x Michelle wrote:
Does this belong here? I'm not sure.
Are there alot of shoots out there of girls with guns?
I want to do one, and I can get my boyfriend's bbguns for props. (yay for boys and there gun obsession)
But i was wondering what that kind of shoot looks like, and if it'll look ridiculous.

Yes there are many out there and many are big time cliches and yes, many look ridiculous. To make it work, what is needed is a concept, a real concept and some photographic creativity and skill. Most shots lack one or the other, or both.

Chuckarelei wrote:

Are you implying my girl is the other 99.99 percent? Well just FYI, my girl is a real soldier, real Afghanistan, real bullets, real IED, real death, real survival instinct.

>: [

Hes speaking of how it looks. Thats what photography is all about how it looks. The realism is for journalism. I can take a picture of a dead guy & make it look GWC, or with the right planning & effort take a picture of a guy not really dead but make it look so real.

I completely agree with the guy that posted earlier, the gun cannot really be the subject of the photo, its been done so many times. It needs to add to it, in a well orchestrated theme.

Besides, being an infantryman myself, not only are women not in combat arms MOS, they aren't even allowed to be attached to us. POGs.

x Michelle wrote:
so what excatly is it about these photos that made them "done right"?

I'm with you on this one.

Black Sunshine wrote:

This is the only girl with gun picture I've ever liked

Very well done, best ive seen yet.

x Michelle wrote:
so what excatly is it about these photos that made them "done right"?

"Done Right" is a dangerous word in art, there is not right but the right found in how it reels when you got what you want out of hte photo. Sexy? just a impressive pistol with a pretty face? -you want to show a powerful character, capable & willing.

deek images wrote:
PS: I know I shouldn't have to say this, but please be careful the gun ISN'T loaded if you're using a real gun pointed at the camera...


http://www.3news.co.nz/Jail-for-man-who … fault.aspx

That's terrible!!
I'm planning to use BBguns, unloaded.
I wouldn't even touch a real gun without proper training, or knowing how to hold/act with a real gun first.

x Michelle wrote:
I wouldn't even touch a real gun without proper training, or knowing how to hold/act with a real gun first.

If you're serious about doing this right, learning basic gun safety takes about 30 minutes.  Unfortunately most models and/or photographers don't seem to bother with even that much, so take the time and you'll be light years ahead of most.  Not only will a little training help you be safe, it will make for far better photos, REGARDLESS of whether you use real firearms or realistic replicas.

If you're in SF, the closest range to you is Jackson Arms in South San Francisco, they have a number of inexpensive introductory courses.  If you can get out to the east bay or further down the peninsula easily, you'll have a lot more options.  Try here:  http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx

I don't say this as flame bait.  Seriously.  The article linked above demonstrates that there are serious consequences from doing this wrong.  In this thread there have been an appalling number of photos of obviously loaded guns pointed at cameras with fingers on triggers.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I like my skull with the number of holes it already has.

deek images wrote:
PS: I know I shouldn't have to say this, but please be careful the gun ISN'T loaded if you're using a real gun pointed at the camera...


http://www.3news.co.nz/Jail-for-man-who … fault.aspx

I bet it made one hell of a photo.

Erickson Miller wrote:

I bet it made one hell of a photo.

If you read the article, the camera was destroyed, as well as the photographer. Your comment is not funny.

x Acromion Process wrote:
In this thread there have been an appalling number of photos of obviously loaded guns pointed at cameras with fingers on triggers.  I don't know about the rest of you, but I like my skull with the number of holes it already has.

Well thats your cup of tea. But there is no way to tell if they are loaded, I doubt any of them were.

Frozen Instant Imagery wrote:
I'm astonished no one has made the obvious comment about gun safety

Well, it's a lot like screaming into the wind.

Frozen Instant Imagery wrote:

If you read the article, the camera was destroyed, as well as the photographer. Your comment is not funny.

I read the article. yes the camera was ruined, but the camera still made pictures, they are just probably ruined with the rest. Your comment is not disheartening.

Magic Image Photography wrote:
A Gun is just an extention of your personality use it wisely or you may end up in Trouble.

A gun is an extension of your personality?????

Personally I find that guns and cigarettes are easy stereotyped props.

I was once teaching a class on fashion photography and the discussion of a gun in a photo came up.

It was a photo of a girl holding a gun up to her cheek.. barrel pointing up.
Well I told tha class I thought it was a bit gimmiky.
I told them that I could do a shot just as cool with a simple HARMLESS glass of chilled water. Well I did it and challenged the class to do the same thing.
The results were great.

So here is the challenge...

1 Model
1 glass of chilled water
A bit of baby oil
A cold steamer (best way to make sweat and condensation on a chilled glass.
(If you are on location you can use that Evian spray water.)

Actually you can have a stock of chilled glasses and chilled water.

No smelly gun needed, not lead poisoning from the gun and gun oil..... enjoy.

I wish I had some of the photos from the class.

Ciao

Fred

x Michelle wrote:

That's terrible!!
I'm planning to use BBguns, unloaded.
I wouldn't even touch a real gun without proper training, or knowing how to hold/act with a real gun first.

Then what's the point of taking shots with a gun in them??  Wait...I mean BB gun...

"Chicks with Guns" is one of the lamest concepts I see around here.  It's just as bad as "Chicks with Swords" and "Chicks with Blades"; especially if a bikini is added to the mix.  To make an image really "work", I believe you have to incorporate more than just a weapon.  It takes good styling, good makeup, good backdrop, good composition, good lighting and good expression; just to name a few. 

This...


is a good example of putting it all together.

This however...

is just pointless (IMHO).

Ed Burns Photography wrote:
It's just as bad as "Chicks with Swords" and "Chicks with Blades"; especially if a bikini is added to the mix.

I totally agree... 'Chicks with Blades' are BADASS!...

Frozen Instant Imagery wrote:
I'm astonished no one has made the obvious comment about gun safety - there are several images here that are supposed to be real guns, and the models have their finger on the trigger. Basic gun safety says that you only have your finger on the trigger when the gun is pointed at something you intend to shoot (and we hope that isn't the photographer!). I was glad to see some of the models knew enough to have their finger off the trigger.

The gun is always loaded. Treat it as a deadly weapon. I don't use guns, but I know that much.

And as for the image of the model with the gun barrel in her mouth and her finger on the trigger? That's incredibly stupid. Even if wasn't a real gun she could have injured or killed herself.

Please don't take the topic to the twight light zone with you.  re: even if wasn't a real gun she could have injured or killed herself. Is that what they taught you in your gun safety class??

Bluestill Photography wrote:
Please don't take the topic to the twight light zone with you.  re: even if wasn't a real gun she could have injured or killed herself. Is that what they taught you in your gun safety class??

she could have shot her eye out, or choked on the barrel.

Erickson Miller wrote:
she could have shot her eye out, or choked on the barrel.

Especially if they were hollow point BBs, & cyanide tipped ones..... I think a tracer one would have hurt too. -Do they even have guns in Australia?

x Michelle wrote:
...I wouldn't even touch a real gun without proper training, or knowing how to hold/act with a real gun first.

knowing how to hold/act with a real gun is what makes it "done right". The photos where the model is obviously unfamiliar with the gun and knows nothing about it except that the photographer wants to see it are the cheesy ones that make me and other gun buffs cringe.

Sports Action Shooters wrote:
Don't use bb guns, use real guns:


And if you have a Ducati, even better:


Or if not, just a rope will do:

I love these!