Shoot planning

It’s back to the world of modelling, after a sidestep into the world of politics. This is my 3rd post on the blog, not sure this is something I want to keep doing. We’ll see if the inspiration continues to flow and if there is any kind of feedback..

Most of the time, you read about models complaining about the lack of seriousness of photographers. There are some weird stories around about photographers who cannot make the distinction between a model photoshoot and their own phantasms. They think they’re allowed to do anything just because they are paying. Not so. As in any job, the model deserves respect and should have her say in the nature of the shoot. Usually, it is agreed up front what the shoot will be about, portrait, fashion, nudeart, erotic.

Model photography, and especially nudeart, have received a bad name in the general public, probably because of all the silly people in the business and because they erroneously suspect that all sort of things, which cannot see daylight, are going on. Personally, although I stay well within artistic nudeart, I have been fired because of my work, not once but probably 2 times.  The first ones to have fired me was an occupational medecine company in Belgium, they also insulted me by branding my perfectly artistic nudeart as pornography and BDSM (How blind can you be?). The second ones (a health insurance company in Belgium) didn’t have the courage to tell me the real reasons and mentioned some minor shortcomings on my part. In hindsight, it would have been better to work under a pseudonym but I still do not want to hide behind one, having nothing to hide.

So not all photographers are serious in their business, but the opposite also occurs. There are perfectly understandable circumstances why a model cancels. But it also happens that models just do not show up for shoots without prior notification. I have been waiting 3 times in vain for the same model. With another model, I couldn’t agree on the hairstyle and that was the reason why she decided to  cancel one week before. This was supposed to have been a 2 day shoot, I had to cancel 2 other models and the rental of a Paris studio. I was happy that these people understood and graciously did not charge me any money, which they were probably entitled to.

I have been forced myself to cancel shoots on 2 occasions for what were, at least to me, justified reasons. One cancellation took place 3 months before the shoot was planned, the other one 12 days prior to it. Professional models should easily be able to find a replacement shoot so many days before, but nevertheless, they took it very wrong and again insulted me.

The modelling world can be a strange world indeed.

Using Format