Trash the dress paintball style !

**Desmond** · 14-12-2010, 06:28 PM

Still playing with this idea - Christy suggested another shoot with red paint on the dresses - got me thinking about " paintball brides " .
The local "playground events centre" has paintball for $35 per person . I'm just imagining the girls in wedding dresses and paintball gear heading out to the field - then we blast the dresses [ without the girls in them

] , they put them back on and head out for some action shots where they appear to be shooting each other

.
I'm not sure I want to mess the dresses up yet though - does that stuff wash off ?

**Jos** · 14-12-2010, 06:52 PM

Code name: Bride Wars!

**Ashley Daws** · 14-12-2010, 06:57 PM

I doubt it would wash off

OK, now I'm all for a bit of fun, having meetups and all that, and if it's just for that then great .................. but..................... photographically wise and improving your skills with models, lighting, composition etc how's this a step forward, what are you getting from it?

For me this sounds like a laugh and then taking snaps. Am I wrong and totally missing the point?

**Desmond** · 14-12-2010, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Ashley Daws

I doubt it would wash off

OK, now I'm all for a bit of fun, having meetups and all that, and if it's just for that then great .................. but..................... photographically wise and improving your skills with models, lighting, composition etc how's this a step forward, what are you getting from it?

For me this sounds like a laugh and then taking snaps. Am I wrong and totally missing the point?

How will it differ from any other shoot if you are setting up models in different scenes ?

**Ashley Daws** · 14-12-2010, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Desmond

How will it differ from any other shoot if you are setting up models in different scenes ?

True, it won't I guess.

OK, what about the theme, what direction would that be going in, do you have a look/feel you are aiming for?

weka2000 · 14-12-2010, 07:09 PM

Hey how about making it really intresting and throwing some glamour/sex appeal into it

You know what sex appeal is or do you need lessons on what to look for

**Jos** · 14-12-2010, 07:14 PM

and no swords...
:P

**Desmond** · 14-12-2010, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Ashley Daws

True, it won't I guess.
OK, what about the theme, what direction would that be going in, do you have a look/feel you are aiming for?

Still just thinking about it actually - I'm not sure I want to trash the dresses yet .

Originally Posted by bigROBOTbill

and no swords...
:P

Is a machete ok ?

**Jos** · 14-12-2010, 07:23 PM

Not at the moment.

**kylecarter** · 14-12-2010, 09:45 PM

Anything can be turned into a decent shoot really with enough imagination..

Personally I would prefer a more realistic army/war style photo
Think of a warzone army shoot with journalistic grunge style.. camo paint.. weapons, dark of a forest.. everything looking like the its being photographed as jungle warfare, but in bridal dresses..

**ShutterNut** · 15-12-2010, 12:25 AM

LOL Weka.

I have played paintball quite a few times, and yes it does wash off. However, that wasn't on a white dress, funny enough!

**Desmond** · 15-12-2010, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by kylecarter

Anything can be turned into a decent shoot really with enough imagination..

Personally I would prefer a more realistic army/war style photo
Think of a warzone army shoot with journalistic grunge style.. camo paint.. weapons, dark of a forest.. everything looking like the its being photographed as jungle warfare, but in bridal dresses..

Originally Posted by ShutterNut

I have played paintball quite a few times, and yes it does wash off. However, that wasn't on a white dress, funny enough!

Christy and I were discussing it and we've decided it would be better to get a lot more use out of the dresses before thinking of destroying them .

**Ashley Daws** · 15-12-2010, 06:45 AM

Originally Posted by Desmond

Still just thinking about it actually - I'm not sure I want to trash the dresses yet .

I wouldn't. I think they looked great and I would save them to re-use at a later date. Heck you might even get married in one

Originally Posted by kylecarter

Personally I would prefer a more realistic army/war style photo
Think of a warzone army shoot with journalistic grunge style.. camo paint.. weapons, dark of a forest.. everything looking like the its being photographed as jungle warfare, but in bridal dresses..

So you fancy doing a shoot with the Army sometime if I can arrange one?

**jyphoto.co.nz** · 15-12-2010, 09:56 AM

Here's an idea. How about a dusk into night shoot on a quiet beach, with a massive bonfire.
The girls could be runaway brides, that are partying it up on beach to celebrate their freedom (drinking spirits from the bottle, playing guitar and dancing around etc).

Make several teams of 3-4 photog's, who work together to plan/make their own lighting setups + props. Have one lead photographer at each setup with a wireless transmitter, and the other two in the team are assistants.
After 20 or so shots, lead passes the transmitter to the assistant...ie. everyone in the team swaps roles on a regular basis.
While being an assistant you can think about what direction you will give the model when it is your turn to be the lead.

Models can go from station to station. And at the end have a "freestyle" fun time at the end with Desmond setting off explosives or lighting fireworks etc... (edit

If models are not too cold they can maybe run into the water for more shots at the end of the night.

**MikeW** · 15-12-2010, 10:23 AM

Sounds fun. The big problem with these shoots is 8 photogs firing away at 5 models and the poor models don't know where to look, which is part of the reason many of our shots aren't as engaging as they could be. So small groups, done in turn as you described would be an improvement.

**Belgium4** · 15-12-2010, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by Desmond

Still playing with this idea - Christy suggested another shoot with red paint on the dresses - got me thinking about " paintball brides " .
The local "playground events centre" has paintball for $35 per person . I'm just imagining the girls in wedding dresses and paintball gear heading out to the field - then we blast the dresses [ without the girls in them

] , they put them back on and head out for some action shots where they appear to be shooting each other

.
I'm not sure I want to mess the dresses up yet though - does that stuff wash off ?

Maybe this helps to persuade the girls to join the trash the dress shoot....

I might be interested in purchasing the trashed dresses as is, no cleaning or repairs needed! This is a serious en honest request for a good cause!
Please ask the antendies if they want to help me with my project.
I try to restore the dresses used back to good condition.
I donate these dresses after restoring them to people in need.
They can't afford to buy a dress for their wedding and I like to help them.
I like to work with clothes and it's a joy for me to donate the dresses when they are back in good shape.
You can't imagine how happy these people are when they receive a dress for their wedding.
I can pay a small fee for the dress + shipping.
Donations are of course much appreciated!
I really hope that you can pass my inquiry to the candidates as I really want to prevent that this dress ends up in a box or even in waste bin while I can help people.
My e-mail to contact me is herwyn.w@skynet.be
Thank you for your help and hope to hear from you very soon.
Wendy Herwyn
www.savethedress.be

**Desmond** · 15-12-2010, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by jyphoto.co.nz

Here's an idea. How about a dusk into night shoot on a quiet beach, with a massive bonfire.
The girls could be runaway brides, that are partying it up on beach to celebrate their freedom (drinking spirits from the bottle, playing guitar and dancing around etc).

Make several teams of 3-4 photog's, who work together to plan/make their own lighting setups + props. Have one lead photographer at each setup with a wireless transmitter, and the other two in the team are assistants.
After 20 or so shots, lead passes the transmitter to the assistant...ie. everyone in the team swaps roles on a regular basis.
While being an assistant you can think about what direction you will give the model when it is your turn to be the lead.

Models can go from station to station. And at the end have a "freestyle" fun time at the end with Desmond setting off explosives or lighting fireworks etc... (edit

If models are not too cold they can maybe run into the water for more shots at the end of the night.

Kyle was talking about organizing a beach shoot at sunset with the brides walking into the waves .

Originally Posted by MikeW

Sounds fun. The big problem with these shoots is 8 photogs firing away at 5 models and the poor models don't know where to look, which is part of the reason many of our shots aren't as engaging as they could be. So small groups, done in turn as you described would be an improvement.

Yep , better planning

**MikeW** · 15-12-2010, 01:57 PM

I don't think you can blame the planning. Given that it was open to everyone, and we didn't know who would actually show up, I think it was very well organised. I was more than happy with the arrangement we had set up for a first shoot.

**Desmond** · 15-12-2010, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by MikeW

I don't think you can blame the planning. Given that it was open to everyone, and we didn't know who would actually show up, I think it was very well organised. I was more than happy with the arrangement we had set up for a first shoot.

Thanks , that's kind of the way I felt about it . Everyone had a chance to individual pictures in the beginning and even after lining them up for a group shot at the bottom people still had the chance to do individual shots if they moved around a bit .

**Ashley Daws** · 15-12-2010, 03:09 PM

What we do now when doing multi photog shoots is "one photographer", you tell the models only to concentrate on who is directing them. Any camera in the background is to be ignored whether it's pointed at them or not. Also we take turns in assisting the "photographer" with lights, reflectors, smoke or whatever, IMO you'll get much better and more consistent results.

**kylecarter** · 15-12-2010, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Ashley Daws

So you fancy doing a shoot with the Army sometime if I can arrange one?

Errm, Im pretty sure army guys wont want to dress up in bridal dresses ;-)... which of the armed forces were you in again? Bridal brigade?

I have a few ideas for shoots.. but dont ever seem to get the time to arrange them.. I do have a couple that are night based.. which makes it much easier.. so hopefully will get those done over summer.. and also some of the summer evening sunset shots also. Will be contacting other photographers if i get them setup to see who else wants to tag along.. but they will be much smaller shoots.. 2 or 3 photogs.. 1 or 2 models.