How To Shoot Male Models In The Shower …

ACEBOY MODEL: Quinten

No male model or male model photographer portfolio is complete without at least one super sexy shower shot. If you’ve spent any time in the meet the models section of our website, you know that we love shooting our male models in the shower. Mostly because it’s a lot of fun, but also because there’s a commercial demand for photos of hot male models in the shower – go figure! So in this blog entry we are going to give amateur photographers some tips we’ve learned to help get crisp, bright and sexy shower shots for your portfolio both yours and your male models. If you’re a male model without a shower shot for your portfolio, forward this blog to your favorite photographer and get him or her ready to shoot you in suds.

First & foremost let’s talk about some common sense model and photographer safety issues when doing a shower photo shoot . . .

Keep Studio Lights Out!
DO NOT use your soft boxes or any other studio lighting near running water – especially if you have a model standing in it!. I know this should go without saying, but I can’t stress enough that you (the photographer) are responsible and liable for the models comfort and safety, using studio lighting in a bathroom is dangerous – just don’t do it. We’ll provide you with some safer alternatives below.

Watch your Step!
Unlike studio, street or beach type sets, your model is on slippery ground in a shower photo shoot so it’s important that you (the photographer) remind the model of this and be calculated with your direction. Slow it down and avoid sudden movements to prevent a nasty fall. Cool, calm and colleted are the buzz words for a safe and fun shower photo shoot.

Ok, now that we have the safety stuff out of the way let’s talk about the shoot itself.

Practice Makes Perfect!
Here at ACEBOY Studios we’re into dry runs, and shower sets are no exception. We get our male models in the shower without the water and cameras to practice posing first. Water can be a distraction especially for a less experienced model. Noise from the shower head, soap in the eyes, pruning fingers, etc can distract and ultimately ruin your shower set, so taking a few minutes to rehearse the poses will help ensure you get what you need and prevent your model from becoming water logged. Also, a shower set is not a good ‘first’ shoot. Generally when working with new guys we’ll schedule the shower shoot toward the end of the trip. Shower sets require trust and really good communication and that takes some time to establish. If you really need to get the shot – take the time to shoot the model someplace less “intimate” than the shower at first and work you way up to that level.

Wath Out For Hard Shadows!

Don’t let it get too hot!
You’re models are not going to like this, but the water temperature can’t get too warm or you’ll start to fog up. I tell the models that if they begin to see steam on the mirrors, same is happening on the camera lens and to notch the water temperature down. Now in a still photo shoot it’s not a big deal, but if you’re shooting video, you want to model to be aware of his surroundings and making adjustments so you’re not spending a fortune of post production video edits.

Fast shutter speeds are the key!
You’ve seen the shots where the water seems suspended in air or frozen on the models body. The key to this is a fast shutter speed. 1/200 of a second is a good range to start. As mentioned above, I like to get in and do some practice shots even before the model arrives. Just run the shower and take shots of the running water. This will give you a feel for what shutter speeds are going to work before you’re live with the model. Also, be very aware of the space you have to shoot. We will typically elect to shoot with a 70-200MM lens but that’s not always an option if the shower / bathroom area is cramped. Again, these are things the photographer should be figuring out before the model arrives.

Lighting Issues
So studio lighting in the bathroom is out. The good news is, that many bathrooms have some pretty good installed lighting both over head and from the walls. The key thing to watch for here is shadows. Unless you are shooting in a locker room type shower (if so – lucky you) your model will most likely be in close proximity to the shower wall, so your flash and / or top down lighting may cast harsh shadows. Again, perfect the lighting issues BEFORE you get your model wet. You don’t want to be adjusting light once the water is running. In extreme situations we’ll utilize shop lights that sit low to the ground and strategically place them in a hallway and bounce light off the ceiling or walls to get the light we need for the shutter speed. Again, that light should be low to the ground and no where near the bathroom / shower area.

Suds Are Sexy!
After all it’s a shower photo shoot and what’s a shower without suds? But sometimes the typical bar of soap doesn’t cut it when it comes to getting that sexy lather your clients want to see. So, we can’t give away all our secrets, but if you watch the video clip of male model photographer Chris Berns shooting a shower set with model Brady you’ll notice they talk and laugh about “Sponge Bob” .. We’ll here’s the clue .. go to any store that sells soap and look for ‘sponge bob” – you’ll thank us ☺

So there you have it … some quick and not so dirty tips for a super sexy and safe shower photo shoot. If you decide to give it a try please potst you photos in our male model community forum and we’ll be happy to give you some feedback. Good Luck and Have fun!

If you have comments, suggestions, criticisms, or just want to rant about hot male models in the shower, by all means, please comment away!

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