Now EVERYONE Can See Best of the Best 2!

[n5wd]

Originally Posted by JL_Photography

... We wanted BOTB2 to be a combo of SI swimwuit as well as photo instructional....we hope you'll like it.

http://www.mavtv.net

or

http://player.narrowstep.tv/?player=MavTV_v1

Free to watch!

Apparently some can see it, but for me, the stupid Windows Media Player front-end that they're using doesn't recognize WMP on my computer, even when it's already up and running.

[postcardsfromthewasteland]

rapport and communications with the model being one of the most significant aspects of capturing good glam images. it ain't just about photo skills.

Jimmy

Very true. We were very meticulous about the scoring. For our interpretation, being the best was NOT about being the best shooter or best model. It was about being the best communicator….the best pro (e.g. being on time) and combining that in concert with the final images.

Alexandra hit it big with the photogs...they all loved her. Her body of work was not as strong as Jessica Byrd, who scored high on both shoot rapport and body of images. Also, Breeane is a wonderful person and model, but didn't show the range of Jessica which was duly noted in the judging.

Also very interesting that the photogs took it easy on the models as far as scoring and the models were alot harsher.

With every reality show, you did not see everything. In the judging, the top photogs already came in with certain rankings. Mike did VERY well in rapport with all the models…they fed off his energy. As Mike said in show 4, Chris Cutts has some great photography…but did not communicate with model and make up artist alike. He was very serious competition for Mike and might have won if he stepped up his verbal game. Mike was able to take very good shots and also being great communicator when it came to his shoots. With that being, a couple of Mike’s images in the beginning of the judging didn’t impress the judges but the rest wow-ed them. With his earlier communication scores, those handful of images put him over the top. From a complete image selection alone, Chris Cutts probably had the stronger body but the models ranked him low as he tended not to say much. It was a learning experience for all photogs and anyone watching, I hope…that was the purpose of the show. Entertain and educate.

Our philosophy, which can be interpreted but many different people many different ways, is that you cannot be a jerk and a great shooter and be called the Best. (this is a bit loose…Mike was very confident which rubbed some the wrong way, as you saw in the show….but his rapport with the models kept his score higher, and overrode what some judges thought.) You could not be a weak shooter and a great guy and be called the Best. We wanted to make it that you were in the lead before image judging but the images could make you or finish you. With that, we knew the images ranked most important as far as weight but the rest could not be ignored.

We loved how this played out, and how many shockers there were including Jessica Hixson and how she placed. The camera loved her, but she proved to be too controversial to win....but we didn't think she'd place.

I hope everyone watched episode 1-4 in order to get the feel.....we have more drama in the beginning and goes more shoot intensive toward the middle and end.

At the end, there was exhaustion....cameras still and video alike went down, and nobody said much at the airport on the way back.

Again, hope ya liked.

Jim

[postcardsfromthewasteland]

Mike

Heck, we didn't get an episode 4 dvd.....shoot an email to Rick, as I'm sure other folks might be asking him the same question.

Jim

[postcardsfromthewasteland]

n5: huh? MAybe if you update your windows player?

Jim

[jimmyd]

Originally Posted by JL_Photography

rapport and communications with the model being one of the most significant aspects of capturing good glam images. it ain't just about photo skills.

Jimmy

Very true. We were very meticulous about the scoring. For our interpretation, being the best was NOT about being the best shooter or best model. It was about being the best communicator….the best pro (e.g. being on time) and combining that in concert with the final images.

You got that right! Too many shooters overlook this. Here's a post from my photo-blog I wrote almost three months ago. I think you'll find we're definitely on the same page with the communications thing. By the way, I wrote up a little something on my blog about your show.

Anyway, here's what I wrote almost three months ago. Maybe some of the newer shooters here will get something out of it.

From http://prettygirlshooter.blogspot.com posted 7/16/06

Photo Skills vs. People Skills

The title for this post is probably misleading. I don't mean to infer that a shooter's photography skills are in competition with his or her people skills. Obviously, they are each a separate set of skills that should compliment each other.

In many of the posts I've already written, I've touched on--sometimes in big ways and sometimes in small ways--the importance of people skills when shooting people. I keep coming back to this because it seems to me these skills, these people skills, are sometimes overlooked as necessary and vital components to effective people photography.

It's my opinion that people skills are as important as your photography skills when shooting glamour, tease, portraits, weddings, well, just about any genre of photography that puts people in front of your camera. But I'll focus on glamour and tease because, mostly, that's what I shoot.

I've attended enough photo sets where the shooter became so preoccupied with the mechanics of shooting the model that the model felt like a prop. I even know a few photographers who believe the model IS little more than a prop. Most of the time, however, the photographer didn't intend to treat the model in this way. But that was the end result. When that happens, when the model is neglected except in courteous and minimal ways--intentionally or unintentionally--the result is, most often, less than dynamic images. When the model feels like a prop, especially if she is relatively inexperienced, she is, more than likely, going to act like a prop. If you're into shooting props, I suggest you take up product photography or still life imagery.

As photographers, we're capturing frozen moments in time. But that shouldn't mean images should evoke perceptions of frozen moments. A great glamour image evokes so much more. It conveys, or should convey, emotion and intimacy. It requires the model to give herself to the moment, to sell herself, to bare herself both emotionally and, sometimes, physically. And for that to happen, to take place effectively, requires photographers doing everything they can to pull the emotion out of the model and create those intimate moments.

What are the people skills I'm writing about? They include the ability to relax a model, to make her feel entirely comfortable with you, to build rapport and, in so doing, to induce a model to give her all to the camera-- i.e, not simply to be a lump of clay that you, being the great, visionary artist that you are, will mold into something beautiful and sexy and enticing. I'm talking about the model as living, breathing, animated. self-molding clay who (with the help of your direction and skills) molds herself into something exquisitely beautiful, captivating, sexy, and alive with emotion.

I know everyone isn't what is commonly called a people person. Not everyone has a knack for these so-called people skills. That's okay. It just means you're going to have work harder and train yourself to develop those social skills you do possess and make them effectively work for you. The key? Communication. Here's a tip: Don't flit about paying more attention to your camera, your lights, anything and everything but the model. Your attention should be focused, primarily and squarely, on the model and, pretty much, at all times. The last thing you want happening is a model feeling like she's alone during a shoot. The fact is, she knows she's not alone. She knows you're there. She just simply can't figure out why you're acting like she's alone except in the most perfunctory of ways.

I've heard photographers say things like, "Just forget I'm here and let yourself go." Nice approach. Here's another tip: No matter what you say to this effect, the model is NOT going to forget you're there. She knows you're there and she knows most all of your visual attention is on her and any words to the contrary aren't going to make her feel like you're not there. Don't assume your model is an accomplished and trained actress possessing the abilities to assume the role of a character and block out everything else.

Communicate, commmunicate, communicate.

If you're not as familiar with your gear as you should be, that's okay. But you do need to get familiar with it and do so on your own time. If you're having problems, technical problems, communicate that to the model. Let her know you're having a problem with this or that. She's not going to think less of you because you're being honest with her. Everyone, at times, has technical problems. If you don't communicate what you're doing or what you're trying to overcome, she's going to think SHE is the problem. That's going to make her feel a bit insecure. Insecurity doesn't, as a rule, play well in front of a camera. Certainly not in glamour photography.

Remember this saying: It takes two to tango. I think it's a fairly appropriate adage for glamour shooting. Glamour photography is an ensemble production. Sometimes the ensemble also includes MUAs, stylists, assistants, and others. Sometimes it's just you and the model. Either way, everyone's contribution is a big part of the process as well as the results. But once the shooting begins, when it's mostly just you and the model, well, like I said, It takes two to tango.

Although your photo skills vs. people skills shouldn't be in competition with each other, they should not conflict with each other either.

[postcardsfromthewasteland]

Originally Posted by jimmyd

By the way, I wrote up a little something on my blog about your show.

Cool, bro...I'll check it out...many thanks. And good reading on that article. People should read and keep it somewhere they can re-read to clear the cobwebs.

Jim

[dynamike]

Jim,

Thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it. My winning is a testament to my mentors, you being one sir.

There's a couple of things I would like to add that you didn't address and I think are pretty important.

First with the models, I think they loved Danny Futrell. Danny is a great guy and loves life. He loves making pictures and it shows. I think if the models had a favorite person that happened to be a photographer, it would be Danny. Did they think Danny was the best photographer there?

I think it's important for people to understand how photography is a team sport. Yeah, I'm the guy holding the camera and I decide when the picture is perfect and click the shutter. However, there are lots of people that help make that happen. If you didn't have a model with great camera presence, make up artists that use their skills to enhance the model's good qualities and minimize his/her flaws, and stylists who pair up great clothes for that killer look you would never get to that great shot.

I let each model know that we were a team. I wanted them all to know that we were there to make great pictures and the whole idea was sexy playfulness. If we weren't having fun, it would show in the pictures. I did my best to make each shoot fun! When the model detaches herself personally from the pictures and steps into her role, it can be awkward. Silence is the big enemy.

Now some models are more into being themselves and portraying who they really are in the pictures. In this case you don't have to worry so much about the awkwardness I described before. Since the model is in his/her element, coaching should be minimal.

You have to learn to read each model to understand which technique works best. The same tehnique doesn't work best for a model every time either. For example, Alexandra was in her element when we shot her set. I think she is comfortable being the object of desire. When we shot our set, I wanted her to be wooing her sugardaddy.

I very much doubt that Jessica Hixon has ever really gardened before. But we had a concept and she stepped into her role. Jessica's very good at this. She's got a great look and camera presence. If she could only fix that one thing, she would be unstoppable.

Second, I was pimping myself. I got a lot of camera time (or the shoots I was in did) because I sold my sets to the crew. MavTV is a men's channel. They could care less about the mechanics of photography. They wanted hot stuff for the show and their audience. I would start first thing in the morning and tell the crew what I was doing. I would make sure they knew it would be a hot set. Ed actually addressed that in my interview. I think it made a big difference.

Sadly, the MUA's were the most overlooked members of our teams. I made sure they knew how much I appreciated them. I also did something that I don't think anybody else really did. I went to the MUA's from time to time and told them what we were trying to accomplish and asked them to be part of that. I asked their advice on what they think would work best. Karen told me in my interview that she really appreciated that. It really made her feel like she was an important part of the process.

Another thing that happened with Karen that didn't make the show was our session during judging. Karen is also a model. She was sone with makeup and really wanted to shoot some as well. We were at the Mayan Ruins. Everyone was kinda lounging around. Karen walked out of the makeup room, passed by everyone else and asked me to shoot her. She had her choice of everyone there, and she asked me. That was rewarding, very rewarding.

I won. Was I the best technical shooter there? Definately not. This whole thing should really help people understand that sometimes the best shooter is not the best photographer.

Thanks again for the opportunity, Jim.

Mike

[postcardsfromthewasteland]

Originally Posted by dynamike

Silence is the big enemy.

I love that Mike....I'm gonna steal it...and give full credit of course.

And thank you sir.....you won with your abilities and poise. The scoring spreadsheets were pretty big and data intensive....and you beat all the numbers fair and square.

And, lest I forget, every photographer competed with vigor like I've never seen. There was no letting up for them.

Now, if you talk about the two ass-hat models that bailed...(watch the show).

Jim

PS: please note to all Soprano-wannabes: if you're gonna call out a fake hit on somebody....

- Make sure you're talking into a live phone
- Get the hotel name right
- Don't do it in front of a TV camera

Ah yes.....they date the braniacs, don't they?

PS: Jimmy D: just read your blog...very cool stuff. Consider that bookmarked.

[Studio 9 West]

Originally Posted by jimmyd

Jeez... All the flake and diva behaviors, right down to the possessive boyfriend, accurately mirrors the often-seen attitudes of models on the sponsor's site. I'm not sure if that's a great image to put out there but it certainly puts reality in this reality show. No offense, but the video is a great reminder of why i didn't renew my One Model Flake membership.

to all ye flakes