I have been working on my photography business for quite some time now and I have discovered there are a few things that bother me. These things really cheapen the experience for the recipient and label the industry with bad connotations, while being borderline and sometimes outright dangerous.
-In my early twenties, at the request of a colleague, I went to a meeting with an elderly photographer to better understand this modeling assignment she was interested in. He was nice, well dressed and salt and peppered so he didn't immediately give us red flags. This work was supposed to be published in a new book and would have been a break into high fashion modeling for her. When we arrived, we brought a third friend to better help us outfit change and all that. The shoot was in a dilapidated warehouse that was cheaply converted into storage units that you could rent, probably by the day. It was a graffiti lovers dream, with a whole art wall painted down a hallway that led to the bathrooms. The photographer was a little taken aback when we had a third person show up but he rolled with it. We got really beautiful shots including one of my model-esqued, long-legged friend in stilettos perched on a porcelain sink. That's the one I'll always remember, and unfortunately, we never got to see the finished photos.
After about a week of radio silence, she reached out and he brushed her off. Long story short, he explained she signed a waiver and wasn't entitled to anything and her showing up with an unexpected person breached their contract, was highly unprofessional; yada yada. Who knows if he ever published those photos or even sold them to some skeevy web host to post for traffic. All I remember is that his first name was Michael, otherwise I'd ruin his reputation TODAY!
Women talk about our experiences, any service providers need to take heed and treat people accordingly. My guest last week recounted her friend's boudoir experience with a male photographer asking her to show her "O" face through the whole shoot. I mean, seriously, if you can't bring out Sultry God(dess) in your models, just say that.
Boudoir is the foreplay, not the sex. Little things like aesthetic in the decor, lighting streaming through a nearby window or even the wind blowing a tendril of hair into your face can be used to make stunning photographs. These nuances are some of the things I've come to love about shooting for people. Getting those messages that my clients love their gallery make me excited for the next opportunity and showing up to deliver a comfortable and warm experience each time. People deserve that.
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