You've seen photographs here of the Austin Motel many times. I walk by there on one of my camera walks on the South Congress Ave. route. I've seen a lot of fun and strange stuff at the motel over the years but I hadn't seen the pool used as a location to make photographs to sell cameras.
At first I thought I'd stumbled into a shoot for some product or a promotion for the hotel itself. But something didn't look quite right. Instead of one "hot shot", super cool photographer the pool deck was littered by at least half a dozen tattooed, young photographers, supported by an additional crew of people who actually knew how to light stuff with electronic flashes, all hovering around a small selection of models in swim wear, all hoping they'd be the one to get the stellar shot of the day. And hoping it would be different from everyone else's highly individual shot.
Each photographer was outfitted with a brand spanking new Nikon Z5ii and a Nikon zoom lens. It was fun to watch but so, so different from any commercial advertising shoot I've been on in the last 40+ years. Gina from Nikon was gracious when I asked her what was happening. We chatted for a few minutes. She insisted that these photographers were so good that all their images would be amazingly different from one another.
I stood back and photobombed their chaotic set with my old, obsolete, Leica SL2 and then I walked on down the street in search of new mannequin photos. Here. Join the fun!!!
Model: "Now, which of the three cameras am I supposed to look at???"
Setting up the Profoto strobes just in case the influencers need em.
Added: An older post of mine that seems to be trending today. Bizarre coincidence? : https://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-role-of-social-media-influencers-in.html
Did you see Chris? Probably a little low rent for him 😉
ReplyDeleteYou missed your chance, Kirk. You should have borrowed the nearest mannequin and carried it back to the motel pool for your own competing shoot.
ReplyDeleteThis was a excellent blog. I found it very interesting. I wonder how did they view you?
ReplyDeleteDid this group know anything about lighting their subjects or was it up to the hired help?
Well I'm not into Tattoos, I remember the day when the only people that had Tattoos were convicts, Circus people, Drug people, and Gang members. Now people without Tattoos are Convicts, Circus people, and me. :) When I was invited to join Nikons NPS program about 35-40 years ago I had to send in my portfolio, I was fortunate enough that the committee accepted me within 24 hours, the first round of votes. I didn't have to pay for my membership, and still don't. Nor did I have to own 2 Nikon "Pro" camera bodies, and I still don't or 3 Nikon "Pro" lenses, just my work was all I needed.
Oh well, I'm just a old Dinosaur who lives in the Golden Days of Photography. Still shooting my OM1n or OM2n or my Sigma with the Foveon sensor or Leica M4-P looking at buying a Leica SL.
Have a wonderful day
Roger
I wonder why they didn't invite me? I'm a Rocker or I have a rocking chair. Hahahahaha
Probably gave Gina an inferiority complex after you photo-bombed them with the red dot, eh? I wonder why I'm not a Nikon influencer, I've used them for fifty years and more...oh, wait. It's because I don't have any influence. I also would slit my wrists before I took group photos of models in a swimming pool -- too creepily reminiscent of the bad old Shutterbug days of guys in a camera club hiring a model for "art" photos. Sorry. Maybe it's just me.
ReplyDeleteAye John, It felt like a 1960s group glamour shoot with the local camera club. Not quite the way to jimmy up the brand....
DeleteI wonder if there's a living to be made as a de-influencer.
ReplyDeleteI don't know but I'm working on de-influencing as fast as I can. It's 11 a.m. and VSL has already had 17,000+ page views today. I must be doing something wrong...
DeleteLotta people doing the "held at arm's length" composition technique. AKA: The dirty baby diaper hold....
ReplyDelete