I'm looking for some advice on posing some young ladies and motorbike(s).
I've been asked to take a few photos that can be used in local papers/online to promote the local motorcycle club's Easter charity run for CHAS http://www.chas.org.uk/
I'm a little nervous as have not done this before, but with out challenging myself that'll never be the case. I also intend to do a test shoot beforehand to get settings etc checked.
All I know so far is that I have 3 models (Face of Scotland, Miss Falkirk, Miss Teen Falkirk) as well as one of the children from the hospice.
I'm guessing we'll end up with two of the girls on bikes either side of the third and the child. Currently I have a very limited light set up, but hopefully it will suffice and there will be enough time between the test and the actual day to pick up any extras.
All I'd say is what you probably intend anyway: Don't go for the "biker chick" look - you know, cheap looking tattooed women trying to look sexy for the Hardly guys...
Based on what you've said, I think you're going to have to do something that's not terribly imaginative; after all, the client is a children's hospital and the audience will be the online presence and print media. So it's an editorial or commercial shot, not an edgy kind of thing. You'll want to be able to clearly identify each of the individuals in the frame. First thing is to consider the location; is it in front of the hospital? Or out on the road someplace? If it's at the hospital, you should try to make it identifiable in the frame. I'd probably want to orient myself in front of the bikes, at a low level (say, around top-of-wheel height) the bikes facing toward me, with two of the girls seated on them and the third, with the child, in between. The age and ability of the child should dictate the pose of the girl in the middle with the child. I'd probably light them gently, with one big umbrella centered over the camera. I'd probably go for a light touch here, with a tight ratio between ambient and fill. Again, if the hospital is in the frame, that consideration will drive your baseline ambient exposure. After that, depending on the location, if the child is up for it, I'd then take that umbrella, move it up higher, drop the ambient and boost the light to give some additional drama to the shot. So you'll have two very different looks with the same basic setup.
as someone from the medical community, I'd echo the sentiments that have been expressed here. I'd go easy on this one...
The entity that is being supported is a children's hospice - not a hospital. A hospice is where we refer patients that are expected to die shortly and need "comfort care" rather than therapeutic treatment. A *children's* hospice is where terminally ill children go to ease the pain of dying. Young mothers and fathers, siblings, relatives - they come to say good bye. It's a deeply emotional place.
Kudos to the local biker chapter to swing their support, but "biker chick" and "dying children in hospice" creates a bit of dissidence.
Please give these folks my/our heartfelt thanks from stateside.
Thanks Steve, I was worried that my limited lighting would not be enough, but your suggestion is perfect.
If the shoot goes ahead (there's now a little problem with dates), it'll be at the starting spot which is at the Falkirk wheel so I'll be trying to get that iconic (for scotland) landmark in the background.
John, yes I totally agree, and fortunately these ladies aren't (as far as I know) biker chicks, just pretty girls who are lending their support to the goal. I was never going to attempt anything too out there especially with my skill level.
This is 6th year they have done this ride. Last year there were approx 500 bikes and Raising £5,500, cumulative total of about £28,000
