I've been voulenteered... help!

[RichardtheSane]

OK, lets get the laugh out the way now.

Some of you will know I photograph dogs. Chances are tohose of you that know that also know I photographs the dogs looking for homes at a local greyhound rescue centre. I do this for free, always have, always will - in the year I have been photographing their dogs rehomings have increased 50%.

I digress. Essentially I am the official photographer for the rescue. Remember this fact, you will probably cotton on to how important it is very qucikly.

They are doing a calender. Great idea I thought, get some of my images in print, and raise some money for the hounds at the same time. Result! Loving the idea. We started browsing through the images, came up with a shortlist, narrowed them down some more. You get the picture (no pun intended). After 2-3 days of email exchanges we are down to 14 shots and deciding if we need a cover and back cover shot.
I look back and think that had I just gone over to the rescue and badgered them into deciding in one afternoon life would be much rosier.

One of the voulenteers watched a film on day 3. I didn't tknow this at the time, but this film changed the direction of the calender, I am as yet undecided if this is a good thing.

The film was calender girls

Now I would like to point out at this time that the rescue have no money for a hired photographer, they have me. I can photograph dogs.
Never have I done any portrait work. At all. Ever.

The idea is have semi naked voulenteers with strategically placed greyhounds covering the bits that (to be honest) we really don't want to see.

Help. Gibber.

(Seriously, I think I may need some help with this one!)

Get the laugh out the way, I'll post the plan shortly :)

[mickle]

...with strategically placed greyhounds covering the bits....

Hmmmm

:D

[Vetteography]

The idea is have semi naked voulenteers with strategically placed greyhounds covering the bits that (to be honest) we really don't want to see.

Speak for yourself, I happen to be fond of those bits... but the calendar sounds like fun!

[robertwgross]

There is a certain population that would like the off-beat humor of the new idea. However, the majority of the population would prefer the standard approach. There is even a minority that would be seriously turned off to the new idea.

However, you are only the (free) hired gun. Who makes the decision?

---Bob Gross---

[scottbergerphoto]

I have to agree with Bob. The people who buy the calendar won't be for the most part dog lovers and the people who are inclined to be the most generous to help the dogs may be turned off to the calendar and the dogs will suffer as a result. It sounds like a really bad idea to me. I'd grab a real good ten foot pole to stay awy from that one.

[mbze430]

Wow, another one of those sex sell type approach. I think if your dog photo are strong enough, why bother with the idea of half naked models with dogs.

Now, if this was to sell the idea of dogs and hot females...it will work. Just who is the intended audience? Ask them the same question. Who are they trying to sell to.

[jukas]

I agree with Bob & Scott. The people who seriously love these animals and want to help see the rescue dogs get placed won't be the ones buying these calanders and will most likely be turn off by them.

I would suggest you thank the volunteer for his idea but remind them that this is a non profit organization and thus can't afford to align themselves to the "sex sells" camp. It's entirely possible that they may end up losing donations from people offended by the calander.

Personally with products not normally associated with sex, I'm quite turned off by sex driven ads. Case in point, the new Paris Hilton comerical for Carl's Junior. Now I don't eat fast food to begin with, but seeing that ad didn't make me want a burger, it just make me remember how trashy Hilton is and be glad I don't eat fast food. To me using that kind of marketing tactic says "I don't believe enough in my product/service so my only hope is to appeal to your lesser brain and draw you in with eye candy".

You said yourself they can't afford to hire a pro photographer so you have the best bargining chip right there. If it was me I'd try to diplomatically stear them back to the original concept and if that didn't work I would bow out of the project due to a difference in creative opinion.

[RichardtheSane]

The selling side of it is simple. They already have a lot of people (who they believe and trust) saying they would buy one. But that is their decision, I say out of that side of it. Certainly if they didn't have people wanting to buy such a calender then they wouldn't put money the can't afford down getting it printed. Anyway, I'm not posting to discuss if it should be done, it will be done and I will be doing it.

As a side note, I forgot to mention the original calender with my dog photos is still going ahead and that will be the one that is marketed to the wider audience.

Looking at the setups they have it will all be very tasteful, and I plan on being able to photograph it without having to request anyone gets completely naked. In fact to be honest I want to do it in a way that will only hint nakedness ;) I also plan on doing it black an white.

1. Getting up - in bed getting boinged on by our dogs
2. Getting Dogs out - taking dogs into paddock
3. Feeding -
4. Getting dogs in -
5. Grooming -
6. Grass cutting - (this one could be fun)
7. Microchipping -
8. Vet visit -
9. Trip to pet shop -
10. Unloading wholesale delivery -
11. Prizegiving at dog show -
12. Hanging out washing -

Now the technical side of it I am mostly comfortable with. One or two setups will need lighting, but untill I have either seen them or got a floor plan I'll not worry about those.

My worry is the people side of things. I am inexperienced and the people posing are no models either. This could be a disaster waiting to happen and that is what I am looking ofr tips on how to avoid :)
I come across as competant and confident which I'm sure ishalf the battle. ANyother suggestions here, or in fact (apart from don't do it) for any of this project?

I will be keeping a blog of all this, I trust it will make good reading once I have done!

[RichardtheSane]

I'm going to emphasize, there is NO intention of any form of sex sell here. NONE at all
Sorry I didn't make that clear

Below is a link to the actual calender that has inspired them.

http://www.calendargirls.tv/calendar.html

Se what I mean about non-sex orientated

[RichardtheSane]

I think if your dog photo are strong enough,

Thankyou for your compliment :)

[mgbeach]

If you had asked me what phrase I thought least-likely to appear in print, "strategically placed greyhounds" probably would have topped the list :)

[napolar]

If you had asked me what phrase I thought least-likely to appear in print, "strategically placed greyhounds" probably would have topped the list :)

I'm back in my chair now - Thanks for the laugh.

[RichardtheSane]

Somehow, semi naked voulenteers and greyhound rescue centre, just do not sound right together! I think it is rather distastful. I surely would not want such a calender!
Without knowing anything about either the rescue, the voulenteers or the intended buyers you are in no position to make such a statement. I have already stated that it IS going ahead and that I am not looking to discuss if it should be done/would sell/etc. If you wouldn't want a calender I'm not forcing you to have one.

So, I am looking for and would really appriciate constructive comments on the photography side of it.

[johnnybfan]

Why not use female dogs in bikinis????????:lol::lol::lol:

[mgbeach]

Why not use female dogs in bikinis????????:lol::lol::lol:
And October's Bitch of the Month is....

[Noni]

Hi, Richard.

I have participated in this sort of calendar, but as the "artistic director" rather than the photographer. I can't comment on the photography you'd be doing, but I can give you some hints and tips when working with models who aren't necessarily comfortable with being nude/semi nude.

Don't start early. Most people are not early birds, and aren't ready to get up, get dressed, go somewhere, get make up on, and then get undressed. Some of us women have morning face as well as morning hair, and that can be a really scary and hard-to-tame duo.

Start with clothes on. Especially with models who aren't used to being naked in front of people they're not intimate with. Take a few with a full set of clothes, and gradually suggest shoes/top/et cetera come off. Now, I say this knowing full well that our very first models, right at the beginning of a 3 day shoot, walked into the room we were working in and stripped to their skin without any warning (we actually asked them to put their clothes back on...the photographer was thrown for a loop...and I was laughing so hard I couldn't see...). However, the other 15 models needed to relax and get comfortable before they were willing to get naked.

Also, along those lines, if a model says she won't get undressed at all, don't exclude her. I had several models tell me that, and by the time we were done, they were in the buff having a great time.

Have music and lots of (non-alcoholic) drinks around. Dry mouth, even if it's not hot, will affect the facial features of the models. And dry mouth happens when you're nervous, as your models will be. Let the model choose the sort of music they want (or don't want), so have a good selection of stuff.

Make sure you get releases for each and every one, no matter what. Because this is potentially very revealing (not the shots that make it into the calendar, but those "oopsies" which show just a tad too much), make sure a lawyer looks the releases over before shooting. No release? No shoot.

Have as few people around as possible, but enough to get everything done as quickly as possible. If you use an assistant, bring them along. Also, have a member of the same sex as the model in the room with you at all times. Don't leave yourself open to accusations or questions...always have a third party there. But keep people in the area to a minimum; and post a guard at the door if it doesn't lock so that the model knows she won't be walked in on.

Also, be really aware of egos. We women worry about our bodies so very much, so try to phrase things in as complimentary way as possible. One of the photographers on our shoot got kicked in the bottom (by me) when he told a woman something which, while true, didn't need to be said (something about a bit being "itty bitty"). Cost us about 2 hours of calm down time, and I had to change photographers for the rest of her shoot. He was rather young (24ish), so I don't think this will apply to you, but still...something to consider.

And last but not least, keep an eye out for shadows in unusual places....

If I think of anything else, I'll post.

Best of luck!

Noni

[RichardtheSane]

johnnybfan & mgbeach :lol: :lol: :)

Noni, thankyou so much for all that information. It will be really useful!
The little things I hadn't considered such as drink and music - time of day - I think that will go a long way in helping relax both the models and the photographer too.

We've already decided that the shoots will be totally closed set. Myself, and assistant (Who in most cases wil be my fiancee), model (s) and the artistic director(as she will now be known :) )/dog handler. We've also managed to plan nearly every shot in a way that will not require the models to get completely naked.

Once again, thank you so much - I really appriciate the help. Do you mind if I forward your post on to a few of the people involved?

(btw, I'm not much older than 24 :) :) but hopefully more tactful)

Richard

[Noni]

You're more than welcome to forward the post to whomever you want. The photographer I mentioned who was indiscrete was someone who was a problem the entire shoot - actually, the entire calendar; he forgot batteries, had huge attitude and ego, and was not very talented...his shots were mostly trashed. You don't seem to be like that, so I do believe you'll be fine.

You'll be just fine. If you run into any questions about things, don't hesitate to pm me. The other thing I forgot to mention was keep things light-hearted and fun. There's no ban on having fun...joke and laugh and play (within reason), and give big encouragement.

Good luck!!

Best-
Noni

[PhotosGuy]

1. Getting up - in bed getting boinged on by our dogs Maybe you'd like to reword that? :D:D

Lots of good ideas above, so a suggestion for next year: Consider taking the pics of the dogs with the kids who are owned by them? ;)