Photographing In The Shower -- Help Requested

Photographing In The Shower -- Help Requested

Hello. I've been asked to make some photographs in a shower setting.
I usually use strobe lights, and I'm a bit apprehensive. Here's some
questions:

o Any tips on safety?

o How do I get water to bead on skin? Specific links to products
would be appreciated.

o How do I get suds to stick to skin? Again, specific links are
appreciated.

o Any guidelines on how long the session should last?

o Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

I'd prefer if you post your replies, but you can e-mail me if you edit
the e-mail address by putting a "." between the "x" and the "n".

Thanks in advance.

looknsee

This Guy Here wrote:

Photographing In The Shower -- Help Requested

Hello. I've been asked to make some photographs in a shower setting.
I usually use strobe lights, and I'm a bit apprehensive. Here's some
questions:

o Any tips on safety?

Keep the equipment and cords dry.

o How do I get water to bead on skin? Specific links to products
would be appreciated.

Turtle Wax? ;-) Probably any soft wax, such as used for waterproofing
boots would work. I would expect that oil would work, though it would
tend to glisten.

o How do I get suds to stick to skin? Again, specific links are
appreciated.

My experience is that suds naturally stick to skin. Just work up a
lather. Detergent or bubble bath suds are probably longer lasting, but
look different than soap lather.

o Any guidelines on how long the session should last?

Be finished before the hot water runs out or the model starts to
shrivel. ;-)

Thad

Thad Smith wrote in message ...
This Guy Here wrote:

Photographing In The Shower -- Help Requested

Hello. I've been asked to make some photographs in a shower setting.
I usually use strobe lights, and I'm a bit apprehensive. Here's some
questions:

o Any tips on safety?

Keep the equipment and cords dry.

o How do I get water to bead on skin? Specific links to products
would be appreciated.

Turtle Wax? ;-) Probably any soft wax, such as used for waterproofing
boots would work. I would expect that oil would work, though it would
tend to glisten.

o How do I get suds to stick to skin? Again, specific links are
appreciated.

My experience is that suds naturally stick to skin. Just work up a
lather. Detergent or bubble bath suds are probably longer lasting, but
look different than soap lather.

Consider shaving cream from a pressurized can? BTW, play foams shot
from cans (such as Crazy Foam, Foamy Faces) don't stick to skin unless
the skin is wet first.

I'm something of a suds-and-skin expert, as you can see from
http://users.bestweb.net/~robgood/lather.html , although not a
PHOTOGRAPHIC expert. My foam, although soapless, is more soaplike
than most bubble bath foams.

If you want the water to bead, make sure it's NOT soapy. Soap being a
wetting agent, it decreases water's contact angle on skin. Skin is
normally hydrophobic, so it shouldn't need help getting water to bead,
but if it is a problem, a way to make skin VERY hydrophobic is to
first apply a lotion such as baby lotion, then talcum powder. But
that rx might make the skin SO hydrophobic water won't even stick well
enough to bead! You want the skin to be intermediate in
hydrophobicity. If the skin is too oily, acting like the
lotioned-and-powdered skin, then have the model wash & rinse the area
in question with soap first; might as well do that on the spot, if
it's a real shower. I suppose if the water's very hard, it might lay
down a layer of lime soap that might either help or hinder the
beading. If that occurs -- i.e. if after washing, water still runs
off the skin too quickly, then rewash the area with a detergent other
than soap, such as shower gel.

Robert