I always shoot the stills first because when shooting for magazines they were worth more and it gives models an idea of the sequence you want them to follow. Which is essential when shooting couples.

I thought long and hard about whether to do a minimum budget cutting corners or to do a budget that would do the job of shooting more than the basic GF or Amateur content. This is 2010 no 2000 and if it's not done right the odds of selling it are long.

Good stills are needed for tours, affiliates and even inside the site to bulk it out. Members do look at sets and do enjoy them. Yes the lens is important and the prices for good pro lenses will send the budget higher.

I looked at some of the cheaper ones and found nothing I was comfortable with. Multiblitz are work horses and will last decades. I know I've still got some I had 20 years ago. Also cheap ones do not give out the same quality light or regeneration time.

Daylight bulbs are not essential, you can balance a video camera to shoot in Tungsten. As for screwing lights to a piece of wood, I best not comment on that. ;)

IMO both are needed.
1) Yes flash needs experience, which will never come if you don't do it right.
2) That's why you need a flash meter, to learn about light, see the power and set lights. Then view test shots on your laptop or computer before the model comes in.

Come back in from the window. A flash meter will give you the reflected light reading, which is essential to know and eliminate in video and stills. Unless you want fuzzy pictures.
Yes a grey card is cheap and a good investment. :thumbsup

Not sure where to clip a wireless mic. LOL
Freestanding booms are available and yes cheaper than an assistant. But a good assistant helps to move the shoot along and keeps an eye on everything.


Above all have a very good idea where you will sell the content. :thumbsup
If not hire the equipment as I said in a previous thread.

An Introduction to Shooting Porn: 1
 

Some of these points I've covered, good to point them out again.

Even With the greatest equipment in the world and years of practice, if the shooter cannot find and control his subject he's in trouble.
Shooting your own content for your site or resale can be a dream or a nightmare. The better preparation taken can give you more dreams and reduce the nightmares.

When I started shooting porn in the late Seventies, things were very different. Less competition and fewer places to sell. Today lots of people want to shoot porn and the Internet is an insatiable market. Add that to the price and ease of using a digital camera, and you have a recipe for some to think that all they have to add is a nude model.

That's the first and biggest mistake most would-be shooters make, because if it were that easy the market would be flooded with successful photographers and content suppliers. One look at the blow out deals being offered today shows this is not as easy as it looks.

Preparation isn't everything but it helps. Firstly equipment if you think a $400 pocket camera will do, forget it. A good image can be reduced in quality easier than fixing a bad image. Both these cameras give the user control.

Then studio strobe lights and a light meter. Do not rely on a camera-mounted flash, you want to be in control not the flash. A good light meter will tell you where and how powerful the light is. Assuming you want to learn what effect light has on an image.

Also get some good books on photography, digital or film, they will help in getting you started. Read the manuals and books front to back at least twice before you pick up the camera. Then go through everything again with the equipment, try using a chair as a model before moving onto a live one. While learning how to shoot chairs tend to be less hassle, more compliant and cheaper than the real thing.

There are no short cuts or easy routes at this stage, and nothing can substitute for practice. I have heard the cry that all you are trying to achieve is Amateur Style content. Well if you think Amateur is an excuse for rubbish then stop reading and go and shoot it. You are planning to shoot explicit pictures of naked females to make money and unless you offer more than the other 100 guys who had the same idea this week, read on.

The main problem with Amateur Style content is it lacks something to put it apart from the next guy offering the same thing. This is why you need to be in control of your equipment and not the equipment in control of you.

Working With Models
Now for the hard stuff: models. With the greatest equipment in the world and years of practice, if the shooter cannot find and control his subject he's in trouble. In a major city finding people to be models is easy; put an ad into your local paper that is read by the people you want to recruit. Tell them what you want, what you will pay, what they will be doing, and for which market, do not think you can get them to turn up to be fashion models and then persuade them to pose nude. Do not rely on them posing for a slice of the profits, they answer ads to earn instant money.

Again practice is what is needed; think about what you are going to say on the phone. Who you are, what you are doing, and what's in it for them. Unless you come over as a straight type of person from the beginning, don't expect anyone to turn up for a casting.

Think through what you are going to say, explain as much as possible, be open and honest. When finished ask if they have any questions and answer them honestly, then ask them what kind of work they will be comfortable doing. If they want to do something they're not suitable for or and let them go. Be polite but firm, do not attempt to persuade them. You will just come over as desperate, or pushy and even if they say yes, they will either not turn up for the shoot, or they will turn up and this puts the model in control.

Meeting more than one potential model for a casting is good, it gives confidence plus the feeling you are not after anything other than shooting. First impressions are everything. You need models thinking you are a nice guy; winning trust and respect. A clean shaven guy in a laundered shirt who smells good will get more than a guy with two days growth, a torn Tee shirt and who smells of body odor. Sounds like common sense? Well speak to girls who have been on a few castings and you'll know why I wrote this.

Great stuff Paul,
I've enjoyed learning a little more about a different side of the industry than the ones I'm been involved in.

Thanks a lot for the 411, I've always enjoyed your work and it's nice to hear some stories and real life experiences. Keep it coming, I'm looking forward to learning how to edit the images and sell the content once you have it produced!

Will try to cover editing and selling later. Selling is a tough one today, especially if you're new.

An Introduction to Shooting Porn 2
 

Decide what you are going to shoot, where you are going to shoot it, how you are going to shoot it, what the model will wear, how she will pose the sequence for the video, what she will do, plan every thing. Leave nothing to chance.

Shooting your own content for your site or resale can be a dream or a nightmare. The better preparations that you make, the more dreams and the less nightmares.

First Impressions
A good tip to remember on castings is if there are more than two models and one is clearly not what you are looking for, then very politely tell her at the beginning that she is welcome to stay and listen but that you will not be able to offer her any work. This has the benefit of establishing who is in charge, that you have a set idea of what you need, and that you're not just trying to see a girl naked.

This first meeting is also the time for you to sort out who these girls are: Be wary of the models who want to run the interview, the girl who looks as if she is terrified and forcing herself to do this for the money, the girl who lets her boyfriend make all the decisions, and obviously be wary of drug addicts. Unless you plan to shoot them on location, you're going to be letting these people into your home or studio.

Even with a very low thresh hold for what is acceptable for a shoot, calculate on working with only one in ten that turn up for castings, because some will say no on the casting, some will not be suitable, and some will simply not show up for the shoot. Patience is a virtue.

Some think this can be short cut by booking strippers or contacting the local models agent. Both of which are bad ideas for newbies. Strippers usually make very bad models, especially for someone just starting out. They think all men who want to look at them naked are jerks, they are rarely desperate for the money, used to being in control, and prone to not show up. Added to the fact that she could have been dancing until 4:00 am and this all goes to make a recipe for disaster.

A models agent can be a good friend or your worse enemy, it depends how you come across. Don't try to con him, he's been in the business longer than you and can spot a phony. He will probably try to get top dollar for any of his girls and unless you get a really easy model do you want to be shooting one who can spot your every mistake?

Your First Shoot
So the equipment's ready, model is booked now comes the really hard stuff, the shoot. You need to plan everything down to the last detail. Working on the formula If it can go wrong it will go wrong is not enough; include the stuff that can't go wrong too.

Decide what you are going to shoot, where you are going to shoot it, how you are going to shoot it, what the model will wear, how she will pose, what she will do, plan everything. Leave nothing to chance. I've been shooting for 25 years and can do it in my sleep and ad-lib, but I choose not to, I plan. Do the same. Or do you want to run out of ideas in the middle of the session and take pictures of a girl who thinks you are a complete loser?

What this girl thinks of you is all-important. Think in two minds, one the mind of the surfer, the other the model. The model is there to earn money and the surfer is a guy at his computer instead of being out in the local bar picking up chicks.

So first the girl, she needs to think you are nice, know what you are doing and professional. She costs money and you want to make as much out of that money as possible. If she gets the impression that you are some loser who does not a have a clue and only doing this to see her naked then she will give you the look a lot of your potential clients get asking a girl in a bar "Can I buy you a drink?" You don't want pictures of girls thinking Get lost you loser, this is one pussy you can't even dream about! What you want are pictures of girls thinking, Can I buy YOU a drink? The definition of good porn is not Would I fuck her?' it's Will she fuck me?

And there you have it; all the equipment and preparation in the world will not help you produce real porn if you do not have the personality. It will help you shoot a better picture, but that's not porn. If you can't make her look at you as if she is saying yes, forget about making money from the shoot.

Amateur niche is not the photographer it's the model. You are trying to make her represent the horny housewife, a hot girlfriend or the sexy girl next door, who strips and fucks for fun. Not one of the local girls who is so desperate for money she will show her pussy for $100. Which is closer to the truth.

Pornographers sell the fantasy that something will happen. Pornography is about recording it. Remember anyone can shoot a good looking naked girl, it's harder to get her to look like she wanted to be fucked.

To get the under crotch shots properly, a large softbox or umbrella must be used.

With an umbrella in a three light set up, the front fill umbrella can be lowered and directed upward to get the under crotch shots. It is very simple, not rocket science.

We call it a pussy light. :winkwink:

Also with digital cameras you can see the result on the screen at the back. Of course with a light meter you can check the exposure before you start shooting the scene.

Thanks for the tip.

yes, i am getting a dedicated studio that i am renovating now. i have made the decision, this is what i want to do for the rest of my life. good thread.

A studio makes life a lot easier, you just have to keep redecorating. :)

Editing content
 

Editing content.
This one varies on the site you have or the site you're selling to. The first place to do any editing is on the shoot. Know what you're going to be aiming at achieving. A posing book that fits the niches and style of what you're shooting is a must IMO. It helps you keep the shoot going in the direction you need. Remember every pose can be shot from a slightly different angle or even varied to a slightly different position. Keep it varied and keep the model moving. Shoot to a format and then when you're finished review your work with a critical eye. NO TWO SHOTS SHOULD BE THE SAME.

When shooting video, again the first place to think about the editing is on the shoot. By shooting the stills first you give the model/models a clue about the positions and running order you want the scene to progress in. Give the model/models clear instructions on what you want. Don't let them just wing it. Have hand signals to tell them when to turn over, stand up, sit down, lay down etc. Then you have to rely on short oral instructions that will have to be edited out later. DON'T HAVE MODELS IN A COUPLES SCENE CONTINUALLY LOOKING AT THE CAMERA. Solo girl is works, boy girl and lesbian it does not.

Remember to shoot "cut aways" these are points in the scene where you shoot a different angle or close up or a face so you can use it during the editing of the scene. You want the whole thing to flow in the viewers eyes.

And shoot a proper beginning and ending. I know people want to see the action but if that's all they want want there are a million scenes that will fill their need on Tubes. Why is the model there doing this and will they finish with an ending. Each scene needs and ending.

should be put in the education threads, this is a good one

Selling content.
 

Tough one today, especially for newbies.

Back in the 70s to 90s it was easier. Few could shoot on film and magazine editors and DVD companies were always on the look out for people who could shoot good content with new models. They were all willing to see someone they thought could help them fill their needs and a pleasure to deal with. Even I could make sales in the amateur to teen markets. :winkwink:

Today I suppose there are 3 ways to sell content.

Shooting for your own paysite. You will know what you want to create, what your members like and go from there. The only problem is unless you're a genius it will all start to look the same after a while. Buying in to mix the site up and still keep it within the sites niche/style might be an option. For many it's simply not. They shoot such a small niche few places to buy it. So if you're shooting for your own paysite try to keep it as varied as possible.

Shooting custom. You need to have something to show your skills off, you need to have a good steady supply of girls, you need to have a large location or access to one. Don't just post on a board you can get girls to shoot and expect people to drop who they're giving their business to take you on. Get to the shows and network. Try to talk to everyone and listen to what they need.

Content stores and brokering. Used to be a good earner for those who could shoot a certain standard. Contrary to the myth that was spread the content was not "saturated" otherwise a lot of people would not of closed their content stores to shoot custom. But the sales keep coming in and even in hard times when many are dropping out there is money to be made. It depends on how well you've taken in what you have learned and developed a style people want.

Selling BG or GG are easier than selling solo most of the time. Shooting solo is easier than shooting couples and often a lot cheaper.

If you try brokering your content, get your it on as many stores as possible. They will prefer it exclusive, but the returns are in you getting your investment back from as many places as possible.

ANY QUESTIONS?

ERIC CAN COPY IT OVER, BUT FOR NOW LEAVE IT WHERE IT IS. :winkwink:

Could you write a bit more on finding locations? Do you shoot in Hilton, Marriot and other brand name hotels ? They usually have policies regarding shooting especially nude (meaning they don;t allow it). Apart from hotels and outdoors what would you advise ? Thanks!

The caps lock key is the one above the shift key. Hope that helps.

Tough or easy one depending where you are. Agents can often help with the local locations and of course you can ask models. As for shooting in hotels again it depends where you are and the policy of the hotel. You can always just not tell them and make sure the lights are not shining out the window or doors.

In some places it's possible to rent apartments to shoot in and some people even allow you to use their houses. It all depends where you're based. Ask around if you have people near you and in the business. You can always shoot outdoors in the summer.

Last thing is try searching on the Internet. You need to put in your location.

Where are you based?

I would never of found it without your expert help. :1orglaugh

So that's it. I think I've covered everything I can. If you want to know anything else post here and I will try to answer it or hit me up on ICQ.

Other than the equipment getting easier to use little has changed. Maybe it's harder to find a good supply of new fresh models in some places. The job still comes down to your ability to make the fantasy appear real and a little different for what others shoot.

Good luck.

What really would help out a beginner is you posting some standard setups of yours (position of the umbrellas/softboxes, etc.) and the results. :winkwink:

100 porn shooters :)

I'm in Poland. Not much adult industry here but even if you shoot non-nude like we do it's still difficult to find a good location. Even good hotels all look the same. Redecorating the studio is quite expensive too.

102 Markham Tips.
:pimp

Good point.

It will depend a lot on the number of lights you have and the location but this is what I use.

A) One light set as high as possible, right in front of the models and 12 feet away aimed down at the model. This would be through a translucent umbrella. (For an "amateur" style this can be the only light needed.)

B) Then a smaller light on the floor to fill in on the lower half of the scene. Using a small soft box.

C) Then a side light directly to the models right or left again higher than the models and aimed down and through a translucent umbrella. This light can be used to fill in as the back and side light. It can also be set half a stop to a full stop over the power of the front lights. A & C are essential IMO.

D) If you have the lights and the space a dedicated back light is going to give the effect of lifting the model off the background. Again this light can be set a half or full stop over the power of the front lights. The filter used for this can be a soft box or even a honeycomb snoot. It really depends on the setting.

Some use a two light set up with the lights at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock to the model. A good set up for working outdoors if you have power supply.

The same set up can be used for video, just be sure not to shoot into the lights as you move around.

To produce good shots you need good lighting and you need to experiment and learn by using the light meter, shooting different set ups and experimenting. Today it's easy because you can examine the results right away on your computer or lap top.

There are probably as many books on lighting as there are on photography and there are numerous ways to light a scene. The setting is going to often decide what set up you use. Light sides and backgrounds can be a big problem with reflected light, dull ones can be a problem in they soak up your light and give a dull effect.

Don't experiment with lighting with a $500 a day model. If you don't have friends to pose, use a big teddy bear. They are cheaper and argue less. :1orglaugh

Shooting Non Nude it should be easier to find locations than shooting hard core. Look around on the Internet for short stay rental apartments or houses. Look under Hotels on Google and you might find something. Steer clear of hotel chains as they do look all the same. Small hotels seem to have a better variation.

Yes repainting the studio on a regular basis is a pain, but not that expensive.

It's summer now so you have a few months of shooting outdoors before you need to find some where.

What an informative post :error

Yes, apartments seem the best option but still they don't look good enough for our new project.

Just the other day I was picking the brain of a very good shooter in the industry.. and then I stumbled upon this gem. Very, very good thread.

There are some hotels here in Brno that might fit your needs but if you want something really up market in Poland you're going to have to get looking.

Thank you. Just my way of doing it. There are other ways and getting advice from two sides is good.

Filming porn is easy. All you need is a video camera.

Very true. Now try to do it. And show us what you did.

$200 a week? That's it???

Yes. You have to remember that was over 30 years ago and worth a lot more then. Plus it grew.

This is fabulous, Paul --Thanks!!!!!

hello paul how ya doing?

Thanks Dave. Most of this you should know though. :winkwink:

great post :thumbsup

Not so bad and not so good.

Still recovering from the radiation and it will be a while before I'm back to normal. Well what was normal for me. :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaughwait :1orglaugh :1orglaugh You're so awesome :thumbsup

@ Paul - great thread, I enjoy reading *proper* tip and how to threads such as this. Lots of detail all drawn from actual experience. :thumbsup