated in about 2 weekends ago. This was the first event I had attended with this particular meetup group and I went to the event not knowing anything about how the shoots were run until I showed up at the door. Like most things in life there were positives  and negatives I took from the event, but it made me think about the title question more seriously. I’ll address the particular event first, and then the question as a larger issue second.

Esmerelda

     The event was held in a San Francisco studio that clearly had been created as a near-permanent photostudio. This was the first time I had been in such a space, so seeing the 4 different set setups and additional set spaces available was astounding.  There was more lighting and wiring equipment in that studio than I’m likely to ever have in my lifetime. That studio is capable of providing a plethora of lighting resources, so creativity should not be a problem for a prepared photographer.

Veronica Vaughn

      The organizers of the event were genuinely friendly and willing to talk about the shoot, the studio, life, etc., so time didn’t seem to drag on at any point during the day.  Before the shooting started, the organizer explained the process to the photographers, stating that we’d have free run of 2 fashion sets (black or white backgrounds) , use of 1 of the glamour sets (pink background), and free use of the natural light area (open space in 2^nd room of studio). He also explained the few rules: no touching, no entering the dressing room, no adjusting wiring, etc. He then explained that all of the models were aware of the shoot style (Italian-style Vogue Fashion), and that these would be edgier images than typical fashion but not glamour images.

Veronica Vaughn

      At this point, it is important to note that it did state in the meetup groups signup sheet that these were all newer models. This was evidenced by a model who, after dressing in some lingerie and walking onto the first set, immediately decided to quit and left without actually modeling. This forced the female organizer (a model herself) to have to step in so the model total would be back up to 4 models. As I still have no idea if the models were paid for this event, I don’t know if the quitter ended up costing the organizers any money or not. Either way, it was critical for this event to have 4 models because there ended up being ~11 photographers(not counting the male organizer who shot images, and the 2 late shows) at this event.

SamIAm

     Up to the present time, I have participated in several free-for-all style photoshoot meetups, and personally do not prefer them. That said, I have been in some that have ran better than others. While I’m not a full-time, career photographer, my impression is that photographers who are would probably not like free-for-all shoots if they intended to use the images for anything useful. The most obvious problem this creates is that the aesthetic biases(to put it politely) of the photographers always come up. One of the models in this fashion shoot was tall, pretty, and generously & naturally endowed. Her MM profile states she’s a D cup, but she is probably larger. As I happened to be into the room she walked into for her first set I was able to observe the flock of male photographers stream to shoot her. It went from 2 photographers in the room to 10 photographers clamoring over each other in less than a minute. I shot 2 images of her in that outfit then left to find another model to work with. In every free-for-all I’ve attended, the photographer shooting stampede has split the model’s attention in to many directions, impeded her ability to find a posing flow, and resulted in the model adopting canned modeling poses rather than really utilizing the wardrobe to the fullest extent. Consequently the photographers shoot quantity over quality and getting great images becomes mostly a crap shoot, rather than a definitive practice. Now I’ve seen highly skilled and experienced models rise above the melee; but that has only occurred as the photographer glut lost interest and moved to the next model or set so the number of shooters dropped down to less than 4.

Funz

  I’m traditionally a pretty laid-back shooter; I prefer to spend my energy preplanning what & how to shoot before the actual shoot date. I then take a “let’s see how it goes…” approach on the actual shoot date using the ideas and plans as catalyst or generation points for shooting. I am therefore not opposed to attending free-for-all events. I do however feel that these types of events shortchange models, unless they are compensated in money for modeling. A model serious about generating future work should know that he/she can’t have 25 images of the same wardrobe and from the same shoot in his/her portfolio. Such a port demonstrates a lack of range or experience in modeling. F-F-A shoots tend to provide a model a glut of these images. Yes he/she will have a pose from 10 different angles, but additional angles doesn’t automatically yield a superior picture. In many cases, poses only look good from particular locations so extra angles are just wasted shots.

 A second concern for models should also be increasing the skill level through practice in a shoot. The ability to interact with a photographer to create the desired image is hampered when multiple photogs are shooting at the same time.  However, if the photographers are new, or inexperienced, they may be incapable of shooting for a particular image and instead shoot-to-hope for something good.

Ranie Mae

Ranie Mae

  At this particular Italian, vogue-style fashion event wardrobe was a big issue. I don’t know if the concept was clearly explained—with visual examples—to the models, but it was my impression that the majority of them did not come prepared for the type of shoot sold to the photographers. Showing up to a shoot with only 1 pair of underwear is not planning ahead. If a model states she is willing to do implied work, proper preparation would be arriving with 1 strapless bra and no thongs or panties.  This was of particular interest to me as the models walked onto the sets already in their wardrobe and the photographers had no input as to what outfits (or how the outfits) were worn. The one model who actually had layered her wardrobe—allowing for staged removal of clothing items—came in more gothic-style wardrobe which none of the sets were set up for; this resulted in the wardrobe looking at odds with the shoots rather than complimenting the shoot.

Ranie Mae

    Moving away from the modeling end, I find as a photographer that F-F-A shoots do not yield me as high returns of quality images. When I’m firing on all cylinders(when conducting a solo photoshoot) my bad-to-excellent image ratio tends to hover around 12-to-1, and drops to 18-to-1 on my off days. I’ve never had a group F-F-A shoot that yielded me anything better than a 20-to-1 ratio. This is due to the dual confound of shooting less total images (I have to clamor over or compete with other photogs to shoot) and not having a flow with the model to shoot through many poses(I end up shooting what I can get, not what I’d like). The longer I’ve been in photography the stingier I’ve become with my time and energy. I see little benefit spending hours of time for useless images that don’t improve my skills nor improve my portfolio.

   Today’s images are of silhouettes taken at a couple different times. I am wanting an opportunity to revist silhouette photography as I feel I’ve learned much about the photography style over the past 18 months. Hopefully my results for the MM casting I will put up will yield better results.

Ranie Mae

Ranie Mae

Ranie Mae

Long Delayed...but worthwhile.

So it’s been over half a year since my last post. In addition to questioning the continued output of the blog, much of life has gotten in the way of posting. Over the next couple weeks I’ll be posting some of the photographic work I’ve done in the interim time. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to attend to my writing as much as I’ve wished. I still have the fully plotted novel I’m working on sitting on a shelf awaiting completion. Of the many essays I’ve wanted to research and write, I’ve not begun a single one.

While my previous goal was to use this blog as a means of conversation, I find my drive to electronically publicize my work has diminished since undergraduate education. I value interacting with people more than electronics. Just processing photographs puts me in front of a computer for more hours than I’d prefer. But it appears that generating traffic to a blog site requires a higher level of dedication, both in posting and networking.

Now that I’m reaching the limits of allowed photographs on MM and OMP, I’ve decided to begin using the images posted here as an extension to show more from shoots I participate in. Today’s images come from a shoot done last summer.

Today’s images are of a model named Antonita(MM#1282645). At the time I worked with her, she was still relatively new and wanted practice in developing facial expression variety. I’ve noticed newer models tend to have similar difficulties with facial expression variety as well as knowing what to do with their arms & hands. As a photographer I’m often stymied as to how to deal with those issues when they come up in a shoot. I can tell when something looks bad—or when a model is likely to dislike an image—but explaining what to do is much more difficult. It is much more simpler to explain slight adjustments than wholesale instruction on how to get an exact pose. This is why I now always have examples available for a model to look at when I set up shoots. Modeling is a physical activity as well as an art. Descriptives without images would be akin to attempting to describe the paintings in the Sistine Chapel without the listener having ever seen any of them: much is lost.

Antonita worked hard at our shoot. In addition to the headshots we shot with a mirror up so she could view herself, we worked through some fashion, glamour, and artistic photography. It took her some time before she was confident enough to try the artistic shots, some of which were topless. Despite the fact that some of the silhouette images were her best poses and shots of the day, Antonita decided she wanted to pursue a different direction in her modeling and hasn’t used those images in her portfolio.

What would be nice is to be able to find another model willing to shoot them with me now that I’m much better at the process. My skills in shaping light and shadow are ones that improve the more opportunities I have to use them. I now also have better equipment which both gives me greater control over what occurs before the lens, and allows more precise post work.

Coming up in the next post… Group shootouts: Skill builders, Networking meccas, or Time wasters?