Since I started photography in 2009, and specifically got into the commercial, fashion, editorial, and glamour photography world years ago, I discovered pretty quickly that photographers, studios, models, and organizations host creative photography events and group shoots all the time.
It also didn’t take me long to realize that a lot of photography group shoots are, well, let’s just say questionable.
Some have severe morality problems, to put it mildly. Others are honestly just kind of shitty.
I’m not going into the immoral side of photography group shoots here because that’s an entirely different discussion, and there are plenty of stories going back decades involving photographers gathering a bunch of models together only for the whole thing to devolve into a circle jerk of perversion and stupidity. That’s a topic for another day.
But even ignoring that side of things, there’s another problem: a lot of creative shooting events simply aren’t very good.
Someone books a studio or location, gathers some models, charges photographers a fee to attend, and figures that’s enough. And to be fair, that can work to a degree. Beginner photographers and beginner models have absolutely used group photography events to gain experience, build portfolios, experiment with new ideas, network, and simply get more comfortable working with other creatives.
This isn’t even remotely a new phenomenon. My father has been a photographer since around 1970, and according to him, photography group shoots were happening back in the film days too. Different cameras, same basic concept, and apparently many of the exact same problems.
So why keep doing them?
Because despite the argument that everything has already been done when it comes to photographer and model group shoots, that’s not really true. There are better ways to do them.
I’ve hosted dozens of creative photography events myself over more than a decade, so I’m certainly not approaching this as someone unfamiliar with them. But watching how Briana Noir organizes her own creative shooting events has genuinely made me rethink how these things should be handled.
Her approach is extremely curated and controlled, and that’s precisely why it creates such a thriving creative environment.
She carefully selects the models rather than simply accepting anybody who wants to participate. She styles them. She develops different looks and concepts. Photographers contact her directly before registering so she can explain exactly how the event works and determine whether they’re a good fit. She personally handles registrations and communication.
At most of her photography events, she also makes sure photographers have opportunities to work with everyone while rotating through different models, wardrobe looks, concepts, and areas of the location. You’re not simply released into a room and told, “Good luck.”
That distinction matters.
A good creative photography event shouldn’t be about paying a random fee, walking through the door and hoping you manage to photograph somebody worthwhile. You shouldn’t spend the day wondering whether you’ll get enough shooting time, whether you’ll end up photographing the same outfit six times, whether the models will actually be experienced and good to work with, or whether you’ll leave wondering why you bothered.
The point should be to create actual work.
That’s what changed my perspective on these events. Yes, they’re naturally learning opportunities. Put photographers and models together in a creative environment and people are inevitably going to experiment, learn from each other, try different approaches and walk away knowing something they didn’t know before.
But a well-organized model and photographer shooting event doesn’t have to be a beginner exercise. Experienced photographers can walk away with legitimate portfolio work too.
That’s exactly what Briana is currently putting together for her October 18 creative photography event in El Paso, Texas.
She’s returning to Railyard Studio, a massive rustic warehouse studio in El Paso that we’ve worked at before and that I’ve personally photographed in many times over the last decade. She’s organized the event down to the smallest details, with 13 carefully selected models, including some traveling in from outside El Paso, along with a large variety of styling and shooting opportunities throughout the studio.
Photographers are already inquiring and registering, but the point isn’t simply to cram as many people into the building as possible.
That’s ultimately what I’ve come to believe separates a genuinely useful creative photography event from just another group shoot.
Curation matters.
The models matter. Styling matters. The venue matters. Organization matters. Communication matters. Making sure photographers actually have opportunities to create something worthwhile matters.
If you’re going to gather photographers and models together for a creative shooting event, there should be more thought behind it than, “We have a location, we have some models, now give us money.”
Briana has figured out how to do these things correctly, and I’ve been doing this long enough to admit when somebody else’s approach has made me reconsider my own.
If you’re a photographer interested in the October 18 creative shooting event at Railyard Studio in El Paso, contact Briana Noir directly on Instagram to inquire about attending. It’s more than worth it.