Lessons

Lesson Info

11:45 am - Benetton Shoot Q&A

How do you bring out the energy and then reel it back in at the same time because I noticed these girls when they're jumping and laughing and then they start talking to each other they're not necessarily one hundred percent listening to the photographer you know in that moment so how do you get them to come out and express themselves but maintain yeah maintained focus I guess they aware the entire time issue like I said before you're reading their faces you're reading their energy and you're managing the entire city and sometimes that means changing the morale well stopping when it gets too crazy and making a change just to control the energy you keep it in pace if it gets too crazy with having too much fun it's getting out of control I'll stop and change things around or change your garment when they come back they're fresh again is staying control control of the energy on your said that's a good question thank you like a question so eh we saw what we saw doing a dry run like the walk...

ing part of what that particular pose was going to be like with agnes and ruby wants to know as well as a couple other folks cause mob and fashion t the do you do any physical movements or exercises? You asked them to do that before you even get here a place where the shoot is going to be I don't really do that is if I'm shooting girls with very physical or from shooting dancers do shoot a lot of dancers at times, but this is very physical models, usually in a good shape. They do yoga and meditate and pallotti's sarah tonics, I think you mean that before at like before I was to come on, I would be loosening my body, right? I don't think so, because I already know is an experienced model, what they're wanting that day, something to pull myself apart and, like, you know, make myself, you know, loose in order to come on. I mean, it should it should just come with practice the girl should know. Yeah, thank you from canada into d when you're in a shoot for a client who was responsible for calling the end of the shoot, is that the photographer of the client? Or do we just stop it? A specific time that we had planned for and are their overtime costs to worry about in a shoot? And then I asked another person had asked if the client let's say you're tethered in the clients, he sees the shots, and they say, oh, that's the shot. That happened to you stop or how does that these are all great questions because before digital it was more of a target for calling when they had it because only the photographer was seeing it through the lens and then a bus would you see a polaroid here and there now did you know the client is by the monitor and they'll say very often oh I think we have it I don't like that I like when I call the shoot because photographers only personally see and feel the energy on the shoot and know what they're just about to give it clients thinking about no overtime for sure the crowd is paying for all that stuff but the photographer is privy to seeing and feeling the energy and knowing if they had the shot but that shot earlier showing you guys yesterday of the cover shoot and I felt when I had the shot you do feel it but I also know from the film days when you have the shot you can experiment and get better stuff sometimes and clients sometimes now we'll see that you have the shot and the right to call the day when I really go on experiment and get better stuff very often you get better stuff when you get them in a space where they giving you great shots and then you get even better stuff so I like it when I can call the day but that doesn't always happen that's kind of the new power struggle that's going on since digital before digital it was a photographer saying we had now it's client and photographer fighting for the space toe say we have a question from agnes shoot with the client that you call it you can say that I feel we're going get a lot of great images but let me call it when I feel it like does it ever happened nothing smoking guess you're guessing that it was going to do the shot and you know you don't know of course you want go into overtime and nobody wants that um especially now in this world in this environment um nobody wants overtime it's all people get out on time is a matter of fact you should always get out on time but you're still trying to get your shots within the day and there sometimes when I feel like I once floor more and had the time without going into overtime and they're calling it before they should that's just my own personal all right so a question from doug chef in photography is there a difference between a high volume catalogue shoot and a magazine shoot such as how long you spend with each look yes um catalogs you're you're shooting a lot of garments fast um less posey let's posey with editorial is looser all way around with catalog um you have a planet to get a set amount of garments done her day and with editorial telling the story right so it's a very different dynamic and so is it more valuable in that situation even for the model to be more experienced so that you could get through and bullet cases I mean we all want to get every job eighth tiger wants the best models they can get for the job that makes your job easier can you afford those models for that job is the question or are they available for that job is the question but we all want the best models your client wants the best photographer thing is you must become the best photographer and the models come to this models that's how we all work more and more questions from dimitri fifty air how would you handle a situation in which the client is watching the time but hair and makeup is taking longer than expected or it's taking longer to direct the models than expected and what is that? What is the most stressful factor for you? Is that really I am very often goings that make guys how long before I have her how long before I ever as director you must manage people and make sure they're not in the makeup room just chatting it up because that happens where the girls get to these things and they chatted with to make it bars they're having a great time back there you like uh hello I got got a shooter guys so as director you're on top of time as well because you're looking at you like way have a lot to do and still hair and makeup and I want to add this to win so you're directing the entire set all the time everything about from from beginning of the day and every aspect of the day when much comes how long you spent having lunch and not gives no relaxing and just being back there having lunch for two hours you don't have that luxury usually um you have the common sense of all of that all the time and it's on you photographer and also left on a very big shoot I will hire a producer and producer will keep things running because you could say focused on being the visual visual creative person producer will be worry about getting everybody out getting people out in one place in time and keeping you focus on being an artist that's a great question too because sometimes you know if a girl comes and in her hair's extra phycor super curly or it needs to be tamed that's communication between the hair and makeup artists should be that they give each other the same amount of time or funds going to take longer that she's coordinating is going to pick up the pace that's a huge problem I know working with people who know how to do both and you might hire let's say makeup in here, artists even if they're represented and their super talented but their weakness could be hair and they might take an extra let's say, twenty, thirty minutes from somebody who on lee does hair and then we really quick with makeup so it's learning to the strengths and weaknesses of your hair makeup artists of that does you know, it's, not the model spot, that her hair is thick and it takes a long time, it should be some communication between, you know, whoever's directing that day and the hair makeup artist knows the client wants to save money and hire one person both hair and makeup, right? But we know that when there's a one person's hair and makeup, they're very strong at one or the other and ok at the other right? So how do you sue the frustrated client? What? What do you do to make you tell them right away? Reality and they know it, they're trying to get much done as cheaply as possible as they can. Uh, I'm always saying we need both a hair and makeup, but finds like way uh, cut it down to only one system versus three can we have only one hair and makeup versus hair and makeup were leading the met manicurist? Can you get her nails done? And I think you need a massoud said yeah, you know? And they could be actually like you said, one strong on the other or I've had where they're so amazing and both they just might take longer and it shouldn't be the model spot that that they couldn't get the hair done I think it's stress training to be sitting and carol I would have had her done but you know, her hair so longer hair is really hard to blow out and then you're starting to blame the model and then that's already setting you know, the models coming out said and they're looking at the model oh, she the one you know, we shouldn't be flaming yes, fine down the day, but it's about communicating, you know, this isn't just asked what the most stressful part of the day was for you, matthew, and so you want I want to know what the most stressful part of the day it might be for you the shoot I don't I don't want to come off sounding like teo I was hard for me to direct the girls because for me it's something that it seems so easy like but I've done it now for x amount of years, so if I'm thinking benetton, whatever I'm going to come in, I already know but to sit there and get technical with them it might be frustrating for matthew if I've just picked up a camera and I start asking him, why did you choose that nikon and why did you do that cannon and why did you do you know so for them to ask me that sometimes I might not even have an answer it was just a feeling that I was feeling and it was just from the whole mood board that I saw before I can't get really technical why I raised my hand this way or why I just do it and I feel it so you know, it was hard to see I could see what I'm looking at them if it looks awkward or they could do better it's easy to come over and move them but explain why I did what I do are it's hard? It was awesome yeah, right yeah, the pressure of like um having to do a lot of shots and having miles who on experience despite the most stressful thing to be in on a job having your new models um and you have a very, uh packed day in terms of what you must deliver that next the pressure but pressure is part of it you must get used to it because it doesn't get easy, it does get easier as you get good at one thing you'll be thrown to another part work of celebrities is stressful working with one, a movie said, is stressful. Working with big models and actors together is stressful. Um, but you do it and you get good at after. Well, great question from a coach ron photo cochran photo sorry, first you like this? How much do you plan out ahead of time? As far as the posing and what would you want from the models? Do you ever just picked out that's an overall theme and come up with ideas on the day of the shoot? Probably not not really you don't you don't always planned ahead and is much mr hospital is planned hit, but things happen now in terms of the wardrobe, the stars will come in with rex and racks of clothing and then the client and I or and salis or looking at the clothing and trying to pick garments for the girl using the day of the shoot. This advertising is different. You were doing that day before the shoot because it's more specific. Well, maybe fitting in the morning. You might have a fitting day before the shoot. It depends on the job and, uh, was expected and how much they're spending a couple of questions, and I don't know if there's a anything standard about thes types of shoots commercial shoots but some woman photo l photo grateful and david of michigan asked our most shoots paid by the hour for the project how long is a normal shoot and how long can these shoots take days or weeks it's not paid by the hour we don't work that way well that's not true way could book models from like say um eight to twelve but it's getting a rate slightly by fleeing getting paid by the hour in the industry period um an average day also difference like the average day for crew is ten hours and then goes in overtime for miles does not have a question what are the things that slipped through the cracks what what what are the things that seem to always just kind of get put on the backburner and that you maybe that you wish that you had to learn to improve to keep up on that is there anything like that that you're like oh I forgot about that again or well I've been on shoots for there's been no communication with the makeup and hair stylists and then you get on and the photographers hates the look or is not wanting that I was not understanding what the photographer wants and then you either have to start over or I've had photographers get so frustrated when they wanted a particular skin type or do we finish or not so you know powdered or whatever and then that cuts into them that's a giant lee why I often go back to watch hair and make up for that reason I'm that happening when I was a little assistant talked with me like, oh, I didn't want that after two hours of hair and makeup, he'll go back again, some often going back to hair and makeup and watching stuff as it happens, because I've learned from that experience that that destroys your day, if you have two hours of hair and makeup or mohr, they come out, you're like, oh my god, that's horrible! You could go back to hair and make up that would destroy your day, and from that point on your clients like that's, a horrible feeling, but having I've learned learned also because of that having a producer is one the best things you can do to keep track of all that stuff because of producer watches, every little thing and they have your back. I love how I want to ask you that question, matthew, your life, you know, I'm pretty much have it all dialed in no, no, no, I just let go you have to think about this it was pretty cute, no matter how much you plan something always have natural that would change the batteries, we didn't charge the battery something happens so matthew and you wanna we have about eight minutes herself for lunch do you want tio? Was there anything more you want? They were more questions. I'm good with more questions so I feel good about these guys they've now worked without having any visuals and they've learned with like to be in this place but a good thing is you've now broken the ice you did it for the first time first time is boys the harness get yourself as you're producing it but it will be as hard you know what expect now and you know how hard it is so you'll be more prepared and give yourself time to prepare and plan and research so when they get here you can have you had it on control you guys be sure to ask matthew all your questions you have access to him all day wait tonight way. All right. Well we have the time or questions but sure there boy bring a boy a question again from fashion tv who I like to say it clarified is his name is v and he goes by fashion tea and then waken just calm the was that the singapore vian singing for us while directing how do we know how far we can go, who sets the cap or limit in terms of poses and emotions or does anything go in the fashion industry at times anything does go, um and I place you get into a trance, you know, as a model, you know, you might be working on a story I'm trying to be that person through, you know, in each shot bringing out well, maybe not each frame, but maybe each as the day progresses, I'm bringing more of that out, and yeah, it is acting in a way it is our difference, and when you see that, you really understand that they're acting to playing a role scylla, garment or product of sometimes exactly so, myka asked about how many days, weeks or months ahead of time are you hired for a job? How far is your calendar booked out? You could have it could be thursday and you have nothing for next week, and on friday you're booked for that fine week it's used to mean you have a longer lead time, since the recession is not as much believe time anymore. Um, it changes and it's hard to schedule things for that reason because you could have a month, we're like, oh, I'm only working like, you know, five times this month, and then the next week your book saw first of the month, it just changes week by week, same with modeling, so people ask me now for certain projects you haven't knowledge but you'll get a call that day like two in the afternoon sun is some polaroids you're on hold for this job for more tomorrow and you're like what? So which makes it hard to plan uh holiday and sometimes if I book a holiday to go away somewhere guaranteed a job comes guarantee which is a good thing which is a good thing that times are an interesting question was that one of the audience know that david this so just try to recall uh kind of point time when you can you can spell sprung it on me so I want to ask you as when you were that you know that photographer progressing to different levels can you recall your experience? Um when you like, oh, man, I now have just entered the big leagues working with now like the's pro models and did the whole thing if you could be called that I've experienced very, very well like was yesterday it was yesterday's medical um it's funny because it's an evolution and you look back like, oh, wow, I'm at this place now, but in the moment it doesn't seem like that I went from assisting to having an agent to getting my first magazine job to doing my first location job to doing my first big editorial the my first advertising and it happened in such a pace it was gradual wasn't like oh wow well better like wow that was kind of cool that was a big stepping point in my career after a while it's just less like your she went every day life and you take you take it as it comes but were you going through it you like ok ok I'm doing this today I'm doing that and you have help along the way you have mentors hopefully along the way when I first start shooting and I get that first editorial where went away for two weeks to st lucia I call target used to assist for I'm like I had my first location job man what do I do and you know what you're doing you know we've been all over the world together you do the same thing you did as the assistant but you would have talked for like oh wow yeah and him saying that to be was so reassuring because I was like oh my god I'm not a photographer I'm going here for two weeks you said even doing this for years now you were the assistant but it's the same thing you just in charge you know what to do just believe in yourself and those wars were like ok, I can do this but at first remember that first call when I got the job I was like yes that's like oh my god all the pressure was on me going away to an island for two weeks to do three fashion stories of all these models two weeks on an island if you forget something from new york, you know that you need equipment wise, you like I can't get in st lucia, so you have backups? Oh, speaking of which on that job? So we're doing that first shot on the beach, the couples in the sand, you know, looking all romantic and this pressure already from the first shot because the male model his best friend was athena model's boyfriend and they're being romantic in the shot, so he was dressed and nervous and the girl was stressed and nervous. I gotta take a look intimate appointment on the entire story, so that was trust me to get them both comfortable with being together and being intimate even though you know, it was weird for both of them and then my assistant, uh, it's, the very first shot of a two week trip and it's my first job, my assistant goes to take a meter reading at the beach in st lucia, and a second meeting by the water he turns around in a wave hits a bush with my meter, so that means not becomes a paperweight and we're in st lucia, what do you do? I had a backup meter and I learned that from assisting from seeing stuff go wrong, assisting helps a lot. Assisting helps a lot. It has given me a career without assisting. I would never have been a photographer.