Boost your business prospects with these
career enhancing tips & tricks. Nathan D’Amour offers his top tips and
advice on how to plan every element of a successful studio shoot.
How do you secure professional work
and promote yourself?
Whatever area of photography you’re going
into, your first consideration should be collating a fine-tuned collection of
your best work. This is then used to create a portfolio that represents what
you do best. Your portfolio can either be digital or printed. I personally
prefer printed. Make sure your portfolio has a coherent feel and maintains an
interest from start to finish. Don’t just put work in for the sake of it,
usually less is more! Think about the layout and the sequencing of your work,
remember this is what you will be showing to your prospective clients. Always
consider your portfolio as work in progress and make sure you keep it up to
date. If you think it appropriate, then show a client some of your personal
work. It can create an interesting talking point.
Tapping into social media sites such as
Facebook and Twitter can be a cheap effective way to promote yourself. The best
way to gain interest is to share your work and experiences. If you do this on a
regular basis then you’ll undoubtedly build up a small fan base. With time you
might find people are blogging about your work and exploits. Be mindful of what
work you feature online and how you portray yourself. Blogging is on the
increase and it’s a great way to share information. You can easily create a
free blog on blogger.com. By sharing your work you’re giving your audience a
free invitation to view your portfolio.
Hair & make-up
Question: I’m organising an editorial shoot but I’m finding it hard to find
hair and make-up artists. How do you organise this and make sure you’re getting
what you want from your shoot?
Answer: I’m
always on the lookout for emerging hair and make-up artists. There are some
great networking sites like www.modelmayhem.com
where hair and make-up artists are looking to collaborate and expand their
portfolios. You can view their online work and read messages from other
collaborators. Always do your research on whoever you are involving in you
creative team. I take on people via recommendation, viewing their portfolios
and making sure I get on with them. When first approaching anyone, make sure
you’re getting back an enthusiastic positive response and discuss your aims and
vision for your shoot. Ensuring you’re on the same wavelength is as important
as the skills they can offer.
Studio space
Question: When you organize a shoot what key things do you look for in a
studio space? On average how much would you expect to pay out for a day’s
shoot?
Answer: Make
sure you have enough workable space for your shoot and if possible a separate
preparation area for the model. Always check out the studio kit list, making
sure it covers your requirements. A selection of paper backgrounds is always
useful. Poly boards for blinds are essential to control the lighting. Obliging
and non-interfering studio owners are advantageous. You’ll undoubtedly be
calling on them for assistance and probably running over your allotted studio
time. Lastly a good beverage area creates a great mood and a chance for you to
connect with your team.
Lighting rig
Question: I’ve decided to take the plunge and go pro. I want to invest in a
studio lighting set up. I have $1,500 to play with but this must cover lights
and accessories. The web is full of many brands and I don’t know where to
start. Can you recommend any equipment?
Answer: There
are a number of manufacturers that produce great value all-in-one lighting
kits. A good one to try is the Elinchrom BXRi 250/500 twin flash head kit. The
kit offers a whole host of features, including a built-in remote receiver, and
comes complete with stands, softboxes, carry cases, leads and a remote trigger.
You can pick this up for $1,245 from www.warehouseexpress.com.
To complement this kit, I’ve recently discovered a great lighting modifier –
the Photek Umbrella Softlighter II 46” from www.bhphotovideo.com. It works out at
about $55 plus delivery and import tax but still comes within budget. Watch out
for fluctuating exchange rates though!
Communication problems
Question: I find it difficult to concentrate on taking pictures and
communicating with my model. I get quite nervous. Can you give me any tips?
Answer: Before
you begin your shoot, build up a rapport with the model. Explain how you’re
going to shoot and what you’re aiming to achieve. This will help place both you
and the model at ease. You should give an indication of what you’re expecting
in terms of poses and positioning. This allows the model the opportunity to
take the lead which can leave you free to concentrate on shooting. Don’t rush,
take your time everything and try and stay focused. Keep up visual
communication with your model, use hand gestures when directing and try to
maintain a flow. If you capture a great image, go over to the model and show
her the shot – this builds up mutual confidence and can give the model a good
indication of exactly what you are looking for. Have your creative team or someone
on hand throughout the shoot to help out with anything that needs adjusting. If
nerves get the better of you and you’re finding it hard to perform, just take a
break. Ultimately enjoy your shoot, remember there has to be an element of fun!
