This past week I had a test shoot with model Gwen and Makeup Artist Heather Wilson. I’ve shot with Gwen once before. For Heather and I, this was our first shoot together after finally meeting a month or so ago at a magazine release party, rooftop at the W Hotel in Scottsdale.
For this shoot, we had a few looks in mind for the three setups we were going to shoot. This is one of the photos I liked from this setup. My style is rooted in beauty, fashion and the occasional lifestyle shoot. I’m definitely not a glamour photographer. Though with this shoot, every setup seemed to keep sliding into a glamour look.
While taking about a past shoot, a photographer once told me I should never tell a model that what we’re shooting isn’t working. Evidently, “it undermines your talent and negatively affects the model’s confidence”. I completely disagree. Everyone at the shoot came to create something great and wants to walk away from the shoot knowing they achieved that goal. In reviewing the photos, you find that you’re just not feeling it or the shoot is not heading in the desired direction, stop, speak up and evaluate what needs to change.
The key to successfully changing course and reinventing your shot is balance. There is no point to continue down a path that leads to photos that don’t speak to you. However you must be brief in your reflection and modifications. Too much time spent in changing direction will start to wear on your team’s enthusiasm. If you’re going to change course, be sure you can come up with an alteration or new direction quickly. I’ve learned this lesson a couple times over. Too much tweaking and fiddling with your lights, to get just the right effect, can strongly impact your model’s interest level.
On this shoot I tried a few new setups and got some good shots, though in hindsight, there were a few opportunities for reinventing the shot that could have produced photos more inline with my style and vision. Don’t be afraid to change it up when it’s not moving in the direction you desire.
