Props and things...

Sometimes it takes more than just the right model to make a good photo. The right props are what give the image believability. When I photographed Abigail at 10 days old her mother bought a large box of props that she thought would be good for using when we shot the photos. Some of them we used and others we didn’t – but they were there if we wanted them so we had options.

When these two lovely ladies arrived at my house last weekend I am sure the neighbours thought they were moving in! There was a giant suitcase full of clothes, lingerie and shoes for one of them, and several more bags for the other – including the very cute little table. Between the two of them they pretty much had everything they needed to create the look and era that they wanted to achieve in their photos. It was my job to make it all work together.

I can see now why they have a Creative Director at the photoshoots on the Top Model programs, it can be difficult to see every detail though the camera lens. Often it isn’t until you view the images on the computer screen that you nothing something has slipped or isn’t in the right place. Not having a Creative Director didn’t stop us, but it did mean that from time to time we decided to reshoot a particular image.

What I have also found is that the atmosphere you create is vital to the comfort of your models, and the more they relax and have fun, the better the resulting images. Music, props, refreshments, and having a fun attitude are all important to the success of the shoot.