Jason Christopher, LA Commercial & Fashion Photographer Bio

What do photographers expect from a model and what do models expect from a photographer during a shoot ?   I hear many arguments on this subject and after finally getting tired of hearing many photographers and  models give their opinion that THEY think is correct I decided to tell you all how it really is in hopes that I can provide a little less friction in this lovely world of the model and fashion photography industry.

Ok so this is how this discussion is broken down.

We have photographers and models who shoot test shoots, paid and non paid but aren’t at the level yet to shoot commercial paid assignments, editorials or advertising.

Then we have photographers who shoot commercial assignments like catalogs, advertising, editorials and look books.  These photographers also shoot test shoots and model portfolios.   I fall into this category.   I have had many girls come to me from all over the country who want to get into modeling and some girls that are already modeling and they just need to update their books. Like I said,  I also shoot advertisements, editorials and look books.

Now when I shoot an ad gig or a catalog I am expecting the model to already know what he or she is doing.   This is NOT  the time for modeling 101. I am not going to tell you how to pose, where to look, what angles you look better shooting.  That is the job and responsibility of the model.  She is being paid because she knows how to “model” and I am being paid to photograph her.  My job as the photographer, is to direct her on what kind of looks I need her to emote.  I will help her “give good face.”  I will also talk to the model and give encouragement and keep the set “alive.”  The model is expecting me to direct her like a director would direct an actress and I am expecting that the  model knows how to take direction and turn my direction into the emotion I am asking for.   But you know as sure as the sun is gonna rise that the director on a film is not going to start giving acting lessons just as I am not going to give modeling lessons.  We are both professionals and expected to give our client what they are asking us to give them.  Let me remind you that there is a make up artist for the shoot, a hair stylist and a wardrobe stylist.  So all I am expecting from the model is to show up on time and ready to pose and take direction.

The other kind of shoot I do is model portfolio shoots.  This is where a girl will pay me good money to start her portfolio for her.  I shoot five different looks, in studio and on location.  I have a make up artist there the whole time.  I tell the model what kinds of outfits to bring and I ask her to practice posing in the mirror so she has some kind of a head start.  I DO NOT expect her to know what she is doing at all.  She has never modeled before and she is coming to me because I am a professional and I know what modeling agencies are looking for.  So I WILL tell her how to pose.  I WILL tell her where to look.   I WILL help her know what her best angles are and of course I WILL direct her to emote and “give good face.”  I also give the model encouragement and constantly talk to her and give her accolades throughout the whole shoot.  I will also point out what she is doing wrong and show her how to do it the right way.   So in this case one could call this modeling 101.  That is fine with me.  I get paid good money for this and I like to help and educate.

There is another kind of shoot that happens where we have “wanna be” models and “wanna be” photographers who are building their books and they both think they know what their role is in this kind of shoot when in fact BOTH of them are wrong, at least from the stories that I hear.   PLEASE DO NOT TAKE OFFENSE TO ME USING THE TERM WANNA BE.  I am not discounting these models and photographers in any way.  They have not reached the professional status yet and earned the right to be paid for their services because they have not perfected their craft up to a level where a client can depend on them to deliver.  They “wanna be” professional.  I was there at one point as everyone is.   Someone going to medical school wants to be a doctor, however  they have not had enough experience and perfected their skills enough to be trusted with a real human life. Can you get the analogy ?  I hope so.

Ok so now that we got the politically correct bullshit out of the way let me go on.  So as an example we have a girl who has created a profile on one of these amateur  model sites.  We have a boy who has created a profile on this site as well.  Boy “photographer” meets girl “model” and they schedule a test / creative shoot that will hopefully benefit both their portfolios as well as the make up artists portfolio.   Now because these three creative souls  haven’t been exposed to the professional world of fashion photography and modeling maybe  because they live in a city somewhere in the middle of the Bible belt, the only expectations they have come from their own little world of these online amateur modeling / photographer sites.  They look in on the chat rooms, the forums and read what everyone else is quoting as the Gospel of the modeling industry in this little bubble world community  and bingo, instantly our “photographer” and “model” think they both know what is expected of them and what is not.  The problem we have here is that our “photographer” is reading what the other “photographers” are  griping about and our “model” is reading what the other “models” are griping about and both sides are not working as one.

So on the test shoot our photographer is expecting our model to know how to pose, give good face and know all her good angles and our model is expecting our photographer to tell her how to pose, give good face and help her know all her good angles.  Well, well, well.  Can you see the train wreck about to happen ?  Not a pretty scene.  They start to argue, it gets uncomfortable and the shots end up looking like crap because NO ONE worked as a TEAM and COLLABORATED !    So listen up !  On shoots like these neither the photographer nor the model has enough experience to handle the shoot all on their own.  Therefore the solution is to help each other and if the model is not posing the way you want her to pose, Mr. Photographer,  then simply tell her and show her what you want.  I’ve actually struck a pose to show the “model” what I want.  Talk to her through the whole shoot.  Don’t just sit there like a dummy waiting for someone to pull the string on your back for your mouth to move.  And ….MOVE AROUND.  Look for good angles.  Don’t site in one place capturing one point of view.

Miss Model ?  If the photographer is not directing you and you need help, then tell him.  Your job as a model is to come to the shoot as prepared as you can be.  Don’t expect the photographer to give you every single pose.  If you want to become a professional model then do your homework and study !   Study magazines, fashion books, watch Americas Next Top Model. Some of that show is totally ridiculous  I know , but much of it is actually insightful.  Bring nice clothes for shooting.   You AND the photographer and the make up artist should all be involved with selecting the outfits for the shoot.  Have a theme and shoot at least four images with a different outfit and tell a story.

So in conclusion, professional models and photographers both know their roles and what is expected of them.  Amateur models and photographers don’t have enough experience and knowledge to know what to expect from each other.  So help each other out and do your homework so that each of you can bring some level of professionalism to the shoot  and everyone wins and leaves the shoot with a smile on their face rather than a frown.

Ok now it’s time to beat me up, praise me or both !  LOL   I would like to hear your sides and happenings.  And as always if you think this is an interesting article, retweet and Share and Enjoy down below.

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Recently I was asked what legal documents are required to start your fashion  photography business in Los Angeles.   There are a couple things to ask yourself.  If you are working out of your house then you actually don’t need any documents.  You don’t need a business license but if you are not using your name as your business name then you will need a DBA also known as Doing Business As.  For instance, my business is called Jason Christopher Photography.  I don’t need a DBA.    If I want to call my business something like Sharpshooter or Mainline Photography or whatever, just something other than your name, then yes you need a DBA.   When I first started I called LA city Hall and they said I do not need a business license.  Now if I had a storefront I would think that I would need one.  The best thing to do is call your local city hall and find out for sure.

What you ABSOLUTELY NEED is photography insurance that covers your gear, rental gear and liability.  That is a must have.

Other than that you just need a camera … ha ha

I want to talk a little about how colors affect mood in a fashion photograph.  Oftentimes I see that photographers over look this fact and it is very easy to over look.  Your wardrobe stylist should not over look this however, as fashion photographer we must also be aware because ultimately we take the blame and also take the praise no matter what.

Now I’m not talking about the color of the photograph.  For example if the photo has a blue tint or a sepia tint or a red tint etc.  I am talking about the clothing that your model is going to be wearing for the shoot.  I am also talking  about the color of the make up, the shades of make up, the colors of the accessories, shoes, scarves, jewelry, earrings etc.

So when you are choosing the clothes and accessories for your shoot you must keep in mind the theme of your shoot and what emotions you want to convey.

For example: the color BLUE = patience, trust and wisdom

Green = calm, soothing, and refreshing

Red = power, strength and passion

Yellow = warmth, happiness, and optimism

Orange = confidence, creativity, and cheerfulness

Black and white = elegant, sophisticated and classic.  I think the color gray falls into this category as well  

Look at advertisements you see all around.  Take notice of the color scheme in the shot.  And if you are using props these guidelines also apply.   If you are going to shoot an advertisement for Target Spring collection, you certainly are not going to dress the model in black clothing or shoot the ad on black asphalt under a cloudy ominous sky. Your fashion model will be wearing the colors of Spring which say to the viewer fun, happiness, optimism, cheerfulness.

No, you’re going to shoot with green grass, yellow outfits , orange accessories or vice versa.  Maybe some red balloons etc.

If you have an assignment to shoot a famous football player drinking a refreshing sports drink even your lighting scheme comes into play as well as any props.  The main colors will be green, Orange and red.  Green for the refreshing sports drink, orange for the confidence of the football player and red for the power and strength a football player represents.

These are guidelines not exactly rules.  Every situation is different.  I just wanted to point out that color scheme plays a huge  role in the making of a photograph whether it be an advertisement or an editorial or even a catalog.  Don’t over look anything.   Remember to observe everything around you and take note of why that photograph works.

Yes that’s right.  I shot this fashion swimwear campaign with just my Canon 580 EX II and a 5 foot tall reflector to fill in some shadows on the opposite side of the model.  I went with this set up because it’s light weight and portable and that flash packs a punch !  With the tide coming in and my assistant and I getting splashed alot with water, having a heavy Profoto portable pack would have been cumbersome and just one big pain literally lol.

The model was a trooper !  Lisa Peake from L.A. Models did a terrific job as the cold and damp weather set in.  At this point the photographer and first assistant need to work fast and work smart.  There is no room for error.  As I’m shooting I’m already thinking of my next shot, call it multitasking .  The sun is going down so fast that if you are not sure of your equipment you will lose that shot and the model will get frustrated and that is when you have lost the momentum and you don’t want that to happen.  Oh and let’s not forget the client standing right in back of you barking off suggestions and of course the client knows everything about photography !  Shooting a real fashion job is not as easy as it looks.  We often look at the final photo and have no idea what was going on at the shoot, what kinds of pressure the photographer was faced with and how many different people and situations he or she had to deal with.

So just don’t forget about that.  Being a successful fashion photographer takes MUCH more talent than pushing a shutter button and shooting a couple of photos of a pretty girl in a studio where it’s just you, the model and the make up artist.  Learn the gear, take time to understand what your model is going through at the shoot, learn how to deal with pushy clients that won’t shut up and take it from there.  You will be surprised at what you can achieve when you take the time to really learn what happens at a professional photo shoot.

How does a new photographer who is trying to build their portfolio get quality fashion models to test with ? I have been asked this question many many times.  So I figured I would blog about it.

I will tell you how I did it.  Back in the day there was no internet, well there was but it was all dial up and very very slow.  Not many sites had made their way on the world wide web yet especially actual model agencies.  So the only way to look at models to test with was to literally walk into t he agency tell the first person I saw that I was there to look at model zed cards to shoot for my portfolio.  LOL the receptionist walked me to the woman who handled the “New Faces” board.  Was I nervous ?  Actually no I was not.  I compare it to when a child is faced with a task and has never experienced failure so they don’t know what failure feels like.  I had no reason to be afraid because I had no idea what to expect !

So I explained to the agent that I was a new photographer who needed to step up the quality of my portfolio / book with real models who had that model look.  Now you are probably asking what did I walk into the agency with ?  I had a book.  I had photos of my sister who used to model and still looked good.  They were mostly head shots.  I had photos of her beautiful friends and they introduced me to their friends and so on.  Of course what was missing was the styling, make up and that “fashion look” and I knew that.  I even had some family portraits thrown in with some great portraits of children I had shot.

Now even though I didn’t have a book like Irving Penn, Mario Testino or Sante D Orazio it didn’t matter to them.  What the agent saw was that I knew how to compose and light a shot.  More important, I knew how to take girls that had no modeling experience, except for my sister and make them look pretty damn good.  All that was missing was a good stylist, make up and hair.  But the agent didn’t just hand over a bunch of zed cards and say here ya go take your pick ! She told me to shoot some more and come back in a month to show her more.  It was just paying dues.  She also told me to study fashion magazines.  And this is THE most important part of how to shoot fashion.  As a fashion photographer you MUST know fashion !  Shit, the term fashion photographer has the word fashion in it !!!

So I sat my ass in Barnes and Noble and looked at every fashion magazine that existed.  I shot more and more and went back to that agent and she was impressed.  She gave me one model to test out.  From there the ball kept rolling.  She did have alot of feed back for me and I did make mistakes.

My challenge to you all is to forget Model Mayhem, One Model Place and any of these online “anyone can be a model” sites, grab your balls and walk into an agency just like I did.

If you are interested in the feed back she gave me and find out what mistakes I made, just ask !  I look forward to your questions.  This topic is covered heavily in my private fashion photography workshops where I teach you all you need to know of the ins and outs so you don’t make mistakes and you can walk into a modeling agency with confidence.

A fellow photographer friend of mine asked me a question today. She wanted to know what the term branding meant in relation to a photographer’s career. This is a really good question because your career as a fashion photographer, portrait photographer, wedding photographer or any kind of photographer depends on branding yourself. As photographers we are hired for our style and look of our photos.

1. The first part of branding yourself is designing a logo. That doesn’t mean your logo has to be a graphic or initials. Take for example Gucci. When you see the word Gucci you know it’s Gucci by the font style that is used. Same can be said for Quicksilver, Versace, and the list could go on. My logo for example is the font style that is used as well as the spacing between letters. The next thing you want to be aware of is your color scheme of your logo. My colors are gray background and white letters.

2. So now you have your logo and color scheme. You then make your website. Your website should incorporate your color scheme as well. My site is a gray background and white letters. It has been this way for 10 years and hasn’t changed once. People are creatures of habit. When you change up your site and colors every year or every other year that is not a very effective technique to keep your brand in everyone’s minds.
Think of McDonalds. If those golden arches suddenly were green, or blue or red or whatever, what do you think would happen ? LOL

3. Now you make your business cards and letter head for contracts and correspondence. Everything must match.

4. The next MOST important part of branding yourself as a photographer is defining your own style of shooting. Now this takes years. You need to get to know and find yourself as a photographer and shoot what you love as noted in this post.   This will become your signature style in which you will be hired for jobs.  My signature style is the back lit flare look with a little bit of fill shot outdoors.  I do not do this in post.

I really like this look and this is a technique I teach in my private photography workshops. It is a soft look that does not require much gear and you can use a reflector and or an off camera flash to just give a kiss of fill light.  I also execute this look in studio as well.

In conclusion, this is branding yourself as a photographer.  Only YOU can do it.  Only you can find yourself and your style.  Remember that this is the most important part of establishing your name / brand.   Any questions or comments please ask away !

Cheers !

I am a true photographer, especially a fashion photographer.  How many of you can HONESTLY say this ?  Think really hard because I am willing to bet that the majority of this new breed of photographers who have never shot film have no clue what the basic fundamentals of photography are .  Now I know you are all out there calling me an asshole and every other name in the book but the proof is in the photos.

I spoke to a photographer today who has only been shooting for about a year.  He told me how much he loves digital. I asked him why.  Get ready to fall back in your seats because his answer made me cringe.  He told me he loves digital photography because he doesn’t know the basic fundamental lighting techniques and he just fixes his photos in Photoshop.  If he needs an extra light he just pops it in where he needs it.  I was so thrown back I couldn’t even gather my thoughts to say anything back. Think about what this person said.  It’s SAD and PATHETIC ! And I am so damn sick of it !  Don’t get me wrong, he is a friend and a good person but it’s guys like this that are hurting the business and hurting true professionals like me and many others.

So now we have the business of photography to be concerned with. If he doesn’t know the basic fundamentals of photography do you think he knows anything about how to run a photography business ?  Hell friggin no he doesn’t !

This brings me to my main reason for writing this post.   Just because we are now shooting digital, does not give you an excuse to lose your discipline which is exactly what has happened with everyone today !  With the advent of digital, photographers have gotten LAZY and don’t even know how to connect with their subject, which is what makes a great photograph.  Richard Avedon was amazing at this.   I highly suggest you all go out and get the DVD Richard Avedon – Darkness and Light by American Masters Productions.   What you will see is he used a Rolleiflex camera.  The Rollei as most call it for short is actually my favorite camera and it only cost me $250 used of course.  They aren’t made anymore.  The camera is medium format, 6×6 cm and can take 120 or 220 film. There is no meter in it, no electronics, no batteries, no auto focus and no zoom lens.  You must crank to advance to the next frame and to achieve focus you line up the diagonal line in the focus prism.  You must hold it very steady and to make it even more challenging the image you see when you look down is reversed !  So lets say you are using 120 film, you have only 12 chances to get the shot you need/ want.  That’s right you heard me, 12 chances ! That’s it !  You don’t get 1,000 chances.  So you must take your time with your subject and this gives you the opportunity to actually connect !  There’s none of this taking the shot, looking at it to see if you got your exposure correct  wile the model sits there thinking about what a moron you are.

Meet the Rolleiflex !  Click the image to make it larger.  I labeled all the elements for you.  I still shoot with this camera on tests to keep my chops up.  It slows me down, relaxes me which relaxes the model.  I have to think about the shot and if I REALLY want to push the shutter, which btw is almost silent.  What I find very ironic is this post really can apply to everyone in any business and even in family life.  We all need to slow down, think, then react.  We need to reconnect with each other and remember why the person you are photographing is so special.  Why is your wife so special when you come home and give her a kiss ?  When you put your kids to bed at night look at them, talk to them, cherish them. Slow down and tell them you love them.  Ask them if they are happy.  Tell them how happy you are.

You could ask the same questions, say the same things to your subject as they sit in front of you letting you inside their soul to see everything.  And because you took the time to really look at them, get to know them, they are going to give you all they have, just lke your wife and kids or girlfriend will give you more and appreciate you more.  Life is all connected.  It’s one big giant circle and everything is interrelated.  Trust me…… try this….. you can’t go wrong.

So who do you think got me to start shooting the Rollei ?  My mentor and great friend celebrity fashion photographer Jerry Avenaim. He has taught me what Avedon taught him, Demarchelier taught him.  The fact that I am following in the footsteps of some of the greatest photographers to ever grace this planet makes me feel so special and I thank the universe everyday for this.

Here is another view of the great Rolleiflex.  You can see the viewing lens and taking lens.  You can also see how to set the shutter speed and aperture.  Look at this camera and think about how much discipline a photographer has to have to use it.  Remember, newspaper photographers  used this, photo journalists who had to be able to get “the shot” !  PHOTOGRAPHIC DISCIPLINE  ! PHOTOGRAPHIC DISCIPLINE  ! PHOTOGRAPHIC DISCIPLINE  !  Please get this in your head and practice it.  You will be a better photographer as well as a better person.

Looking down into the Rolleiflex viewfinder you see the image is reversed.  Yes this is my living room.  The image is reversed  however, your thinking will become so clear and concise.  Your photographs will become breathtaking and you will leave your mark on this world when you leave it.  That is something I am very proud to say I have done many times and it is a feeling that you will always cherish just as you will cherish the memories of the subjects you photographed because you slowed down, stopped, listened, looked and then…….. you reacted.

I wanna hear your thoughts and experiences.

Ok so your  client tells you that you will be shooting their fashion look book or ad campaign on location and you naturally assume it will be an outdoor location.  Ahhhhh lest we forget that location also means indoors and not just in studio .  This photo shoot for my client’s look book was pretty cool.  It was inside club Elevate and even during the day it was pretty dark inside.   So I hit her with a key light with a 40 degree grid.  Behind the pebbled glass were two lights at full power.  Remember that I wanted to create a heavenly look and my vision was to have bright white light around her.

High Key Lighting

So here is an instance where I had to light on location but it was indoors.  Something about this picture to me is special.  Remember me telling everyone that you should never let that camera out of your hands as long as there is a model in front of your lens ?  Well while my assistants were tweaking the lights I kept my eye on the model.  She just happened to look down for whatever reason and just the way her arms were positioned and her legs and the way her hair fell I saw it and shot it.  I think it’s the best shot from that series.  No we can’t clearly see her face but that is ok.

Never forget, as a photographer we are creating a mood, a fantasy, a feeling. We do this so our client can sell their clothes.  It’s not always about the model’s face.  Keep your eyes on the model and your camera ready to shoot just like you would do if you were holding a gun in war !!  This photo btw is right out of my camera.  It hasn’t gone through post yet except for removing the metal seam connecting the glass panel that was going right through her body from head to toe and it looks great!

Get it right IN CAMERA !  My mentor and good friend celebrity fashion photographer Jerry Avenaim taught me this a long time ago.  Always be ready !  Photographers have eyes in the back of their head and we also notice EVERYTHING around us even when other people don’t think we can see what is going on on the other side of the set or in the make up room etc. but we do know.  Good photographers are good observers.  When I am at the store, in a restaurant, at my nephew’s football game, the bank… you get my point.  I am always observing.  Develop that quality and perfect it.  I guarantee you will gain by leaps and bounds in your photography.

You know many times in this world of photography business we get so caught up in the “business” when we talk to clients, models, designers, make up artists etc. that we forget to let the genuine personality inside of us come out.  I think it is really important to show potential clients who we are inside, what makes us tick and keep going even through the tough times and that includes on the shoot when things just are not going right.

The most important thing in business is honesty, integrity, hard work and family; never forgetting where we came from.   These words were spoken by Denzel Washington in the movie American Gangster.

You are what you are in this world.  You’re either somebody or nobody.  Again, words from Denzel Washington in American Gangster.   I think those are two brilliant quotes.

As a fashion photographer it is my job to create, but create what ?  Create a beautiful photo ?  Well that is easy.  What is challenging is to create a beautiful photograph that emotes, expresses and stimulates.  It is my job to dig deep within my subject, reach in, invade and at the same time make my subject so comfortable and vulnerable that they give me their soul.  When I look through that camera into my subject’s eyes I am connecting and receiving all they have inside.  I am bringing out their true voice that will speak to the world,speak to YOU.   What is amazing is I know they are dieing to release that voice but they are apprehensive, scared for whatever reasons they have.  That is my goal, that is my love, this is what makes me wake up in the morning.  To know a person so deep that you know their soul is a high that I have not been able to match with anything else in my life.  When I am connecting with my model my blood pumps, my heart races and my intensity rages !

I hope my photography speaks to you through my subjects voices.  A great photograph will speak to you and reach into your soul.

My job as a portrait photographer is to seduce, amuse and entertain.

– Helmut Newton

Got this quote from a really cool site called photoquotes.com