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.

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.

I did a shoot with Shirley on Aliso Beach in South Laguna, California. We set up the shoot by email, and initially, Shirley was a bit nervous about how it was going to go, but I assured her that it would be fun. After all, how could it not be? We’d be hanging out on a beautiful beach, the wind in our hair and the surf at our feet, with my camera riding along as an unobtrusive observer. I couldn’t see how it wouldn’t be fun. When I met Shirley, I was struck by her radiance. She positively glows, and it was indeed easy to get fun and beautiful photos of her.  I think the ocean brings out a sense of joy in all of us, and it didn’t take long for us to relax into a flow of playful shooting.

Shooting contre jour in that brilliant California sun provided dramatic accent to the already spectacular setting. The ample light also afforded me the luxury of high shutter speeds, even with my camera dialed down to ISO 50. One of the reasons I really like Canon DSLRs is that they have the ability to shoot at ISO 50. Sure, high ISO speeds are desirable in low light conditions, but low ISO speeds are also handy because they allow me to stop down to f2.8 in sunny conditions. Anyway, because of the bright light, I took the opportunity to encourage Shirley to move, jump and dance. Freezing action amps up the fun and energy levels of a photo.

Shirley’s in the process of choosing her final images from the shoot, but I couldn’t resist sharing these few samples of our fun afternoon on the beach.

When I work with Laura Hollick, my job is as the photographer is to be the visual editor. A lot of photographers talk about editing as the process that happens after the shoot, with choosing and touching up photos. While I agree that’s something that needs to happen, I also think a good deal of the editing must be done before and during a shoot. The energy you direct towards this important editing phase, especially when you’re doing conceptual work, the easier and smoother your post-shoot editing process will be. It doesn’t mean that every single detail must be planned in advance, but it does allow you to hone your visual communication down to its essence so that your photos are “speaking” clearly and strongly.

Anyway, Laura is a bursting fountain of ideas. She’ll bring an idea to me, and it’s up to me to compress it into the rectangular frame of a photo. In a recent shoot, Laura wanted to put a black fairy in a swamp with an interesting dead tree. She’d found this location on a drive in the country, and asked if we could do a photo there. I scouted the location with her, and we decided the tree would make a great counter-balance to a sculptural costume piece she’d made in her studio. The sculpture, along with the tree, would form the wings of the black fairy, and communicate the concept of her connection to nature. Whenever there’s an opportunity to scout a location before the shoot, I do it. Sometimes time constraints or other circumstances don’t allow this, but if it’s at all possible, I’ll take the opportunity. Scouting a location allows you to come prepared for any difficulties the site may present, as well as giving you an idea what time of day and weather conditions will yield the best shooting conditions.

I took the photos above on the day of the shoot. These “sketches” are an important part of my editing process as we move towards getting the final shot. I tried various combinations of pose and camera position and orientation. I experimented with different focal lengths to try to come up with a good balance between drama and distraction.

As a side note, one factor of primary importance to me is the comfort of the model or subject of the photo. If the person you’re shooting is uncomfortable, you’re almost certain to get a bad photo of them. This is one reason Laura wasn’t wearing her costume in the sketch photos until we needed it to figure out the composition. I don’t want to feel rushed because she might be feeling uncomfortable or awkward in a costume. So, we avoid putting the costume on until absolutely necessary.

There were a lot of competing elements in this location, including trees, bushes, tall grasses, reflections, clouds, etc. I wanted to keep the black fairy clear of distractions, but in balance with other environmental elements so she would stand out. At the same time, we were limited by the fact that the tree had to be in the right position in the frame to form that other wing. In the end, I found just the right spot and focal length to get the shot. Laura was standing on a chair, which was slowly but surely sinking into the marshy ground; we had to work quickly once her costume was in place, otherwise our whole setup would have toppled into the swamp! Laura did a great job of looking serene, even as the chair inexorably tilted towards the water. We’d been blessed by a stormy-looking sky that day, so I snapped a series of bracketed shots so I could maintain the detail of those beautiful clouds. Later, I discovered that judicious processing of the RAW file allowed me to extract the detail from just a single exposure.

Here's the final image of Laura Hollick as the Black Fairy in the swamp.