I did a shoot with Melanie, a local photographer. She has never modeled before, but wanted some nudes done, so she contacted me. We met last week and bounced some ideas around, then agreed to meet tonight for the shoot. We did the shoot at her studio because I wanted to use the backdrop of her home for some of the photos. I also decided to use her lighting equipment instead of mine.

I felt some pressure to really make these photos great. It’s not that I don’t always try to hold myself to as high a standard as I possibly can, but it seems even more important when working with another professional for some reason. On the other hand it went pretty smoothly because she understood what I was doing when I was adjusting the lights and her pose.

Anyway, using her lighting equipment was a real challenge for me. Everything worked differently from how I expected it to, and I felt like a beginner again. At times I wished I had brought my own lights as a backup, but I was glad I didn’t, because it forced me to learn a few more tricks.

It was very strange for her too, to be photographed in her own studio. She kept wanting to ask me to take off my watch, because that’s what she asks her clients to do, but then she’d realize she was naked. I said it was just like one of those dreams in which you’re at school and realize you’ve forgotten to put any clothes on.

I think we got a few keepers. I’ll be working on them for the next week or so.