Shooting Débutante Models…A Few More Little Tips

[Benjamin Kanarek]

If things are getting a bit stale when shooting a débutante model, what I often do is frame the image move my eye from the camera and say to the model that ” I want you to take a deep breath and break for a second…” It is often at that moment I take the shot and more often than not it’s a keeper. Another couple of techniques I employ is the close your eyes technique. I ask the model to close her eyes. I then either wait for her to freak out and open them, as they don’t know what is going on or I ask them to “OPEN!” at that moment the expression is usually out of the ordinary and their facial expression’s are really pretty amazing. As a result of this you get some really pretty dilated pupils.

Also try the “concentrate on squeezing your forefinger and thumb together and only think of that pressure or apply pressure to the right or left ball of your foot… or concentrate on a specific point on the wall and then scan the wall to the left or right. Watch what happens. The models expression has less to do with her concentration on her pose than “why is he having me do this or this is strange etc…” and what you get is often really interesting.

I will sometimes ask them to drop something and pick it up or throw something up in to the air. It can be an imaginary object or the real thing. I will also ask them to go through the bag they are holding and look for the object that I have placed in it. In the the look for my comb in my bag sequence, I will tell them not to look in the bag, just feel for it while looking in my general direction. Some of the stuff you get can be really interesting.

Using a fan often gets some interesting results, that is if the hair stylist is OK with that. Another little trick I sometimes employ is the placement of a mirror just to the right or left of me and facing the model so that she can see herself. The model is more apt to experiment when she can get some positive visual feedback. I have gotten some pretty good images using this technique as well.

Good Luck and be Patient.

[Don Hoey]

Benjamin,

Stunning pic to go with the write up.
A world away from the stuff I did in an engineering environment, so I think it is great to get an insight into this style of photography. I always marvelled at the images in Stevies copy of Vogue or other glossy magazine.

We are in a small town in Norfolk, but today I did look in at the local newsagent, and found a copy of Harpers to browse through. Really pleased to find a jewellery shot that seemed to fit with what you had said about the Swarovki ad shoot in your 2nd interview.

Don

[andy153]

Thanks for the tips Benjamin, waiting for part 3 of the interview - got it, thanks.

[Benjamin Kanarek]

Originally Posted by Don Hoey

Benjamin,

Stunning pic to go with the write up.
A world away from the stuff I did in an engineering environment, so I think it is great to get an insight into this style of photography. I always marvelled at the images in Stevies copy of Vogue or other glossy magazine.

We are in a small town in Norfolk, but today I did look in at the local newsagent, and found a copy of Harpers to browse through. Really pleased to find a jewellery shot that seemed to fit with what you had said about the Swarovki ad shoot in your 2nd interview.

Don

Thanks Don...Here is a sample from the Swarovski X-Mas Campaign.

Ben

[Don Hoey]

Benjamin,

Thanks for posting that size which is larger than on your pbase/published works. It is certainly easier to understand the reasoning of your method.

Tomorrow we will be going to a larger town, therefore larger newsagents. I guess I may well spend some time in there.

No doubt Stevie, my wife, will try to influence which magazine I end up buying. Lucky for me she is following this along from a photography point of view, just hope she does not get expensive shopping ideas.

Don

PS : I heard part 3 of the interview and I am still working my way through your blog.