Hey Joe,
Technically, the shots are perfect. BUt as the others said, the models look somewhat rigid and stoic. They should feel at ease and naturally fall into the composition than being posed for it.
One issue I can think of is that you're shooting with a technical camera, which means every shot has to be set up quite extensively and you cannot do more freeform shooting as with an SLR body. maybe next time, try it with an XF/ DF+ and do small bursts of 3-4 shots as you talk the models through how you want them to pose.
Camera is very important. When I was still working I used either of two types: 500C/M or Nikon. The difference in mindset (mine) using those apparently similar cameras was very real. For a start, the 'blad was always tied to a tripod (the kiss of death for me) whereas the Nikon, even if it had to be on a tripod
sometimes - such as with a 135mm lens or longer - was my choice of body: it was quick, gave a more uninterrupted flow of shots and got in the way a lot less than the bulkier body did.
Models respond very much to the photographer. If you find yourself having to stop, shift heavy equipment around, it kills off their enthusiasm too, an enthusiasm that you usually have to ignite in the first place: their take on photography is not the same as the photographer's.
It's funny, but some clients also react to cameras. I had one lady client for whom I did interesting high-profile work; she once said to me in the middle of a shoot: "Rob, I like it better when you use your small camera; you jump around a lot more and it looks much better!" What she was
really thinking, I imagine, is that she meant that the work going down seemed more alive when I was off tripod, and the model responded better, making Mrs Client feel more confident that
she was bringing home a better product. It's easy to forget that even clients have to answer to somebody else - more often than not.
I always end up coming back to this belief: you can overwork anything, and digital capture and processing has simply made it too easy for people to fall into that trap and produce immaculate sterility.
Models. I believe that it's different today, that even the very top of the photographic icing can no longer work exclusively with the models he/she wants to use. In my day, up until say the mid to late 80s, they and even I, could. Does it matter? Isn't one top chick as good as the next? Maybe, but she's not
your top chick. Using somebody you know, from experience, will give you what makes you look good, is why famous guys down the ages have mostly been associated very strongly with pretty much just one girl. Yes, the bedroom may come into it, but that's secondary. Very secondary: the images are what count the most, and the unspoken understanding, the silent language between the two people is why it works. Technique gets you so far; soul and love take it to the next level. Somehow, if the chemistry works, even a less than spectacular girl can shine in your pictures.
Rob
