Model Scouting: How to Be Discovered

Scouting new models is a true art form. As a photographer, I love scouting fresh faces and upcoming stars and carefully mentor and instruct them in a way that allows their inner "supermodel" to shine through.

There are so many good looking fresh faces of men and women out there, however, it is hard to find models with real potential for the modeling business. Besides a great face, you need to have the right height (this eliminates a majority of the models that aspire to model), you should  have a fit, toned, lean body (fitness modeling is more appropriate for guys who are very muscular), and show a professional attitude.

After you meet these criteria, then you have to pass the final test. The camera has to love you. Be yourself in front of the camera and allow your personality to shine. Be able to take direction well, and really listen to your photographer as they are the ones who will capture that inner magic and therefore, create some amazing photos.

 Modeling is much more than just having a good look and a chiseled body. You must also dedicate a good portion of time to being disciplined. This means eating clean for long periods of time, staying fit with sports, loving the gym, taking care of yourself, flawless skin, and working hard on the inner you. With all of that in place, although it's a really tough career to break into, you will be prepared to go the distance.

Feel free to leave a comment or a question and don’t miss to follow my Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/dchristopherphotography
Written by: Damian Christopher

Photography Exclusive: Top 10 Qualities of a Great Photographer

photographyskills

Photography can be a very competitive career field. Job opportunities with newspapers and magazines are highly sought after, and freelancing careers can be difficult to establish. That said, many photographers become extremely successful in the field, with the top photographers sharing a set of ten top qualities that set them apart.

  1. Ambition
    A great photographer is very ambitious and seeks out opportunities for work, following the industry closely and pursuing opportunities as they arise.
  2. An Eye for Detail
    Great photographers pay close attention to detail and capture what's important. Conversely, they are also able to edit out small details that might take away from a subject in a photograph.
  3. Business Aptitude
    A great photographer has keen business skills and can manage business aspects of a freelancing career, including finances and marketing.
  4. Creativity
    The creative "eye" is an integral part of photography. Great photographers are able to intuitively judge what makes for a great photograph -- and what should be done with lighting, composition, and focus to make that vision a reality.
  5. Familiarity with Legal Documents
    A great photographer is familiar with contracts, copyright laws, and other legal issues that may present themselves .
  6. Hand-Eye Coordination
    A great photographer has excellent hand-eye coordination to manipulate the equipment involved in capturing top-notch photos. No shaking! Quick lens replacement!
  7. Networking Skills
    Great photographers have savvy networking skills and can identify those who are important to know in the industry. They are able to approach important players and keep them informed of the work they do.
  8. People Skills:
    A great photographer has terrific people skills and can work well with clients and editors. The ability to put people at ease while they are being photographed is also key for portrait photographers.
  9. Self-Marketing Skills
    Successful photographers have portfolios that demonstrate the quality and variety of their work. They're also able to adequately promote their services to find new customers.
  10. Technical Skills
    A great photographer has excellent technical skills and can easily handle photography equipment, such as digital cameras and lighting, as well as software programs to edit photographs.

By: Damian Christopher

Can I Learning Photography Through Online Video Courses?

onlinevideocourses

The way I see it, there are a few different ways that someone could gain the knowledge and skills that are needed to take great photographs:

  1. Attend a fancy art or photography school and spend tens of thousands of dollars learning about photography (and probably a hundred other topics you weren't interested in).
  2. Buy a book or study the camera owner's manual in order to learn everything there is to learn about your camera and photography.
  3. Find a professional photographer that's willing to take you under their wing and teach you the ins and outs of professional photography.

Some of those may be easier said than done... or too time consuming... or too expensive... or WAY more information than you were looking for.

OR, maybe what you really need is something that is easy to follow, cost effective and fits your schedule. Have you ever considered online video courses?

Wait, a video is going to teach you about photography? That's right, and you may be surprised at how much you can learn about photography from an online video course. With the always increasing cost of traditional schools and even photography schools, people are looking for alternative ways to learn. This is why companies like Udemy now offer a platform where users can sign up and learn from online videos created by professors, professionals and even other users just like you!

If you're looking to learn about some of those advanced settings on your camera, or maybe just learn the basics of photography, then Udemy may have an online video course just for you.

Check out this sampling of photography courses available from Udemy. You can click on the links to learn more about each course.

EasyDSLR Digital Photography Course for Beginners - $39

EasyDSLR Digital Photography Course: Advanced - $49

The Art of Black and White Photography - $79

Night Photography Unlocked - Beginner's Course - $49

Portrait Photography with Simple Gear - $50

Become a Better Photographer - $39

iPhone Photography Secrets - $39

Adobe Photoshop for Photographers - $59

Practical Guide to Liquid Photography - $65

Natural Light Fashion / Beauty Photography - $50

HDR Photography: Learn the Secrets to Creating Stunning HDR - $49

Travel Photography: Amazing Tips and Techniques - $39

Essential Photography Skills - Beginner Digital SLR Training - $47

Photography Projects for a Rainy Weekend - $30

Learn Professional Wedding Photography - $195

by: Damian Christopher

Top Images from Some of my Best Photo Shoots!

I wish I could post photos from every shoot on my site, but i'm afraid it would be huge (move over Getty Images, lol). Here are a few of my new shots that include models, landscapes, portraits, headshots, and more! Subscribe today to get updates!

The Louvre in Paris

I.M. Pei designed Pyramid


The full moon!

Set for a new reality show

Set for a new reality show


Top Photography Blogs & Recommended Reading

Top Photography Blogs

You should be reading the following top photography blogs if you are a photographer or not. Get expert tips and make your photography better in 2015!

http://www.aphotoeditor.com (A Photo Editor (APE) is edited by Rob Haggart, the former Director of Photography for Men’s Journal and Outside Magazine.) Great tips and an overall gem amongst all the blogs on the net.

http://www.lynda.com (Learn anything you need to do at a reasonable price ) With over 74k different tutorials, this is the lowest cost higher education your money can buy. Prices start at $250/year and it is well worth it. Wait, let’s emphasize this, WELL. WORTH. IT. There are classes and tutorials if you have a Photoshop issue, InDesign issue, etc. The video’s are put together by people who are experts and you can find tutorials in business, design, developer, home computing, photography, video, web + interactive, 3D + animation to name a few. Again, well worth it. Make learning easy with this. Tutorials have levels (beginner, expert, etc) so you can start with the basics. Lynda.com has saved me more times than I can count.

http://www.popfoto.net (Photographers on Photography) A great blog with lots of conversations with art buyers, photographers with really cool projects. This is a great place to read about what is happening on the inside of the industry.

http://blog.chasejarvis.com/blog/ One of the best photography blogs out there! This guy has got amazing work (to start), a successful business, and a magnificent blog where he teaches all of us numb nuts how to stop screwing ourselves over. One of my favorite parts of his blog are the video sessions where he invites guests (top industry portfolio reviewers for example) and has a sit down (talk show style) with them. It’s… it’s…. it’s…. just amazing! It's free. Pay attention!

http://www.photographerswhoblog.com/ (Great blogs by great photographers. Get inspired!) A list of exactly that.

This list is totally open for recommendations if you know a great blog/site, share it with everyone! I’ll keep adding as I keep coming across sites so check back in!

Fashion Shoot with Model Vinnie Steele

Recently, I had the opportunity to shoot a session with Vinnie Steele, the all American "boy next door". Although it was his first session, we spoke at length about what we wanted to accomplish with the site beforehand and that helped us gain a mutual respect that carried through to the actual shoot.

Overall, we got some great shots and we were done in less than two hours. Vinnie came off like a pro and we had fun in between shots. He comes across as very serious, but he has a seductive vibe about him that allowed me to push the limits of the shoot and his comfort level.

Check out the shots and I hope you like them!

DC


Model Scouting! Male and Female Models Needed for Fashion Shoots

Fashion Focus Chicago (Kate's Pics) 198.jpg

I'm currently scouting new models for various campaigns. I enjoy discovering new faces along with my work as a photographer.

There are so many good looking fresh faces and guys out there – I'm looking for guys with real potential for the modeling business. Besides a great face you need to have the right height (if you are short, still contact me. I have worked with several models that were 5'11 and under) You should  have a perfect, athletic, body, along with a professional attitude. And of course the camera has to love you. Furthermore – you should have fun while working in front of a camera.

Email me at Dfilmknight@gmail.com for more information!

Broke Straight Boys Reality TV Show

In addition to being a photographer, I also produce film and television shows. My most recent project is a controversial look into the world of "gay for pay" pornography. I love tackling tough projects and this one is no exception. 

Prepare yourself for one of the most unique series ever made for television. Its polarizing content and its visceral effect on viewers is undeniable. Without apology, this series provides an uncensored look into the lives of people who make porn... and more specifically, straight men who do gay porn and the multi-million dollar company that provides the platform. Though no explicit porn is shown in the series, the mere suggestion of what they do and the insight into their chosen profession makes Broke Straight Boys a true character study, bringing the viewer into a world they may not have known existed and will surely never forget.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Broke Straight Boys is a reality-based docu-series that explores the world of “Gay for Pay,” a term used to describe when straight men do gay porn for money. The show focuses on the people involved in this taboo and unconventional lifestyle, exploring the dynamic relationships between the owner of BluMedia, Mark Erickson, his business staff and the young men who choose to do gay porn to supplement their income by performing for the adult website, brokestraightboys.com.

As part of his business model, every month Mark houses a select number of these straight young men in his multi-million dollar mansion while they do scenes at a nearby studio for his website. In his words, “They’re
a hot mess and I can keep my eye on them when they’re in the house.” What comes of that is an ideal situation for a television series, with the proximity of all of these unique individuals, their engaging life stories, inflammatory personalities and disparate reasons for being there colliding, creating drama, alliances, jealousy, hilarity, and sheer reality unlike anyone’s ever seen.

As dysfunctional a family as you will ever find, this group of colorful characters keep you mesmerized at every moment. From seeing them rehearse scenes in the studio to hearing their unbelievable perspective on life, money and the pursuit of porn, you won’t be able to look away, even when you want to. Broke Straight Boys has taken the reality genre to a new level and you’ll never want to come down.

BROKESTRAIGHTBOYS.COM IS AN ADULT WEBSITE WITH EXPLICIT MATERIAL AND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.

BROKESTRAIGHTBOYS.TV IS THE WEBSITE FOR THIS SHOW AND CONTAINS NO EXPLICIT MATERIAL. IT IS SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.

The show was a co-production between Hot Mess Productions and Loyal Productions. Mark Erickson (producer for DTLA) is Executive Producer.

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Media Contact
Damian McKnight, Damian@blumedia.com (303)887-9530

YoCisco Underwear Fashion Show

Tracks Nightclub in Denver recently held a fashion show for YoCisco, a new underwear line featuring some of the sexiest underwear and handbags to hit the fashion scene. Yocisco.

Cisco started his career in 1999 as an exotic dancer in the Denver nightclub scene and quickly became a sensation. Since then, Cisco has launched YoCisco Underwear, a line of high-end, quality men’s underwear along with a burgeoning male entertainment dance company .

The evening was a blast and the show packed the house with some of Denver's hottest guys and girls in attendance.

Check out a few of the photos from his collection.....

The YoCisco models

Owner Cisco with the men of YoCisco Underwear

New Photo Shoot with Model Vadim Black

Vadim Black

I recently shot a new model, although he isn't new to modeling by any means, and the results were astounding. We set our for downtown Denver on a Sunday afternoon right as the sun was setting. The natural light was perfect and we found some cool locations to shoot in. Everything was ripe for making some great photographs.

Vadim Black was eager to get started, and although a little shy at first, came out of his shell after just a few snapshots. Passersby gawked at his model good looks as we shot in several locations including an alley, 16th Street Mall, and one of Denver's iconic bridges.

Check out the photographs for yourself and let me know what you think. All together it was a great time and produced some great photos.  Click the photo to go to the next one.

Traveling to Nepal

Journey to Nepal and the Himalayas

Shangri-La has become commensurate with any earthly paradise, but particularly a mythical Himalayan kingdom--a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world as described by James Hilton in his famous novel Los Horizon.

Over the course of 4 days, I escaped the hustle and bustle of Kathmandu and embarked on a trek through the cultural and geographic frontier of Nepal. This remote area contained no roads, sparse electricity, and no running water.

On the first day, our Sherpas (guides) led us to a mountain ledge that overlooked what ancient Tibetan scriptures refer to as a sacred place-- the legendary realms of Annapurna and Sagarmatha. Even though they had stood there many times, they were still awed.

On my expedition, I felt a tremendous sense of clarity. An awareness that I was in a moment of divine intervention, an unaccountable, quiet excitement started coursing through me that suggested something pretty remarkable was taking place in my life. 

Introducing Dakota Ford

Dakota Ford is a model that I shot recently for the BSB series that was outstanding. He stepped into the studio ready to work and I believe the photos show it. Although not a professional model, he is well on his way to becoming one as he was open to suggestions and kept thinking outside the box as far as poses and camera angles.

A joy to work with, check out some of his photos and let me know what you think!

Namaste!

Dakota Ford by Damian Christopher

Dakota Ford by Damian Christopher

Dakota Ford by Damian Christopher
 

Holiday Picture Tips

Holiday Photo Tips

Looking to make your holiday photos stand out from the crowd? Use these tips to make great photos of Christmas, Hanukkah, or the mid-winter holiday of your preference. This year and for 2014, come away with the absolute best holiday photographs you have ever created.

Holiday Photo Tips

Holiday Photo Tips

# 1 Compose Creatively and Get Up Close and Personal
Whether you are photographing the tree, presents, or your friends and family, getting creative with your composition certainly cannot hurt. This means paying special attention to how you organize the various elements in your photos.

There are two main concepts to keep in mind when composing the scene creatively and technically:

  1. Off-center your main subject. Instead of placing your main subject in the center of the scene - with a lot of dead space around it - move your camera until this subject is off to the side. This works especially well if you can balance your main subject with something in the background, on the other side of the picture. For example, if you are photographing a beautiful candle, try placing it on the right with the Christmas tree (or an equivalent supporting element) blurred softly in the background on the left. This will result in a photo that both records the candle in all its beauty and does so in an artistic, creative way.
  2. Get Up Close and Personal. Especially when you center your subject but even when you off-center it, moving in close is the one thing that will make the biggest difference in the success of your picture-taking. The simple fact is the audiences are always more impressed when the subject is huge and impossible to miss. Therefore, you want your subject to fill the frame. Say you are photographing the candle mentioned above, but don't have a Christmas tree (or its equivalent supporting element) in the background. In this case, you might want to instead move in as close as you can. Causing the entire frame to be filled with your subject will inevitably result in a photo that has true impact on your viewer.

Tip # 2 Photography Better Family and Group Portraits
The most important thing to keep in mind when photographing groups and families is this: taking a variety of photos is a must.

There is often a great deal of pressure when photographing groups. People generally complain about having their picture taken and want the experience to be over quickly. They have been trained by bad portrait photographers in the past to hate both the process and the results.

Take on the job of altering the perception of taking pictures and overcome these hurdles. You need to work quickly in order to get the job done within their limits of patience. Keep the experience as fun and friendly as possible so that all involved remember it in a positive light.

Also, having a large number of photos will give you the best chances of catching everyone looking their best.

Tip # 3  Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
Especially if your subject is a child opening a gift - or playing with a gift for the first time - you know that, within a split second, the scene can change. There is often just a few brief moments when that "magic spark" appears.

That's why it is so important to be fully prepared to capture that moment when it happens. Of course this means having your camera on hand and the batteries fully charged... After all, you can't capture the moment if you don't have your camera on you and ready to go.

Be ready to press that shutter button at a moment's notice, anticipating when the magic spark will surface, and be assertive. If you have a digital camera that suffers from a bit of a delay when taking the picture, then you will have to become even more intuitive and skilled at anticipating the moment.

Either way, shoot quickly and shoot often. Don't be shy - getting a great photo of the right moment is rewarding and well worth the extra effort.

Tip # 4 Don't Use Flash Indoors
The flip side to Tip #5 is to turn off your flash indoors, whenever you can possibly get away with it.

The flash can be a real lifesaver, no doubt about it. This burst of artificial light can mean the difference between a decent photo and a totally blurry, unusable image.

However, the light from flash units - especially from the tiny on-camera flash units found on most every camera - tend to produce harsh, flat, and cold light. This is rarely a complimentary way to illuminate your subject.

If you are shooting indoors during the day, make your portraits with your subjects standing near a window or door instead of relying on the flash. Get between your subject and the window - in other words, don't include the window in your composition, as this will throw off your exposure meter.

If you are shooting indoors at night, try to flood the room where you are photographing with as much light as you can - turn on whatever lamps you have at hand. This will help reduce those harsh, flashed-out subjects, as well as other problems like red-eye.

Tip # 5 Use Flash Outdoors
Most people think that using flash is synonymous with photographing indoors at night - at a Christmas party for example.

However, flash need not be relegated to indoor, night photography. Flash can be a big help when it comes to shooting outdoors during the day. Even in bright sunlight, forcing your flash to fire can often mean the difference between a so-so snapshot and an eye-grabbing masterpiece.

The reason is that this kind of bright day flash will fill in the shadows and even out harsh contrasts.

Try it out... next time you are photographing friends or children outdoors, turn your flash on and see if it works for you.

Try these quick and simple tips to photographing holiday pictures and watch your pictures be transformed into professional quality photos with a touch of style. Let me know how it works out for you!

Photo Picked Up By CNN

I took this photograph for CNN iReport and it was picked up by the main online news coverage online in their feature:

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-851031

Moon setting over the Rocky Mountains