Photo shoot preparations

I bought cut flowers this morning. I probably bought too many. But I know that I want to have flowers in some of my pictures this evening and I wanted to have a variety to choose from. Not only that, but I want to have enough that we can disassemble them if we are so inclined. I doubt we will use all these flowers, but I want to have them all available. Besides finding people to appreciate the left over flowers shouldn’t be hard at all.

I’ve picked out all my favorite clothes from my closet. There is no way we are going to use all of the clothes I’ve picked out. I’m going to bring them anyway because I want to have options. I don’t want to be at the photo shoot wanting to take a picture in a swirly skirt when I left my swirly skirt at home. I’ve also packed up more jewelry than we’ll used. And of course I’ve got the hairspray and curling iron and barrettes and bobby pins.

As I survey this huge pile I feel sheepish and vain. I worry that I’ll show up at the photographer’s house and she’ll boggle at the sheer quantity of stuff that I’ve brought. I am so hoping this will go well and be fun for everyone involved. I really don’t want to end up being one of those foolish clients about whom stories are told for years afterward. I stare at the pile and the fearful voices in my head yammer that I should put some of the stuff back. I should scale down. I should simplify.

But I don’t listen to those voices. If I scale back or simplify then I limit the creative potential of the photo shoot. Those voices are just afraid of being laughed at. Logic tells me that being laughed at is unlikely. I might get teased, but it will be as friends tease, not the harsh laughter of ridicule. I’ve been lurking in the photographer’s livejournal and I think she’ll understand why I brought so much stuff.

I hope for so many things from this photo shoot. Obviously I want some good pictures. But I also hope for the chance to be creative. I hope to spend a fun time with my friend raisinfish and to make a new friend. One hour to go.

10 thoughts on “Photo shoot preparations”

  1. Don’t sweat it. I’ve worked for a professional photographer, years ago when I studied the stuff and had it as a part-time job in order to decide if I wanted to pursue it full-time (obviously, I chose ‘no’).

    We’d tell people to bring changes of clothing so different things could be tried. But all too often they’d bring two blouses that were so alike that they didn’t offer any real variety in the pictures. As in, both being the same color, meaning they’d do well with the same few backgrounds … whereas the idea in asking to bring changes was so the backgrounds and lighting that clashed with blouse A could be used with blouse B.

    And you’re bringing a variety of props, that’s cool. As long as you’re willing to consider using other props, and aren’t wed to one or two, you’d be welcome anywhere 🙂

    Coming overprepared is NOT going to make you a laughingstock unless you’re doing something on par with hauling a trailer behind the van 🙂

  2. Don’t sweat it. I’ve worked for a professional photographer, years ago when I studied the stuff and had it as a part-time job in order to decide if I wanted to pursue it full-time (obviously, I chose ‘no’).

    We’d tell people to bring changes of clothing so different things could be tried. But all too often they’d bring two blouses that were so alike that they didn’t offer any real variety in the pictures. As in, both being the same color, meaning they’d do well with the same few backgrounds … whereas the idea in asking to bring changes was so the backgrounds and lighting that clashed with blouse A could be used with blouse B.

    And you’re bringing a variety of props, that’s cool. As long as you’re willing to consider using other props, and aren’t wed to one or two, you’d be welcome anywhere 🙂

    Coming overprepared is NOT going to make you a laughingstock unless you’re doing something on par with hauling a trailer behind the van 🙂

  3. You are on your way already, but it’ll all be great!
    I have a giant bathroom/changing room to put all your stuff in and we will have so much fun!
    You would only be overprepared if we were moving stuff from place to place.

  4. You are on your way already, but it’ll all be great!
    I have a giant bathroom/changing room to put all your stuff in and we will have so much fun!
    You would only be overprepared if we were moving stuff from place to place.

  5. What and said. Have you ever done a glamour photo shoot? I did once and the photographer had over 50 different tops (glam shots are generally from the waist up) and double that in scarves and jewelry. I don’t think you’ll come close to that so you are good to go.

    Have fun with it! I have to admit that I’d probably enjoy being one of those glam photographers because they get to create great looking “clothing” by twisting a few pieces of fabric together or just draping a huge beaded piece around someone’s shoulders.

  6. What and said. Have you ever done a glamour photo shoot? I did once and the photographer had over 50 different tops (glam shots are generally from the waist up) and double that in scarves and jewelry. I don’t think you’ll come close to that so you are good to go.

    Have fun with it! I have to admit that I’d probably enjoy being one of those glam photographers because they get to create great looking “clothing” by twisting a few pieces of fabric together or just draping a huge beaded piece around someone’s shoulders.

  7. Here’s hoping the photo shoot was a stunning success. You, um… are planning to share some of the best shots on your LJ, aren’t you? Because I want to see them.

  8. Here’s hoping the photo shoot was a stunning success. You, um… are planning to share some of the best shots on your LJ, aren’t you? Because I want to see them.

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