What a Day

What a Day - Shekou-China (Lr)
Originally uploaded by deste64

Us frustrated/struggling photographers hope and pray to get experiences like this one described by Stefano.

Congratulations to him for getting the opportunity and making the most of it.

"Few days ago I get in contact with the owner of an international model agency in Shenzhen that has seen one of my pics and she asked me send her some of my most significant photos and a small profile of me to be evaluated. After she received them, she invited me to visit the agency and told me to bring my camera; a couple of days ago I went there thinking we would have a chat and probably few shoots as they wanted to test me.
Ok, when I arrived there I was just impressed: big modern and stylish open space with 4 or 5 guys working on editing photos, a nice a full equipped photo studio (six lights, any kind of light modifier and reflector, electric drop down background, make up area with a big and well furnished wardrobe, etc.) and few closed offices. I was welcomed from the owner and a couple of her assistants in such a professional way, they treated me like I was Steven Meisel just arrived to China! I was told I was going to pass a little test, she wanted to see how professional I was (hey madam, I’m not a pro) and she put at my disposal the entire staff, a model and a MUA and asked me to do a photo shoot with three different changes of clothes, I had to decide everything, make up, clothes, lighting set ups………. PANIC! This entire team of professional people just expecting me to tell them what to do! Then, after the initial panic, something clicked in my mind: “Come on Stefano, they’re giving you everything you always dreamt about, use it!”, I felt like I really was Steven Meisel.
So, I did it. We had almost 4 hours work in between making ready the set (I had a very simple three light set-up easy to modify at each moment), preparing the model and the clothes, shooting and then showing them how I go through my basic editing in Photoshop. Wow, it was just great!!
The greatest thing out of it is that they were impressed about my “professionalism” and I was proposed to start collaborating with them to initially shoot for an underwear catalog, some brochures for a new line of clothes and later on passing to something more important. I was also asked to collaborate with them in editing few pictures for other photographers for some big advertising posters. Oh, and want to pay me!
It was just an amazing day!

This shot is a test shot but I like showing the set up. No editing on it, just a slight tone adjustment and sharpening in Lr."

Exposure 1/100s
Aperture f/6.3
Focal Length 18 mm (Nikkor 18-200mm)
ISO Speed 100
Strobist: two studio lights 800 (can't recall the name) at 10 and 2 hrs at 3/4 power shot into softbox, one studio light 800 at 4 hrs well above model at 1/2 power shot through big octagonal softbox, triggered with radio trigger, one big silver reflector in front of subject below camera.

Uploaded by deste64 on 5 Aug 10, 9.37AM EDT.

Robin