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The portrait photography business has found a digital loophole during social distancing. Instead of meeting up with models to shoot, photographers have quickly jumped on the opportunity to conduct photoshoots via FaceTime.
In the FaceTime app, individuals can click a button to take a photo, but photographers have also used a camera or taken a regular phone screenshot.
Without the ability to move around and capture different angles of the model, this creative challenge is set to test a photographer’s innate skills. Photographers have to rely on verbal communication to direct their models, whether it is changing their pose or tilting the position of the camera at the subject’s end.
The FaceTime photoshoots have quickly become a trend due to the popular retro 70s aesthetic made by the out-of-focus photo quality. Professional photographers such as Krissy Saleh and Sam Dameshek have been the first few to hop on the trend, encouraging their social media audiences to do the same.
While many photographers and influencers have taken this challenge and captured unique at-home photos, there are still disadvantages to virtual facetime photoshoots.
In an Instagram Q&A, portrait photographer Krissy Saleh discussed her experiences with recent FaceTime photoshoots, including actress Olivia Rodrigo, influencer Bailee Madison, and model Isabella Fonte. “My number one tip for photographers would be to have good WiFi connections on both ends of the call because a bad connection will damage the image quality,” she said.
Another issue is that it’s difficult for photographers to capture interesting angles if the model is moving the camera. To avoid bad angles, photographer Jessica Whitaker asks her model to show her the room in which they were going to conduct the FaceTime photoshoot. With a better understanding of her model’s setting, Whitaker can then direct her model to a certain location in the given area and ask her to position the camera in a specific spot. Hence, she is able to still capture professional shots during the FaceTime photoshoot.
As some photographers have opted for FaceTime photoshoots during quarantine, a few brands have also adopted this new trend. The creative director and photographer of clothing brand Wish Me Luck, Sam Dameshek, sent items from a new summer line to models Elisha and Renee Herbert. In result, the Herbert twins were able to model for the new Wish Me Luck campaign through a socially-distanced FaceTime photoshoot.
I tested out this FaceTime photoshoot trend with New York-based photographer Anna Boylan and YouTuber Beatrice Naujalyte aka The Bliss Bean. During the photoshoots, I discovered that, as the model, I had to move around constantly to allow my photographer to get the best possible shots. Furthermore, I had to use chairs, vintage CDs, old newspapers, a coffee mug, and more items in my room as my props for different photos.
Overall, I discovered that I prefer a real-life photoshoot over a virtual FaceTime photoshoot, because we had to deal with problems like WiFi disconnections and lack of locations to shoot inside the house. On the other hand, I think that every individual can find their own creative outlet during quarantine, and virtual photoshoots can be a challenge and a fun activity to do at home.
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