Prints for Time – How to Make it Work

By Mark Adams

Prints for Time (PFT) shoots seem a great idea. How can you lose? The photographer gets the services of a model free of charge and the right to use shots for portfolio purposes; the model gets shots for her book and web use. Everyone wins – right? Well only if you prepare properly, a badly planned shoot can be a disaster all round -but there is no need for it to be like that. The trick is to prepare, prepare, prepare.

First before you consider working with a girl on a PFT basis honestly evaluate your own skills – can you produce work of a standard fit for a portfolio? If you can’t then go and practice till you can and then think about PFT. If you do a shoot and the results are not up to standard then there will be hard feelings all round. However, lets assume you are fit and ready to try a PFT shoot – how do you go about it? I’ll use a recent shoot I did with a new model called Emma-B as a template for setting up a session.

Emma e-mailed me to ask about a PFT shoot and explained that she was just thinking of getting into modelling and was interested in working from clothed glamour through to classical nude. We exchanged e-mail's and I ended up knowing Emma’s height, age (to ensure that she was old enough to model), vital statistics, hair and eye colour and shoe size. We also discussed what kind of outfits she had and whether there were particular types of shots she wanted (portrait, full length, clothed, topless) and whether there were particular looks she wanted (Goth, rock chick, high glamour, fashion). Emma sent me a couple of snaps by e-mail to let me see how she looked and I sent her some of my shots to let her see the standard of my work.. Here is one of the snapshots Emma sent.

Then we discussed what I would supply in return for Emma’s time – size and number of prints, whether they were to be computer or photographic prints, whether she wanted electronic versions written to CD and so on.

What was the result of all this discussion? Well before I got to the studio I knew that Emma was old enough to model legally and looked good enough for me to be confident of producing portfolio standard shots. I knew her height and measurements for any props or outfits I intended to bring (and remember that a model may not have much in the way of outfits at the start of her career so it is worthwhile building up a stock yourself). I knew the type of shots Emma was happy to pose for and the kind of lighting and sets she would be keen on so I could plan the shoot in advance. We each knew what was expected of the other in terms of time modelled for prints and CDs supplied and the uses the shots could be put to. This is normally limited to portfolio and promotional uses. It is not usual to expect a commercial model release for PFT shoots.

Arrange the shoot at a place where the model will feel safe and secure – after all they may not know you at all. I use studios which have an on-site manager although the studio areas are private. This offers an ideal mix of security and privacy for the model. Don’t be surprised if the model wants to be accompanied to the studio it is a sensible precaution but I don’t like escorts in the studio during the shoot – I have never met one who could keep quiet and not be a distraction.

In Emma’s case we used Studio 2K in Walthamstow and agreed that she would arrive a little early to get made up and agree outfits to wear while I set up lighting and props.

The length of shoot should be agreed in advance with the model and we had agreed to a 4-hour shoot to allow for several changes of outfit and a couple of lighting changes. It also allowed time to explain the importance of finding the key light, staying under the hair light and some of the rules of posing.

The main thing is TALK TO YOUR MODEL. If you ask them to change a pose explain why or they will think they are just getting it wrong. Chat, compliment and encourage – it takes a lot of courage to stand up in front of a stranger and model so help them out. Finally always honour the limits you have agreed – if you have agreed to clothed glamour don’t try to persuade the model to do topless and so on – it can sour the whole shoot.

In Emma’s case we did two set ups. In the first 2 soft boxes were set at F8 giving a combined exposure of F11 from the front (firing in at 45% to the model on each side). A white background was over-lit 1 ½ stops at F16.5 to give a bright background. There was no hair light. This was a simple set up which meant Emma could concentrate on posing without worrying about working to the lights. As you can see she did very well indeed.

We restricted the number and type of poses so that she would have a better chance of remembering the posing tips rather than doing 40 poses which would become a blur. The shoot is not just about prints – it is also practice for the model.

Once Emma was a little more confident we moved to a more elaborate set up with a single soft box at 45% and set at F11. A hair light was added at F16 and a spot was fired on to an otherwise unlit background at F11. Some fill was supplied by positioning large white reflectors on the opposite side from the main light. This meant that Emma had to concentrate much more on working to the key light and staying under the hair light. Again I think you can see how well she did - especially when you consider that all of these shots were taken on the first occasion that Emma was ever in a studio.

Keep all your promises! Have the shots developed, let the model select the prints she wants and get them to her as soon as possible.

Both Debbie and I ended up with a selection of shots for portfolio and web use – and I got to spend the day in the studio with a really nice girl – who is also shaping up as a first rate model! Not a bad day all round.

Mark has been a regular reader and contributor to GP Online since day one and you can see his portfolio at www.Glamour-photo.co.uk/portfolios.html or if you want some pft then Mark can be contacted by clicking here.

Debbie now has her own website which is still being built at http://www.models web site ere.com/ If you wish to contact Debbie re work email mailto:email address ere baby?subject=Enq Via GP

RETURN

EugeneStruthers©Glamour Photo OnLine 2002