Working with a model

[Aleksey]

You know, it's always hard to begin process of shooting a model, no matter if you working with your friend or if it is the first session with a new model. From case to case, the first dozens in session (or even all the pics) are coming with scared, closed, unnatural emotions. Do you know some tips or recommendations how to relax people under focused lense?

One of such relaxant is to setup your AF-mode for AI Servo and to ask your model to spin as fast as he/she can . Then -- start shooting  I've tested this for several times -- and it is working..

I'm sure it is not the only trick, isn't it?   

 

[khz]

i try to shoot models too nowadays,
and dolgachov is really experienced and talented on this i think,
so may be he can give some tips to us

[dolgachov]

communicate. always communicate.

[DNF-Style]

Take your time. Do not start shooting immedeatly. Start of with a drink and a talk. Find out who your model is and tell who you are.
On the floor: Indeed communicate. Explain the studio, explain the lights. Do not make your studio into a mystery. Talk in feels more then in poses. If you manage to have your model feel what you want her to express, she will. Build up trust, keep your hands away from your model. And if needed ask her first, when she gives you the ok then always tell her what you are going to do before you do it.
The better your model feels about you the more relaxed she will be. The more relaxed your model is the better she'll perform.

Frenk

[dolgachov]

i've recently start to completely break "keep your hands away" rule and find myself naturally touching models a lot during communication. it really works for me and makes work comfortable for both me and models. but i'm only working with those who DESPERATELY want to work with me nowadays, no exceptions, so it all starts with major trust anyway and i don't need to build up any "trust me". i'm already trusted from the very beginning. it will maybe not work out for someone else, so well, ok... keep your hands away if you're not sure, maybe...

[DNF-Style]

Hmm something tells me not to discuss this any further here.

[Syates]

Hmm something tells me not to discuss this any further here.

No problem to have different opinions here. I agree, keep your hands away from the model, this might change when you have become friends over time, but in the beginning, give the model - and yourself! space. Very important also: Give the model the possibility to bring somebody to the shoot she trusts and keep this somebody busy helping. On one of the few model shoots I did, I had also the husband of the model present and he was an absolute treasure in chatting to her (I am not very good in concentrating on shooting and chatting to the model at the same time) and after a short introduction developed also to a brilliant "reflector holder". Win-win for everybody. So in the end, everybody's experience is and will be always different, SY

[khz]

hi,
i think everybody has different experiences about this subject,
and main reason for this differences is every model and every concept is different,
there some things that might effect this model relation thing imo,
- concept of the shot, (business, fitness, or nude?)
- model's identity, (male, female, married, experienced or not)
- model's profession, (is she/he a friend, is model a pro, is model someone who find the photographer and never had a shooting before)

in my experiences, whatever the concept is, if the model is a female, bringing his husband or boyfriend is not a good idea, neither the model, nor the photographer would be free at the shooting,
but in location shootings with more than 1 model, bringing someone who is experienced in photo shootings can save your life if the others are not experienced,

[dolgachov]

khz, BINGO.

there's no universal recipe and will never be. what's good for me and you would be pain for Sybille and opposite.

[gRac34U]

please post sample pics of your work here.

thaks

gRac3

[khz]

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?gallery_id=62451&id=62451&sortby=newest&rows_per_page=25&thumb_size=small

[msdnv]

It is hard.... It is alvais hard. I fill that my hardest models are my daughters ... even the older one tell that it is very hard for her to model for me ... mutch more easyer to model for some oter photographer ... 

http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?searchterm=&anyorall=all&search_cat=&search_group=all&orient=all&photographer_name=Darja+Vorontsova&searchtermx=&color=

[DNF-Style]

Wait wait wait.
This topic is about modelling and threatening to go into post your portofolio?
SY please split this one. Order into chaos.

[Syates]

Wait wait wait.
This topic is about modelling and threatening to go into post your portofolio?
SY please split this one. Order into chaos.

Nops, a forum is dynamic and evolving, you start a discussion in one point and then you end up somewhere else. Too much moderation only kills conversation. Both portfolio links contained models, so no problem at all. SY

[Aleksey]

..Both portfolio links contained models..

but not the work with them.. 

you start a discussion in one point and then you end up somewhere else.

so, why was the offtopic brunch created?