Mentoring: JJ Casas - Day 4

"Lights, Camera, Photo Shoot!"

*due to non-disclosure agreements, I cannot name any of the people present at this shoot besides myself and my mentor
Date of Mentoring: 4/15/11
- Number of Hours: 2 hours, 15 minutes
- Total Hours: 8 hours, 15 minutes

Action:
- Photo shoot for Hyphen Magazine
- Observe interactions of photographer & her assistants, clothing/make-up artists, & model
- Acted as "assistant" by holding up a fan for a "wind-blown" effect on the model

How Am I Doing?:
This was my first time ever observing a photo shoot, so I thought it was interesting to see the whole set up of the shoot. JJ introduced me to the photographer and the rest of the staff assisting at the shoot, and then he pointed out the equipment that they were using and their purpose: the flag (to block out glare from backlight), the "octobox" flash, gaffer's tape (used to tape gaps to block out light), the reflector in front of the model. My mentor also showed me the work flow that happens at a shoot. The photographer takes the pictures, then she hands her loaded memory card to JJ, he takes the card and gives her a blank one, and then he "dumps" all the pictures into a computer and deletes them from the memory card so that the card is empty again. So, I was able to see a preview of how the pictures turned out right there and then. At one point, the photographer asked me if I wanted to help by holding up a fan in front of the model so that her hair would look light and flowy. It was a small job, but I was happy to help in any way. Towards the end of the shoot, I was able to talk more with the photographer about UC Berkeley (where she attended and where I was accepted), her experience there, and how she got into photography. I tried using my "elevator pitch" skills here, and it felt like a fulfilling conversation afterward. :]

Next Action:
JJ and I will have our usual "lesson" at Starbucks after school on Monday, April 18. We will be discussing the business aspect of being a photographer.