What do I expect from a photo shoot, and what motivates me to do them?
I love photography. I love doing makeup, working with other creatives, digital art and photo editing. I would someday like to make a living from it. I’m not sure that’s realistic, but one can dream. Sometimes, when things go wrong, I forget that I am doing what I love.
I like to be kept in the loop. That is my number one expectation for every project. Ideally everyone would always turn up on time and every shoot would go ahead, but that is unrealistic. Cancellations and postponements happen. I should know about them before I have travelled an hour from home and set up my makeup kit, but this doesn’t always happen. I have had a model cancel fifteen minutes before I was scheduled to sit an assessment. I have organised a shoot with eight models and ended up with three on the day, and only some of them let us know – those that did only told us that same morning. These are the days that I forget what I love about photo shoots.
A certain level of respect is important. I make an effort to be courteous and honest and expect the same in return. I have volunteered for jobs in which I got treated like garbage, and have been paid for jobs which upon reflection I would gladly have done for free because I was so well treated. Unfortunately, before starting on a project you can’t tell which it will be.
If the project is not my own I try to get something out of it for myself. Sometimes being a part of something really interesting is enough. I love bouncing ideas around with other creatives, and this can really add value to a project for me. Sometimes a shoot can be a wonderful learning experience, which is also valuable. If a project offers nothing new, I prefer to at least cover my travel costs. If nothing else, I expect some good shots in return. If I don’t know the quality of the photographer I try to get a decent shot before I let the model go, and hope that it is not necessary.
I’ve been able to work with some amazing people on very rewarding projects that have returned some seriously good images. I have made extraordinary and talented new friends. There have been days where (almost) everything goes to plan. Those are the days that remind me why I love photo shoots.
Em, MUA 