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!

Uma Wang

First off sorry for the lack of updates as of late...my life has been severely disappointing and boring :( lol! Anyway, Chinese New Year is OFFICIALLY over so work should start to pick up again!!!

Last night I went out to dinner w/ a designer friend of mine Uma Wang, Michelle - the model used for her last catalog that I worked on w/ her, Nela - a mutual friend and Todd's photo assistant and a photographer that Uma is sort of in talks w/ to shoot her next collection for iLook Magazine. We went to a French restaurant and I had a couple of glasses of red wine and we all split some apps and I had a chicken salad for my main (still trying to be healthy). I avoided the bread basket and dessert so I'm pretty happy about that for me b/c those are both major lures. Man I haven't drank much the last few mths and 2 glasses of wine and I was tipsy!

Overall, dinner went well although I'm not sure if Uma is going to go w/ this photographer or not. He is very well established and has some AMAZING work but I'm not sure if his style is right for her. He's very slick and clean and she likes more raw and blur so I just don't know if it's the best match. Although, I'm just happy I got to have a meeting w/ him so that I'm on his radar and hopefully he'll hire me for some future shoots b/c he works w/ big budgets and lots of advertising :) Plus meeting him through another potential client looks a lot better than me just cold calling him for a meeting.

After dinner we were all walking down the street minus the photographer and we just happened to run into Uma's brother...how crazy is that...millions and millions of ppl and we run into her brother. He invited us to Sky nightclub so we went there to meet up w/ some of his friends in VIP. It's so weird b/c the Chinese are so subdued in VIP and just sit there and drink, smoke and play this dice game that I don't know. I wanted to dance! I love dancing but we didn't stay that long...Uma seemed a little stressed and had to get home not too late.

This whole upcoming shoot is actually kind of a weird situation b/c Todd has shot her clothes for 3 yrs now but she wants to try something new and go in a bit of a new direction...but not too different so it's hard finding that balance for her I think. She still wants it to feel the same b/c she does have clients that know and trust her and her aesthetic but still be different and new. She loves the last shoot but wants a different photographer it's all a little awkward to be honest. I mean Todd is a good friend of hers and he actually introduced me to her in the Summer when I worked on her last collection. Plus she wants to use Michelle the same model as last time and Nela helped out w/ the graphic designs on the clothes. So basically, it's all the women Todd worked w/ last time minus Todd...umm awkward much! I guess business is business but still it's a fine line when friendship is also involved. Plus I'm kind of in a situation do I tell him I'm working w/ Uma? If yes, what do I say? Should Uma tell him she's going in a different direction (well actually everything is the same EXCEPT him)...I mean they are friends too. Plus he is going to find out eventually, wouldn't he find it weird if someone didn't mention it to him.

Other than the awkwardness of the photographer situation I'm really excited about the shoot. Uma really trusts my opinion and what I think is best for the collection. Her clothes are totally amazing and one of her things is she always works w/ 100% cashmere...umm luxurious much! Plus her style is amazing...not Chinese at all. She's willing to take chances and really gets fashion so that's great and exciting b/c so many designers in the Chinese market really don't understand fashion...I know that might sound crazy but they don't trust me! The location sounds amazing and I'm excited about another mag to put on the resume so that's cool too.

Below are some pics from her last collection...there are so many amazing pics but here are just a few:
Okay seriously impossible for me to choose just a few! I love so many of the shots from the last shoot! Which also kind of makes me think - If it ain't broke don't fix it! But again it's not my decision to make.