What A Disappointing Shoot!

Wow...today had to have been one of the most disappointing shoots I've had in a long time. Maybe it's b/c I had such high hopes for it in the first place and I was expecting a lot out of it...esp. since last time I got such amazing pics out of it. I've never wanted to leave so quickly after a shoot b/c I was so disappointed w/ the events and the way things played out.

Today was the Uma Wang shoot that I mentioned a few posts ago. As you recall I mentioned that Uma was looking for a new photographer b/c she wanted to go in a new direction. I'm all for going in a new direction but just make sure that direction is up or at least on the same level...not down...WAY DOWN!! This is the first shoot I've done in awhile where I've literally said I don't care about the pics b/c they are useless to me. Uma didn't end up going w/ the French photographer she went w/ some Chinese photographer and he just had no vision for the shoot. It was suppose to be an editorial for iLook Magazine and he didn't have any concepts or ideas...basically he was treating it like a test shoot and I'm still very confused about this one.

I was apprehensive about the whole thing to start w/ b/c Uma seemed to suddenly need to rush b/c she had to send the samples to NYC. That's fine but at least choose a photographer who has a vision, idea or concept to go along w/ the shoot not just lets take some pics of her in the clothes. He didn't get a feel for Uma or her clothes or the last shoot at all...it was so BLAHHHH!!

I knew as soon as I arrived and asked him about his lighting and concepts that it was going to be an issue as he didn't have anything to say and I had concepts about the makeup but of course I wanted to know his stuff too so I could work it all together. Uma could tell right away it was sucking too. Basically she ended up scraping the editorial idea and just wanted some shots for her website which is fine but guess what - I gave you my editorial rate not my website/catalog rate...they are different! I mean I'm not getting anything out of this now. Plus I think she will want to do a re-shoot as no one had energy on the set...it was so dead. I really don't know how the re-shoot thing will go cuz guess what I need to get more money for a re-shoot but this is where it gets awkward cuz she's a friend and everything. God she better not try to use the same photographer again!

After her first meeting w/ the French photographer who she thought was too slick I said she should go back to Todd. I mean why fix it if it ain't broken. I know she might not be happy w/ him as a friend and to be honest I'm not either but that doesn't mean you shouldn't work w/ him if you like what he does. I think she was letting her personal feelings influence her professional feelings WAY too much and it hurt her in the end! Even the french photographer would have been a million times better than this - at least he had a vision and story in mind! I think that was also a prob. Uma thought she wanted an editorial but I think she wants a catalog but doesn't realize it. The French photographer was explaining to her that on shoot day he's the boss and it's his ideas and she's the stylist and she didn't take kindly to that idea at all...but it's the truth. Editorial for mag - photographer is the boss - he's developing the story. Catalog - designer is the boss he/she is paying big bucks to be the boss. Editorial - little to no money photographer gets to be boss and have his/her vision in place and his/her name in the top of the credits. An editorial isn't just a bunch of nice pics of her clothes it has to have a story or evolution to it...something more to interest the viewer.

Uggh I don't even want to get started on the lighting and how awful it made the model look...ugghh it just frustrates and disappoints me to think about it. I didn't take any behind the scenes pics b/c well I couldn't be bothered and it just wasn't worth it. Definitely one of those take the money and run shoots...so disappointing!