The Challenges of Glamour Photography

Taking pictures of scantily clad woman sounds like a nightmare to me, specially, if my wife hears about it.

Ovi

charles complimented my shots today - I'm on a high!! Sorry to hijack.

Bloo one time, and one time only a lady I knew asked if I could take some pictures for her, as a present to her husband. They would be shot at their house in the afternoon. So I agreed....little did I know.

I get there and she is dressed in a robe. I told her I would get setup while she finished getting ready. That is when she laughed and dropped the robe to reveal that she was indeed ready, clad only in lingere and skimpy underwear.
I was a little nervous to say the least.
So we proceed to the bedroom where she begins to pose on the bed. I am snapping away and directing her. Finally after about 20 minutes I told her I think I have enough. I begin to pack up and she suggests that we do some more. So I put more film in and when I turn around she is buck nekked. Full blown porn is what she is wanting to do.
I couldn't wait to get out of there. I gave her 3 rolls of film, a suggestion for where she could get it developed, she gave me a check and I went on my way....quickly.
I don't know if she ever had the film developed or not. I avoided her from then on because I think she wanted to see my long lens and wasn't just interested in giving her husband pictures for a present.

I don't think I would ever agree to do anything like that again. When I got to the car, I was sweating!

What's it like? Just like portrait work except the subject is often nude or in lingerie, sexy clothes, swimwear, etc. Well, ok, this is an oversimplification. But it's really not far off from the truth.

The worst part? There are several things but one stands out. You do meet some "unusual" people in this business. I am VERY picky as to who I might work with. At the minimum they need to be sincere/serious and behave in a professional manner. I usually expect a lot more than that.

How did I get started? I am a people shooter. That led to fine-art, which gradually worked into glamour. The glamour started because I was shooting models locally for a couple of agencies. Most of the girls were interested in some sort of fine-art work but ALL have wanted some glamour.

Do I EVER want it to end? Sometime, I'm sure. Frankly, it's hectic and demanding and almost everything gets old at some point. I've thought about slowing down. Switching to something else.

Worst shoot? No-shows. Late-shows. Models who just don't "click" in the studio. Models who misrepresent themselves.

Answers inline....

Thanks but I'd like to hear from some others too!!!

ROFL!

...............

From a female perspective:

I had a guy who was supposedly modeling for Nike, and Wilson (Tennis) and he had an array of outfits he brought to the studio.

I thought I had done a great job and showed them to a girlfriend. She turned red and puffed up her cheeks trying not to laugh, but she exploded! I wasn't sure why, but when she pointed to a proof and asked me if I thought he'd had a good time I could have died. His 'self' was poking out of the Speedos, and because I was so busy being "professional" and focusing on his eyes, I didn't even notice his um, excitement at the session. UGH! I felt pretty dumb!

Then there was the guy who supposedly only was dressing up as a woman for Halloween... Good Lord!

This Is A New Twist From The Ordinary. It will be interesting if these stories keep gaining momentum.

LOL Now that's a problem I've never had. However, I have missed details in a shoot. It is very difficult sometimes to keep track of all details, maximizing the impact of the light, etc. and also make sure all wardrobe, hair, makeup, etc. is perfect. With an assistant or two you have twice or thrice the number of eyes checking for problems but it's still possible to miss a detail. Fortunately, it doesn't happen very often.

Usually, though, if something does slip, I see it immediately in the proof print or on the computer screen when I go to edit. Ughh.....

Can you imagine if her husband walked in on you guys in the bedroom? You'd've had to become Indy-Flaming-Jeff to get out of that one.

This needs no further comment.

Are you sure she wasn't looking at your 50 mm "standard" lens through 10D eyes?

J/K - I've not encountered anything like this situation involving photography. About the best I could do is have a couple of female softball players hit foul balls at me.

I have waited a long time with nudes or topless or glamour, first I wanted to have the basic in good order.

My first session I was very nervous but to be honest as soon as you start shooting it's just another session, it's only a lot harder, when you shoot with clothes you alway's have something you can use to cover up some imperfections or "bodyfat". With nudes or lingerie you really have to know what you are doing.

It's very nice if the model is in good shape, at the moment I only shoot nudes when they indeed are perfect for nudes, otherwise I will do fashion or something else but no nudes.

Greetings,
Frank

Don't you think thats a tad bit shallow?

Why ?
There are alot models who want to make nude or lingerie pictures while their strong points do not lie there, if I'm paid for a session I will offcourse do it.
When they need it for their portfolio I will do it, but when I have a standard session I will tell them were their weakpoints lie, if they still want to do it, I will shoot it anyway but at the end of the session.

I need GOOD shots for my portfolio and models who look great nude are not in many numbers to be honest, at least not for me at this moment.

What I meant was, that you have to look profesional at the shoot, you have to make pictures that will enhance your model and not on which they look bad, remember that the model will look at the picture and if she doesn't like it, she will most certainly not give herself the blame .

Greetings,
Frank