K&T Photography

A few new ones [NSFW]

2011-08-20T16:14:00.004-04:00

Lots of updates..

2011-08-15T22:37:00.005-04:00

It's been awhile since I've updated so this will be a post of few words. Just sit back and enjoy the pics.

Tips For Posing Models

2011-08-11T13:12:00.002-04:00

Breathe
Although sometimes concentration enhances a good photograph, obvious concentration can distract and often ruin a good photograph as well. Do not hold your breath for a modeling pose; always remember to breathe and appear at ease.

Posture
Bad posture is an unrecognized flaw in many people. However, for models, posture is a harmful flaw. Always remember to keep your back straight and your shoulders up. Slouching affects the mood of the photograph and enlarges the appearances of your stomach. In addition to your back and shoulders, always remember to flex your stomach muscles. Despite your weight or state of shape, your abdomen will appear more toned if you flex.

Limbs
Symmetry is officially out in the modeling world. When posing, make sure to differentiate your arms and legs with asymmetrical poses. If you have one arm long and straight by your side, make sure the other arm is bent. Whether a big or small angle, the bend will make the modeling pose look more real, less artificial. Continue the asymmetry to your legs. If one leg is locked straight, give the other leg a casual bend.

Camera
Although the camera is the ultimate focal point of a modeling photo shoot, great models do not look directly into the camera. To enhance the quality of your photo shoot, look away from the camera with a mix of head and eye poses. Looking off to the right or left side, or tiling your neck to either side can help you avoid direct eye contact with the camera. In many cases, your head and neck can remain stationary in your modeling pose—and your eyes can do all the work. Head and eye positions, coupled with personable facial expressions make for great model poses.

Sitting Poses
If you are sitting down during your photo shoot—don’t think it’s ok to slack off. In fact, sitting photo shoots require a lot of extra work. If you are sitting down or reclining, it’s important to put your weight on the back of one thigh, rather than distributing your weight equally on both thighs. If you roll one hip up from the ground or surface, shifting your weight will be simple. This pose results in a slimming effect that you don’t want to miss out on.

Cleavage
To make sure your best assets shine, there are a few basic guidelines to follow. Based on two distinct poses, a forward lean and a backward lean, any model with any breast size can maximize cleavage. When leaning forward, either bring your arms together at your waist, keep your arms straight at the elbows and clasp your hands together below your waist, or simply cross your arms. When leaning backward, raise your arms about your shoulders and head, keep your arms apart, and always slouch for the best cleavage results.

Smile
If you have a naturally beautiful smile—show your pearly whites with pride, just not every time. If you smile in each modeling pose, modeling agents will notice your lack of versatility, not your smile. To add variety to your modeling poses, try switching up your smile with a cute frown, a bratty bout, a friendly laugh, or even an edgy scowl. Your facial expressions can make or break your modeling poses. Let your smile show, but make sure to show what else you can do.

In addition to these personalized tips for modeling poses, every model should be aware of the basics of posing. There are 4 main types of model poses: lifestyle pose, movement pose, portrait pose, and body pose.

Lifestyle
The lifestyle pose evokes a sense of everyday living with common body movements and facial expressions. Throughout the day, moments of happiness, love, anger, and hope arise. To succeed at the lifestyle pose, each model must be able to recreate these everyday emotions.

Movement
The movement pose captures a specific action, such as running or jumping. Because this pose is most often used for a marketing photo shoot—the model is used to promote a product. Each model must be able to smile and laugh when using the products in the photo shoot.

Portrait
This modeling pose emphasizes the face of the model—and relies purely on facial features. The model will be in modest makeup and relaxed hair and should pose with a casual, genuine smile. Many portrait photographs are close up and emphasize details of the model’s face. If you are scheduled for a portrait photo shoot, make sure to pay extra attention to your skin and drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day.

Body
Full-length photographs require body poses. Models are encouraged to shift weight between hips and make arms and lengths into asymmetrical stances. Although many body poses do not require specific facial expressions, putting your entire body into character during full-length poses helps your body find a natural balance.

Keep these insider model posing tips in mind during your next professional model photo shoot to ensure you blow the photographer away. Whether you’re a trained expert or an ambitious beginner, all models have the ability to excel in photo shoots. Focus on your posture, attitude, and facial expressions to succeed beyond your wildest expectations.

http://www.bleeek.com/modeling-posing-tips.html

Halle

2011-07-07T21:53:00.001-04:00

Halle and I had the pleasure of working together roughly two weeks ago. She brought great energy to the shoot and we came away with a ton of awesome images. This is the first of those edits.

Katana's magazine submission

2011-05-04T01:22:00.001-04:00

I had the pleasure of doing a magazine submission shoot for Katana in April and this is just one of the great images we came away with. Her submission was accepted and I'll be working with her again this summer for her full layout!

Little Black Dress - Michelle

2011-05-04T01:15:00.001-04:00

Model Michelle in a black dress. I shot this a few weeks ago at Studio 46 one morning. Thoughts?

Just a quick update before the weekend...

2010-11-05T22:07:00.003-04:00

Studio 46 aka Where work gets done!

2010-11-04T22:30:00.003-04:00

So here it is, Studio 46. You've seen it in a few shots before. Here's a quick snapshot taken by my wife of me doing some work there.

Chantel

2010-11-04T22:24:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since I updated but I will be posting pics at random from my shoots over the past summer and early fall. First up is Chatel. She was kind of quiet and shy when we first started shooting but warmed up at the day went on. Thoughts?

N'jeri, Brittany, and Nita

2010-06-19T03:00:00.004-04:00

First up is N'jeri. She's 17 and this was her very first photo shoot. Even though she was nervous she did a good job and showed a nice range of emotion throughout the shoot. The second model is Brittany who shot for my Just Jeans and Little Black Dress series. Brittany is also new on the scene but was fun to work with and did great. Last but not least is Nita who brought a vintage look to the shoot that I found to be very refreshing and definitely a new look for my portfolio.

Lisa, Chuenee, and Stephanie

2010-06-19T01:23:00.003-04:00

A nice mix of varying levels of experience. Lisa has been doing it for awhile, Chuenee for just a couple of years, and Stephanie is new to the industry. They all did great!

Continuity...

2010-06-08T12:07:00.004-04:00

In this latest update we have Rogue Fatale, Aurora G, Chamia, and Opal Rose.

Growing up is hard to do...

2010-05-27T22:02:00.006-04:00

I've been shooting for my Just Jeans series now since April and I am looking for growth in my work. I believe I've found it with these latest shots.

So you want to be a model? Here's some advice...

2010-05-17T17:20:00.003-04:00

The majority of the shooting I do is with models. I shoot everything from commercial and editorial to glamour and artistic nudes. Over the years I have learned some things and figured I would pass it on to aspiring models that are trying to find their way.

1.) Modeling isn't easy and it's certainly not for everyone. Just being pretty is not enough. Only do it if you truly enjoy it and are able to tell a story and truly help to create art.

2.) Invest in yourself! You will only get out of it what you put into it. You will need to spend money on quality clothing, photographers, makeup artists, etc.

3.) Building a solid portfolio is very important. Your portfolio should show your range as model. For example, it should include a variety of styles from glamour, fashion, swimsuit, catalog etc.

4.) Always act professionally. Be on time, don't cancel at the last minute, and always confirm your shoot in advance. You don't want to gain a reputation as a difficult or unreliable model.

5.) Your skin is extremely important, so take good care of it. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol. Always have a recent, unedited picture of yourself available.

6.) Agents and photographers want to see the real you. Very natural makeup (a little foundation that matches your complexion is ok) and a clear gloss on the lips with your hair pulled back is fine. You can opt for no make-up at all if you have flawless skin. If your skin is not flawless and has a few blemishes, make sure that the agent and photographer are aware of it. Do not chew gum, chomp on candy, or take food with you to munch on. It is not professional. Bottled water is ok and you can eat when you leave.

7.) Learn to pose. You have to know your body and what poses work for you. Buy magazines and look at the models poses and facial expressions. Practice in the mirror and be able to pose on demand.

8.) Comp cards are a great thing to have and are often required at casting calls.

9.) Join a networking website for models. It will give you an opportunity to meet and collaborate with photographers, makeup artists, fashion designers, etc.

10.) Ask for a copy of the signed model release or trade agreement. This will alleviate any potential issues in regards to the usage of the pictures and when you will receive them.

11.) Stay focused. Time waits for no one. You may think that taking a few months off won't hurt you but it really will. No one is going to book you based on the images you shot last year.

12.) Never give up. Plenty of people will turn you down but one day you will get a yes!

Tinera

2010-05-16T18:03:00.003-04:00

Back in 2007 I did my first shoot with a model. It was Tinera. Here she is again nearly 3 years later and still doing an amazing job.

The latest in my Just Jeans series

2010-05-11T02:55:00.005-04:00

I've got two models for y'all in this update, KC and Laura. They both did a great job and will be back real soon to shoot again. Check out the great makeup by my wife, K&T Makeup Artistry too!

Studio or Outdoor?

2010-05-08T11:22:00.003-04:00

Which do you prefer? I shot almost exclusively outdoors from late 2007 to early 2010. As I'm sure you can tell from my work, I'm extremely comfortable shooting outdoors and in studio. Natural light doesn't scare me nor does using strobes in my studio. Where I shoot depends on the look I am going for. I do enjoy shooting outside on a nice day though, especially when it's something that people don't expect to be shot outside. I guess to sum it all up, I don't have a preference.

And another one...

2010-05-04T15:37:00.002-04:00

Something new...

2010-05-01T02:38:00.005-04:00

Here's a couple more from Zanneta's first shoot with me and a few from Friday night's shoot with Patricia who came up from Virginia to work with me and my wife. Enjoy!!

Zanneta's 2nd shoot

2010-04-22T00:29:00.003-04:00

So Zanneta is back for a second shoot. This time it's for a jeans and topless series I am shooting. I'll just post one work safe pic from the set. To see another just check out my Model Mayhem page, 803118.

Zanneta and Kelly

2010-04-01T23:53:00.002-04:00

Tonight I had 2 wonderful models come through for shoots. The first few images here are of Kelly, a great print model that I have worked with before. The final image is Zanneta, an aspiring fashion model who wanted shots for a Jet Magazine submission and a few casual shots for her port.

Just Jeans Pt. 1

2010-03-30T23:43:00.003-04:00

So one of the series I'm shooting right now is entitled "Just Jeans". It features topless models wearing just jeans and possibly a pair of shoes. The shoots take place both in studio and outdoors depending on my mood that day and the models level of comfort. The first of the series was shot tonight and here's a pic from the set. Her name is LA aka Lost Angel and she was awesome!

Birthday Party @ Suite 18 in Baltimore

2010-03-28T16:32:00.004-04:00

Here's a few shots from a birthday party I photographed last night. I was hired to walk around and get shots of the party goers and of course the host. Events in nightclubs and lounges can be tough on your equipment but the pay is usually good. Enjoy!

New Studio

2010-03-26T00:52:00.003-04:00

On 3/25/10 we finally got our own studio in Baltimore, MD. Now we have a place that we can shoot anything, 24 hours a day, and even hold small events and meetings. Stay tuned for the great shots I'll be taking there and posting here from time to time.

Recent work...

2010-02-12T18:25:00.004-05:00

K&T Photography Web Portfolio

2009-11-24T23:23:00.003-05:00

Yeah, it's been a long minute since I've posted here. That doesn't mean that I haven't been shooting. To see some of my recent and older work, rates, etc. check out my website.

K&T Photography

What I've Been Up To

2009-04-04T23:59:00.006-04:00

Believe it or not, K&T Photography has not done a single shoot all week long. Our new venture Candy Phat Magazine on the other hand has been extremely busy. We've done four shoots this week alone for our online magazine that is launching in August. Pics from the shoots won't be posted here but you can check out our MySpace page for more info and to see a few preview pics. Click here to take a look!

Contracts, Release Forms, and Trade Agreements

2009-04-03T16:21:00.005-04:00

I won't be posting any pretty pictures today. I just want to rant a bit.

It amazes me how many photographers and models I come across that shoot with only a verbal agreement in place or in some cases, no agreement at all. No matter what type of shoot it is, who it is with, etc., I always make sure that everything is laid out in writing. For a TFCD shoot the model must sign my model release form and trade agreement. On paid assignments a contract is drafted and signed as well as a release form.

Another thing that gets me is people that sign paperwork and don't ask for a copy. I don't mind making a photo copy but I am not going to ask you if you want one. I've handled my end, it's up to you to cover yours. Don't sign a release or agreement, then call or write weeks later asking about something that was clearly explained in the agreement. Certainly don't do anything to break said agreement. I will find out and contact you. Believe me, it's never pleasant.

Ok, I'm done ranting for today. That is all.

Patience

2009-03-31T10:20:00.003-04:00

About 2 weeks ago I did a shoot in Washington, D.C. for a model named Patience. My wife who is also a professional makeup artist did her makeup in the food court of Union Station and we headed outside on a nice day to see what kind of pics we could get. Here's a few from that day.

Slow Day

2009-03-30T15:33:00.006-04:00

Sunday was a slow day for us as we only had one shoot scheduled. We did two looks and shot at the train station in Old Town Fredericksburg, VA again. Check out the passing train in the background of the second pic.

Portfolio Building

2009-03-29T11:54:00.004-04:00

Awhile back I ran a $100 portfolio builder special and my last client had her shoot yesterday. Here's a few from that shoot.

47 Things People WiIl Pay You To Shoot

2009-03-27T23:36:00.003-04:00

About a year ago I came across this blog post and found it pretty interesting. I'm not going to repost all 47 but I will provide you with a link. Click here to read it.

Canon unveils EOS 500D / Rebel T1i DSLR

2009-03-25T15:02:00.003-04:00

After much rumor and speculation, Canon has unveiled their new entry-level DSLR that effectively cuts into the market that their 50D is targeting. It has the same 15.1mp sensor as the 50D and the HD video recording of the 5D MKII, just 10fps slower at full 1080p resolution. From what I've read, I like it and at $799 for just the body, the price is a steal. While the 5D is still numero uno on my want list, the Rebel T1i will hold me over for quite some time. As always, click here for all of the details and pics.

New Canon PIXMA printer

2009-03-25T14:59:00.004-04:00

Currently I'm in the market for an Epson photo printer but for the high end stuff I will definitely be going with Canon. Pictured above is the brand new PIXMA Pro 9500 Mark II photo printer. It's nice. Click here for the scoop.

Missed it by THAT much

2009-03-24T21:48:00.007-04:00

Have you ever missed a shot because you didn't have the right lens? It's annoying but we can't carry every single lens, camera body, etc. with us all the time. Well, this guy can but who wants to look like him?

Just one from today's shoot

2009-03-21T19:00:00.004-04:00

I'm being a little lazy right now and don't feel like editing. I've gone through the pics once though and deleted the unusable pics and made contact sheets. Anyway, here's one of Ryan. She was previously featured on Perfectshots.tv and is just getting back into modeling.

Another beautiful day

2009-03-21T15:45:00.003-04:00

I only had one shoot on the schedule today and it was nice to not feel rushed during a shoot. We did three looks, all swimwear at the Rappahannock River in Fredericksburg, VA. It was nice out and we had one guy that decided to watch the shoot...he wasn't invited. Thankfully the model didn't mind. Check back later for a few pics from the shoot.

Just a preview

2009-03-20T22:10:00.004-04:00

Here's a couple from today's shoot with a wonderful model named Vinna. This was a second shoot together and we came away with some nice shots.

iPhone OS 3.0

2009-03-19T19:25:00.007-04:00

On Tuesday Apple held an iPhone OS 3.0 preview event. All the nerds (myself included) and millions of iPhone users worldwide have been talking about it ever since. Personally I can't wait until it ships this "summer" and we finally get cut, copy and paste, MMS messaging, push notification, USB tethering, turn by turn GPS navigation, and some other cool features...100 plus total. Check the link for all the info. Click here for iPhone OS 3.0 screens and info.

70 degrees and sunny = what?

2009-03-18T23:25:00.004-04:00

SWIMWEAR!!! That's what I shot today. The makeup was provided by my lovely wife, K&T Makeup Artistry and the model is Mary who we always enjoy working with. Check out the pics below.

Happy St. Patrick's Day...and for the record I'm not Irish...

2009-03-17T10:00:00.002-04:00

Here's a few models from my various shoots wearing green. Enjoy your St. Patrick's day and take it slow with the green beer!

Addicted to Twitter

2009-03-16T23:19:00.005-04:00

Anyone that knows me knows how I used to hate blogs, social networks, etc. Call me anti-social but whatever, I'm on Twitter now and I love it!! Check out http://twitter.com/ktphotos

Wow...it's been a long time

2009-03-15T12:34:00.003-04:00

I'm back after a 4 month hiatus. I've still been shooting and keeping busy. The business has grown and evolved. I've met some wonderful people, some not so wonderful people, and had some great shoots since I last posted.

Along with my random thoughts about photography related things and life in general, I will be posting a few pics from each new shoot I do. Currently there are a few projects that I'm working on. I'm building my bridal and swimwear portfolios and we are preparing to launch our online magazine, Candy Phat this summer. Wish me luck!!

President Barack Obama!!!

2008-11-04T23:55:00.000-05:00

An interesting race ended with Barack Obama winning by a landslide. I know that this has nothing to do with photography but how can I not blog about the single biggest event in our lifetime? Congrats to President Obama.

Make Sure You Vote!!!

2008-11-04T09:38:00.005-05:00

This is by far the most interesting election I've witnessed in my life. Both candidates, Obama and McCain have their strong points and their weaknesses. Personally I don't care who you vote for, I just care that you vote for someone. If you are legally allowed to vote and choose not to, your voice isn't being heard and your opinion after the fact doesn't count. Voting is a privilege so please take the time out of your do to do so. I'll be casting my ballot when I get off of work. What about you?

At Least There's Football

2008-11-02T16:48:00.004-05:00

While Saturday was great because I got to shoot, Sunday has been slow and boring. I woke up at 7am, retouched and edited pictures from three shoots, archived them, and sent them to the clients. Boring, time consuming stuff. I didn't finish until 11am. The highlight of the day for me was the Baltimore Ravens game. They played the Cleveland Brown and beat them 37-27. Now what do I do with the rest of my day?

Up Early on a Saturday

2008-11-01T20:41:00.004-04:00

Normally I'd say that waking up early on a Saturday morning is just wrong. However if I'm getting out of bed early to do a photo shoot aka "work", I don't mind at all. Yeah, I'm still tired but I enjoy shooting so much that it doesn't feel like work and I won't notice the missed sleep until late in the day. Today's shoot lasted about 2 hours and led to some great pics. There was only one model but she had a seemingly endless amount of outfits with her. If I'd had more memory and a spare battery I could have easily shot for another hour. Some pics from the shoot and all of my others are posted at Flickr so click here to check them out.

Changed My Mind

2008-10-31T14:00:00.002-04:00

Yeah I know, just last week I was all settled on the new Canon 5D. Then the realization that it's nearly $3000 just for the body has sunk in. I have decided to save for the Canon EOS 50D with a Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM. This kit is only $1600 and wouldn't take me nearly as long to get. Any extra money can go towards a battery grip and an extra battery. So there, it's settled and my decision is final. I'm going to focus on getting the 50D and then I'll have my Xti as a great backup camera.

My Camera

2008-10-30T14:54:00.004-04:00

I've had a few models and photographers ask me what I shoot with so I figured I'd answer it here. The basics in my kit are listed below. I have a couple of other items that I use from time to time but these are my standbys.

Canon EOS 400D (Digital Rebel XTi) Camera
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Telephoto Zoom Lens
58mm UV Filters
58mm Circular Polarizer

An Apple a Day...

2008-10-28T14:36:00.003-04:00

Anyone that knows me knows that I love just about anything Apple makes. I was an avid PC user and Windows lover until I was forced to buy a Mac notebook for art school. After a week of using my new Mac I found it hard to use my PC for anything other than playing computer games. Now the new MacBook Pro is available with a glass screen and touchpad and I want it. I dare anyone to find a PC notebook that looks better or has the longevity of a Mac.

Shooting at Home - Fredericksburg, VA

2008-10-28T10:40:00.004-04:00

This weekend we'll be shooting at home. No, not at our house but around the city we live in...Fredericksburg, VA. It's not a big city but it's in a great location. Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD are a short drive to the north and Richmond, VA is an even shorter drive to the south. Old Town Fredericksburg is a great place to shoot and isn't far from the Rappahanock River. Shooting here is always fun and we don't have far to go to get home when we're done.

Busy

2008-10-28T10:34:00.004-04:00

People say that things slow down for a photographer in the fall and winter but I can't tell. We've been shooting nearly every weekend since September and are booked through the end of November. We have potential clients asking to schedule us for shoots in December and once we work out the details we'll be booked solid yet again. I'd say that's a great way to close out the year!

Sunday Morning

2008-10-26T23:14:00.005-04:00

Even though our shoot was rained out on Saturday we managed to get some great pics on Sunday. Here's a few. More to come after editing and retouching.

I Want That!!!

2008-10-24T12:56:00.007-04:00

I currently shoot with a Canon Rebel XTi. It's a great camera and with good glass and some skill you'll take some amazing photos. The XTi is a prosumer camera and while it's much more advanced than your typical point and shoot, I'm quickly out growing it's capabilities. I was originally eyeing the Canon EOS 50D as my next camera body but I have settled on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. It cost quite a bit more than the 50D but it'll be worth it since it's a full frame digital camera, meaning I can finally shoot in full 35mm with no crop to my images. If you're not familiar with photography that probably means nothing to you but those of you that do shoot seriously know that it makes a difference. Anyway, it's $2700 just for the body so I'll be saving my change for awhile before I get my hands on this one. I'm taking donations if anyone wants to help. Click the link to check out the preview on Digital Photography.

Rained Out

2008-10-24T11:57:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the rain we had to cancel our shoot on October 25th. We will still be shooting on Sunday, October 26th. This is the first time in a long time that I haven't been happy to see rain in the forecast.

Headed to Richmond, VA

2008-10-22T12:32:00.003-04:00

We'll be in Richmond, VA on October 25th and 26th to shoot some up and coming models. I've never been to Richmond but my wife went to college there. I'm looking forward to experiencing the city and taking some great pics. Of course the new pics will be posted soon so be on the lookout.

Baltimore Inner Harbor Shoot

2008-10-22T12:28:00.003-04:00

On the weekend of October 11th, we held a shoot at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. We did two shoots and both turned out well. The Inner Harbor provides a beautiful backdrop as there's an abundance of places to shoot. A great city, great food, and most importantly great models made the shoot fun. Check out the pics here.

Portfolio Building

2008-09-26T13:39:00.005-04:00

Our subject for this shoot was not a model but had a blast modeling for us and is someone we'd love to work with more in the future. The pics turned out pretty good as well. For this shoot, I took the pictures while my wife assisted. All in all, it was a good day of work and will help us build a great portfolio. Check out some of the pics at our Flickr page.