STC Dream One-on-One: All The Way! – Part 2
A lot has happened since the first post describing the intricate details of our One-on-One session and here are some updates:
When we produce a pictorial, regardless if it’s a One-on-One session or a client’s assignment, we take a serious approach from the very beginning to imagine what possible future clients would like to see. Now, it’s good to keep in mind that clients don’t always know what they want and that’s why they hire a photographer, an art director and a stylist in the first place.
One of the advantages we have at the Shoot The Centerfold, due to our long existing business and photography experience, is that we know how to stimulate clients and tailor a shoot towards their needs while still in production. The production research can sometimes alter the direction of the shoot which is also the case in this specific One-on-One project.
Search for the Plane
We have now altered the original plan and ditched the DC3 plane and gotten our hands on a sexy P-51 Mustang plane that is about as rare and hard to get as having a date with Victoria’s Secret bombshell model Adriana Lima. P-51 Mustang is also well known from the Breitling watch commercial.
We feel very blessed and fortunate that the gods have heard our prayers, are on our side and blessed us with a shiny P-51 Mustang valued at $8-million. This also means that we have to make changes to our original wardrobe choices and get something a little more edgy for our model to wear. And, not just that, but also a plan “B” just in case something unexpected happens.
Finding the right model
We have now cast for models worldwide with different looks, personalities and not to mention how their posing and body language skills will reflect on the final decision making. This is actually a very important part when choosing a model. Looks can be misleading if the model and her personality does not deliver equally for the desired look.
Models are also judged not only on their looks but also by the variety and value they can bring to the project.
Yesterday we had a test at the airport to see how our parachute was going to function with a light wind. We had about a 14 mph wind with a split personally that kept changing on us constantly. So what was the big deal? Well, when you attach a parachute to a solid element and put a model in it, it could become a safety hazard since the parachute pulls about 700-800 pounds of pressure when attached to a non-moving element at 14 mph. There is nothing more important than everybody’s safety and that all works as planned.
I got to be the guinea pig with the parachute test since the model will only come to the actual shoot. And I also want to know every aspect of what the model will experience during the shoot. This way you know what you can expect and can guide her as necessary. We had purchased some heavy-duty fishing line that holds up to 400 pounds and we got three of them to ensure a hold a wind-gust pressure up to 1200 pounds or more.
The test itself went pretty well but we discovered that necessary modifications have to be made for the harness that supports the model and where the fishing lines attach. This is why pre-production and testing is essential and we were prepared knowing that it wasn’t going to be easy to suspend a model in the air and have her stay in the air with an open parachute on her back behind a plane and unpredictable wind flow.
STC attendee Joe Tejeda at the modeling agency
Jarmo Pohjaniemi testing the parachute
STC attendee Robert Ashby capturing the runaway parachute after the test
Are we crazy? Absolutely, but if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Now It’s time to look into what cameras and lighting equipment are going to be needed for this shoot.
Stay tuned for more updates coming soon.
STC Dream One-on-One: All The Way! – Part 1 – Posted on: 04-22-2015
Shoot The Centerfold One-on-One sessions are one of the fastest ways to learn photography and to get your images published. We do several different types of instruction based on each request assuming that it fits our guidelines and we can see a benefit for all those involved.
Some of the One-on-One sessions will result in publication and some simply remain private behind closed doors. Not everyone wants to achieve publishing but instead simply value the educational experience.
This specific blog post is to shed some light on what actually goes into a major shoot and its preparation. Not all the shoots are as large scale as this one. Some shoots are actually quite simple and less can certainly be more in those cases. But that does not hold true in this case and we wish to share the intricacy of this particular on-going One-on-One session with you so you have a better idea how some of the large scale shoots come together. Take it educationally and hopefully you can learn a thing or two.
Shoot The Centerfold attendees Joe Tejeda and Robert Ashby signed up for the STC One-on-One with one goal in their mind: let’s do something different, get publishing and raise some eye-brows in the industry. As Joe and Robert put it,
Let’s not just shoot something that will blend in with millions of other photos but instead create something so awesome that editors cannot wait to get their hands on it.”
Joe and Robert have followed the STC One-on-One sessions very closely for quite some time, patiently waiting for their special moment to step up to the plate. After a few pre-planning meetings, the goals started taking shape and the ideas began to flow. And what such a meeting means and who decides the direction and concept of the shoot, depended on what the objective of the shoot was and what we were trying to accomplish.
Since the goal is not to shoot a model for social media or just for a portfolio, but instead to reach the industry specialists in top-end fashion, commercial publishing and campaign opportunities, we came up with a mutual decision to produce a shoot based on what the industry would go for instead of going fishing with a premature plan or outcome. One key to success is to know what your possible clients may be looking for. Well, that’s a farfetched guess, since nobody really knows ahead of time what the editors need or want unless you have associated yourself with the industry people and editors ahead of time. This is one of STC’s specialties due to our long experience in the industry.
We want a sexy plane, a model to interact and then have a her ‘hanging on’ via a parachute – high fashion style. We also need an airport runway.We came up with several interesting concepts on how to rattle the editors and the industry. Not that we are re-inventing the wheel or anything, but perhaps we will make a better one by getting an entire airport runway, plane, parachute and a model that fits the bill. Not just any kind of a model, but a top model that adds the much needed sizzle to the entire pictorial.
We started looking for possible airplanes and the full chrome DC3 from the James Bond movie that had great appeal when they flew over the salt-fields and mountains in Chile. The DC3 was located in Punta Gorda, Florida and fairly inexpensive for a nice movie prop. At this point in the project, we have to answer a couple of questions: do we have the plane brought to us or should we fly to the location of the plane instead?
We have also purchased a parachute from eBay which is going to be used as a prop. It’s all about the little details, style and the color coordination.
At this point, we are still looking for the right model and have not been able to secure one that meets our strict qualifications as of yet. Until then, we are spinning the production-wheel in hopes of finding the right one. We have contacted all the top modeling agencies between Miami and New York. Plenty of candidates have been sent to us to select from and a few choices have been made but 
then lost due to their popularity and their insane booking schedules (not to mention their modeling fees).
At this point, many of you would be wondering if Model Mayhem would do the trick instead of getting a top-dollar model from an agency. When a shoot becomes as serious as this one, you also want to get a serious model that can support the cause and deliver the right looks that rule the industry. Not to mention, editors drool over name-brand value since it helps sell publications. Below are some model candidates that we have considered for the job. Our favorite model candidates so far have been Brazilian Victorian Secret top-model Daniela Braga and Gizele Oliveira.
Daniela Braga – NEXT Model Management
Gizele Oliveira – MC2 Model Management
With fingers crossed, we are now waiting to see which one of these beautiful candidates will accept our offer and is willing to fly to Miami for a shoot that we would like to believe will top the industry’s expectations and beyond. In reality, it means that we are actually competing with top fashion clients who also have their eyes on these models who get booked long in advance of any project along with 5-figure modeling fees.
As the search for the right model and the production continues to advance, we will update you and continue this blow-by-blow by letting you know how we are progressing with our One-on-One shoot preparation.
Until then, we leave you to evaluate other model candidate choices that were sent to us, in case we have missed something, and a comment from Maurice Jenkins who is a director of Miami International Airport.
Stay tuned, more coming soon.
Click the images to enlarge.
Maurice Jenkins – A director of Miami International Airport
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Isn’t it amazing their are so many models out there. But, companies are very conservative in using them. What’s interesting is some beauty’s are in some choice locations. Hence, who’s left in the less desirable locations? Where the companies headquarters are located. Thus, is probably why a few years ago Taco Bell choose a little dog to sell their stuff and Geico picked a Gecko. Ask some of these models if they know Charlie Tuna?