Boats Are Perfect For Holding Model Photo Shoots

By Shawn Petrovich of Totally Ripped of Los Angeles, which specializes in photography and video of fitness models.

Boats can be especially convenient for photographers holding photo shoots at several beach locations during a single day. Whenever photo shoots are held near the shoreline, crew and models can travel rapidly from location to location using the boat.

Boats also allow access to interesting islands and locations by water that are not accessible on foot or van.

When traveling on foot between beach locations, several crew members are needed to each carry equipment. Carrying equipment over the sand tends to dehydrate people. When using a van to drive to different beach locations, crew must lug 150 pounds of lights and camera cases back and forth between the van and each new beach location.

Using a boat can be especially convenient because it allows the crew to keep all their equipment inside the boat. When arriving at a location, the crew simply grabs the equipment needed for the shoot and wades through the water to the shore. Once finished with one shooting location, everyone simply hops in the boat and navigates to the next location. If you are looking for techniques a photographer can use on location, check out this book: Minimalist Lighting: Professional Techniques for Location Photography.

Boat Stopped By Harbor Police

For one shoot, our photo crew was having a great time in a speedboat. In a hurry to get to their next Lake Erie, Put-in-Bay Harbor Police took notice and decided to stop and board the crew's boat and searched it for a surprise safety inspection.

"Just my luck -- we were losing sunlight and harbor patrol was counting life jackets to make sure we met boating regulations," our photographer said.

Models Use Jet Skis to Get to Island

Scott, Jim and Brian were lucky enough to be chosen to drive jet skis across the ocean from Key West to an abandoned island for a photo shoot. A Key West rental service loaned the models and crew several jet skis free of charge. If you are headed to Key West, we highly suggest you book a snorkelling trip too. A catamaran trip is well worth the cost - especially since the cocktails are free and you will likely spend the same amount of money drinking liquor on a sticky Duval Street barstool. If you are looking for lodging, we sugest you consider the Hyatt Key West Resort.

Beer on Boats

Campus Men's photo shoots have had their share of excitement. Boats also offer an added advantage of fun. Beer is an advantage, too - which is often in ample supply on the boat. When girls see a boatload of shirtless male models, they definitely want to board the boat. Girls are not eager to hop in a sweaty van when a van is used instead of a boat! Girls are eager to meet guys on their campus who get create a Campus Men profile.

Alcohol was in massive use during trips aboard the Fury Catamarans in Key West. The manager of the Fury allowed our photographer to bring models on its day long snorkeling cruises. Models held several photo shoots on the Fury while other passengers were snorkeling in the ocean and the boat was empty. Since complementary beer and champagne was available on the boat, models celebrated their shoots by getting drunk as the boat rocked back and forth. Then they hit the Duval Street bars once back on land.

The new way to become a portrait photographer is to order the Flip video camera. You use it to make quick and easy videos of students on a campus near you. Photography isn't all about stills anymore. The Entitlement Generation (those born after 1980) want to be video taped, not just photographed. They grew up with camera on their cell phones. For older people, the Polaroid One Step camera was a prized household item that was kept under lock and key by dad. Kids normally have camera on their key chains.