Detroit People Photography – Assisting

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Detroit Michigan People Photographers Mary DuPrie

People Photography in the Detroit area for paid work is mostly commercial. So dealing with people is key… and assistants are people.  You need a great team for high end work.  If you have one bugaboo in the group it changes the flavor of the mix.

TESTING ASSISTANTS

Testing comes and goes, it seems to run in waves.  When I need to bolster up a part of my book or even add a new category I’ll probably offer a flurry of testing.

People ask and offer their help all the time.  So how do I decide?  Lot’s of factors come in to play, some major some minor.  These are just my quirks but might give you some insight.

NOT LOOKING FOR

Presenting a problem in your reply.. I don’t care how far you have to drive, what time you have to get up, how late we’ll stay… fill in the blanks.   I have my own problems to think about.

Someone who just casually puts it out there that they would like to “help” sometime.  If you casually ask once and nothing else… it will leave my brain immediately… you’ll probably need to pester me.

I want someone who is more aggressive and pursuing photography.  Someone who is not a full blown competitor but coming up the ladder.  Perhaps a landscape photographer who is struggling shooting people and who will not eventually be setting up shop right down the street.

LOOKING FOR

Someone who is not struggling financially and probably has a good job already.  Shows up very well dressed (over dressed).  No jeans and t-shirts.  Pretend it’s a paying job.

An assistant who cleans up during down times… always straightening and putting things away if not needed.

Assistants that are proactive versus reactive.  Not over chatty with clients… you’re kind of invisible, like a ninja!  A great co-host.

THINGS THAT IRRITATE

People that show up then tell me that they have to leave… I need an open end time, you never know what might happen.  Ask me for my address and info… stuff that would be easy to find if they just put a little effort into it.  Not thinking about the next step without micro managing.

These are just a very few highlights…

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Detroit Michigan Model Photographers…Sabaticals

Detroit Michigan Model Photgraphy

Detroit Michigan Model Photgraphy

 

Detroit Michigan Commercial Model Photographers Mary DuPrie

The concept of sabbatical has a source in shmita, described several places in the Bible (Leviticus 25, for example, where there is a commandment to desist from working the fields in the seventh year). In the strict sense, therefore, a sabbatical lasts a year.

So what have I been doing the last year… Argentine Tango. It was happenstance, I didn’t mean to, it was serendipitous. I originally wanted to learn west coast swing.

I have to say it’s amazing all the similarities that Argentine Tango and Photography have in common, especially model photography. But more about that later.

I’ve still been doing paid shoots, but have cut down testing dramatically and haven’t really had any meetups or workshops.  It’s going to take me a while to get back up to speed.

Dancing has been good in all sorts of ways!

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Detroit Michigan Editorial Photographers

 

Detroit Michigan Editorial Photographers Mary DuPrie Commercial Photographers Detroit Mary DuPrie

Detroit Michigan Editorial Photographers… I hosted an ASMP event last night at the studio.  Tom McKenzie moderated the round table, ask anything, event.  ASMP main focus is for photographs who do editorial (not fashion editorials) for magazines.  A great resouce for new photographers quoting commercial and editorial photography and learn about copyright.  Meetings are normally held every third Thursday of the month.

The goal of ASMP is:

Our goal is to educate photographers, clients and students to the value of photography and the benefits of good business practices. The American Society of Magazine Photographers was founded in 1944 by a handful of the world’s leading photographers, and is recognized internationally for its leadership role. ASMP has more than 5000 members in 40 chapters across the USA, and members in 37 foreign countries.

The ASMP has three purposes:

1. To protect and promote the interests of photographers whose work is for publication.

2. To promote high professional standards and ethics.

3. To cultivate friendship and mutual understanding between photographers. Professional photographers rely on the paid use of their images to support themselves.

 

The studio shows great and night, big, open but still cozy.  Lots of different colored of light sources… disco balls, chandeliers, candelabras, church lanterns, stage lighting ect.  I never use my ceiling lighting at night.  Great smelling candles,  a full bar and finally great sexy music.

International music with an emphasis on laid back Tango, very little English is on my playlist.  Most clients say they’ve never heard the songs before and often ask to write down what we’re listening to… ahhh.

Against popular believe I do not let the talent choose the studio music, I develop and create all the studio playlists.  I just cannot be creative with music that is annoying to me, I’m ok with it being annoying to someone else, they’re there to do a job.

 

www.asmpmichigan.org

 

 

 

Detroit People Photography Mary DuPrie

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Metro Detroit Photographers

Metro Detroit PhotographersDetroit People Photographers Mary DuPrie

Metro Detroit Photographers… loving me some ring light.  My love of the ring light is on and off.  It can be a tricky light to use.  The ring light has a very distinct hard edge look.  You normally see it used as a main light and you see fashion photographers using it as a fill on camera.  When used as a main light the model is normally up against a wall and you see the tell tale outline behind the model.

Fashion photographers use it as fill because it fills the weave of fabric so well.  It’s tricky to use as a fill because it’s normally just one third of a stop over the main.

I have the Profoto ring light, reflector and acute pack.  I find the ergonomics on it very awkward because it blocks my trigger finger when used in the vertical position (which is how I most often use it). It’s a beast and I normally use it with the reflector on.  I’m not crazy about using the pack with it and find in confusing.

I normally use it with my 70-200 which makes it heavy heavy heavy.  I find a zoom lens works best because it’s hard to walk in or out because the ring light travels with you.  I find that if I tape the floor for my base F-stop, let’s say F5.6,  I can  take a giant step forward for F8, giant step backwards for F4

Years ago you had to spend at least $2,000. to get a ring flash, Paul Buff has since come out with a model at about $300.  It’s all plastic (feels cheap) which I’m not crazy about but what I do like is the easy slider control.  There isn’t a power pack to deal with either.  Overall I think it’s worth the money.  No matter what you buy it’s never going to be perfect.

The look goes with certain models and styling and can be over used.  Sometimes it can even make you lazy using it when you shouldn’t.  There is no reason it has to be on the camera either and it can stand in as another light source.  I think every model could use at least one image in their book shot with a ring light.

Model Photography Workshops  Mary DuPrie

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Metro Detroit Portfolio Photographers

January 17, 2014
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  Detroit Fashion Photographers Mary DuPrie Metro Detroit Portfolio Photographers, we need to have lots of different techniques in our arsenal to give a model the variety they need.   A portfolio is built up over time.  I often have people call and ask for a “portfolio”, using that phrase I know they are just starting […]

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Detroit Michigan Commercial Model Photographers

January 16, 2014
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  Detroit Commercial Photographers Mary DuPrie Detroit Michigan Commercial Model Photographers… we see what “can” be.  Clients literally see an image but  as a photographer I envision.   I pretty much know how I’m going to retouch an image when I see it.    I might plan on changing the overall tone, perhaps split toning, […]

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Modeling Photographers Michigan

January 15, 2014
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Modeling Photographers Michigan Modeling Photographers Michigan quite a diverse bunch.  We all work very differently from one another and have different comfort levels.  Mine has changed drastically over time.  Years ago I didn’t allow anyone on set, not even the makeup artist.  I didn’t like the feeling of someone standing behind me, judging me.  Well […]

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Detroit Corporate Head Shot Photography

September 8, 2013
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  Detroit Corporate Head Shot Photography Mary DuPrie Detroit corporate head shot photography is definitely picking up these days.  Business people understand the power of branding themselves.  Clients really want to see your face and make decisions sometimes based solely on that.  Business has really picked up with head shots/portraits.  The head shots that draw […]

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