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Your opinion(s) on group shoots.
Love them, or hate them? I am curious to know what everyone thinks about them. Apr 10 14 12:02 am Link I've gone to some. For me it's mostly a social outing rather than an attempt to get good shots. Apr 10 14 12:11 am Link I never shot at one. I just like to make arts on my own. Apr 10 14 12:34 am Link Call Me Caitlin wrote: I like get-togethers combined with single shootings...;-) Apr 10 14 03:52 am Link I will never participate in a group shoot situation. At least for me these are total clusters. I can create art in such circumstances. Besides photographers act like a bunch of cats on a drive way on a hot summers day staring at each other and growling. That's not networking, Rick Apr 10 14 04:37 am Link I've been very fortunate. I knew absolutely nothing and started attending Scott Lanes group shoots in Salem, MA. I learned so much from both the models and photographers there. I've been able to apply that knowledge to my sports and family work. I give all the credit for my success in sports shooting to the people who took the time to teach, encourage and constructively critique my images. Those experiences were all very positive at Scotty's group shoots. Apr 10 14 06:05 am Link Been to a small handful. Always horrible. Never again. Apr 10 14 06:09 am Link SPV Photo wrote: Same here. Apr 10 14 06:11 am Link Generally speaking, they suck. Never say never, but......no. Apr 10 14 06:19 am Link Organized group shoots = good Workshops where you actually learn = good The rest, well not so much... Apr 10 14 06:22 am Link If one person is in charge and organizes the group activity, it can be good. There are always competing visions and work methods; so it can also be very bad. Depends a lot on the objectives that the group accepts, and the personalities of the people involved. Apr 10 14 06:23 am Link AJScalzitti wrote: AJ has it spot on here. Apr 10 14 06:27 am Link I dislike them. I have gotten the occasional good photo from them, but it was always in a situation when I shot last on a particular setup and could move the lights and adjust the set to what I wanted to create rather than what someone else wanted. I like the networking with other photographers and models, I just don't like the work process or the chaotic atmosphere. Even a well organized shoot often has a certain level of background noise, side comments and distracting situations. I prefer to work in on a dark and quiet set where we can focus on creating images... All in all, I'd prefer to network in a coffee shop or pub. Swap portfolios and talk shop. Apr 10 14 06:42 am Link In Balance Photography wrote:
TrianglePhoto wrote: Actually that cover shot in my portfolio from the 2012 PHOTO France - photo of the year was done at a workshop I hosted. Being the organizer I only shot handful of frames demonstrating the lighting but it was a great image. Apr 10 14 06:49 am Link From the point of view of a photographer... I attended a two group shoots a couple of years ago because I wasn't getting enough models to work with me on my own. The group shoot was fun and I made some friends there too. And I did get a bunch of pictures to help my portfolio. It's tough to get a good shot in when there are a bunch of other photographers around you competing for the girl's attention. This is why I chose to have a few one on ones with some girls to have their time just with me. That worked out very well. I still have examples in my portfolio. For me it was a great jump start for my portfolio. I don't know what the experience is for the model though. Apr 10 14 06:52 am Link The advantages for both models and photographers are listed in the 'Credits Section' on the MM page. Checkout 'The Solution'...  Apr 10 14 06:55 am Link Select Models wrote: I tried, but I couldn't find it. Could you point out the credits section part on the MM page? Apr 10 14 07:05 am Link It's a great place to see all the area GWCs who are too cheap to afford to get a room at Motel 6 and pay a model off craigslist to go shoot there. Apr 10 14 07:15 am Link Shot By Adam wrote: +1 Apr 10 14 07:18 am Link Call Me Caitlin wrote: I do not love them. Apr 10 14 07:33 am Link i attended one and hosted one. i enjoyed both. it's party social, partly photography. plus a chance to make some connections. the challenge can be getting enough models to show up. Apr 10 14 07:37 am Link Christopher Hartman wrote: While I see you point, you should never be getting the same shot as 10 others even on the same set; it should be your image with your fingerprint on it so-to-speak Apr 10 14 07:38 am Link the ones i was involved in we worked one-on-one with the model. Christopher Hartman wrote: Apr 10 14 07:38 am Link Sometimes I learn something out of them, either good or bad. So I can't say they are all bad. Mostly just networking and maybe if one model stands out for me I might hire them later. Has happened a few times. Sometimes personalities beneficially meld from attending them and a good working relationship forms. Apr 10 14 07:54 am Link Cherrystone wrote: Sure... scroll down to the 'Credits Section' on this MM page... Apr 10 14 07:58 am Link Went to one years ago and it was dumb as fuck. Apr 10 14 07:58 am Link ontherocks wrote: I had the same experience. Apr 10 14 08:00 am Link It depends on who's running the shoot and what rules they establish and enforce. The ones I go to will have one photographer shoot at a time, so there's no competition for the model's attention. And the organizer either has a clear concept for each lighting setup, or it's entirely on me to provide whatever lighting I want. I like working within someone else's lighting, especially if it's something I don't normally do. And I do like the social aspect and the chance to watch others work. I often learn something, even when it's something not to do. Apr 10 14 08:03 am Link ontherocks wrote: Could be wrong, but I don't think that's what Christopher was saying. Apr 10 14 08:04 am Link AJScalzitti wrote: I've only been to...hmm...2...maybe 3. And it's shoulder to shoulder photographers. Apr 10 14 08:08 am Link Call Me Caitlin wrote: I attended one regularly when I began working with the nude. It was a great way to get comfortable with the subject and to produce some images to begin building a portfolio. The group sessions were followed by one-on-ones where I was able to so some work with my own concepts. Apr 10 14 08:19 am Link It appears that there is a wide range in how a group shoot is set up. Most of the low opinions that I see here, it was a bunch of photographers shooting one model at the same time. I've never been to one of those and don't think that I would care to. I've been to one very loosely organized one several years ago. Early in the day, there were a lot of photographers and only a couple models. We still shot one-on-one, but had a model for 15-20 minutes and then she would rotate down the line. Later in the day, several photographers left and more models showed up, so we would shoot two or three models together. It was fun and I got a few shots that were in my port for a while. Next month will be my 5th time at the Hocking Hills Group Shoot. All shoots are TF. Photographers pay $20 to cover lunch and other expenses. Models and others are n/c. Once you commit to coming, you contact others on the list to schedule your time there in 1 hour blocks. Shoots are one-on-one unless you organize it to shoot with more than one model at a time. About 1/2 the people there are regulars, giving it a kind of "family" feel. We get folks from all over the state and a few from border states. I love it. https://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=916779 Cherrystone, we're practically in your back yard. Apr 10 14 08:39 am Link The quality varies a lot. Some organizers are very good, some not so good. Model no-shows are a big problem, of course. It's a little pathetic when one or two models out of a field of five or six show up and they end up being gang-photographed by a pack of ravenous photographers. However, I found them very useful when I was starting, as they let me get enough photos in my portfolio that I could start setting up my own shoots. I think that they'd be good for novice models as well, giving them a chance to get their feet wet in a situation where they are (hopefully) not the only model involved, so the pressure to perform is less and the paranoia factor is less. I still go to the occasional group shoot, as sometimes they offer access to props or locations that I couldn't use on my own. Apr 10 14 08:43 am Link Some people obviously enjoy them and find them useful but personally I can't imagine a bigger waste of time. Apr 10 14 08:51 am Link I think it depends on what you are going for, and particularly who is running it. I've been to some that were filled with friends, and had a great time, and (thankfully just the one) that was a horrible, horrible experience mostly caused by one photographer who was mean and pushy to everyone. I don't think they are usually a place to get lots of great work done, (though I am sure they can be given the right circumstances) but they can be lots of fun, and invaluable to new people, whether they are new to photography/modelling and can learn from others attending, or if they are new to the area, and are looking to connect with the local modelling/photography scene  Apr 10 14 08:52 am Link Christopher Hartman wrote: On that is bad, there should never be more than 4:1 ratio. Less is obviously better and never allow paparazzi style shooting. OK maybe if it's a runway workshop and they want realism lol Apr 10 14 08:57 am Link For new photographers and models, it's a chance to add some photos to your portfolio. I prefer to work one on one with a model, and not have a bunch of others distracting my models. I've done several in the past, even hosted a few, but it's just not my preference. Would I attend another group shoot? Yes, but more as a social event, with the possibility of getting afew shots in. I wouldn't go expecting to come away with anything special. My two cents Apr 10 14 08:58 am Link They're definitely not my cup of tea. However I've recently noticed a couple (in the UK) that seem well organised, great locations and are supported by designers/stylists as well as MUA. I'm tempted to try one of those and see how it goes. Apr 10 14 09:08 am Link he said he was competing for the model's attention? i took that to mean several photographers were shooting the model at the same time. the ones i've been involved with that didn't happen. one photographer shooting a given model at a time. i don't think i would attend one that was otherwise. the part about getting the same shots as the other guys makes sense, especially if it's the same scene. but i've been on ones where we wandered around outside and could take our model wherever we wanted. so maybe it just comes down to how the shoot is organized and run. if i were organizing one with several models i would be concerned about how many of those models would show up so i'd be inclined to overbook on models but you only have so much to spend on models. and of course you need a pool of photographers to sell into (meetup.com seems to help with that). Cherrystone wrote: Apr 10 14 09:12 am Link Another Italian Guy wrote: Turkey shoots, I'll have to remember that one. Apr 10 14 09:24 am Link |
