Girl Times Two

As if capturing decent pretty girl images isn't tricky enough, when you add a second victim into the mix it's twice the challenge. Suddenly, you have way more to consider-- For instance, how the lighting is working on each model individually and as a pair, the pose and expression of each model and how thoses poses and expressions interact together. Simply giving direction becomes confusing at times.

"Move your left arm back towards your body a bit... not you, Lorena, you... Tiffany. Lorena, put your arm back where it was, please. Thanks. Lorena, tilt your head up. Tiffany, tilt your's down. No... too much... a little less. I mean you, Tiffany, your's is good Lorena. Kick your hip out a bit, Lorena... the other way. Tiffany, no, keep your head down where it was and let me see a little more cheek. No, I meant butt-cheek. Great. Both of you-- Shoulders back, tits up, arch your backs... Beautiful."

Sheesh!

Other problems sometimes creep into the mix. Girl stuff. Catty girl stuff. Maybe the models aren't overly enamored with each other? (Moreso a problem when your images intend to convey subtle Sapphic messages.) Maybe there's some just-below-the-surface hostilities brewing? Maybe the lack of appreciation for each other started in the make-up chairs and you, the shooter, don't have a clue. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

Here's some advice: Make sure you treat and interact with each model in exactly the same way. Don't show any favoritism, whether it's real or imaginary, i.e., imaginary in one of the model's minds. Keep a compliment score card in your head. Everytime you heap a compliment on one of them, make sure the other quickly gets one as well. The same goes for perceived criticisms.

"Honey, keep that tummy sucked in... uhhhh... you too, sweetie."

Ooops! Here's some more advice, don't use terms of endearment like "honey" and "sweetie." You probably won't be endearing yourself to the models. Save those for your wives and girlfriends unless the model is your wife or girlfriend.

Pay attention to the shadows. It's easy for one of the models to block the light from the other. I once shot a couple of babes and one of the models was quite experienced and the other wasn't. The experienced model was quite masterful at making sure she hit the best light and, at the same time, managed to cast a shadow on the inexperienced model. Pay attention!

Conversely, pay attention to the highlights. Don't blow them out in the wrong places like I did in these pics. If you're taking meter readings, don't just take one reading, e.g., reading the mainlight at her chin and assume you're exposure is where you want it to be for the rest of the model's body. Pay attention to your lighting ratios! That hot kicker might be doing one thing on one model and something else on the other. Like I said, it's all more of a challenge when there's more than one model in the mix.

Pictured are Lorena and Tiffany. I'm not saying all the possible problems I listed in this update were taking place while shooting these two. I'm also not saying some of them weren't.