OK, if you've been looking at these great pictures we've been shooting and think that you might like to join this ever growing group of fun loving people then our answer is simple... come on along. We do have a few things you might like to know:
Our Studio is located over here in North Garland Texas, so if you happen to be in Redbone, Minnesota we're afraid you're a bit out of luck. We do location and outside shoots every now and then, but since this is Texas, the weather is usually too hot for 1/3 of the year, too cold for another 1/3 and the remaining third can be somewhat crappy at best. If you have a suggestion for a location or outdoor area, please check to see if we have permission to expose live, sharp steel (and possibly the model as well). Nothing puts off the mood of a shoot more than being surrounded by the SWAT Team.
You need to be at least 18 years of age (with proof) and we can do a shoot with a model who is 16, but only with a signed parental slip AND at least one parent or guardian present at the shoot. We have no upper age limit for our models, if you think you look good then that's good enough for us.
As for body types... we want to work with "real" people with real bodies. Not those under fed and over enhanced Barbie Doll wannabes. On top of that, who the bloody hell cares about that last five pounds everyone is always wanting to lose before they have their pictures taken. Besides, Camera Guy has gotten pretty good these past years working PhotoShop Magic in removing wrinkles, blemishes, scars and even some of that weight.
What to bring? Well if you have your own sword, please feel free to bring it along although we have plenty of sharp toys to choose from here. We like to think of them as sharp fashion accessories. As for outfits, if we are shooting a Theme like Valentine's or Halloween, bring something appropriate. For a regular session we like to work with everything from Casual, Office Wear, Party Wear and Formals. The ever popular "Little Black Dress" is always a classy favorite and we even have a selection of donated outfits in several styles and sizes you can use. A good rule is to bring about 4 outfits and we'll pick and choose from two to three of them, more if we have time.
Big point here. Accessories... do not forget your shoes. You would be surprised how often this happens. This gives you a chance to dig into your closet and find that awesome pair of Knock Out Party Shoes you've been saving for a special occasion. If, however, you do forget, we also have several styles and sizes of shoes you can borrow, too. As for jewelry, if you've got something special please bring it along, otherwise we've got a pirate's chest of shiny baubles, bangles and beads to finish off that special look we want to create.
Make Up. We like for the models to bring their own base and any other items that they think they'll need. Normally our Production Manager is a wiz at makeup and hair so she can help you out as needed. We also have a total makeup wiz who can come to help out who is also one of our Featured Models, Farasha. Her rates are extremely reasonable, just help buy her dinner with us or a drink or two.
Another thing you should bring with you is an idea of who you want your web persona to be and a few words ready about just who this person is to make things more fun. The models are known by their "site names" (Tempest, Lady Z and Neko, to name a few) and we will never post a model's full name anywhere on this site or have anyway a fan can access it. That information is actually kept written down on small pieces of paper and yellow sticky notes sealed in an old mayonnaise jar and buried in the backyard some place.
Can I bring a friend? Yes! We normally like for you to bring one friend with you to help with your gear, makeup (as needed) and to be your cheering section. We also might put them to work moving lights, props, backdrops and the like. We normally ask you to only bring along one person (Sig-Others are OK, too) since this isn't performance art and we've found that having a large audience tends to make things difficult. Please note... we may even ask your friend to pose for us, which has happened on many occasions and this adds to the fun of the shoot.
How long does this take? A first time shoot usually takes up to four hours. This includes a bit of "getting to know you" time so you'll be comfortable with our staff (and me, the photographer) and allow you to relax and get into "character". After your first set we can usually cut the time down to only an hour & a half to two hours. We normally like to wind down after a big shoot with a slide show of all the pictures we did and enjoy getting your comments. We also like go out to eat afterwards and pay for our model.
Is this a "Paying Gig"? I always tell potential models that we pay them pretty much twice what we get paid for the session... if you do the math, twice times nothing is... well, nothing. Sadly, this is only a "Hobby Site" that's for fun and a really good excuse for the BladeMaster to add to his collection of swords and it's a pretty good excuse to meet some really fun people and have a party where we just happen to be taking a lot of pictures. Like I said, we do try to feed you and you get a disk of all the pictures we shoot for you to do with as you please. So if you're looking for a set of pictures to add to your portfolio, here's a great way to do it.
Lastly, the some-what legal stuff. All our agreements with models to pose for Babes with Blades are verbal with no actual written piece of paper to be signed, co-signed, witnessed and chanted over by a closet full of lawyers. Still, it should be understood by those who wish to model and pose for us that the pictures we take and post to the web site are the intellectual property of Babes with Blades and that we do have the right to post and display them as we see fit. Also, the CD (or DVD) that you receive of all the pictures we took of you is considered a "TFP" (Trade For Pictures) transaction and is your payment (and our Thank-you) for your time with us. The staff here at BwB will always try to work with the models to get their input on what they think makes them look their best and will never intentionally try to cause embarrassment, however it should be understood that the final say in what goes up on the site belongs to the staff. We also have certain standards of what we will and will not show and we believe that this is what sets us apart from other sites and we wish to keep it that way. We keep a layer of security between our Models and the Fans that enjoy their pictures by not storing any information about them on our site and this is also why they have been asked to choose a "site" persona to help keep their private lives private. At no time will we ever give out any information about our Models to anyone without the Model's authorization. We do understand that things can change (job titles, etc.) and at some time it may be necessary to remove pictures we have posted. Since there has been a lot of work needed to take, edit and post these pictures we will now ask a small fee to find, locate and remove as many of these pictures as possible. That means we will not remove a group picture from an Album without the Model first getting permission from all other Models in that picture or set of pictures. This is just to be fair to them. The removal fee will be on a floating scale and figured on a case by case situation and charged in one half hour increments. Not to worry, we'll be very reasonable.
That pretty much sums it up. If you have other questions, please drop us a line and open a dialog with us. We'd love to have you come and pose.