Some advice for the beginners from the photographer of international interactive video project OpenLife!
Being a model requires good preparation, including - physical, because the shootings can take place at any time within many hours. But precisely this job mostly helps to create model’s image and promote a model.
One of the main rules used while working with the camera is that a photographer and a stylist are bosses! The main task of models is to realize their creative ideas at professional level. Don’t be surprised and objected, when a photographer does a shot in unsuitable, on her mind, moment, not to prompt, in what foreshortenings she looks better. A model must be able to pass from one position to another easily, saving the necessary emotional state. Before a session photographer or operator usually explain in detail, what they want to get from a model. However there are a few general recommendations which should be followed to obtain a good result at almost any type of session. But main requirement is not to be restraint! Usually there are many other people on a movie set (besides a model and photographer or operator there are assistants, stylists, visagistes, sometimes clients), but it does not mean that all of them are busy only to look after a model and her mistakes.
To make it easy to feel and to reflect the character it is possible to draw corresponding pictures in the mind creating a necessary mood (to reproduce words or situations which will cause the proper mien: gladness, surprise, sorrow et cetera)
The ability to feel luminosity and to follow the flash of light (if a photographer uses it) is very important. A photographer or operator certainly will mention if shadows cover the face but work is considerably simplified when a model understands how she and other objects in the frame are lighted up.
As a rule the aim of session is not to show the beauty of the model but to advertise some goods or company. Plots and even foreshortenings of session are agreed with a client in advance. A model should be informed what she will advertise & how she’ll do it. Nudity or half-nudity should be discussed in advance too. There is nothing reprehensible or immodest in such kind posing if this is stipulated by the features of the goods which are advertised (shampoo, soap, underclothes et cetera). In case if a model is asked to take her dress off during session she should discuss this question with an agency. If there are some rejections from plans it should not lead to implicit obedience of a model but definitely negative reaction is not good either! If this is a session for a prestige magazine with a prominent photographer it is impossible to agree all aspects in advance because most unbelievable ideas could come in an inspiration gust.
There are two methods of session. First one is when photographer and stylist, manage a model, prompting her different position of the body, turn of head, look, et cetera helping model to pose this way. In the most successful moment a model should be frozen on a signal and a shot is made. This method has the significant disadvantage. It is hard to obtain naturalness and dynamic quality of a plot.
Second method supposes more independence of model and demands the total control of her body. She improvises and experiments, using certain templates and set of standard learned before motions applying them to the specific tasks. A photographer catches the best moment to push the button. Of course you can waste tons of film using this method but the result can be incredible!
There is another case with the video shootings, where both direction and spontaneity are present. However, if you consider the features of models’ or actresses’ work in the environment is the reality show, we can see that most of the events in front of the camera just filming unplanned events, which subsequently must be harmoniously integrated into the prepared plots. In such a situation, model should show all her professionalism, to look at her best, in spite of the constant voltage and surveillance of cameras. This is particular art, which is different from just posing for photos.
Author:: Marlie Denson
Email:: mavrunka@yandex.ru
