One of the most frustrating parts of stock photography is that, for every single image you put online to sell, you--without question--MUST have a model release. A model release is a document the model signs giving the photographer permission to use (and sell) the photos of them. Getting a model to sign a release isn't annoying when you're hiring an actual model for a specific shoot, but if you're out shooting at events or shooting a model in public and someone walks into your shot, that shot becomes pretty much useless. Unless you can somehow blur out that person's face in photoshop (harder than it sounds to get it looking natural), or completely remove them from the picture (possible, but time-consuming), then that was a waste of a shot. Sure you can throw the image into your portfolio if it's worthy, but you will never be able to use it commercially. So if you want to avoid having to get model releases signed in order to get natural shots of people in their environment, you need to get a little creative with how you shoot. Unfortunately, cropping people's heads out of an image usually doesn't result in the most aesthetically pleasing photos.
So… how does Yuri Arcurs, the "world's top-selling micro stock photographer", overcome this obstacle? He organizes a live concert with real bands, a cool venue, free food, free drinks, and tells people that the entrance is free in exchange for signing a model release.
The result of this was one of the most memorable nights I had working in Denmark:
- 150 models
- 12 photographers
- 2 bands
- 2 videographers
- 4 producers
- 1 stylist
- 7 hours solid of shooting and great music
There was a line that extended all the way around the corner of the street to get in to the venue. Everyone at the concert knew there would be photographers there and actually wanted to be photographed! The photographers could shoot anything and anyone in the venue with the security of knowing they had the model release for every person present. Every single face in the background of every shot had given us permission to photograph them. The worst part of the shoot was that, since it was still an actual concert, there was very little light... VERY little light. Even with top-notch equipment, this made getting sharp, in-focus images the biggest challenge of the night, especially with everyone jumping up and down enjoying the music. The best part of the night, however, was that the photographers had total control of the event--especially our boss. If he wanted the guitarist to move a certain way while playing, he would. If he wanted a shot of someone crowd surfing, he would stop the band in between songs, and get a volunteer from the audience to climb onto the stage and leap into the crowd. If he wanted all the audience/models to sway their hands in the air in sync, he just needed to say the word and it was done. It took some getting used to, but by the end of the night, I was loving it. You could get anyone's attention from the audience and they would put all the energy of the concert into your photos. It was awesome. Here is some of what I got from the night:
All images are property of “On Life” blog or Yuri Arcurs Photography
