Hey all,
My girlfriend and I are thinking of doing a kind of private home photoshoot just for fun and I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for themes? Or if they've done one before and can give me any tips?

I'm trying to decide whether to do it in a room normally, or whether I should put a plain back drop in the background like a blanket or something...

My girlfriend always complains that she doesn't look good, as most girls do (regardless how many times i tell her she's hot :p). So I'd also like to know if anyone has any tips on how to set the scene nicely so that photos come out nicer, and maybe make up tips or something?

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

-Tim

Hmmm, with the drinking I'd have to disagree. Yes, you'll be more relaxed, but your eyes will take on that weird half-sagged look in all the photos, even if you're not feeling it yet... unless that's what you're going for, in which case by all means drink up.

All the other ideas are excellent though.

As far as makeup goes, put on a lot more than you normally do. Do full foundation and use powder for sure, as well as eyeliner. Then, whatever eyeshadow/blush/lipstick she feels is necessary. Just remember that colours will get 100% more washed out on film.

Marg

If the idea behind the photos is to make her more confident, be sure to make it as flattering as possible. Hands on hips, body angled to the side, and good posture with stretched-out abs make girls look thinner. Arms in the air lifts saggy boobs. For shots from behind, an arched back and relaxed glutes.

Take her makeup and lingerie shopping beforehand so that she gets stuff that makes her feel glamorous and sexy. Take her to get a manicure and pedicure, ideally at a spa.

Find out if there is an aesthetic that she particularly likes, such as 1950's pin-ups or gothic fetish or something. Whatever she finds beautiful.

The wrinkled bedsheet backdrops are cliche.

No salt, alcohol, or starchy food for 3 days prior to drop fluid weight. Drinking lots of water and detox tea helps with that too.

Post them here when you're done ;)

These: http://www.cumminstools.com/browse.cfm/4,283.html will work surprisingly well in a pinch.. and they're super cheap. They'd be best bounced off of something (ceiling, wall, white sheet) or diffused through something.. that way the shadows would be nice and soft. A small hand-held reflector is also very useful for filling in shadows. A 3'x4' piece of white foam-core does in a pinch.

1000-2000W of light is pretty much all you'd need for most portrait photography. If you're doing full-body stuff you may want a bit more.. just for even coverage. It all depends on what you're doing how fast your film/sensor/lens are and how much the light is reduced by bounce/diffusion.

But you can really improvise depending on your camera and the patience/ability of your model. I've taken photos by candle light and even with a pile of household lamps (the photos I did of Marg were done with a pile of Ikea floor and desk lamps... my equipment rental place didn't have stock of the lights I needed). It's definitely more challenging to work that way, though. Keeping things consistent is very hard. And the lower the light the harder it is to get sharp shots.

As to the wider discussion. One thing to remember is that it's *very* hard to take good pictures of somone when you're both inexperienced and emotionally attached to the results. There's a great deal of pressure on making the photos look good (especially if she thinks she never looks good in photos). Adding lights and reflectors and gear into the mix is, in my opinion, a recipie for disaster.

I'd say start a little simpler so that you can both get the hang of things.. go out to the park on a bright, cloudy day. Have her sit on a bench or a swing or somthing and just start shooting. Talk, make jokes, have fun. the mood will show through in the photos. Keep it light. The idea is to get comfortable. Then look at the photos.. figure out which angles work best for her.. what expressions. Can she be serious? Does her smile work (it doesn't for everyone)? Can she be sexy? Once you've both got the hang of things only *then* would I start dealing with complicated setups. There's no sense setting yourselves up for a fall by making the photoshoot more of an event than needs be. And all the fancy gear in the world isn't going to make a lick of difference if your model can't relax and you have no idea which poses and angles are the most flattering on her.