Other Photographer turns down a model who wants full editing rights

I wrote this in response to someone in the General Industry forum on Model Mayhem.

Depending on the model, I might sign like this (release where the model wants full editing rights, ie. she wants to be able to say yea or ney on whether any of the photos get published). If the model wasn't worth it, you did right by not agreeing. But I could think of situations where it might be worth the risk of the model nixing all your photos. In fact, you hear about this more and more with celebrities or models who know they have leverage with a photographer who really wants to get known. If I were a rising or established celebrity, I may be trying to control my "brand" and how I'm perceived in the media. The successful brand are the ones that are professionally and closely managed. Know what I mean. Your model friend may be trying to do the same. She may want to make sure none of your photos that get released have some expression or whatever that she does not want to make public.

I worked with a model once who asked me to not publish any of the photos that had her in profile. Everything else was OK, but she was really concerned with the ones that had her looking to the left and where we could see that her nose was a bit long. I complied because I respected that she was trying to create a persona and her profile expressed some things that didn't fit into that persona. I can respect that.

I encourage models to really think about what THEY want out of the model release, not just agree to my terms but really think about what they're saying and cross out the things they don't like and add in things they want. Then I read it and do the same.

Most of the time, models just skim it and sign the release.

Models, you DO have power here. You are 50% partner in the endeavor.

Negotiation is an art.

Leap Into Spring Fashion

So I just shot a crazy hectic and exciting event on the 29th. The wonderful Aileen Benson organized a runway show at Vinalia's in Downtown Crossing for the Children's Trust Fund. The show was called "Leap into Spring Fashion" and I was asked to shoot the event. Now, when Aileen asks if I want to shoot something, I usually just automatically agree to it, and unfortunately I didn't read the details. I thought it was just going to be a runway event and then photographing people for with some of her male models from Tonn Model Management for a $5 donation to CTF. Well, it turned out that didn't really happen as it was so hectic, but also I failed to remember that there were actually three runway acts, and it involved photographing all of the models wearing the designs in between the events.

All I can say is this: RTFM! (Read the ____ Manual!), ie, read what people send you! Luckily I had brought my friend and and trusty photographer Carlton SooHoo who helped me with lighting and shooting and even running down the street to Macy's to get a sheet for our makeshift "backdrop". Yeah, yeah, you can see the creases, but that's what Photoshop will be used for. The funny thing is that Aileen sent off one of the guys to find a steamer but the guy disappeared and apparently got lost or something. Nevertheless, the show had to begin.

One of the original reasons why I wanted an extra person was that I wanted to do something different in terms of small-venue runway photos. They always look the same to me, and my theory is that it's because there's horrible lighting, and the photographer ends up using on-board flash (real big runway events usually don't have flash because photographers are far away with telephoto lenses). What I thought of was backlighting.... having some light coming from behind the model standing at the end of the runway. So I had Carlton standing near the steps to the runway and when the model arrived at the end and my flash unit tripped Carlton's flash unit behind the model, the result was a runway photo with some nice back-lighting and depth.

Unfortunately, I wasn't the only one using flash. I hadn't counted on everyone else whipping out their Sureshots and blazing the models with flash (usually there are rules against that!) but sure enough within just a few minutes, Carlton's SB-800 had gone on the fritz. Ouch. So there goes that idea... at least not with using Pocket Wizards. Next time, definitely use Pocket Wizards.


As I mentioned, in between the runway shows, we photographed the models wearing the designs. My favorites were of Fiona wearing this piece from Nirva. I don't know, I just like these shots. I always tend to like imperfect shots. Snapshot DIY look.... dark and dusky "'70s" look... Polaroid look. I dig it. Anyway, Nirva was actually one of the designers at the Gamble Mansion shoot last year. It was nice to see her again.

After the event, Aileen made me take pictures of her doing the twist while wearing one of JP Amolat's (Pinkblue Hollywood) designs. After about 40 photos, we finally agreed this one was the best. She also probably burned 500 calories doing it. Modeling is hard work.

Lastly, we had a special guest: Jacqueline Bruno, Miss Massachusetts. She was great, posing with lots of people including some of the models and us.

To see all the photos of the runway event, the models, the designers, and some behind-the-scenes pictures, visit my Smugmug page.

Gamble Mansion All-day Shoot-a-thon

I'm still exhausted and the shoot was last week.

We spent all day photographing a bunch of models – men and women alike – at the Gamble Mansion on Marlborough in Boston. The shoot was again for Asian Boston Magazine (we just shot Frances Rivera from Channel 7 for the front cover over a week ago), which my friend Carlton has been helping get off the ground. I came along as an assistant but also managed to get a few photos myself.

It was a full on operation... we had makeup, hair and wardrobe. The models were wearing local designers. And the Mansion was amazing... I can totally see why people like to have their weddings there.

My favorite model of the day was Julie Pham, an actress and writer whom I had met a few days ago at her interview with Frances Rivera. She's got a great look and could probably get some Lucy Liu stand-in gigs easily!

The designs were by Nirva, a local Boston designer who makes wonderful silk fashions with a cosmopolitan ethnic flair.

Trash the Dress

What are ten models all made up and in in wedding gowns standing on a beach in Rhode Island doing? They're being photographed by twenty photographers from the Worcester Photography Meetup in an event called "Trash the Dress". It's become a popular photographic phenomenon and it's fun as heck.

I brought my regular digital camera equipment but also decided to shoot some film, including medium format and large format. I managed to get a couple good shots with my Speed Graphic and Type 55, although I got some "happy mistakes" when I didn't remove the packet correctly from the Polaroid 545 holder. The result is a funky picture of Gina, a great model, laying down in the water, but seemingly melting into the composition. You can see it and other photos at the link below.





Gina joined us for Trash the Dress in July. She was a blast. I shot some Polaroid Type 55 but some of it got wet and leaked before I could process it. I thought the effect was kind of interesting, even if I lost the picture.
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