Lessons

Lesson Info

10:45 am - Your First Model Test

It's about your first model tests your first you now met the booker you now get your team together. Yeah now rated to your first model tests with an agency model when you call the agency to book the model you're not calling the model you don't have the models information you calling the agency to book the model you like should you give her all the information your new best friend? You're giving her everything about the shoot the start time what time we're gonna start shooting? What do you want her? Their location address will be at a studio at your house at a park where in the part makes you have all the information if you like saying oh, a shooting in central park where in central park at what point at what time say a home should get a bridge into depart which bridge what corner was the entrance? Make sure you have a phone number so in case the markets lost she can call you. You should have also have if you go on location to a test, make sure that you have is a photographer have the a...

gencies information so you can call and say oh she's thirty minutes late where is she? If she's late, she'd be lost at the wrong location, make sure you can call and find out where she is make sure you have all the face for the hair makeup in solace give that to the agency and get in the habit of making this every time you do a test does this you'll do throughout your career where'd you get better you have other people doing this for you but you'll be doing that you didn't know about this information why it's important as you're doing a test as you're doing a job as you're doing bigger jobs, this information is vitally important to making everything go smooth having the information having sometimes including a map from map quest or from google maps with location and how to get there make it easy for them include all the information right before you do your test for your first model so I'll include my number location, the address a map sometimes from there include my hair person's name and number uh hairstyle, alice the whole nine yards the whole team I'm putting them down there with all the information and I care what that with me as I'm doing my test. So if anybody's lost ok find location I have all information right here on my sheet or my ipad right there like oh bob, we're here at this location but it's the next corner make a right over here and you're right there this is makes you look professionals well, but you know what you're doing and they love that so I guarantee you like we're not doing this makes your day go smooth and they appreciate it and you will to make your life easier because I will always be late or lost. It happens the nature of the business. So if I have your test together, we have your concept together, you're doing a first test. So you had this idea to swing very artistic, indifferent for your your mall test is great to do this as your test. The agency can't use this. Is it beautiful? Does it fit into your book? Is that nice? Is different artistic? Yes, but the model agent can't use this, so we'll make sure you shoot something first for the model. You had this as you are idea that you want to do for you first, shoot something for the model for the agent, get that out the way first, then do your artistic expression. You want to shoot something that the model can use, that she can show her off, and the agent might like this, but she can't use it not too short for brand new model. She can't use this show something first shoot something first that fits into what the agent and the model can use because you have his creative team hair makeup, they all want to do this. And have fun making parts wants to makeup hairstyle wants new hair you rein them in your director remember you are directing this a shoot first order of business it's it's do business shoot stuff for the model first and the agent first then shoot your artistic expression and the girl will love this. But first shoot the other stuff. Well, you re showcasing the model in the best way. And how do you showcase the model? You shoot images that make her look good so the a c is going to show her book they can see what she looks like. I love this image and this model of this image before I did it, I first shot images of her that really showcase her matthew, can I ask? Is that because you just can't see her whole face is because it's a profile you can't see her face, you can't see who she is, you know, not showing off the beauty of this girl. This is different, showing her beauty, but right now, if I'm going to book a model for eighteen months a book of model, they can't tell really who she is. This can go on a book toward the back, but not the front to show really who she is, she has a great face, a great profile it's, a very powerful shot was not showcasing her for the agency and this is in your book but it's not in the front of a book so do your stuff for you know you're just expression later on start by shooting stuff that's great for her get that out the way first and then do this can you do this first and then go the other way? You can but it's much harder taking off this makeup and going clean you want shoot clean, make it first and then build it's easy on on her face it's easier for the makeup artist you want progress up but start clean and simple clean makeup great hair but simple ur showcase the model first, then do your artistic expression all the questions about this for a move on there are, um mp photos asked what happens when you shoot the agency stuff and then the model is burned out or your concept is ruined. How do you deal with that? If you if you shoot eighty stuff and the girls burnt out, you've picked the wrong girl. You're shooting your images for the model and the girls burned out you've picked the wrong model the march of the wooden worn out from that is a matter of fact, my first test of tyra banks my first test she was she was a big mark time she's a a new model but she's working a bias coming who is this new girl? And she was shooting a lot so I met her through my makeup artists I met tyra through my makeup artist said matthew there's, this new girl you've got to see this girl when I saw the pictures of him like I want to shoot her I want to shoot her some called the agent trying to get her trying to get trying to get her they find sale you know she's booked every day from the very beginning she's book all the time so make off telling her about me she wants to shoot with me and she's booked every day so one day she does a job she fishes like two o'clock in the afternoon she says ok, I shoot with matthew after my job so we could get together we start should get three or four in the afternoon we shoot after her job at three or four that the noon we shot till two in the morning first test of tyra very first test that set the stage for relationship we just got together start testing all the time but she loved it she loved making pictures the brand new model is worn out if you just do it a couple of images for agency you got the wrong girl and I know that varies but on average how long would you say test shoot is uh good question. How long does a test shoot go? Um he could be anywhere from three hours to eight hours and you got to read that energy of your team and your team does set the energy for your test this test way we're all in such a great mood and energy. No, but I want to go home after we finished shooting all day long flight eight hours nobody would leave so we all left and had dinner together it's that kind of feeling were you creating great work together everybody is on fire hair makeup models we all left after the shoot and we'll have dinner together like midnight as a shooting all day long. I love that feeling when everybody's in sync when everyone's in sync it's a test is shoot it the test you'd be solely in studio or could you hell option of shooting on location can your test you should be on ly in studio or you have other options it could be anything to me it could be both studio and location is totally into photographer be anything you want to be just have it planned well you're going to shoot on location and then go in studio or vice versa they should have it all planned out how you from point a to point b plan every step of the way before the shoot you can shoot on the beach in studio wherever you want to do on the roof of a building, speaking of rules will be shooting on a roof of a building like we do in new york all the time so that's coming up later on uh anyway you want to do it, you're wide open joy of discovering models I've loved this since the beginning of my career finding a brand new model so I did my first test of tyra I was a photo assistant a former assistant is the person who works to help photographers on the job so it's like it was like my training being a photo assistant I'm working to learn the business so I worked for like three years, three a half years as a full assistant to learn the inside of the business and during that time I'm also testing all the time so I'd shoot all day I work all day is assisted, then come back after working as an assistant and test so they were for tyra she was working and I was working about being the photo assistant and then afterwards we got to get that night test until two in the morning that's the process so I've always loved that process of discovering new faces so as a photo assistant as was this one photographer in new york uh chuck baker and chuck was shooting all victoria's secrets back then shooting all victoria's secret so we're going on location all time shooting all the top models for tourist secrets were on these two week three week trips all of the country all of the world she victoria secrets so I was one the assistant on the job and I get no clients all the models very well all we're having dinner together eating together string together and one the clients on the tour secrets job asked me do you know any great african american models who is your favorite? I'm like well, at the time there was it was naomi who was out there a lot and has a new girl tyrell so I said I love this girl tyra next thing I know who's doing victoria's secrets I'm not saying that I had a hand in that, but she asked me who I like I like I love this girl she's amazing at the time he'd never heard of her life is funny like this funny I was a photo assistant but then a test I'm like loving this girl she's amazing she great energy, great smile she didn't get tired of doing an hour shoot she worked all day long and then she took time from her job to do a free test with me until two in the morning that's not doing that relationship that's how it happens not every girl's that way but in every girl is not a supermodel that's the difference dedication loving what you do and not worry about oh am I getting paid for this? You're creating something so on that test is only three of us it was tyra it was the makeup artist sam fine in mice self and we shut till two in the morning after working all day doing other things that's dedication for your craft and loving what you do and the making mars talked me up about getting her he's like he's a great photographer he's young you start to shoot his work is really great she's like stealing and that bond has last today with the makeup bars and tiger this's eons ago I want to see those photos e I still have them so I love discovering girls since that point discovering models even going back tio that time of working with a chuck baker when I was a photo assistant chuck was always discovering models on jobs. I remember being on a plane going to the side with chuck I'm the assistant on the job on a plane and chuck is like that girl with the second road you said you're the second roll in the front he's like that guy's got a great look and then we all go up and look at the girl the hair stylist they all walked up and no passed by like accurately is great then land like we approached the girl like you should be a model way discover girls and since the agency you should go forward you should go to elite you should go here it still happens today what did she say? I don't remember when no one on that trip because I've done a z interesting chuck but he taught me about discovering how discover models and bill careers so this is a girl who has shot this year a lot and she approached me earlier this year about doing a test so I had to come in and a lot of girls airports without doing tests and I don't shoot all of them but when I find that special one I'm like okay, this girl has it so I met this girl doing a ten yes and I love to ride away mission here ever since so I love discovering that brand new face this is a girl who could not get a agency at first they're longer so I shoot who can't get agencies I meet them when I go see or casting or meet them too so I said, oh man, you got to see this girl thiss grounds to look and at first and a c might say oh, she hasn't had it but I know she does because who hires the girls for the jobs photographer and the client but you guys see the talent sometimes before the hideout or before the booker does, when tire started out modeling, she lived in the us and shoot to every agency they all turned her down. Tyra banks I've heard that story over and over and over again from big girls big models way see them sometimes before anybody else, the photographer is see the talent, so you hang it up to tweet or not to tweet, tweet or not to tweet if you're doing a test is totally cool you just social media because everybody wants to do this. Take pictures behind the scenes as you're doing and it goes on. Facebook goes on twitter, it goes on your instagram, whatever that's great when you're doing a test this way, fine, not when you're doing a job changes also, when you're doing a job, all that changes so once you start shooting your jobs, be sensitive to your clients if you're doing a job for the brand new boots or brand new address that clients don't want out there until it's published, so don't put that picture on your facebook or your your other social media outlets it's because right now, secret until it's published that's for you, his photographer that's for the models as for the hair and make up your whole crew, if somebody if you do a job and somebody in that crew, your team puts on facebook the client comes to you it is manic you as photographer, so make sure your whole crew and teen models included no about that nothing on social media it's cool to take the pictures just don't post it until it's published there's cool, but not before there's nobody officially for magazine or with add it might be three months before comes out they don't want out there before it's published. So be careful with your social media when you are doing a job we're testing is all good do whatever you want put it out there throw on facebook is my team I do it as well, but not for the job until it's published just publish is all well and good, but wait that three months whatever until it's published them put it out there you could lose a client that way. So here we are again about since I just said about making sure you wait until it's appropriate the post a bios knows what's involved with that, so get involved in the whole process your started test. Now, for the first time you now have your team together you've now met the bookers at the agency you're now doing casting, you have the morals now we have your team together, that's coming in deeper and get involved learning to give direction to your models this is all about working models but directions not just to the models on lee is to the whole team you are directing the path of the shoot as photographer you are directing the path of the shoot how it moves but mood advise in how you make that happen when they into your space they renting your domain beit shooting on location or in a studio on a house whether you are ones that into that space it's up to you to control have will feel what it was what you can to influence how they feel how do you do that with music with food with having given drinks, water or cocoa or issues making sure the day starts off the right way if he backs off today and there's nothing there no drinks, no food it does set the tone like uh I just had a cup of coffee like you said my coffee I could be set beginning of the day is very important how you start the day you set the tone for the day is very important watched the hair and makeup watch the process if your guests saying ok he's the model will do the hair makeup you leave you never see the model again until she comes on to your city where your location is shoot your pride do yourself a disservice because you'll learn a lot by watching the hair and makeup you learn the process of what takes to make it happen and if you use that time to bond with your hair stylist and you make a bar so very often what I'm doing a shoot I will watch them do hair and makeup now make my bond with the model or the hair and makeup artist I can see the process I could tell her oh don't do this don't do that or do add this or why you any this part to it? I want to find out what she's doing and how she's transforming that model it is too much if it's not enough I could make that point right besides step in from time to time and watch the process. I'm not there the entire time about pop in out to watch that process as they do had makeup and a muscle bonding with the model before she gets one set and my crew actually love this period this process of washington transformation once they go ahead and make it I love that process to see what they're doing, how they're working and they hear the stories because in hair and makeup that's when the girls really bond with the makeup arson always have they always have stories and so we so I use that time to really bond and create that connection between the models and myself and sometimes when a job is a lot going on I have clients at that point, who are doing things? I got to give them all my attention I'll still give myself a minute to pop in and watch this or say hello to the crew as they created the looks, the hair, the makeup, even the big jobs. This is a big job is a lot of people around it's a lot going on, I'm throwing a pop in and say hello to models, watch the process, watch the hair process and give my opinions on styling, hair and makeup, then went out and talk to my clients. You are the director, you should know everything is going on, so also, if you walk in, you are the direction the hair, you could make a paper point right then and there they hairstyles will appreciate that if you stopping them before they finish and giving your opinion versus them spend two hours, one hair and makeup becomes like like, oh, I hate the hair so you can't go up. How are you, uh, conveying your vision to the pairing to make up showing pictures? Or how do we convey my vision to the hair and makeup I show? Usually I'll show either tearsheet I'll show you a sketch ashlan magazine I given direction, so before they start doing anything, we've had a conversation about the process and put anybody involved in that I have even my assistants I involved them that process but knowing what's going on for the day you want to get involved in every aspect of the shooter's possible not to be a point where you're like taking over every part but you want to know what's going on so I involved myself and knowing the hair, the makeup and the styling knowing what the wardrobe is where we shooting today I'll go with the client and looked at all the wardrobe and at first lifer starts shooting I thought it was just about my photography has spent all my time we'll do it my assistance in setting up the lights make sure the cameras right because we do that we love doing that part but get involved in the other parts too because this is just as important me to walk over with my client and see their product with my client walk over and seeing the product that was shooting for the day and find out all the money being put into this they are hiring us to make that look good their product be it you know a diamond ring or a leather jacket they're hiring us hiring you the higher that model to make this look good this is the hero of the job every picture has a hero every picture has a hero what's the hero of your picture what's the hero of your picture here we're shooting fashions fashions the hero the girls showing the hero but the heroes, the fashion with that diamond ring or bracelet or whatever the product it's remember that every picture has a hero no matter what you shoot for shooting landscapes. If you're shooting children, if you're shooting weddings, find the hero in every picture will make you a bit of photographer and give yourself a hero it makes you focus on that stuff did not make it a busy image where you're lost in the picture find the hero in your shot, get involved and looking at the wardrobe, find out what you like, make opinions on what you like so then when they're doing the hair and make up and going to shoot, you have a feeling for the garment or the clothing or the ring for the hat well there or the folks for a code, whatever it is that a hand going upward? Ok? And even though I'm doing the shoot and she's now out of hair and makeup, she's got to know her. Why should get her hammock have done? I'm still continue that conversation as we shoot, and I like talking to the models as I shoot and giving them direction, and sometimes, if tonight give me what I want, I can walk over to my my sketches or to my tear sheets and show them the idea I want I'm always giving them that communication verbally. Then sometimes I'm also showing them the idea that sometimes I think even the whole the five sketches, I will show it to them. Now hold it themselves. They can actually see in touch touch things very important again, like that car was into the long time ago. That touch element it still works when you're shooting as well. Sight sound, touch. They see it, they hear it, they can touch it, and then it becomes part of them as well. By the way, this is my crew in the background here. Assistance, hair, makeup, starless videographer a buys making it happen for the day. Even looking at the profits get involved in every aspect of the job. Looking at the props if you're doing a job shooting jewelry, there's, a lot of jewelry. So you make sure you know every piece what's gonna look good. Is this too much? Is that too little? Which one do you wanna shoot? So you have a proper status. Also another jobs. We have my pulling all these pieces to make the job come together. Make sure you know what's there once said