Early last Saturday afternoon, I was sitting down to lunch with friends, at a local restaurant, when I got a call from a photographer. He asked if I was busy right then, and I told him I was just eating lunch. The caller manages a photo rental studio, and the photographer who had rented the space was a bit overwhelmed, and needed a hand. I told him that I’d be there in 30 minutes. I gobbled down my lunch, apologized to my friends for eating and running, and hustled over to the studio. I had no idea what the shoot was or what to expect when I got there.

When I arrived at the studio, there were about 20 dogs of all shapes and sizes in the front room--Jack Russells, Border Collies, terriers, retrievers, even some beagles. The dogs and owners were a little anxious. When I walked into the studio, everyone was happy to see me. I knew the photographer from a shoot a couple years back. She told me the assistant she normally uses was unavailable that day, and decided she would try to do it all herself. Unfortunately, she got in over her head real quick. I told her not to worry, and just tell me what she needed me to do and how I can help her best. She quickly explained that the shoot that day was just a straightforward casting call for a dog, for a retail ad. The lighting was already set, so we quickly determined our process and workflow and got the first dog onto the set in about ten minutes. 

Please Log In or Sign Up for a FREE Silver Account to access the rest of this article or others on ProPhotoResource.com