Christina the lookbook model. #Leica

Shooting a lookbook means we shoot about 40 outfits representing the current fashion collection from a single designer.  We only do 4 or 5 shots per outfit and there isn’t much communication between myself and the model.  She’s a pro and already knows her poses so I’m sitting on a chair pushing the shutter button a few times with each new outfit change, while thinking about a million things other than the shoot.  It’s an easy paycheck and the kind of work that you’re grateful for at periodically. 

On shoots like this is where I tend to get my best BTS (behind the scenes) images and because I’m not stressed or worried during the shoot and I can also devote time and energy into shooting something other than the “real” pics.

It helps to have a willing model who doesn’t mind doing a few shots outside of what she was hired to do.  It also helps to have a tool like the Leica M9 that helps put me in a different frame of mind than when I’m using my Nikon.  The Leica is ill suited to shoot the Lookbook images so once I pick it up, I have no choice but to shoot something a bit different.  This shot is right out of the camera with no post processing.  I intentionally overexposed this image in camera because I felt the somewhat washed out skin tones enhanced the smooth feel I was going for in the image.