Sirens Part I

Model: Rose Ballentine

I spent most of the afternoon going through photos from the Sirens workshop a few weeks back. Basically I got though the shots I took of four models (out of 13 or 14).

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn 

Model: Rose Ballentine

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Rose Ballentine

Model: Rose Ballentine

This was an opportunity too good to pass up, though I was technically too busy to go do it. Hence the several week gap between when these photos were taken and their appearance here. Basically the idea was to get as many photographers and models together as possible, and to pair off in half-hour-ish sessions on a donation/trade-for-print basis.

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn

Models: Rose Ballentine and Greg Chaffee

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Rose Ballentine

Models: Rose Ballentine and Greg Chaffee

Model: Murron Paeth

Models: Rose Ballentine and Greg Chaffee

Model: Rose Ballentine

For both shooters and models, this offers a sort of instant portfolio, plus it's great networking. I realized as I went, this is speed dating for models and photographers. Whatever we got in the park that day was all good and well, but we'd also know who we might want to work with again, or for that matter who we'd rather not.

Model: Rose Ballentine

Model: Rose Ballentine

That's important from both sides, as I've heard horror stories of models going on a shoot and describing it as Silence of the Lambs, and photographers who hire models who flake and don't show or who don't show up ready to shoot.

Model: Rose Ballentine

Model: Murron Paeth

There was also a great range of experience levels on both sides of the lens. Outside my family, most of the portrait work I've done is more street photography, and I've wanted to branch out and do more purposeful sorts of things.

Model: Murron Paeth

I shot a lot of pictures that day. As in 2,454 frames. Over a dozen subjects. And unfortunately a lot of what I shot is absolute shit. Let me stress, this is not the models' fault.

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn

Giving direction to a model is a skill set of its own, one I need a lot of work on. Then there was my own excitement and nerves, and so many of the shots I took I want to go back in time and dress myself down: Take a breath, slow down and look through the goddamn viewfinder! Your framing sucks, watch for her facial expression to fix, look at the fucking background! I was shooting with all the composure of a rhinoceros in heat and there's some stuff you just can't fix in Photoshop.

Model: Kathryn Choi

Model: Murron Paeth

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn

Model: Kathryn Choi

Besides sorting through the pictures, there's the post editing. I didn't do a lot of Photoshop to the model so much as removing trolls and background garbage, trying to fix the shadows on eyes due to the harsh overhead sun (especially on these shots which were near mid-day). I've always focused on available light photography, so when I go to try and use a flash in this sort of situation, I make terrible mistakes. I'm always coveting glass, but what I really probably need more is a decent speedlight and some study on how to use it effectively.

Model: Kathryn Choi

Model: Tara Dactyl Dawn

Model: Kathryn Choi

We have here four models, like I say, of over a dozen. Just going through the photos, I've learned a ton, I could totally do a better job if I had the day to do over, click half as many frames and get twice as many good ones.