This section of the website is designed to give advice to beginner photographers who are considering glamour photography.
Equipment
First of all If you have not worked in a studio before you will need a camera which is capable of being set manually-both aperture and shutter speed. If this means investing in a new camera the good news is that the cost of a decent digital SLR camera continues to fall and a quality camera of 6 megapixels (or more) from a High Street store may well be within your financial reach!
It’s worth considering alternatives to the High Street shops. If you are looking to buy new equipment then do shop around. Prices vary and special deals are fairly common. Visit the main camera dealers and check out any deals they have but do compare what’s on offer from the advertisements in the photography magazines. There is a need to be careful with the purchasing of second hand equipment as you just don’t know how well the camera has been looked after but a second hand camera from a reputable High Street shop is a better bet as they often offer a 3 month guarantee. Basically if the camera works perfectly for 3 months you are probably going to get good service from it.
In the shop you should handle the camera you are interested in to make sure that you are comfortable with it and that it has the features you are looking for. Tell the assistant that you are planning to use it in the studio. An ideal lens is in the range 50-100mm and 6 megapixels will give you quality images which you can burn to CD ( the safest way to store your images ) after which you can make prints yourself or visit your local camera shop...or even the supermarket.
Obviously you will need the use of a computer to download your images from the camera card. You can use a camera card reader (universal camera card readers are cheap and easy to use) or your pc might already have a port for your camera card. Whichever you use do burn your images to CD as soon as you can-a virus on your pc could mean you losing all your images. You can still keep them in a folder on your desktop so that you can manipulate your images using programmes such as Photoshop.
CHOOSING A MODEL
Models can be found advertising in the photography magazines but nowadays they advertise more on the internet. There are website that models use to advertise themselves but if you live in the North of England why not consider one of the models on my website? Simply click on the gallery section to view models who I have photographed myself, then check out the Model section for details of each model.
All the models on this website are used to working with professional and amateur photographers .I have no hesitation in recommending all the models on this website so once you have found the model you would like to work with simply email me at johnrostronocn@hotmail.com and your contact details (email address) will be passed onto the model. Feel free to email me with any additional questions you may have.
Whichever model you choose it’s important to discuss the sort of images you want before the shoot. This will save any misunderstandings in the studio and will help relax both you and the model.
If you are just starting out its best to let the model wear some of the clothes she likes to wear and to do her own make up. She may want to bring someone along to help her with this. If you discuss what you are looking for with the model at the start then she can bring along suitable outfits. Check with the studio beforehand to find out what backdrops they have available (a model dressed in white against a white backdrop tends not to work!)
AT THE STUDIO
At the studio you will need your digital camera and lens. To use the studio lights you will need a sync lead and possibly a hot shoe adaptor. Ask the studio in advance what they have available and, if possible, visit the studio before the shoot to discuss it with the studio owner or manager.
While your model is getting ready you should discuss with the studio owner what photographs you are planning to take. For example will you be taking portraits at all or just ¾ length and full length shots? This will dictate where the lights are placed for example. Take a flash reading (ask for help with this if you need it ).Set your camera to ASA 100 and set your shutter speed to 1/125th .The flash reading will tell you what aperture to set your camera to..Usually F8 or F11.
If you are using a film SLR camera it’s very important that you set your shutter to the flash sync speed for the particular camera you are using. This might be found by looking for the flash sign on the command dial on top of the camera or by checking with your camera manual...it’s usually 1/125th or 1/90th of a second.
You will be connecting your camera to the studio lights with a sync lead. Alternatively you could use a remote trigger to set the lights off. More studios are using these and they give you freedom to move around the studio without falling over the lead! You could even buy your own. Try typing CAMERA FLASH TRIGER into a search on www.ebay.com and you will find out that you need spend no more than £20 for a trigger. Don’t be put off by the fact they the item will be coming from Hong Kong..mine was and it arrived in 7 days by email and for under £20 !
WORKING WITH YOUR MODEL
When it comes to working with your model do give her a few moments in front of the studio lights to get relaxed and ready. When it comes to posing your model it’s easy to become flustered if you are new to it so you need to chat with your model before you start taking photographs .If you are a beginner tell her this and ask her if she will adopt some poses she likes to do. Once the shoot has got underway you can start to direct the model a little as you both relax more. If you think you might struggle for ideas then prepare for your shoot by buying some suitable magazines (or scrounging old copies off friends?) For glamour images try... Loaded Maxim FHM Ice Front etc then cut out the poses you like. Take them along to the shoot and show these to the model before you start ...or if you run out of ideas! You won’t always do this but it helps on your first shoot or two.
During the shoot do keep things relaxed. Smile! Pay your model at the start of the shoot so she isnt worrying as to whether she will get paid.
WHAT IT WILL COST
Studio hire varies depending on the facilities available. Hourly rates vary between £15 and £ 40 per hour but a typical studio will be around £20 to £25 per hour
Model fees do depend on the models experience but typical rates per hour are as follows:
Fashion, lingerie and swimwear £30
Clothed glamour (FHM style) £30 to £35
Topless (page 3 style ) £35
Tasteful nude £40 to £45
Men’s magazine £50 to £60
If the model is travelling some distance to the studio any bookings she makes may be a minimum of 2 hours
ONE OTHER THING
If you aren’t sure about venturing into glamour photography then you could always go to a group shoot or share the shoot with another photographer. This keeps your costs down too. If you are interested in attending a group shoot with the opportunity to work alongside other photographers then please get in contact with me.
Please contact me with any questions you may have.
