Well, I just got home from another canceled shoot/no show. I don’t write about this often, but mostly this is irritating for a few reasons. For one, I don’t get to take pictures … which is the whole reason I do this in the first place. I love photography. The other reason is time. Now [...]
Well, I just got home from another canceled shoot/no show. I don’t write about this often, but mostly this is irritating for a few reasons. For one, I don’t get to take pictures … which is the whole reason I do this in the first place. I love photography. The other reason is time. Now I usually don’t mind the wasted time, except this week my time is pretty limited. But I get irritated because this “wasted time” is time I could’ve booked with another model or client.
Let me tell you a few well-known facts … (rant begins here…)
I have shot with a lot of models. And I can honestly say that about 99% of the girls that I have shot with have become good friends of mine … people that I can grab a beer with, go have coffee or lunch with, or share mundane details of life with. I’m one of the most fortunate people in the world … in that small window of time that I’m photographing someone, I get to see the real deal. Pretty or so-called “hot” girls lower their guard for just a little while and expose their “goofy” side. Who knew that hot girls could be nerds? And girls that are shy become the outgoing cover model. And of course, they get to see the real me too; albeit, a goofier and caffeinatingly energetic me, but still me. And we all have a smashing good time making pretty pictures and being ourselves.
One of my biggest rules and main goals in a photo shoot is to make a model feel comfortable. If someone is uncomfortable, you can see it in their eyes … and it pretty much ruins the picture. I try to generate some pretty genuine smiles … and for the most part it works. And I even shot with all kinds of different audiences … boyfriends, husbands … even moms and dads. Parents love me. :) And I put them all to work holding my reflector.
***
We named our company “Nice Guy Society, Inc.” not just because it sounded cool, but because we are genuinely nice guys. It’s a proven fact. Being a nice guy is usually not something you want to brag about … but I’m not afraid to say that I am. Without going into a lot of detail, my shoot was canceled today for one reason and one reason only … a jealous boyfriend. A girl wanted photographs taken for her boyfriend’s birthday and booked me two months ago for a photo shoot. Two months is a ridiculously long time even for me, since I’m all about instant gratification. But I’m glad that people think I’m worth the wait. So anyway, we booked the shoot and everything was hunky dory … she even went out and bought six different outfits. Finally the day came, and she called me and we talked on the phone scheming about the shoot and confirming the time and place. I’m right in the middle of hellishly hectic week … but figured a couple hours to take pictures wouldn’t be too bad. So I drove out to the place and waited for about half an hour. No one. I took the time to catch up on blog reading, so I scrolled through a few on my Blackberry. Still, no one showed up.
After the first 15 minutes I had called and left a message. After 30 minutes, I left another and decided I was going to give her 15 more minutes before taking off. After sitting around for 45 minutes, I got a call from “the boyfriend.” He didn’t say it in so many words, but he insinuated that there had been some sort of minor altercation between him and his girlfriend. From what I gather, she had told him about the shoot at the last minute and he was forbidding her to go because he couldn’t go, or at least a “meet the photographer” beforehand. It is interesting to see how the conversation between me and the boyfriend developed … at first, he played the role of the protective boyfriend very well. But after about a minute and half of talking to me, I could sense he was starting to feel like an apologetic putz after he realized that I am nothing more than a nice guy who happens to be a photographer.
It’s okay, buddy. I get where you’re coming from. I have a sister. I have a lot of girls that are friends. I would probably feel weird and uneasy about letting any of them go out to meet a strange photographer too. I mean, come on, there are a lot of weirdos out there. I am definitely one of them. I’m just not that kind of weirdo. I’m a decent, nice guy. I had a also told the model she could bring anyone she wanted to the shoot to make her feel more comfortable … and that someone could have even helped with the equipment, makeup, etc. (again, read the third paragraph … no problems with husbands and boyfriends … I put anyone to work. ) I do have that comfort stipulation, however. Sometimes people we are close to make modeling feel a little uncomfortable. And that’s okay … we are human. But if that’s the case, the model can pretty much bring anyone else she wants.
Now don’t get me wrong, it can also seem like a sketchy scenario. But I’m not sketchy. I don’t do this to meet girls or see how far I can get. I don’t have a hidden agenda. I am an open book and am able to answer any and all questions. Even the second degree from a dad last week didn’t faze me. I just enjoy taking pictures and meeting cool people and collaborating with them. Bottom line. End of story.
So I guess the most frustrating part of today is not that my shoot got canceled, but the fact that I could’ve shot with someone else … and that a silly argument could have been avoided. Believe me, I’m not unapproachable. Although my photo shoots are sometimes scandalous, nothing about how they are conducted or set up is questionable in any way. Feel free to bring your neighbor, your cousin Jimmy, or your hot roommate … as long as they make you feel comfortable. And finally, don’t leave me sitting in the hot sun scrolling through blogs on my Blackberry when I could be doing other things. That’s just not nice.
And that, my friends, is the end of my rant. Contrary to what you think you may have just read, I am having a fabulous weekend! Hope you are too!