VH1 - The Shot

jcdill

I haven't found any posts here discussing VH1's reality series The Shot. (If there are other threads about this, please point me to them. "vh1" is a stopword - I can't search on it.) I just heard about this show last week. I have a friend recording the last 2 episodes for me, and I watched episodes 2-7 online. I was unable to get episode 1 to play on my computer. :-( Oh well - the other 6 episodes are still really great!

This is a show about 10 photographers who want to be fashion photographers. They share a loft in LA, and each week they have 2 photography asignments and then one is eliminated and must go home. They come from varied backgrounds - some have a lot of experience with people (one is a wedding photographer), some have a lot of experience with lights and sets, some get along well with others and are adaptable, others are really hard to work with. The format of the show has a "teach" assignment where each photographer has just a few minutes to get Their Shot. The images are critiqued and the top images earn those photographers the role of "team leader" in the second part of the episode. They pick their team-mates, then they work together to shoot a fashion assignment. The winning team is "safe" and the photographer with the weakest shot on the losing team goes home - that was their "last shot". The winner wins $100k, and several top fashion assignments including shooting for Victoria's Secret and Marie Claire Magazine.

I've learned a LOT from watching this show. Not so much about photography (there is almost no discussion about f-stops, lens choices, lighting values, etc.), but about the photography business, working in a team with other photograhers and assistants, working with professional models, working with clients. I've seen some mistakes I've made in the past being made by photographers on the show, and seen the reactions of the client, the model, the other photographers, and especially the judges in a new light. (I'm not going to make those mistakes again!) I'm going to watch it all over again next week.

At the end of Episode 7 there were 3 remaining. All 3 are really strong and capable photographers. I'm very interested to see what assignments they receive, and who makes it to the end.

jeffreaux2

I have caught a few episodes. To me it was very interesting watching the contestants thought processes, and seeing what their stregths and weaknesses are. I was stoked when the one guys stepped outside the box and shot the model in the center of the runway instead of in the middle of the movie set prop last week. His shot was incredible where the others were mediocre at best. There are a ton of contests on the website if anyone is interested. I am too busy for that......trying to get an old P&S to shoot like a holga!

Anyway....yes I at least have seen the show.

jeffreaux2

Maybe The Smugmug/Dgrin staff could partner up next time they do "the shot" and let the contestants post their weekly assignment in the whipping post. We could all critique and vote the winning image. Might be fun. Especially if one of our own was competeing.

Tango

thanks, i will check this out:cool

ShepsMom

I didn't even know about this show until you mentioned. Where can i see it online? Is it on VH1 website? Sounds very interesting!!

jcdill

ShepsMom wrote:

I didn't even know about this show until you mentioned. Where can i see it online? Is it on VH1 website? Sounds very interesting!!

The text "watched episodes 2-7 onine" in my first post is a link to the VH1 website.

ShepsMom

Great! Thank you for the link!

evoryware

I watched the first three episodes, but then missed the next three because I forgot to change from football. I watched Episode 7 two days ago online. I think it's really interesting. The guy that shot the winning pic of Joss Stone at the airport, I actually can't wait to see that picture in next months issue of Marie Claire lol, Dean is going to win it. Dean can be rough, but he can make an image.
Either him or Maria because she works well with her models and assistants.

Michael Atkins

I've only seen the last 3 episodes didn't hear about it b4 that... my wife clued me in. I like the show and think it's really interesting. My favorite moment so far was when the guy who got voted out last week said dean's shot was horrible. What was he thinking? I laughed when he got sent packing.

jeffreaux2

Michael Atkins wrote:

I've only seen the last 3 episodes didn't hear about it b4 that... my wife clued me in. I like the show and think it's really interesting. My favorite moment so far was when the guy who got voted out last week said dean's shot was horrible. What was he thinking? I laughed when he got sent packing.

Dean's shot was beautiful. But it was a toss up for me as to who should have gone home. I think the female photographer and Dean were safe, but the other two were a tied for me to go home.

jeffreaux2

The young lady won. She got $100,000 and her winning shot will be on the cover of Victoria's Secret swimsuit catalog for 08.

evoryware

It hasn't even aired yet :confused

jeffreaux2

evoryware wrote:

It hasn't even aired yet :confused

It was on VH1 this morning.

Wake up!!!

CookieS

Wow , thansk JC, I will check it out, Gotta shoot something besides horses now and then , this is a great way to get ideas running thru your head .