modeling

I realized I never posted some of the pictures from this.  There were more but these were my favorites.

This is one of the last ones he took.  I’m standing behind the bar.

This was the shot where it got a little awkward because he kept inching us closer.

Not my legs:

I liked the lighting, focus and her profile:

So as mentioned earlier today, I went to a photo shoot this afternoon.  I had a very similar experience to my NY trip last year.  I was a nervous wreck beforehand but then felt quite comfortable there.  The photo shoot was at CustomShop near downtown Charlotte.  It’s closed during the day but they allowed them to use the storefront while they cooked in the back. 

When I got there, the photographer Armando was there and one of the other girls (debating whether to say models/talents) Mackenzie.  Within a few minutes, another girl Kate, a guy Danny and the makeup artist Elizabeth were there.   The two girls had done some previous shoots but weren’t professional.  Danny, is actually a race car driver/actor/model and lived in New York for a time.  You can see some of his work on his web site http://www.dannybopp.com/.

The first thing we did was sit at a few tables to see about lighting and grouping of people.  Next, we all picked out outfits.  I went wearing a black top, blue jeans and black heels.  Another girl had a similar outfit and then the other two were both wearing jeans and white shirts.  Weren’t we creative?!  I had brought two more shirts and pants.  He decided on a green and brown top that I had, khaki jacket/white shirt for Kate, Mackenzie kept her black shirt and Danny got a salmon colored sweater. 

We each got our makeup done by a former MAC-turned-independent makeup artist.  She did mine very natural.  Nothing like NY when she did a smokier eye. While we each waited on makeup, we took turns getting individual shots and then getting to know each other. 

The first shot I was in was with Kate.  We sat at a table and I had lean over and pretend like I was telling her a secret and another shot where we were laughing and then we switched places.  Let me tell you, I don’t think I understood it but modeling takes a bit of acting skill. Which, if you know me, I do not have.  I was definitely not prepared with funny stories.  I think I said a lot of um’s. 

When it came to the group shots, we sat at two different tables while he took pictures of us talking.  We had to tell funny stories.  Or just interesting stories and wear a fake smile.  Except…I was very interested that we all took turns telling actual stories.  I learned about a man peeing in Rome and a man smoking crack on the train in NY!  We also had drinks given to us and we just had to hold them.  In one of the first shots, Danny poured us all wine.  Don’t worry, Mom, I didn’t drink!

Kate and Mackenzie did a pose together and then Danny and I sat together and did a pose as a couple chatting at dinner.  He kept scooting us closer together and we were all “Awkward!”  It did make us smile though!  So somehow we decided to talk about TV to keep the chattering going while he took pictures.  We both talked about our favorite shows.  The funny thing was trying to talk about Dollhouse and talking about murder while supposedly being happy and dating!  We were like murder!  funny!  haha!  Awkward!

So yeah, we all actually just had a good time, smiling a lot and actually listening to each other’s stories and backgrounds.

Armando Bellmas was the photographer.  Look him up if you’re in the Charlotte area!  He was great at giving direction, was very organized and seemed to be very genuine and nice.  We’re supposed to see some proofs to choose from at the beginning of next week.  Much better than a cell shot in my car.  Can’t wait!

So I know I’ve talked about it before but I really would like to do more of this.  Maybe I’ll change my mind when I see the pictures but really, each time I do this I walk away thinking I could do that all the time!

Today’s news is the sleep shoot has been cancelled until further notice.  M says the client has decided he doesn’t know what he wants now.  Oh well.

Wow, M surprised me and sent me the finished comp card today.  Here it is!

I’m really happy with it.  M is so good at that layout/publishing stuff.  So now I have to make myself send it to agencies. That makes me REALLY nervous.  I may wait until after next weekend to see how it goes.  Just to make sure I am comfortable taking pictures with strangers.  And M says, bring your pajamas and a robe.  Uh, I think my two rules were no lingerie and no swimsuits.  That doesn’t count right?

Sleep shoot…does that sound weird?  It’s better than saying the photo shoot for the brochure for that guy who helps people sleep.  Anyway, just got word the photo shoot is next Friday evening and the other model contacts came from a high school contact we have that works I think at Barbizon or something.  Yikes, I think that makes me nervous–doing a shoot with possible professional models.  I hope they’re cute..hehe.

So I got “secured” for another modeling job.  M is doing a brochure for some company that helps people to sleep.  The word is she wants to do a shot of a guy snoring/sleeping in bed with the woman sitting up with messy hair and looking tired.  There’s going to be one more shot that I don’t know about.  Supposedly they want it to be diverse meaning I will either have a black or asian spouse in the shot with me.  One possible lead on who that might be but I don’t know.  The cool part is I’m actually getting paid for this one.

As for the comp card, I haven’t bugged M about it since we met about it like 2 weeks ago.  I’m in no hurry for it.  I still have doubts about doing it professionally through an agency.  It seems like a full time job from the sites I’ve been to.  It almost seems if you’re on-call 24/7 to go to try-outs or whatever they call it. Not sure I’m up for all that. 

I’ve been looking on istockphoto and there are some really gorgeous pictures on there.  I actually went to a site tonight and recognized a business shot I had seen on there.  That REALLY made me want to do that.  That would just be so cool for someone to use one of my pictures somewhere.  And it’s not seeing my face plastered everywhere, I don’t know, it’s like I just want to make other people’s products and services look good for them.  Does that sound weird?  I just need to find someone that can take pictures like that for me–for free!  I’ve thought about putting some of the shots from my comp card on there and see how it does but the whole thing about who owns the pictures–the photographer or model especially since no one got paid to do either service.  I’m guessing we could split the profits–you get 50 cents and I get 50 cents, you get 50 cents and I get 50 cents…lol