The constructive THREAD

on a clothing point.

DO NOT under any circumstances make a bra or piece of clothing for your model unless you are a fashion designer or very very knowledgeable about garments. The success rate is not even one out of ten to get a successful pic.

Even suggesting some fabric to cover the skin and body is a deadly give away of an unplanned shoot and the success rate is not even 25%.

So you mean that nipple cap concept made of clingwrap you told me about is not a good idea?

So you mean that nipple cap concept made of clingwrap you told me about is not a good idea?

that is a VERY good idea. " The success rate is not even one out of ten" - the cling-wrap nipple-cap is the other "one".

"constructive" --- means not to hijack the thread to have fun... lets create a hijack thread for that

Sorry Arch..
I'm liking the suggestions so far.

Get deposits!
With silly season approaching, historically people have a lot on their minds and typically if something else comes up they just won't pitch for their shoot. Unless they have paid a deposit...
I've never had a no show from someone who's paid toward the shoot.

Thanks for the contribution Matt

The purpose is also to draw in the other "non-forum-active" people into adding their ideas, it does not mean all ideas posted will be well received. But at least we can get different viewpoints on the same issues without a kill-each-other explosion happening.

I just found out e.g. that resizing really messes around the quality of the pic. I have been resizing without a care in the world to relook the pic and make some adjustments... So we live and learn.

Thanks to all who have contributed, i myself have made many of the same mistakes mentioned here already, and am learning from them, but to read about it from others really hammers it home.

something i have noticed, and am guilty off it myself: skin smoothing,
there is such a thing as too much. Sometimes natural skin( Obviously depending on the skill of the MUA) can look really great!
and if you do the face, don't leave a line around the chin ( nifty little feature in CS5 is surface blur.) Just not too much.

Thank you for the valuable advice above.

Talking about fetishes, I love a long lens! Ask Gilbert.

I remember a photo of a photographer talking to his assistant on a two-way radio who then relayed the instructions to the model.

On the topic of lighting, not only do I agree that flash lighting will generally compliment a scene, and getting the models skin exposed correctly makes a huge difference, but the height and breadth of the light relative the size of the subject (model) will also produce a noticeable difference.

Start with the background in mind.

Some great tips there Mr Pearce! thanks for sharing!

My contribution:

Shoot your best look first... nail the shots or lighting design that you know will work in the beginning of the shoot - puts the whole shoot on a good start, gains the confidence of all involved.

Ive learnt this the hard way - if you try do the trickest most abstract idea first - you WILL lose focus & end up putting yourself off.

Good lighting is imperative. A lot can go wrong but good lights will save the day. The following was shot in our foyer - not even the studio in daylight but with proper lights, check this out>>http://vimeo.com/44724103

Jeez it all sounds like hard work now :P

2c worth from me ...

I know the topic of MUA's was touched on ...

I see many great compositions, lovely models and great lighting on shots that are absolutely stuffed up by someone having to do PP work to try to manipulate the 'face/skin/etc' to get it to look the way it was planned.

I can only stress - get hold of 1 (or more) MUA's - sit and chat with them and get them on your side. Get them to understand the look you are wanting to achieve. Do not be afraid to (gently and nicely) ask the MUA to remove and start again.

I've done it - and if it is all said and done in a nice manner - you can all work to get THE SHOT.

I think one should place a high importance on the MU contingent of a shoot.

Fact – a make-up artist is the difference between life and death on a photo. I point-blank refuse to shoot without a MUA. Its as impossible for me to shoot without Theresa or Stavvie of Melanie or any of the other ladies there as it is to shoot without a camera.

Seriously, after my very first shoot, I realised these girls make me look good, and are the most undervalues part of the holy trinity of model-MUA-tog. Take the MUA out of that equation and the thing falls to bits. If you don't have a make-up artist around, you better have a gas mask or a zentai suit or something, because else it just... falls aapart like wet tissue paper.

HAHA - Totally agree Gerry :)

Find someone who can do hair properly, most mua dont do it and leave the hair and it makes the photos look poopoo. Hair is very important!