Proper Model For Photography

Nowadays, when technology has been and is running across our everyday life, there is no more impossibility from the simplest to the most sophisticated things. Not only to give chances, technology is provided to make us easy. Distance, time and space; they are obstacles no more. Limitation vanishes due to little digital touches; converted to a faultless masterpiece. In the mid of this digital movement, we, who acclaim ourselves as photographers, should be able to cleverly deal with this because we are given both the benefits and disadvantages.

To fulfill everything, as a professional achievement or only a hobby, we had better – still – be what we are. Not to fully depend on that digitalization, but not to be an apathetical anti-technology one too. Ideas, concepts, themes, techniques, creativity, improvisation, originality; they should – still – remain in us, that digitalization is just a ‘beautifying palette’ to make more perfect – not a ‘digital dictionary’ to correct. Well Prepared To start a model/fashion photography, I always prepare everything “well-done” before the D-day. As a starting point, I conceptualize.

The concept, alike the theme, not necessarily be so complicated or hard to make true. I prefer the simple ones, as the real situation might often be different from what I have been thinking so far; especially the outdoor locations. Not necessarily complicated, as long as innovation and creativity is always there for us. Because eventually, this kind of situation tests us. To make everything easy on the D-day, I then have to find the right model to bring my concept to real, since great ideas or concepts would be useless without the right models.

When I am sure I have found the proper model for my concept, I will tell them A to Z on the previous day, so that on the D-day, what I should do is just shooting. This is also important to avoid misunderstanding the ideas or concept When photographing, model’s characteristic becomes very important. I always emphasize them that I want to express differences; thus, not everybody is capable of and willing to. Briefly, to get the best pictures, they should “feel” me. After finishing the conceptual preparations, it is now to think about the technical things. To support the theme, I have to prepare wardrobes and make-up, as to bring my concept to real too.

I am always serious every time I choose wardrobe and make-up artist. A good photographer should really understand his/her make-up artist whom he/she works with. Photographer’s psychological relationship with his/her make-up artist or designer should really be good to make a good harmonization; we will easily get what make-up or wardrobes suit us. Photography Techniques First When everything is done, the next thing is equipment. Usually, for outdoor shooting, I unwillingly take the heavy ones since they disturb me. As long as I get good sunshine, I rarely use flash. Otherwise, sometimes I combine them for the best results. If those things have passed by well, and the D-day has too, it is time to enjoy or review the results. For the inability to move against or block technology movements, of course, I review them through computer.

Though this technology movement or digitalization, or computerization is something we should get along with, I do not rely on digital imaging (DI). It is the capturing time; the time when I bring upfront my photography techniques, while there is no such thought to ‘correct’ those photos with DI if the results are far from what I have expected. Under or over-exposure, for example – I measure them all at the time of capturing. There is no “I can fix it with my computer,” because like what I have been mentioned before, DI, for me, is to make photos perfect, not to correct. Brush, patch and healing brush; only those tools I use to “retouch” my photos.

Finally, in such process, in every kind, there will be so many stories to tell. I have them too in photography, especially in model/fashion photography I am dealing with. For me, there are too many good and unforgettable experiences that I cannot tell which one is the best and the most unforgettable. The existence of photographers could be blessings for others, then, that also becomes what I expect, since photography is the breath of my life.

Filed under: Photography Articles

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