The wonderful world of props

(Click on photos to enlarge)

When photographing a model, including a prop can make the shot far more interesting. I can think of two reasons why this is true:

• Having an object to interact with helps the model create more appealing poses and facial expressions.
• The sight of an engrossing prop can, by itself, spice up a shot.

It's the Gestalt idea that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts” that can apply here; The model by herself or the prop by itself often is less impressive than the two together. At the same time, though, it's important that the prop not overwhelm the shot.

​When first arriving for a photoshoot, I'll show the model the prop bags, explaining that she's welcome to pull out anything she'd like to work with. In addition, I’ll mention that the props are all inexpensive (even if they're not) and not to worry if any break. Whatever she selects, I’ll try incorporating at least one or two of them into one or two of our setups. I want her to realize that her prop selection is as important as mine.

It’s amusing how the props fascinate many of the young girls I photograph. Their faces often light up as they pull items from the bags. They’ll make a pile and gleefully show their parent and me their cache.

I’m also interested in things the models own that could work effectively as props. In the past, I’ve used their laptop computers, cell phones, dolls, sporting equipment, musical instruments, scarves, hats, and artwork. I feel the models’ connection with them might help with their interaction-maybe allowing for more unique setups than if they used my props only.

                               
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​When I hand a prop to the model, she may ask, “What do you want me to do with this?”  I’ve found the less I say, the better. In fact, I'll often respond coyly with, “Uh, I don’t know”. I want her to realize that almost anything she does with it can produce interesting results. A hat, for example, can do more than simply sit on a head. It can be pressed tightly against the chest, gripped in a nervous fashion with both hands, placed to partially cover a face, or dropped slowly from the fingers.

Sometimes, nothing exciting develops between the model and the prop. It’s then that I’ll step in and offer suggestions. We’ll play with it and see what happens. If nothing works, I’ll put it aside and pick up another one.

I store my props in large plastic drawers. Before a shoot, I’ll search through them, pulling the ones I want. I select them based on who the model is, where we’ll be shooting, the shots we’ll be taking, and how excited I am about the particular prop (if it’s a new one, I’m usually very excited to work with it). Props I’ve used previously or those that have not worked out successfully in earlier shoots are left behind. I then gather them up in three or four cloth or heavy plastic shopping bags.

I’m always on the lookout for new props, which I generally find at garage sales, second-hand stores, online, and around the house. It’s curious that when I’m not looking for a new prop, I’ll frequently find one. It then goes into one of those large plastic drawers mentioned previously. Occasionally, I’ll cull through my props, removing the ones I don’t want anymore. Here are a few of my favorites: glass crystal ball, playing cards, my grandfather’s old pocket watch, ribbons, pearl necklaces, reading glasses, goofy glasses, thick glasses, sunglasses, dolls, rubber duckies, nonworking pellet gun, handcuffs (with extra keys), religious crosses, books, masks, veils, clocks, small signs, and fairy lights.

I always keep a few strings of white pearls with me. They are my emergency go-to props when having difficulty coming up with a shot idea, as was the case here. The portion of the necklace held by Leanna is being nicely illuminated by the sun. But more importantly, the necklace motivates her vibrant intense gaze and smile, which together create a wonderfully warm image.

Laurette found these three party hats in my prop bag. I’d been setting up my strobes in the bathroom when she strolled in looking like this. I was amazed by her cleverness. I positioned her quickly and started shooting. I wanted to emphasize the hats, so I Photoshopped out the color from everywhere else in the image. Frequently, photo ideas from the models are much more clever than mine.

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The extension cord was there to power my strobes. Being too lazy to reroute it, I rationalized its presence as a design element. After several viewings of the picture, I believe my laziness helped make this image work.

Crosses are fun props. They're available in countless sizes, shapes, and designs. I prefer larger ones but not so large that they can't be easily grasped by the model. In this shot, I had Ariana hold the cross so that most of it was in front of a plain portion of the wall, thereby making the object stand out. By the way, I love the blue against the blue (blue cross - blue wall). Using the same color for both only worked because there's enough variation in the tones to prevent them from blending together. I think the combination of a fearful expression, tightly held arms and legs, a near naked body, and a plain wall behind her result is a stark, somewhat threatening image.

These glasses are a favorite prop of mine. They're from a package of five colored glasses that I bought at a party store for $3. I think their bright color integrates well with the photo's other hues.

This could have been a very ordinary photograph. What makes it work, I think, is the cigarette’s ash. Rather than there being a small amount, its length is equal to that of the unsmoked portion of the cigarette. Further, the ash is listing downward, creating tension as to when and where it might fall.

​This cigarette photo differs from the previous one in that its emphasis is on the smoke. And there's lots visible. The out-of-focus background helps to emphasize both the smoke and the cigarette. 

Strong illumination poured in through the living room window, located behind Klaryssa, creating a soft light throughout the image. In addition, the muted colors surrounding the butterfly help to make its pink tones stand out a bit. I'm hoping the viewer will look at the image and wonder what the connection is between her and the butterfly.

Here’s Klaryssa a few minutes later in practically the same location and position, but now wearing a blindfold. Besides adding mystery to the picture, hiding the eyes means one less thing to worry about in post-production. The photo was greatly overexposed, providing the following benefits: enough light to illuminate her face and hair, hiding the jumble of outdoor activities, acting as a clean background for her head and neck, and creating a soft, diffused image.

​I love it when a model uses a prop in a wholly unconventional manner. To help her come up with something unorthodox, I’ll often give her an object that has no specific use, explaining that there are no right or wrong ways to pose with it. Further, I'll emphasize that what may feel weird to her may actually result in a wonderful photograph. My goal is for her to feel relaxed posing with the prop, knowing she’s free to do with it as she pleases.

One of those props that has no specific use is a wide red ribbon. I have several lengths I keep in my prop bag. It’s fun seeing the model’s joint amusement and befuddlement when I present it to her. I usually photograph whatever she comes up with, though I’ll sometimes suggest a few ideas of my own as well. Below are a few ribbon shots that I thought came out fairly well:

​There are times when the prop itself is more the subject of the shot than the model. In these situations, her pose is there to support and enhance the object. It's important she not upstage it since it's the prop that is the focus of the shot. For a setup like this to work, there must be something compelling about that prop-either the prop itself or how it is presented. Here are a couple of examples:

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