— Providing a wealth of high-res professional model photography for both AWAKE and KAIZEN, the Arizona-based professional model photographer known by the enigmatic name “The Colby Files” has been a delight to work with, especially with regard to the awesome value he brings as part of my new KAIZEN Design Team. His photography has proven hugely popular within the group. Not everyone can engineer such a successful business based almost exclusively on model photography. In this interview we will learn something of how he pulled it off.
Q. Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in photography.
I’m a professional photographer located in Scottsdale, Arizona specializing in female portraiture, fashion art, model portfolios, and fine art nude photography. I have loved photography since my college days when I first learned what an f-stop meant. I worked for the college and local newspaper shooting events and doing darkroom developing and printing. Shortly after college I did a stint of aerial photography, shooting large corporate farms, small towns, radio communications towers, etc. It wasn’t until I technically retired (6 years ago) that I started shooting models and female portraits exclusively — and now it’s grown into a full-time job.
Q. Do you maintain a pretty regular production schedule? And how much work do you put into it all?
On average, I conduct two model shoots each week. I schedule them on the same day, back to back, with two to three hours of shooting time for each model. I stagger them so that while I am shooting the first model, the other is getting her hair and makeup done. I am at my best creatively in the mornings — much to the dismay of the models, who mostly do not love mornings! The rest of the week is spent editing and planning for the next week’s shoots. While the actual photography all takes place (typically) just one day a week, it’s still a full-time proposition.
Q. And how much of that time each week is spent creating material for your business versus time spent creating stuff just for yourself?
Since I became one of Sebastian’s designers for KAIZEN, I have found myself spending much more time uploading content to my sites. As far as my shooting goes, I would say that 50% of my shoots are client paid and the other 50% are for my own personal art objectives. I much prefer the art side of my time.
Q. You’ve worked with a LOT of models at this point. What would you say are the elements involved in accomplishing a GREAT outcome from a model shoot?
Excellent question. It’s something I’ve thought about, and I can break it down like this: First, it really, really helps to have a stunningly beautiful, professional model. (Working with experienced professionals makes a BIG difference.) Second, you MUST have an experienced professional hair and makeup artist. (This is such a big deal, I should probably include it multiple times, just to drive the point home.) Third, it’s a great idea to include at least one bit of flair: a fantastic location, an interesting prop, something really great in terms of wardrobe (or even a really great tattoo!), or a really cool concept around which to build the shoot. Fourth, and lastly, you need to have the skills to carry off a great edit after the images are all captured. If you don’t have all four of these elements in place, you will probably just have a good image. Who knows? Maybe a very good image. Stack these four elements though and you have a real shot at creating something GREAT. Not every photo we create will be a “great” photo, but going for great should always be the goal.
Q. Do you direct your models during a shoot, or just let them do their own thing?
I only direct models who are still getting comfortable with the trade and have little working experience. With professional models I direct them into the light, capture a few shots to show them how that light is falling on them … But from then on, I have found it’s far better to let them bring their own creativity to the shoot. They are much better at modeling than I am, so why would I want to direct them? This is one of the benefits of working with experienced models.
Q. Pro models are definitely a big plus. But if we’re working with less experienced models . . . what tips can we as photographers give them to bring out their best during the shoot?
This tip alone will leap-frog you over most every other photographer, including many pros. Here it is: Explain to your models that “perfect modeling is slow-motion dancing, not posing.” Just that easy. If they “pose” … the photo will look posed. Instead, encourage them to dance — keeping their movements slow and fluid, beautiful, with attention to their hands and legs and the position of their head and their facial expressions … If your models bounce all over the place, you’ll end up with awkward positions and they will get out of the light and it will all just looks amateurish. So tell them to keep it slow. Just small, fluid, slow movements. Dancing. In slow motion. That’s the trick.
Q. What would you say was your greatest challenge when you were first starting out? And how did you overcome it?
Simple. Goes back to what I was saying. My biggest challenge was finding experienced talented models willing to shoot with me. Unless you have deep pockets (where you can just throw money around), you will be hard-pressed to get great models willing to work with you. However, there is almost always an abundance of new models more than willing to work for free (trading photos for their modeling services) or for very little money. That’s where you begin. We all start this way. Over time you build up a body of work, you get experience, you become known. And it’s a fun journey to eventually become respected in the industry. I love it when I shoot a model who originally would not shoot with me, and here she is now paying me to be her photographer. But you have to start. Just dig in, shoot, and shoot some more. Treat it like a professional even before you’re a professional.
Q. Browsing your collection of works, it’s clearly evident that you shoot a lot of nudes. Why is that, and how did this come about?
Well, being an older man with a very supportive wife (who is my biggest fan and my most honest critic) certainly helps. Beyond that, it starts with a reputation for providing a safe professional environment for the models. Well over half my models come to me exclusively for their nude work. I could write (and probably have) an entire article on this topic. But why nudes? For me, the female form simply has the most beautiful lines, curves, and shapes of any other. And the lighting is so critical and challenging, making artistic nudes probably my favorite genre.
Q. Where have you seen your work published or exhibited? Any special lessons learned from that experience?
I have been internationally published in at least a dozen magazines, even on the cover in some of those instances. While it’s nice to see your work in print, this is never my objective initially and I don’t feel it’s a barometer of being successful. On the other hand … the models LOVE it. If you want a friend for life, get a model published. Also, after each publication my inbox blows up with shooting inquiries.
Q. What’s your favorite social media platform?
I use all of them to some degree. However, I have found that Facebook gives me the most exposure and ease of communications with my local clients and models. My favorite photo sharing site is 500px.com. This site is dedicated to the finest photographers from around the world. Receiving comments, suggestions, and accolades from peers at this level is the most rewarding. I have also cultivated a following on Flickr, mostly from Europe and other parts of the world. My site on Flickr recently broke 18 million views, so it’s not likely something I will give up anytime soon.
Q. If you had it all to do over again, what would you do differently? Or if you could go back and give a piece of advice to a younger you … what would it be?
Hmmmm …. I would definitely have spent my entire working career doing photography. I think I would have loved shooting scenic and lifestyle photos from all over the world. By the time I went full time I felt I was already too old to fly around the planet shooting landscapes. The best landscape photographers seem to be extreme athletes that happen to also be phenomenal photographers. I’ve built a substantial following in just six years, and I can only imagine how different my life might be if I had started in earnest forty years ago!
Q. Last question for you. Where you do you see yourself going as an artist next? What’s next in your creative life?
I am so inspired by the fine art composites created by the artists in AWAKE and KAIZEN. It is a gift beyond expression when I see the amazing works posted there using one of my model photos. I have tried creating a few myself of course, but it’s never quite been in my wheelhouse … At least not yet. Not at that level. I’ll continue to shoot for as long as I can, but eventually I want to go back through my body of work and really put my attention on creating serious photo art compositions. That’s my next step as an artist.