Grae Phillips Photo Shoot

Whether you've paid for a professional photo-shoot, going to a gender convention, or just having fun with a Polaroid Camera, you can get great results by following a few simple tips.

Over the years I've been involved in many photo shoots, some have been planned, and  others spontaneous; and I've had my share of horrific results! There's nothing worse then seeing a bad picture of yourself, especially on a night when you thought you looked like Pamela Anderson, only to realize you looked more like Sally Kirkland! And that brings me to the first tip; Photos and Videos are great teachers of what works for you and what does not!

Don't freak out and get depressed by bad results…just learn from them and move on… you’ll develop better choices in the future.

When I do get contact sheets back from recent shoots or photos from the drug store, I quickly decide on the ones that work and look good, then ditch the rest. No point keeping the scary ones around to poke at my self esteem. (But be aware of who's going through your trash, you don't want those pics showing up at the next PTA meeting! (Then again 
…it might spice it up a bit)

Another great tip is, (and if you do none of the others, this one will greatly increase your chances for good results) is to ask the photographer how many pictures he is planning to take. “ The more, the better”. Even if you have to pay for extra film it is worth it.  I learned this lesson while on a shoot for Interview Magazine. The Photographer insisted that his trademark was to take only 15 exposures. I explained that he would reduce the chances of producing a great shot with only 15 exposures. He still did his thing, and needless to say…the photos were crap! ) I recommend at least 4 rolls of 24 or 36 exposures. Of course today we have digital film, or chips. This is simply the ultimate as you can shoot as many photos as you want and delete the bad ones.

Also, just like with Hairdressers, if you have an Idea, bring a picture in!!!! 
Before a shoot, look through your favorite magazines for posing, lighting, and background ideas. Chat with your friend or professional photographer about recreating that certain look you want.

Lets look at our tip list.

-Watch your style and make-up choices. Bring extra wigs and outfits so that if you are using digital and can see the results immediately you can change something that is not working.

-Take as many pictures as possible on a shoot, 
 (I recommend at least 4 rolls of 34 exposures. Or go digital.)

-Be relaxed, enjoy the process, have fun and be your self! Use your spontaneity and intuition. If you feel like dancing, moving, or doing something fun and crazy…do it! You never know where that great picture will come from!

-Ditch the bad pics, keep the good ones.

-Learn from the results.

-Have a glass of wine; chill and remember, part of this is just the fun of the experience, so don't worry about every little detail when the camera starts clicking! 
And most importantly…have a great time.

Some of the photos to the left are examples of my poor taste when I first started out, but, by the time I shot the cover of the Hour Magazine I had hopefully pulled it together!

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