What is a good model, and what is a photographer?

This is a loaded question of course, and very subjective.  First lets start with what i know well. To most people they think a photographer is someone that just takes pictures of pretty girls, and charges a lot. This
could not be further from the truth.

A photographer is someone that captures a memory, or express' a view by way of an image. In addition this person will try to take the customers body image into account, and try to help them see that it's not a flaw but a perception.  We try to make the customer look their best.  We will shoot pink, purple, brown, yellow, pink, tall, short, round, square, dog, cat,  albino, old, young, alien, type of people, and make them look good.  In addition the more contact i have with other photographers, and models, the more I grow as a person.

What is a photograph?  To me a photo not only shows the photographers feelings, but also that of the models.  Sometimes it's just a capture of a moment in time that will looked back upon for years to come.  

Personally i'm a photography that picks up on people's vibes.  I just had the pleasure of working with Taylor.  When I started the shoot with her i was trying to portray innocence of youth, gentle, easy going, and joyful.  Don't get me wrong, i know there's a little bit of hell raiser in there too, but that was not what i wanted to show.  But that glow of her joyful spirit was in every photo, and that can not faked by any photographer. 

Rachel on the other hand was a model that i felt was more edgey, a little more seductive. So I tried to show that with my images without going too far.

Then where was Ms Walker, a great model and photographer.  I had a hard time with her. Just like the force in Starwars, the will was strong with this one.  In fact i felt so overwhelmed was not sure how to get that on film.  It was a themed event so I did manage to get 2-3 good shots, but overall i was blown away.  Not to mention the fact that if i took a bad photo, she could take me and snap my neck in a moments notice, lol. 

Now, what is a good model to me?  First a great model will have an open mind and easy going attitude. Some models bring negativity in with them, and that will show on every photograph.  Don't get me wrong, you can't get away with murder in front of them, lol. A photographer will always be professional and considerate of their model.  For example Aj is a great model, always happy, and you can not take a bad photo of her.

Another trait that some great models have is imagination.  They can help the photographer pose them, or they have ideas which the two can bounce off one another for a great unique session.  Chris for example was a great model, i told him what i wanted, and he ran with it.  Then he would bounce an idea or two off me and we would run with it, or i would tweak it, and we had a great time. 

A great model will be on time, and be reliable.  A photographer has a lot of stress on them with getting everything together, rent the studio, and then be setup for the model.  In addition sometimes have to have the idea that will be shot, and then trying to make everything work.  There is a lot of expense, and when a model doesn't show up, the photographer has to eat it.  If the shoot was for publication, then they have to scramble to get someone else.Don't get me wrong, models have stress too, and everyday lives.  There will be times when things happen, and cancellation happens.  But don't do anything to aid in it, like go out drinking till 3am for an 8am shoot.  

Usually a great model will be able to pose or will be able to take direction on posing. This is a weak spot for me, i can direct models, but sometimes i have to stop and think for a few minutes.  If a model is having a hard time understanding what i'm trying to get them to do, i'm not above getting down and demonstration it.  While other models can do free form posing on their own, and you just capture the models you want, while sometimes just tweaking it a tad.  

These are just a few things of what i feel a great model is, and what a photographer is.  There is always exceptions, and Not of the above has to be followed to be a great model.

For me a great models also help me grow not only as a photographer but as a person.  I'm talking to a model about doing a human form session.  This idea brings me great anxiety.  In addion it's evolving past my idea into something that i'm not sure  yet, lol.  But doing the session will help me grow as a photographer and a person.  I will not be able to hide things behind clothing.  In addition how lighting, and shadow play out will be of high importance.  This model is very experienced, so i'm hoping that great wisdom, and tips will come out of it.  If successful it should help me feel a little more confident, that i can shoot anything.  Also if you can shoot something in it's most simplistic form and make it great, then everything else should be a piece of cake, i hope.

Overall, i've been rather lucky.  Most of my shoots are with other photographers, so the talent(models and photographers) has been top notch.

 One point that i have not mentioned is that a photographer has to open a repore with the model.  For example i went to a 3mi meet and greet in Wv.  Most of the time i just talked to the models to get to know them.  In fact i only shot one model for 15 mins that day.  When i go back, i feel that i can shoot most of the other models now. Sometimes it's hard to build the repore.  An example of this is the themed shoots. At these events there are a lot of models,and photographers, and a few sets, so there is always rotation.  At a recent wedding i found out that the groom liked Darth Vader....and i had a hard time getting him to smile, so i would make weird crazy remarks like.....You know Han Solo can kick Vaders butt with only his laser pistol, and one arm tied behind his back.....boom there was the laugh...click.  At a Mark Kumar session i told a male model "cheese" in a funny voice, and boom there was my smile, click.  Of course i have to feel comfortable to get as crazy with models.  Some seem a little stand offish, and i don't want to push my luck, so I just stay respectable, and duty as usual.

These are just a few of my thoughts, feel free to comment :)

---Gary

My name of the blog vs the name of the business and the future

This is a very in depth question that i will try to answer to the best of my ability.  GCB photography is all about me.  It covers the point and shoot years, dark room,  and all the way up to the present. It includes my personal life and everything that i do on the business side.

Now Dreams in Focus on facebook is a way for the client to see their work for now.  It also includes where i am now as a photographer and the growth from experience.  It's where networking takes place, and learning from other great photographers and models. Sometimes it's experimenting and looking to see what works.  It's only a sliver of what GCB photography is. But it also includes the future.

The future of Dreams in Focus photography is slowly coming into focus.  I would like to shoot around the city with someone in a trench coat and they could have a farnsworth.  The model could act out a detective story. Later some sort of ray gun or such, and in the end victory over evil, but at what cost?

Another idea was a model with fairy wings with giant mushroom props, or just shoot in a forest, with some lighting experiments. Would need some additional equipment for all that i have planned on this one, and props.

A third idea was a gothic style one in a cemetary. This would be a play with b/w and also maybe a play on the lifestyle vs that of the finality of death.

A forth idea is have a model in a blue dress, with painted arms/legs/face to look like a doll, but an evil demon doll.  Have a snoot or beauty dish shine down to act like a spot light, and the rest of the scene is dark.  Have the model sit in the corner stiff, and unyielding, and then slowly come to life to raise all kind of hell.

And my last idea was a vampire shoot.  Have 2 fog machines, and then light the fog log with blue gels.  Either have on camera beautydish, or have a strobe/continuous light shine red on the actors/models.  Would be a mock fight scene, A shot of looking down into the face of the actress for a plee of compassion.

When are these ideas going to be happening.  Well i'm still learning the models and what their range is.  Not to mention that I have a lot to learn before i can pull it off.  Then there is the expense.  But i would say in the next 2 years i would start on them.