Bring your 'A' Game to every model test

When I approach a professional agency model test, it typically follows a structured and collaborative process. Here’s a breakdown of the key steps:

1. Pre-Shoot Communication

• Understand the Agency's Vision: Communicatewith the model’s agency to understand what they need from the test shoot. The agency may specify certain looks, poses, or a style that reflects the current trends in the industry.

• Mood Board/Concept Development: The photographer often creates or receives a mood board with references for the shoot. This could include themes, color palettes, lighting setups, and wardrobe choices.

• Scheduling & Logistics: Details like location, makeup artists, stylists, and timing are confirmed in advance. Agencies might provide the team or the photographer might hire their own.

2. On the Day of the Shoot

• Collaborate with your Team: Professional model tests often involve a team (hair, makeup, styling). The photographer ensures that everyone is aligned with the vision for the shoot.

• Lighting Setup: Choose lighting that highlights the model’s features. A clean, natural look is common for agency tests as the goal is to showcase the model’s versatility and potential.

• Direction & Feedback: During the shoot, the photographer gives clear direction, helping the model find poses that best showcase their look. Encouraging feedback keeps the model comfortable and confident.

3. Versatility & Range

• Variety of Looks: A model test will often include multiple outfits, makeup, and hair changes to demonstrate the model’s range. The photographer ensures they capture different expressions, poses, and emotions.

• Clean Shots: The focus is typically on capturing simple, strong images that highlight the model’s natural beauty and potential. There’s often minimal retouching, as agencies want to see a model’s raw talent.

4. Post-Shoot Process

• Selection & Editing: The photographer carefully selects the best images. Retouching is minimal, focusing on enhancing without altering the model’s natural features. Lighting and color adjustments are usually subtle.

• Submission to the Agency: Once edited, the photos are sent to the agency, who may use them for the model’s portfolio or promotional purposes.

5. Follow-Up

• Agency Feedback: The photographer may receive feedback from the agency, especially if there are future opportunities for collaboration. If the agency likes the work, it can lead to long-term relationships.

By focusing on the agency's needs and the model's best features, the photographer contributes to building a strong portfolio for the model's career.

Photography Exhibition at the Blue Heron Gallery

What a wondrous and successful night of Art, great conversation and Sacred Geometric Dance. Friday night over a hundred of our friends, family and supporters gathered at the Blue Heron Portal Studio in Laguna Beach California fro a festive gallery night, complete with two amazing performances by Cyberotica @Cyberyoga @cyberotica and hours of virtuosic guitar by the famed Guitarist, Bobby Cochran. This was the first showing of the series created for the Festival of Arts summer show. I had 8 large prints on canvas, 44 inches on one side. I did not do this alone, thankfully. I shared the Studio walls with my dear friend Mustapha El Baseri, an amazing French Moroccan street photographer.

It all came together last minute (isn’t it always like that?), the last piece came from the framers, the day of. Salamon Art in Fountain Valley do an excellent job and take the time to get to know their clients and client needs. Guy and Jenn, the owners even came to the show!

Anza Borrego Shoot with Nadia Turner

Just after the sunrise had crested the mountains, beyond Saline waters of the Coachella Valley and the Salton Sea, we shot these, just before the color of the early morning sun was lost to the overcast conditions.

First Morning’s light, Font’s Point

A digital return to Infrared format landscapes.

I do not consider myself a landscape photographer, but the value of getting out, on my own, for some meditative and creative time, is unmistakably valuable. I have two amazingly talented and focused landscape photographers, in my circle of friends. I could not compare, nor am I foolish enough to try, or..........can I?

 I recently scheduled an Autumn trip to visit Portland, Oregon. 

These are some of the results, most of the panoramas.

Harvest Dance, Sauvy Island, Portland Oregon

Maples in IR snow, Sauvy Island, Portland Oregon

Notes on my Fine Art 'Duet' Studio Series

Artist statement for the Duet Series

I’m Hugh, I was born somewhere, and then I grew up. Along the way, I went to college where I learned about important things, like student loans. Then I lived in different cities and worked for various important people. I ended up where I am now. And, this is where I do stuff. I love taking pictures and I am fortunate enough to work with some amazingly creative people on fantastic projects. I hope to remain inspired and continue to produce cool stuff.

I choose to produce images that tell a story or explore the weird world of the human psyche.  Always trying to get to know myself, better than I do, leads me to want to get to know others.   I want my work to awaken old memories of relationships that came and relationships that went, those of family and those of friends, those of lovers and those of foes. I want the interplay of two strangers to offer the viewer an element of drama and pose questions of identity and belonging. Scale is and important component to my work. The “bigger the better,” I am always saying.  In a big image it’s harder to hide the truth.  I want to see it all, the entire narrative, it’s whole essence contained in a single image.  I wish for the drama, the emotion, the dynamics of the relationship, to unroll before the viewer’s eyes.  At least, their unique versions of each of my photograph’s narratives. It’s amazing how different we all, as thinking feeling, caring and uncaring, humans pour our own experiences into what we project and propose to be the storyline of external interpersonal relations we see.  

These framed canvas prints average 42 x 60"