First thing first we need to make sure your familiar with your camera. If you have any doubts about your settings or your equipment make sure you go over everything ahead of the shoot. There are two reasons for this; first you don’t want to lose a great shot because you have to fumble with the setting of something. Second you don’t want to appear unprofessional in front of your model. Word of mouth is a great advertising tool so let’s keep the client happy.
Now that we have an idea of how all our equipment works we need to come up with a theme for the shoot. First you will want to know if your client wants an inside shoot or an outside shoot. This makes a world of difference in your choices for themes and equipment. For example, if doing an outside shoot to try and use natural lighting as much as possible. Inside, make sure your subject is lit well and make sure it is warm. You don’t want goosebumps ruining an epic picture.
Next let’s interview the client. What is the purpose for the shoot? Is the client shooting for a loved one? For a portfolio? Or just for their self? Ask the client their likes are and what they would like added into the shoot. Find out if they are looking for something specific from the shoot. Find out what kind of music helps them relax. Are they going to do their own make up or do they want to hire a professional? All of these questions will help you prepare for a great shoot. Do remember that in a shoot like this there is a chance there may be full or partial nudity so make sure to get a copy of the id and a sign consent release form from the client.
Now that you have everything planned out let’s get to the shoot. Set the mood for your client by making it comfortable on set. Get your lights set and adjusting the heat to slightly warmer than normal. You want to do this for the reason I mentioned before. Goosebumps are not your friend (unless you’re shooting an artistic nude and that’s the look you’re trying to achieve). Now turn the music on at a reasonable level. You want to make sure the two of you can hear each other over the music. It helps keep the mood upbeat. Having some banter and a few laughs before the shoot can really help to break the ice and any awkward tension that may be in the air. Because let’s face it when you are nude or even seminude in front of someone for the first time it can be a little awkward so making the client feel safe and comfortable is your number one priority.
Ok we are ready to start shooting! Ask her to pose and start taking your pictures. You will find that once the client loosens up and starts getting more and more into the shoot you will have to request poses less and less. You will notice over time that once your client starts posing and starts to enjoy themselves they loosen up and start posing the way they want to be seen. From this point it is your job to capture them in their most sensual and beautiful states. Also I would like to emphasize try to limit any touching if possible. Again it can be awkward when touching a client that is wearing little to nothing. I know some photographers really emphasize that you should adjust people with your hands to get the poses you want. I personally feel this is a little intrusive with this type of shoot. If you need to do this to achieve a shot make sure you get permission before touching the client out of respect for their personal space.
The shoot is over you have a bunch of great shots; now it’s time to edit these great shots into some epic artwork. Programs like Lightroom and Photoshop are great programs to edit and make your photos really pop. Here are a few minor tips for editing that should go along with a shoot like this. First make sure you edit out any blemishes from the pictures. Try not to make the edits look artificial. Second when all else fails with editing try adding a little softness to the photo. It makes it look slightly dreamy and covers a lot of minor blemishes. Third a border on your picture can help make the colors or even the b&w (black and white) of your photos really stick out. And last but not least don’t forget to add a small watermark of your logo in one of the corners of the picture. You don’t want to take away from the photo but remember it is free advertising.
Now you have a pile of edited photos you want to print out. Well first off you can offer my clients a dvd of their images with print rights. This saves you the trouble of getting prints done and the client can print of just what they want. That is a personal choice. If they do want prints you will need to find an online professional printer. Not only will they not give you a hard time for the nudes but a lot of times the prints are going to be a lot cheaper and of a better quality than going to the local photo store.
I hope this has been helpful.