What does an Art Director do?

So what exactly do I do at these shoots?  Well I do a lot of things. 

But most of what I do is left up to what everyone else doesn't do.  For instance we have a lot of photographers who just want to take photos.  They take care of the technical end of the shoot.  For them the creative process is about the composition and direction of the shoot.  But while they want to make their art thru the lens they would rather not have to deal with things like finding models or getting sets dressed or even creating the concept.  That is where I come in. 

For me the whole process is a vision in my mind before the night of the shoot.  I imagine what I want the photo to look like.  If it is something I am really dedicated to then I will shop around for the right photographer and models and create the entire piece.  Every once in a while I will shoot a piece myself if I don't feel that I can find a photographer who will understand my vision.  But that happens very seldom.



The Mermaid shoot.  With Sybil Watson as model,

In some cases I have a photographer or model come to me with an idea or part of and idea and they want help making it come to life.  Then I put the elements together.  I find the people to complete the work such as models or photographer or makeup artists or people to do lights.  Then I start looking for all of the parts to complete the picture.  Props, wardrobe, jewelry, what ever is needed to portray the feeling of the piece.  This way I am working with someone else's concept but I am putting the elements together for them to shoot.

And sometimes all I am asked to do is step into a situation where everything is already pulled together but they need help directing the models in poses.

So in the end what I do can be a lot or a little.  But it certainly is fun.