Nils Bratby - Apprentice Photographer for Immortaleye Photography
That was about six months ago now and since then I’ve been racking up as many shoots as possible. I’ve had some highs and lows but (with lots of expert advice and support from dad) I now finally feel like I’m getting the hang of it. So with the new website up and running, it seemed like a perfect time to go back and look at my first ever studio shoot. Hopefully you will find it interesting.
The first thing I had to decide was what type of picture I wanted to take. I’ve always been a fan of simply classy images – the kind of thing that we would all recognise from the pages of adverts and magazines. So for my first shoot I decided I would try for a fashion style shoot and see what happened. To do that I first had to find a model.
For any photographer looking to find a model the best place to look is one of the many on-line modelling Portfolio sites. The three biggest and best known in the UK are Net-model, Purestorm and Model Mayhem. For a new photographer Net-model is the easiest to join (as unlike Purestorm and Model Mayhem you don’t need to submit images to be moderated before your account is approved) however I personally prefer Model Mayhem. In fact, you can find my MM portfolio here http://www.modelmayhem.com/nilsb .
My first shoot was what is known in the biz as a Time for Print or TFP shoot. As the name suggests, it’s when a model or photographer gives his/her time in exchange for getting some prints. Its common practice as it is a cheap way of boosting your portfolio and getting started. However it is a notoriously problematic affair.
There are endless horror stories from both models and photographers (or Togs as we are sometimes called) on every modelling forum I’ve looked at. I won’t try to cover that today but let’s just say it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I started my search…. It’s also why those serious about modelling should consider paying for a shoot with professional photographer (and why we offer it here).
So far, touch wood, I’ve not run into any of that, in fact I’ve been incredibly lucky with my models. All of which have been beautiful, professional and patient as I bumbled from shoot to shoot… it probably won’t last, but to those guys and girls I can only offer my humble thanks.
Although I could have used one of the many models dad has worked with, I decided I wanted to work with a local model in the same position as me (i.e. just starting out and after some basic images to get their portfolio started). Partly this was because TFP works best when it’s mutually beneficial – and partly because I didn’t want to look like a numpty in front of an experienced model (.. and yes, I know how stupid that is but there you go.)
All of the big three portfolio sites allow you to create what is known as a casting, this is basically an advert on the site advertising either paid or TFP work. I thought about doing this but I had heard they weren’t very effective. So instead I just asked… everyone.
I sent private messages to every single new model within thirty miles of the studio (I must have sent twenty or so such messages). To my surprise (considering I basically had no pictures on my portfolio at the time) I got a few responses. The first of these was Sophie and she would become my first studio model, you can find her Net-model portfolio here http://sophiee.net-model.com .
After exchanging a few message we arranged a date. We were all set, I had the studio, I had a model, and I had expert advice on hand… I just needed to take a few pictures.
How hard could that be right?
Part II of ‘my first studio shoot’ continues next week..
Immortaleye Photography is a professional photography studio in Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury. They offer Family Portraits along with Modelling Portfolios/Boudoirand Makeovers experiences.
For more blogs from Immortaleye Photography see here
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