Kevin Thom - Hamilton, Toronto, Ontario Photographer

Laura Hollick is the MacGyver of art.

While we were in California, we wanted to do a photo shoot on the beach. She found a couple of sticks on the ground, and with a few scraps of fabric from a local textile store, she fashioned a brilliant flying rainbow bird costume. We scouted an amazing location: the Torrey Pines State Reserve, in La Jolla. The reserve is home to a stunning beach, backed with high cliffs. Boulders, layered with gold and purple hues had tumbled down the cliffs, and lay in ruggedly beautiful disarray on the sand. They seemed the perfect backdrop for our initial photos of the rainbow bird.

Next, I wanted to see the rainbow bird fly, so Laura headed into the surf for some leaps. A lot of leaps, actually. It took a lot of trial and error to find the right angle, pose, and to time the shots and leaps with the waves. I think Laura leaped about 120 times before we figured we had the right combination of sky, sea, sand and rainbow bird. The sky was overcast, the sun being obscured by the thick marine layer that invades the So-Cal shores at this time of year. There was still ample light, though, allowing very fast shutter speeds for freezing those leaps in mid-air. After we’d exhausted our quota of leaps, it was time to cool off by splashing into the Pacific Ocean. As a side note, jumping into the ocean in your clothes is only fun until about five minutes after you get out. Then it’s just damp and clammy. It was still worth it though!

Later on, I reviewed the images on my laptop. I couldn’t help but wonder if the photos of the colorful rainbow bird would have been better with a bright blue sky. The next day, after we’d moved up the coast to San Clemente, and checked into a motel that can only be described as “kitschy,” the sun came out. It had turned into the perfect blue-sky California day that I’d envisioned when we’d started talking about this shoot. I persuaded Laura to don the rainbow bird costume once again and we walked down to the beach.

Many more leaps ensued. Finally, a hundred and fifty more leaps into the shoot, Laura announced that it was enough.

Here’s the final image that we chose from the many that we shot over those two glorious days at the beach. I feel that it captures the mystical character of the rainbow bird with a slightly unusual perspective. I shot it from a low angle, close to Laura with my 24-70mm f2.8L lens at 24mm. I asked her to leap as close to me as she could, so the wings would brush over my head as she passed me. This is what it took to exaggerate the perspective and get that shot that stood out from the others. To obscure her footprints in the wet sand, we timed it so she would leap just as the white foam surf washed under her while she was in the air. This helped to further the illusion of flight. I’m very happy with this image. I think all the elements finally came together in the moment to create a photo better than either of us could have imagined ahead of time. That’s my favorite way to work.

This rainbow bird photo is the final photo that we shot for our book Live Your Spirit, which is now available at Blurb.

Laura Hollick and I have finally published our first book, Live Your Spirit. After three years of shooting, it was time to put it in print. The book is a true collaboration between the two of us. Each of the photos combines elements of Laura’s art and philosophy with my photography.  A lot of the images in this book are the same as the ones we showed at our Birth Your Dreams exhibition last August, but there are a few new ones. You’ve also seen the creation of a number of them in this blog. Although it was an enormous amount of work to collect this number of images, it was also a lot of fun. It was amazing also how easy it all seemed. Sure, it was a struggle to get up at 3am to prepare to catch the right light sometimes, and we often had eyes turned to the skies, waiting for just the right weather, but in the end, all of it just worked out perfectly, or at least exactly as it should have. Anyway, we’re very proud of the final product. My copy is on its way to me right now. I can’t wait to see it!

Today is Canada Day, the day on which we celebrate the beginnings of our great country. Like most Canadians, Laura Hollick and I are proud to be Canadian. We decided to create a photo to celebrate Canada. We worked with the versatile hair and makeup artist Sue Upton, who also happens to be a highly talented body painter.

Like Canada itself, this image is made up of many different parts, and took a long time to come together. We started shooting it in September last year, and I just finished it yesterday! Let me explain…

We weren’t totally happy with the composition after our shoot in September, because the tail was cut off at the bottom of the frame, and everything was too close to the bottom of the frame. Laura was sitting on a stool, which was necessary because of the number of hours required to complete the painting, but that made the bottom of the photo look a bit awkwardly cropped too. There didn’t seem to be any other way to shoot it though. She wouldn’t have been able to stand perfectly still for that period of time. We decided to re-shoot Laura’s bottom half and add a tail to the bird to balance it out.

After I’d assembled all the pieces in Photoshop and smoothed out all the transitions, the final image was complete.

Sarah's professionalism earned her a role as Lissa Hill Leather's official model.

So, you want to be a model? I’m going to start by saying I’m not a model. However, as a photographer, I’ve worked with lots of them. I specialize in shooting portfolios for beginner models. Some of the models I’ve helped to get started have taken off into phenomenal careers that have them jet-setting all around the world. I’ve also seen some disappear into anonymity. I’ve been around long enough to put the pieces together, and have a sense of what it takes to succeed in the industry. It didn’t take me long to see that having a beautiful face and body is not enough to make a model’s career take off. As you might expect, there’s more to it than that. Here’s my no-punches-pulled advice for anyone who wants to be a model.

1. Be professional and reliable.

It should go without saying, but sadly, a lot of people don’t really get it. Modeling is a business, so you have to treat it that way. If you’re booked for a shoot, show up on time. Don’t call at the last minute and say your car broke down and you can’t make it. Do everything you can to be the most professional and organized person on the shoot. Follow up on phone calls and confirm your appointments. Arrive five minutes early for your meetings. A model who develops a reputation for being flaky won’t last long, but a model who is professional and committed to the job will turn everyone’s head! If you’re working freelance, your clients will recommend you to their associates, or hire you again themselves. If you’re represented by an agency, word will get back to your agent, who will be more likely to recommend you for other jobs if you’ve gotten good feedback.

When you’re just getting started, hire the best photographer you can find to shoot your portfolio. A good portfolio is a solid investment. If you are serious about modeling, you’ll make that money back quickly in bookings. If you’re trying to get by with snapshots and poor quality photos, you’ll have a much harder time booking work.

2. Learn about clothing.

Unless you’re going to specialize in nude modeling, you’re going to have to know about clothes! Learn what looks best on you. Learn what cuts of clothing are the most flattering on your body. If there are certain types of clothing that don’t look good on you, then know about that too. Even better, find ways to wear that unflattering clothing so it fits you better. Figure out which labels and brands suit you best. Know your sizes and always be honest about them. Lying to wardrobe people about your measurements means extra embarrassment later when you’re popping buttons on your jeans! Keep an eye on fashion magazines so you can follow trends and keep your wardrobe current. The added bonus of flipping through fashion magazines is that you get to be inspired by the world’s top models at work!

3. Know your job.

A lot of people get into modeling because they think that they’re good looking. Beyond that, they don’t think much about the job. It takes much more than being gorgeous to be a model. It takes a real understanding of what a model’s job is. At least in the commercial world, a model’s job is to sell a product. Whether it’s jeans, perfume, jewelery, cars, cell phones, pencils, or whatever,  a model is only there because they are promoting the product. When you’re doing commercial modeling work, you should not be thinking, “How can I look better?” Rather, you should be thinking, “How can I make this product look better?” Don’t be afraid to share your ideas and make suggestions about poses and angles.

Learn as much as you can about modeling and the industry. Read and watch interviews with models and photographers in the media. Talk to other models. Join modeling communities online. Take classes. Learn new skills that apply to your job. One of the most important skills model should learn in order to do their job better is how to convey emotion and attitude through pose and facial expression. The best models are able match the mood or feeling of the image the team is trying to create. This takes some practice, but if a model can master it, it becomes a very powerful tool.

Great models understand that they’re just one part of the team. Every person on that team–including hair dresser, makeup artist, photographer, art directors–is there for the same purpose too: to sell the product. Models who realize that they’re no more or less important than anyone else on that team end up being the most successful.

4. Take care of your body.

Realize that your body is your product. I said before that looking good is not a model’s entire job, but it certainly is a big part of it! As a model, you have to take better care of yourself than the average person. Learn everything you can about nutrition. I’m not saying you should starve yourself into anorexia,  or that you should be perfect. I mean, what is “perfect” anyway? It’s a crazy ideal that no one can match. But you do need to have some discipline about your lifestyle. You’ll need to eat healthy and nutritious food to keep yourself looking and feeling your best. Exercise regularly to stay fit and toned so your body matches the image of the type of modeling work you want to do. Care for your hair with quality products that don’t damage it. Your hairdresser can help you with this.

Your health and well-being extend beyond those obvious points about nutrition and exercise too. It’s also important to get enough sleep and to try to reduce stress in your life. If you take care of those things, it’ll make it easier for you to follow through on the next tip…

5. Have fun!

Modeling should be fun, and if it’s not, you’re probably not doing it right! I know a lot of the stuff I said above might seem a bit heavy, but it’s actually not. When you’ve taken care of the business side of modeling, and you are comfortable with your position in the job, it’s actually pretty easy to relax and have a good time in front of the camera. It’s really obvious when someone is comfortable in front of the camera, and that’s when a model can really shine. Enjoy your job! It’s a dream to be a model, and if it’s not your dream, then you’re probably in the wrong line of work!

Anyway, those are my tips. Based on my experience, that’s pretty good advice. If you’re still interested in being a model after reading all of that, then congratulations! You’re already off to a great start. If you don’t have one already, your next step would be to get your portfolio started. I can certainly help you with that. For more information, check out my beginner modeling portfolio package.

I had a shoot with Shan the other day at one of Hamilton’s many waterfalls. Shan wanted to have photos of himself doing yoga at Albion Falls. Albion Falls is a great place to shoot because it’s big and has plenty of dramatic platforms at different levels. We had beautiful weather for the shoot. It was warm, and the sun ducked in and out from behind the occasional cloud to provide a variety of interesting lighting conditions. We hiked down the side of the escarpment to reach the bottom of the waterfall’s bowl. Then, Shan climbed up to the various terraces of the falls to do yoga poses while I shot from on top of some big rocks below. The rushing sound of the water and peaceful surroundings made it a very pleasant and easy shoot. What a pleasure it is to shoot photos of people doing what they are passionate about.

Technically, the shoot was pretty simple. I shot in aperture priority mode so I could control the depth of field. I would decrease the aperture for some of the shots to lengthen the shutter speed, giving a little more blur to the fast-moving water. A stabilized lens helps in this situation so you can shoot hand-held at long focal lengths without worrying about camera shake. Shooting at the right time of day really helps. We were there in the late afternoon, when the sun was still high enough to get over the lip of the waterfall and into our shooting area, but still low enough to provide a nice rim light on Shan, and a soft glow to the water droplets. It wasn’t quite golden hour, but still late enough for the atmosphere to filter out those ugly UV rays.