{my first model photoshoot--some details!}

Have you ever been to a Meetup group? Or even on the site?  This is from the website: "Meetup is the world's largest network of local groups. Meetup makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 9,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities." 

I'd  heard about it a long time ago & was immediately interested, but I didn't know what kind of Meetup to join. I looked for some photography groups in Boston,but I was disappointed by the selection. I have this amazing camera...but no one to take pictures of! So I searched some Los Angeles-area photography groups & found the perfect one.  It's also a real photography club, so they offer classes as well.

The first Meetup was an "Open Shoot" on a mountain with a real model.  I immediately signed up!

I've gotta say though...I was nervous. Not only was I going alone, but I didn't know what I was going to walk in to. Were the other group members going to be sketchy? Was it going to be disorganized? Was I going to get totally scammed? {I paid a very small fee to attend.}  This group has done a number of different photo shoots: fashion, editorial, portrait, boudoir, nude.  Which brings me to the next thing I was nervous about...was I going to show up to a completely naked model?! Because I'm not quite ready for that yet :) {if ever, lol}

Thankfully it was a fully-clothed model & the people that attended were so welcoming to me! I was the only newbie.  I'll also admit that I strolled in there thinking I was hot stuff with my awesomely advanced camera & expensive lenses... & was quickly put in my place. Those peeps were good.

The weather was a lot colder & cloudier than I would've liked, but it was still pretty enjoyable!  I went in with one goal: get more comfortable communicating with a model. I've really only done candids or "posey" photos, not fashion.  I'm not used to giving much direction, so I was a jittery, stammering wreck. {Think, "Uh, can you please turn to the righ--actually look up, or um...could you maybe, like, put your foot in front of you? Yeah, like that. Okay thanks."}

The BEST part of the whole experience? How supportive, encouraging, & helpful the other photographers were. One guy even let me use two of his lenses. I'm not talking amateur lenses, either. I'm talkin' over $1000+ per lens.  I can't tell you how appreciative & grateful I was that he let me borrow them for the session, considering he'd just met me. But he said, "I never had a photography mentor that let me try out their lenses & that would've helped me out so much. So I want to be that person. Now you'll know what lenses you can look forward to." See? So nice.  I was pretty much in heaven.

Here are my best shots. I'm excited to add these to my growing portfolio! & I'm happy to report that I'm definitely more comfortable photographing models!

I suggest you sign up for Meetup if you're looking to meet new people who have the same interests. They have everything: cooking groups, movie groups, mom groups, etc. You'll find something for you :)

Thanks for letting me share these! I can't wait to do another shoot :)

{For those wondering, I used my 18-135mm EF-S IS STM lens & 50mm 1.4, and the borrowed EF 24-105mm f/4 & EF 70-200mm f/2.8.}

*This is not a sponsored post.
**& please excuse the super large watermarks. I especially don't want these shots stolen. Thanks!