Some Background Information
Like I said in the title, I had the opportunity of doing three photoshoots in one setting. I saw that my friend's company Jester was preparing to release a new series of shirts, and I reached out to see if he wanted promo material. He happily said yes, and sent me a few variants to use. Thus would begin a path for me that would really begin to inspire confidence in me that I could be a legitimate portrait photographer. Working with these two models helped me a lot in tailoring my ability to take an idea, verbalize it to models, and capture them in the photographs. I may be getting a little bit ahead of myself, so I will get started with the next phase: Acquiring the talent for the shoot.
The Team
I was fortunate to land two Lubbock-based models that had a very good body of work at the time I contacted them. Both were legitimately excited to work with this brand, and then it was time to get a location for the shoot.
Zack Morris
@zmorrisphoto
Kortnie Koebel
@kortnie.k
Mackenzie Brattain
@mackenziebrattain
Google Maps | Street View Capture
First Shoot | Mackenzie Brattain
After a random game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, it was decided Mackenzie would go first. We started out in the typical way first-time shoots go, which is finding that rhythm and way to easily verbalize my ideas to the model. Fortunately, Mackenzie picked it up really quickly, and she started picking up my ideas and running with them very quickly. Mackenzie is an absolute natural, and I believe she has a really high ceiling of where she can go. She has a stare, when she looks into the camera, that gives a certain vibe of intensity, which was a perfect fit for this shoot. We worked through the mini-shoot, and she absolutely killed it, with some shots I still use in my regular rotation of showcase photos today.
Second Shoot | Kortnie Koebel
Next up to shoot was Kortnie. A little behind the scenes, I had been following her on social media about the time I wanted to start doing portrait photography, I just didn't have the opportunity to work with her. When this job came up, I reached out because I thought she would be a good fit for this job, and fortunately, she was available to do the shoot. Kortnie is a well-experienced model with a ton of creative and professional shoots under her belt, and actually has lots of creative shoot ideas herself. She has a very fluid and smooth posing style, and her attire was perfect for the scene with the ripped jeans, Doc-Martens-esque boots, and black top, which allowed the colorful background to help her stand out in the shots. To this day, I wonder if her and Mackenzie coordinated outfits, because they were so similar in style and appearance, there was no way it was a coincidence.
The Third & Final Shoot
Now for the core of this shoot. I got the jester clothes out, and gave them each a sweatshirt, as well as a t-shirt. We worked through it systematically, doing the shoot with both of the girls working together. I had to admit, I was incredibly impressed seeing how they bounced off each other, acting like they had known each other for years. We got some very cool uses of the murals and industrial elements, whether it was metal stairs, concrete ramps, or the worn brick walls, they all gave a great backdrop that enhanced the style and vibe the brand was going for. Next, we switched to the sweatshirts, and we did the whole circuit again. Finally, I had them pick their favorite, and we got some great shots showcasing the brand's new releases together.
In Conclusion
It was very economical to incorporate the two individual shoots, along with the brand shoot, since it expanded my portfolio substantially and gave me more practice working with these models. It was clearly very beneficial for me, because I built a friendship with Mackenzie and her family, and we would go on to do several more shoots together, some of which have my favorite photos to date. Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to work with Kortnie again, and with the move, it's gotten even more difficult, but I won't write it off just yet. We never know when opportunities will present themselves.
