Hi. If you're
reading this, chances are that you and I met at a contest (or somewhere unexpected!),
and I gave you my card. Now you're thinking about following up on it, maybe interested,
definitely a bit curious-- you have a bunch of questions and you don't know whether
to call or not. So, to save you some stress and
effort, I've put together a list of the questions I'm most often asked by the people who
call me to do photos.
Can I bring someone along? Yes, absolutely. This is above board, so bring whoever you like to make you feel more comfortable. Two caveats, though-- whoever you bring, please request that they not interfere with the shoot, and suggest that they bring something to do. Shoots are fun, but people not directly involved with the shoot feel excluded and quickly become bored. Why did you give a card to me?
Quite simply, if I gave you a card, it means I think I can use your image to make
good photos. And I don't give out cards to people that I don't think that
about.
If you never thought of yourself as someone who could photograph well-- and a lot
of people don't-- now at the very least you have a new perspective to mull over.
I've never done anything like this before, I wouldn't know what to do or how to pose. Not a problem. The hardest thing you
have to do is relax, and one of the things I do best is helping people relax in
front of the camera.
Somehow the whole process has acquired some sort of mystique, but really, it isn't rocket
science.
I see too many photographs-- many of which are absolutely brilliant from a technical
standpoint-- in which the subject has a sort of "deer-in-the-headlights" look, which
says to me that the photographer has forgotten that (s)he's photographing a
person, not an object.
What should I wear? Whatever you feel comfortable
in. I've done everything from professional resume' shots to swimwear
and lingerie photos. (IMPORTANT TIP: Don't get the shots mixed up.)
The
Thomas Center here in Gainesville is one of my
favorite venues; many of the shots on my photo site were taken there. Can you help me put together a modeling portfolio? If I continue to get requests for this I may offer this service in the future. What happens to the photos when we're done?
I'll put some of them on my Web site if (and only if) you agree.
While the images remain my property, I will not use, sell, or publish them in
any other way-- I refer any inquiries directly back to the person involved.
By the same token, if you publish my images you must ensure that I am given
photo credit (and please let me know about it). That's the only stipulation
I put on their use--
though if someone offers you a big lucrative contract I would HOPE you remember to
take your humble photographer for a steak dinner! :) How much does this cost? It's called "prints for time", which means that I don't charge you for photography services and you don't charge me for modeling services. You get a set of photos to keep, possibly a Web page with your photos, and reasonable access to the negatives to make reprints or enlargements if you so desire. It's a great deal for all concerned. Is there a "catch"? No. I do photography because I enjoy the creativity and because I'm good at it, not to turn a profit. I hesitate to call it a "hobby" because it's such a wonderful form of creative expression for me, but I don't earn my living from it (though I did for a short while). |