[Lights]

(05-01-2013 02:33 PM)IntrovertSuccess Wrote:  

I'm thinking about dabbling in photography as a hobby. For me it would mainly be something to do while I'm out during the day in the summer months. I like exploring the city and maybe I could do some candid street photography as well. I very comfortable approaching people and don't need it as a crutch. But it would make me feel a little more productive about going for long walks.

Is it worth it for someone like me to spend a couple of hundred dollars on camera for this purpose or would I be wasting money?

What kind of camera would suit street photography, would I need special lenses?

how is a guy names introvert success "very comfortable approaching people".

btw, if you have an iphone you are good to go for street photography, especially if you just want to get into it to see if you like it.

http://www.iphoneography.com/

[BoneDaddy]

(05-01-2013 02:33 PM)IntrovertSuccess Wrote:  

I'm thinking about dabbling in photography as a hobby. For me it would mainly be something to do while I'm out during the day in the summer months. I like exploring the city and maybe I could do some candid street photography as well. I very comfortable approaching people and don't need it as a crutch. But it would make me feel a little more productive about going for long walks.

Is it worth it for someone like me to spend a couple of hundred dollars on camera for this purpose or would I be wasting money?

What kind of camera would suit street photography, would I need special lenses?

If your budget is a couple of hundred dollars (and there's nothing at all wrong with that) you're going to be looking at a basic Point & Shoot (P&S) and that's an area where I don't have much knowledge. They all seem about the same to me.

If you can up your budget a bit, you might have a look at the Canon S110. This camera can still function as a P&S, but you also have access to manual adjustments. It has a pretty high-quality sensor for a small camera and performs well in low-light situations.

I shot with the amazing Fuji X100s the other day. For someone looking for near-DSLR quality from a small walk-around camera this is it. Its pretty expensive and most folks looking for this sort of camera will choke on the USD 1300 price tag.

[IntrovertSuccess]

(05-01-2013 02:47 PM)Lights Wrote:  

how is a guy names introvert success "very comfortable approaching people".

btw, if you have an iphone you are good to go for street photography, especially if you just want to get into it to see if you like it.

http://www.iphoneography.com/

Shyness, being a quiet person and being introverted are three different things. Granted, they are often found together in one person but not always.

[AlphaEnchantment]

(05-01-2013 12:39 PM)Low Status Beta Wrote:  

#1. Rent Office Space in a Building Downtown (Showcase.com). Models will be more comfortable going to a Commercial Location, as opposed to some random dude's house. Surprisingly, this doesn't even cost that much. A 200 Sq ft. can be rented for below $375 a month. In a Major city like LA/NY it may be a little more expensive, like $500.

#2. Get some huge Photos printed up (like atleast 36") and Framed on the Wall. You don't necessarily have to put up Pictures of your Own work, you can buy some random Celebrity Pics from GettyImages.com. What are the odds that someone would recognize it? Maybe 1 in a Million. The fact you got them professionally set and Framed would quiet any doubt anyways. Should only cost $100-200 for both the actual Pics/Frames.

#3. Befriend MUA. Doesn't necessarily have to be a professional, a random girl attending Beauty School would work; infact you could probably convince them to work as an "Intern". High Status Photographers are expected to have Assistants/People working for them anyways.

#4. Once a week, go out along with the Assistant to the mall, and find a High-End store that attracts upscale Women. Introduce yourself to a girl, asking if she is a Model. Have your assistant show her "Portfolio" pics on an iPad/Tablet. As mentioned in #2, doesn't necessarily have to be your own stuff, just steal them from already establish photographer...what's the odds of them finding out?

#5. Stay in contact with them, and find out the next time they are visiting a hair salon, and schedule your shoot immediately after that. After the shoot have them send the Photos to their Hair Stylist. Then you can introduce yourself to the hairstylist, and ask her to pipeline you other girls who visit her Salon.

The only real major expense is buying the gear (Camera, Lighting, Boxes), but that should run you no more than $1500.

I like this idea seems like a good idea to get a decent amount of leads on good looking women if you can get in good with the hairstylist. Im sure this could be applied to many other professions as well that deal with a high volume of good looking women

[AlphaEnchantment]

Ive been reading a lot about Nightclub photography recently and I think this would be one of the better avenues for meeting girls that has to do with photography. Not only do you come in contact and talk with the hottest girls in the club with almost no rejection but you can network with club owners and promoters which you can then leverage when your not shooting for the night. Now you can get into clubs free and get free drinks and get into VIP granted that would be the extreme example but you get the idea

[BoneDaddy]

(05-05-2013 08:07 PM)AlphaEnchantment Wrote:  

(05-01-2013 12:39 PM)Low Status Beta Wrote:  

#1. Rent Office Space in a Building Downtown (Showcase.com). Models will be more comfortable going to a Commercial Location, as opposed to some random dude's house. Surprisingly, this doesn't even cost that much. A 200 Sq ft. can be rented for below $375 a month. In a Major city like LA/NY it may be a little more expensive, like $500.

#2. Get some huge Photos printed up (like atleast 36") and Framed on the Wall. You don't necessarily have to put up Pictures of your Own work, you can buy some random Celebrity Pics from GettyImages.com. What are the odds that someone would recognize it? Maybe 1 in a Million. The fact you got them professionally set and Framed would quiet any doubt anyways. Should only cost $100-200 for both the actual Pics/Frames.

#3. Befriend MUA. Doesn't necessarily have to be a professional, a random girl attending Beauty School would work; infact you could probably convince them to work as an "Intern". High Status Photographers are expected to have Assistants/People working for them anyways.

#4. Once a week, go out along with the Assistant to the mall, and find a High-End store that attracts upscale Women. Introduce yourself to a girl, asking if she is a Model. Have your assistant show her "Portfolio" pics on an iPad/Tablet. As mentioned in #2, doesn't necessarily have to be your own stuff, just steal them from already establish photographer...what's the odds of them finding out?

#5. Stay in contact with them, and find out the next time they are visiting a hair salon, and schedule your shoot immediately after that. After the shoot have them send the Photos to their Hair Stylist. Then you can introduce yourself to the hairstylist, and ask her to pipeline you other girls who visit her Salon.

The only real major expense is buying the gear (Camera, Lighting, Boxes), but that should run you no more than $1500.

I like this idea seems like a good idea to get a decent amount of leads on good looking women if you can get in good with the hairstylist. Im sure this could be applied to many other professions as well that deal with a high volume of good looking women

I do like the idea of getting with a stylist and running through his/her client list, using photography as a tool to do so. I've attempted to do exactly this with my own stylist, but nothing has happened yet due to scheduling.

I'm looking at this from a ROI standpoint with the end goal being to do something I enjoy while scoring some trim. I have no interest in renting studio space, hiring MUAs, assistants, and all that. Why would I, when I can run a CL Casting Call and have these girls show up on my doorstep?

But to each his own. Photography is a tool, just like any other. Each man should use this tool and adapt it to his own situation and to his own goals.

I like that you guys are thinking and considering the possibilities. Now get out from behind your computers, go make something happen and report back with your results. I'll be doing the same, and will throw in some intel on successes I've already had.

Edit: Fixed typo.

[lurker]

I think I'm going to do this. On a related note, I've been carrying around a GoPro Hero 3 whenever I go somewhere crowded. Dogs and girls love it. It adds to some mystery because there's no rangefinder or viewing screen; you just have to shoot from the hip and see what happens later.*

*I understand there's an app that syncs it to an iPhone or Android screen, but I haven't bothered with it yet.

For indoor modeling shoots, what sort of lighting equipment will I need?

[AntiTrace]

(04-30-2013 08:57 PM)Nomad77 Wrote:  

Here is the irony of this. In a real photo shoot you get so tired that you literally don't have the energy to fuck these girls after. There have been times where I could have but all I wanted to do was eat something and just crash. I have banged a few girls this way it's just not worth all of the work involved for me. A real photo shoot is very stressful and draining.

Mind breaking this down? What process do your typical photo shoots follow?

[Nomad77]

A real photo shoot can take a few hours. If you have a make up artist and a stylist a lot longer. Since it's a creative process you have to do a lot of thinking about the best angles and shots. It's also physically draining holding a big heavy camera and moving around for a few hours. If you are dealing with lights then that's additional work. After, you are just plain worn out, tired AND the girl too! Now, if you are young (<30) then you may have more energy. If they girl is really hot you may have more energy. If the shoot is just sort of BS or amateur stuff then you may have more energy. Personally, I am always mentally and physically tired after a shoot and the girl too. Posing, holding a pose, can be tiring too.

I have banged a few girls after and during a shoot but those were the exceptions and usually the shoot was just an excuse to get them naked so they weren't technically "real shoots" Once on a semi-nude shoot, in an apartment, I literally fell asleep on the girl in the bed after.

It's also difficult to do shit on real shoots because you are usually working with a team of people, it's not just you and the model.

[AntiTrace]

Im assuming you make her bring the clothing and lingerie to shoot in?

[AlphaEnchantment]

(05-06-2013 08:54 AM)Nomad77 Wrote:  

A real photo shoot can take a few hours. If you have a make up artist and a stylist a lot longer. Since it's a creative process you have to do a lot of thinking about the best angles and shots. It's also physically draining holding a big heavy camera and moving around for a few hours. If you are dealing with lights then that's additional work. After, you are just plain worn out, tired AND the girl too! Now, if you are young (<30) then you may have more energy. If they girl is really hot you may have more energy. If the shoot is just sort of BS or amateur stuff then you may have more energy. Personally, I am always mentally and physically tired after a shoot and the girl too. Posing, holding a pose, can be tiring too.

I have banged a few girls after and during a shoot but those were the exceptions and usually the shoot was just an excuse to get them naked so they weren't technically "real shoots" Once on a semi-nude shoot, in an apartment, I literally fell asleep on the girl in the bed after.

It's also difficult to do shit on real shoots because you are usually working with a team of people, it's not just you and the model.

Im assuming your shoots are mainly studio work?
I think the level of work your describing would make it harder to use photography to get bangs. Like you said when your at a professional level or where you have other staff etc.. all that stuff just gets in the way and is draining. I think amateur shoots that look semi profesional would be optimal such as people who do senior pictures or similar situations where its one on one with maybe one extra person to assist you. The more professional the shoot to the more likely the model has more experience and hitting on her could easily cross the line of being creepy and look bad on to you but if your just an amateur then it doesnt really matter

I personally use photography and shooting models mainly as a way of meeting the girls and not try to bang them on a shoot. I find that your sucess rate of number closes and connecting with the girl are a lot higher if you set up some kind of mini shoot and then go from there

[Nomad77]

@Antitrace In amateur shoots the girls bring their clothes unless they are willing to pay for a stylist. I've done a bunch of these too. I call them test shoots: as in let's test how you look in front of the camera.

I don't need to meet girls using photography I can roll into anyplace and get a number. Even on the amateur stuff, they girls usually bring a friend so you are not alone. Personally, I don't really like models that much. First, they are usually taller than me and doesn't matter what they say, girls prefer guys taller than their are. Second, they are usually kind of nutty and have self-esteem issues. It's very rare to meet a pro model that is actually "normal".

[BoneDaddy]

(05-06-2013 07:05 PM)AlphaEnchantment Wrote:  

(05-06-2013 08:54 AM)Nomad77 Wrote:  

A real photo shoot can take a few hours. If you have a make up artist and a stylist a lot longer. Since it's a creative process you have to do a lot of thinking about the best angles and shots. It's also physically draining holding a big heavy camera and moving around for a few hours. If you are dealing with lights then that's additional work. After, you are just plain worn out, tired AND the girl too! Now, if you are young (<30) then you may have more energy. If they girl is really hot you may have more energy. If the shoot is just sort of BS or amateur stuff then you may have more energy. Personally, I am always mentally and physically tired after a shoot and the girl too. Posing, holding a pose, can be tiring too.

I have banged a few girls after and during a shoot but those were the exceptions and usually the shoot was just an excuse to get them naked so they weren't technically "real shoots" Once on a semi-nude shoot, in an apartment, I literally fell asleep on the girl in the bed after.

It's also difficult to do shit on real shoots because you are usually working with a team of people, it's not just you and the model.

Im assuming your shoots are mainly studio work?
I think the level of work your describing would make it harder to use photography to get bangs. Like you said when your at a professional level or where you have other staff etc.. all that stuff just gets in the way and is draining. I think amateur shoots that look semi profesional would be optimal such as people who do senior pictures or similar situations where its one on one with maybe one extra person to assist you. The more professional the shoot to the more likely the model has more experience and hitting on her could easily cross the line of being creepy and look bad on to you but if your just an amateur then it doesnt really matter

I personally use photography and shooting models mainly as a way of meeting the girls and not try to bang them on a shoot. I find that your sucess rate of number closes and connecting with the girl are a lot higher if you set up some kind of mini shoot and then go from there

This ^^^

I don't shoot professionally nor do the girls I shoot model professionally. I ensure that my shoots are relaxed and fun and I let the girls know that right up front. I always have vodka, mixers and sparkling wine on hand and put out whatever kind of finger food I happen to have on hand.

Every cute girl thinks she can be a model and she loves telling her friends she's set up for a "photo shoot", after which she will post the resulting images up on FB. It doesn't matter that she's 5' 4" and has about as much chance of getting runway work as I have of winning the powerball.

I screen hard against girls who want to bring escorts/borefriends or other interlopers. I figure if I can build enough rapport with her by showing her a pro-quality portfolio and being a smooth guy via TXT/Phone/Email, I'm already ahead of the game when she shows up alone.

As I've stated before, I can get the girls to come. I've seen FB comments on their photos, "OMG how did you get those photos, how can I get something like that?" so I know with a little effort, I can get her friends to set up for a shoot.

After the shoot, the girls are always down to come back and shoot again or come back and pick up their images, etc. As noted before, my challenge is escalating the interaction beyond the shoot. I've got plenty of girls in my stable, but this just seems like a no-brainier to be able to push this further. Besides, I enjoy making photographs that make people happy. Two great tastes that taste great together and all that.

[BoneDaddy]

(05-06-2013 01:22 AM)lurker Wrote:  

I think I'm going to do this. On a related note, I've been carrying around a GoPro Hero 3 whenever I go somewhere crowded. Dogs and girls love it. It adds to some mystery because there's no rangefinder or viewing screen; you just have to shoot from the hip and see what happens later.*

*I understand there's an app that syncs it to an iPhone or Android screen, but I haven't bothered with it yet.

For indoor modeling shoots, what sort of lighting equipment will I need?

(05-06-2013 01:22 AM)lurker Wrote:  

I think I'm going to do this. On a related note, I've been carrying around a GoPro Hero 3 whenever I go somewhere crowded. Dogs and girls love it. It adds to some mystery because there's no rangefinder or viewing screen; you just have to shoot from the hip and see what happens later.*

*I understand there's an app that syncs it to an iPhone or Android screen, but I haven't bothered with it yet.

For indoor modeling shoots, what sort of lighting equipment will I need?

Studio Lighting - Where to Begin?

Regarding lighting for glamour/fashion photography - ask 100 photographers and you'll get over 100 answers. I"ll outline below what I've done.

1. First, learn how light works. Before you buy a single piece of lighting gear, buy this book and absorb everything in it.

2. Learn where and how to buy used gear. There are a number of big photography sites that have a Buy/Sell section in their forum. One of the best is Fred Miranda Forums. You should do this especially for lighting gear, but really for anything photography-related that you intend to buy. Find sellers with a long history of good feedback and buy with confidence. One advantage to buying used photography gear is that you will usually always get clear, detailed pictures of the gear because, well...they are photographers. Studio lighting gear tends to be more heavily discounted (compared to new price) when you buy it used. You can always find good clean lighting gear for around one-third to one-half the cost of new, whereas pro lenses in 9/10 condition often sell for 80% of the cost of new. You can also find good deals on eBay, but be sure you are dealing with a reputable eBay seller. Adorama has a good presence on eBay and I've bought quite a bit of stuff from them.

3. Start with one light. A full-blown lighting setup for glamour/fashion might have anywhere from three to five (or even more) light sources along with reflectors or fill cards. It takes a long time to learn what do do with all that, so start with one light source

4. What brands to buy? You'll get opinions all over the map, but I like Dynalite power pack & flash head systems combined with PhotoFlex modifiers. Another tremendously good value is a Photek SoftLiter II - its kind of a hybrid modifier - sort of a cross between an umbrella and an octagonal softbox.

If I were building a studio lighting setup starting with nothing, I would buy this:

Used 8/10 Condition Dynalite Studio Flash Kit

Photek SoftLiter II Modifier

You'll also need some way to fire the flash system - you could fire it off a long sync cord/cable that runs from your camera to the flash power pack, but you'd be much happier with a RF trigger setup so you can fire the flash wirelessly. There are cheaper solutions, but PocketWizard is the industry standard.

Get a pair of these:

Pocket Wizard Plus X RF Transceiver

And this cable to connect one of the PocketWizard transceivers to the flash power pack:

Mini-phono plug to Household Sync Cable

Consider also your shooting background. Do you have a nice clean clutter-free background to pose your model? Even if you've got your crib nicely decorated, most peoples' living spaces, even if neat freaks, have more crap lying around than you realize, until you start making photographs with a good camera/lens and studio lighting. You'll either need to seriously clean up and de-clutter, or consider some kind of shooting background like this.

As you can see, getting set up to do legitimate indoor photo shoots can require a lot of gear. You could probably get by with cheaper stuff, but what I've listed is pro-quality gear that will last forever and serve as a foundation that you can build upon.

Unless you've been doing photography for a while and are absolutely serious about this, I would start by doing outdoor shoots. The weather is starting to get cooperative in most parts of the US, so I would head outside with a good camera/lens and a collapsible reflector which can also be used as a white backdrop for indoor head and upper body shots.

Once you've gotten comfortable with your camera and are getting good results with natural light and the aid of a reflector, then invest in a a hot shoe flash (aka Canon Speedlite or Nikon Speedlight). Then go learn all about bounce flash and the Black Foamie Thing.

After you've done all that and are still interested in photography and pointing your camera at hot girls, then come back and start pursuing formal studio lighting.

Photography is a tremendously rewarding pursuit, but keep your eye on the prize and don't be distracted by the common disease to which many photographers succumb, the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome.

[Nomad77]

@BoneDaddy I escalate during the shoot. I touch them by showing them how to pose. I manually move them around, re-arrange hair, clothing etc. I convey my sexual interest, just like on a date and see how they respond. If I don't get any kind of respond I just precede with the shoot as usual. If I get a sexual response I just escalate and see how far they will let me go. What I have found, is that girls get turned on just being in front of the camera. It's amazing what a nice girl will do in front of a camera vs not having one. Forget about after, you have to get things started during the shoot when they are all excited.

[Nomad77]

You can go much cheaper than what BoneDaddy has outlined above. You can get cheap Chinese monolights kits and radio triggers. They work and the girls won't know the difference. For example:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_photo?...ode=172282

Also it's a lot easier to start out using continuous lights than strobes. Besides, they get the girls hotter so they want to open up their clothes
With continuous lights you can also shoot videos.

[BoneDaddy]

(05-06-2013 11:18 PM)Nomad77 Wrote:  

You can go much cheaper than what BoneDaddy has outlined above. You can get cheap Chinese monolights kits and radio triggers. They work and the girls won't know the difference. For example:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=bl_sr_photo?...ode=172282

Also it's a lot easier to start out using continuous lights than strobes. Besides, they get the girls hotter so they want to open up their clothes
With continuous lights you can also shoot videos.

Indeed, one can go much cheaper, as I noted above. Get your Cowboy Studio on if you want. Nomad is right, the girls won't have a clue. Personally, I have a distaste for cheap gear and derive pleasure from owning the good stuff.

[Nomad77]

You can always upgrade. I know a lot of people that buy a bunch of expensive equipment and end up not doing much with it.

[EisenBarde]

http://www.thesartorialist.com/

Dude runs some tight street game. It's honestly as simple as "I like your look. can I take a few photos?"

[Nomad77]

Here is the Master of what you guys are trying to do:

http://www.terryrichardson.com

He's the well known big time perv of the fashion photography industry.

AND a lot of his work is shot with a Panasonic GF1.

[lurker]

I'm going to buy the 5D or something in that line, since I have several old EOS Canon lenses. Then I'm headed outside. Thanks for the impetus.

[BoneDaddy]

(05-08-2013 11:55 PM)lurker Wrote:  

I'm going to buy the 5D or something in that line, since I have several old EOS Canon lenses. Then I'm headed outside. Thanks for the impetus.

That's awesome, let us know how you make out. There is tremendous value to be had in gear that is a generation or two old, and the 5D is a great example of that.

[Nomad77]

(05-08-2013 11:55 PM)lurker Wrote:  

I'm going to buy the 5D or something in that line, since I have several old EOS Canon lenses. Then I'm headed outside. Thanks for the impetus.

Let me give you a proper "impetus". This is actually one of the girls I did bang but it wasn't a real shoot.

And this was shot with a Canon 20D using the 28-135 lens and a cheap monolight shooting through a transparent umbrella.
Total cost today would probably be less than $600 used for all of this equipment.

[Seadog]

I have thought about getting involved in photography as a semi serious hobby lately, sort of coincidental timing of this thread. Anyways, aside from point and shoots in the past, and the very basics of lighting, I don't know a whole lot about photography.

How have the more accomplished people here developed their trade? Formal courses? Self study books? Or just a whole lot of trial and error? And in the case of trial and error, if you get a shot you really like, do you even really know what you did? I've gotten a few great shots in the past with just a basic camera, but it just seems more like dumb luck than anything else, and I'd be hard pressed to do it again. How did you get well versed in all things photography?

[anamericaninbangkok]

(04-30-2013 09:37 PM)BoneDaddy Wrote:  

(04-30-2013 02:49 AM)gandt Wrote:  

BoneDaddy,

I recently bought this camera that came with the original lense but i also bought a huge lense to go with it too.



I want to start using it and obviously I want to shoot girls with it.

Can you help me out with a couple questions?

1) Is this a good enough camera to shoot semi-professionally with?

2) Do you have any tips on how I can set up a home studio in a small apartment? Is it worth it? Or should I just shoot outdoors?

3) Any tips on building a profile on model mayhem?

Thanks!! Summer is coming so this is a perfect time to ramp up!

To your questions:

1. The Rebel T3 is an Ok camera, but here is a pro tip. Head over to the Buy/Sell forum at http://www.fredmiranda.com or visit http://www.keh.com and pick up a gently used Canon 5D in good condition for between $500 and $700. This is not the Canon 5D Mk II or the new Canon 5D Mk III, this is the origninal 5D. This is a for-real bad ass nearly pro-level camera. A Canon Rebel is a toy in comparison. Get a 135 MM F/2.0 L lens or maybe an 85MM F1.4 (Non-L) lens, and you will be golden. The 5D is legendary for its image quality and is dirt cheap these days because it is two generations behind current technology. But for shooting glamour/fashion, it still rocks.

2. Depending on your location and climate, I would begin with outdoor shoots. Shooting indoors and setting up a studio involves a whole additional realm of studio lighting, backdrops, etc. To shoot outdoors, you could begin with the camera from #1 above and add a collapsible reflector and you're good to go. Get good with that, then maybe move on to an on-camera speedlight, then studio lighting gear.

3. Regarding a Model Mayhem profile, they do require that you submit at least three photos which must be mod approved, but unless they have tightened up their standards, most anything gets approved. If you proceed as outlined above and find a pretty girl to point your camera at, you shouldn't have any trouble getting your MM profile approved. Having said that, I've never booked a single shoot from MM, but have booked many from CraigsList.

All the best and good luck with your photography.

Bone

As BoneDaddy said, the Rebel is okay. It's a low-end camera. That said, whatever camera you purchase, make sure you get good glass. Good glass and a halfway decent camera will go a long way.

I've got a Canon 5D, Fuji XE-1, a couple of Nikon film cameras, a GoPro (for vid), every possible Hipstamatic filter on my iPhone, and in the near future I'm getting a Nikon F5 and a Leica M6 (both film cameras).

Do not discount the iPhone's camera. You can do some fantastic work with it if you know what you're doing.

As far as using photography to bang women...I've never been one to photograph models, my work revolved around sports, travel, and editorial photography. I slept with three women as a direct result of working as a photographer and carrying around a camera. The first was at an event in Singapore. The chick was a model but I playfully shot her, went out to dinner, and after a few weeks of hanging out we ended up in bed. The second was a Filipina who was a ringcard girl. This "relationship" went on for months. It was a direct result of her being at a fight while I was photographing the event. The last one was a white chick from the US. She was standing in line at immigration and saw my passport, which was extremely thick. I was carrying my equipment in a Nikon photographers bag and she asked what I did that allowed me to travel so often. We talked, shared a taxi, and later on I met her at her hotel and "gave her some pointers."