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Location Scouting?
**I have edited this post to be less...jumbled.** So, I have lived in Austin for only a couple of short, and busy months, and recently I've had some photographers who want me to find locations for shoots, and are even a little pushy about it. I don't have a problem with a collaboration on this facet of shoots, but I was wondering if this is standard for models to be responsible for the location scouting of casting calls that the photographer posted. I am really not sure how to proceed, here. For a little background information, these are photographers who are looking for people to help them expand their portfolio with nudes on a TFP basis and posted casting calls for this area. I responded, willing to help them on the matter. I received a response that said I needed to find the location to shoot in myself; when I asked what sort of location they had in mind for the style of shoot that they wanted, they told me that they didn't mind, just to find a place. Now, to me, this seems a little strange, but is this something I should expect in the business? Should I often have to go out and find locations to accommodate indecisive photographers? Just to be clear, I think that all photo shoots should be a collaboration between the photographer and the model. In no way do I way feel that I am "above" location scouting. I simply am not used to being forced into that job role when I do not drive in this town, nor have I lived here for even a full four months. If I were given any sort of basis for even what to look for, this would be better. As for proceeding with the shoot...do I just find a pretty outdoor area that's secluded for nudes? I have a ton of those in my portfolio already, and don't really want more, but how do I find something more interesting without spending hours and hours that I don't have, with no vehicle, to find what they may or may not want? This is really stressful; any advice would be very greatly appreciated. Dec 06 12 10:35 am Link I'm not sure if it has changed but the law in Texas used to be that nudity was allowed on any public waterway, as long as,"the intent is not to offend". Just be aware as you scout that scorpions are plentiful around the hill country, and that area is blessed with every species of poisonous snake native to North America. Dec 06 12 11:13 am Link I'm not nervous about being naked in public or nature or about the law. I'm just not sure how to proceed with this particular challenge that has been set before me. As the shoot looms ever closer, I'm starting to freak. Haha. Dec 06 12 11:22 am Link TheHonoraryLoli wrote: Man! I wish a model would do some location scouting for me! Too bad you're not in the central CA coastal area! Dec 06 12 11:44 am Link PhotographybyT wrote: Haha. Thank you! That gives me a little extra kick to keep trying. (: Dec 06 12 11:47 am Link Can't speak to Austin proper though I know, from visiting a friend (who's since moved) that Wimberley is wonderful. A couple miles out of town and it's the middle of nowhere. Dec 06 12 12:41 pm Link MN camera wrote: Thank you! I'll check it out. For the time being, I've worked something out with one of the photographers that I think will work really well. I basically just had to ask what he wanted in a more direct way. Dec 06 12 12:52 pm Link I have on occasion asked a model if she knew of any locations that might be suitable for the concept of our shoot if I was traveling to their area that I was not familiar with. But so far I have always then personally scouted the area to make sure it was suitable. I would never demand it or expect them to scout the location for me. It's my job to find the location and determine if it fits with the concept I want to shoot. If the model posted the casting call and had a concept in mind then I would expect her to provide some information on the location she had in mind. Just my $0.02 Dec 06 12 01:09 pm Link One trick I've used is Google Earth, and actually zoomed in locations and seen surroundings, and then I will mark the spot and input info. to my GPS and scout, if it's good and useful I lock in loction/ save to GPS unit for future shoots., I also have done the same when driving around, if I see a cool spot, I'll input in GPS and save. Dec 06 12 01:10 pm Link TheHonoraryLoli wrote: Always remember that men are simple creatures. Send us to the store for beer. No problem. For beer and chips. No problem. For beer chips and eggs. Expect a call saying "I got the cheese and ground beef and beer but what else was on the list?" Dec 06 12 03:41 pm Link I gave up modelling because I found most photographers who were willing to do shoots with me were also lazy and expected me to do everything bar bring the camera, for TF! Then after I did all that work organising their shoot they either vanished in the week leading to the date, or flaked on giving me the images.  Anyway it could be they are those (lazy), or it could be they are too far away to do their own scouting and hope you already know some suitable spots. It's not unusual to find suitable secluded spots that are tucked away in the most unexpected places The bottom line is everyone is different, there is no rule that ALL photographers, or ALL models follow, if you don't want to do it just say no. Dec 06 12 04:00 pm Link I don't think you should be the one finding location. Even if you lived there all your life. Thats the photographers job. If you know of an area thats nice its great to suggest to them. I have had locations suggested to me and some have worked and some have not. I would think a real photographer in your area would have a lot of locations to shoot with out sending you to look L2 Dec 06 12 04:18 pm Link Sounds to me like you're being taken advantage of in the area of free location scouting services. Ask him if he'd be willing to rent you a car for a week. Reading between the lines, it doesn't sound like you really even want to work with this guy. Call him, tell him due to a lack of a vehicle and little local geographic knowledge, because of your short time in the area, you haven't been able to find a location outside of the type you already have plenty of in your port. If he starts bitching tell him that his attitude along with the division of labor is not what you want in a shoot and you're going to have to respectfully decline to model for him. Dec 06 12 04:31 pm Link I like to go with photographers on scouting trips. I had a shoot today where it would have helped for me to have seen the location beforehand (it was WAY far out in the woods on the other side of a very steep hill. Yea, not so good in pumps). Often times I have a different opinion on what works for a photo, what wardrobe would go with it, etc. It's best to make it a team effort Dec 06 12 09:03 pm Link I think you re being taken advantage of. Plus that "just find a place" reply is weird. When i travel and i ask a model if she knows of any place to shoot, I always try to give specifics, cause many times non photographers might be thinking in large terms regarding locations, when i might just need one small corner or a window to shoot. Plus if somebody really wants to shoot with you, they d spend some time discussing things. Dec 06 12 09:13 pm Link TheHonoraryLoli wrote: Those are sorry excuses for photographers IMHO. Dec 06 12 09:13 pm Link Responsibility for finding the location lies somewhere between, 1 who made the casting call, 2 the photographer, and, 3 everyone involved with a vision for the shoot. I think your wannabe photographer is not doing enough heavy lifting. And to say "just find somewhere" to his own casting call suggests not alot of artistic ambition in his shoot. Come to nsw Australia I've got a heap of locations pre scouted just waiting for the right Texan to pose in them :-) Dec 06 12 09:29 pm Link Natural Means wrote: I gotta agree. Whoever put up the casting should find a location. If you were traveling to their area outside of Austin, would they expect you to find a location? If a photog is travelling I believe it's ok to ask for suggestions, but even then I would start with asking other local photographers. Dec 06 12 10:06 pm Link This perplexed me for quite a while too. Photographers were constantly expecting me to already have a location planned. After a while it finally occurred to me that the reason for this was because they were new/new to shooting out of studio and had seen the locations in my port and probably assumed I could just get them access to one of those. Unfortunately that was not the case as most of the locations were either owned by the photographer who shot them or owned by a friend of theirs. There was one who was willing to rent out his property for me to do shoots on, but it was a bit out and some of the people did not want to travel that far. Similarly, when I lived in East TN, a lot of photographers would travel through and want to work with me. Obviously they generally did not know the area so I tried to help as best I could. I would suggest trying to get info about the location early on in the planning so that if they are planning that you find the location you know that ASAP. Then you can either suggest some place or let them know you are not quite sure of a location. If they come back saying they want to shoot some place you already have in your port and that is redundant for you, just tell them that: "As lovely as that location is, I already have images/nudes like we are planning to shoot in that location so I would not have a use for more similar images/nudes in the same location." Dec 07 12 07:52 am Link Hell no, that isn't standard. Maybe do it for a fee? Exception? Somebody is traveling and wants to pay you....then yeah, maybe do a little bit. Dec 07 12 07:54 am Link I hope the shots work for both. I do a lot of outside nude, and ask the model(s) what locations they would be comfortable working in. I never expected them to 'scout' a location -- annie -- in texas 2 years: 32,000 miles; 160 cities; 1,000 + rolls of film. Dec 07 12 08:02 am Link As a photographer, I like to scout out my locations so that I can pre-visualize where I want to set up, and see how the natural lighting acts with the surroundings at the time of day that I plan to be shooting. Even if I ask for location ideas from a model, I will still go out to check it out. I am not saying that all photographers that don't scout a location are not good photographers they just might not have the time: but it sounds like they will not be fully prepared for the shoot which makes me question the quality of shoot that you will get out of it. There are many amazing photographers who can go to a locations unseen and begin shooting as fast as they can pull the camera out of the bag. I love location shoots and the challenge of controlling the surrounding light and the way a scene changes as the day moves on; and maybe its because I am a plan freak or i'm OCD but I believe scouting is important for a shoot that will involve other talents like Hair stylist and MUA. Its only proper for me to make sure I plan ahead so that everyone involves is not let down because I didn't go to a location and see that someone just dumped a truck load of trash there or the sun is blocked by a tall stand of trees for the last few hours of the day. Ok that turned into a ramble! I apologize Dec 07 12 12:50 pm Link Yes and no.... I have asked for assistance from models with locations but under certain circumstances. If I am intrigued by a model's look and I want to work with her but she lives in a place I am not familiar with I will ask for her assistance. I don't mind traveling to her but once I get there I have no clue as to the locale and the available locations. The other situation is even if she is local to me and I want to shoot in a certain type location, I may ask her if in her travels she knows of one. Let's say I want to shoot on a grand staircase or on a yacht. I may ask her if she knows of one that is available or worked with a photographer that knows of one. Two heads are better than one. But.... for the model it depends on whether she has the time to do the research. Whether she is being paid for the shoot. If it takes two hours to do the research and the photographer hires you for a half day or full day shoot then it may be worth it. I've told models that if they know of a certain type location in their area I would be happy to fly up to them and pay them for a full day shoot. So far only one model took me up on the offer, I got my shots and she got a full day booking. Dec 07 12 01:00 pm Link |
