So, here's the story about the photos below.
Stacy and I were on the final day of the annual Juvenile Justice Conference, and in 2011 it was in Pocatello, Idaho.
The conference moves to different locations around the state each year for each conference.
While most other people were checking out and driving back to their various locations in the state, Stacy had to attend a state level meeting that lasted most of the day.
Just the day before, Stacy had been asked by the hotel's hospitality representative if she was interested in being in a promotional photo shoot for the facility in updating their website.
While Stacy couldn't because of the meeting, she told her I might be interested. Stacy later told me about it and told me if I wanted too, all I had to do was show up at 10:00 am to the sports bar in the building.
Since that last day of the conferences are often me sitting around after packing our stuff back in the vehicle and checking us out while Stacy's in the meetings, I said sure! It would be interesting to see what a "professional" photo shoot is like! Especially since I take photos too.
So I loaded up our truck and was done before 10am and went to the sports bar where the photos were to be taken.
When I got to the facilities sports bar, the photographer's assistants were still setting up reflectors and flash units so I watched and waited. The hotel staff that had also volunteered arrived and everyone filled out model release forms.
Another volunteer that had been there for the conference came in, she signed the release and also waited to see what we'd all be doing and who would be doing what for the photos.
The photographer took a bunch of test shots and some close ups of some plates of the different dishes from the menu, then he started to place, and 'stage' people where he wanted them.
He picked me and the other IJJA attendee,...........and,.................. I,.......... don't recall her name!
(sorry if she ever sees this!), to portray an adult "traveling couple that has stopped at the Red Lion for the night and came into the sports bar for a relaxing dinner after a long day on the road".
A lot of photos were taken, and I honestly didn't think I'd actually be in any that would be used! Or should I say I figured that at most, I'd be a somewhat blurry person in the background as the others are in the top photo. Somewhat recognizable to family and friends but not in focus!
So, photos done and long forgotten until a couple of nights ago when we were talking about it because of the upcoming conference and Stacy decides to check out the website for the Red Lion Hotel to see if I'm in any shots taken back then with me in them had been used, I had never checked myself.
And we couldn't believe it, the top photo of the two below is actually the photo used in the splash screen for the dining section of the hotel!
I was surprised to say the least, Stacy was too and took a screenshot of her iPad and posted the photo on her Facebook page. She then did an image search to see what else from that shoot might be around, and we found a couple more photos, one of which is below as I copied them so I could write this up. Another being basically the same but too small to be worth saving.
So,...... I became a model for a morning!
I don't remember where in all the photos taken the top one was taken time wise, but I do remember that the ladies in the background all worked for the hotel. The lady in red as the bartender was the hotel's hospitality representative that Stacy had worked with while arranging the conference and had asked Stacy about being in it shoot, that got me in the shoot!
I was fascinated how for things to 'look real', everything is so fake!
To get us to 'look happy' they were telling us jokes. I had to become a 'lefty' so I wouldn't have my right hand blocking the food, and the 'beer' wasn't beer!
Which was fine with me as I don't drink. Soap had been added to the drink that was about the right color of beer to keep it looking like a fresh foamy from the tap "cool one". The food on the plates was real, items from their kitchen menu of course, and the plates and table were positioned propped up slightly with napkins under the plates and the table legs up a bit to give a good but unnatural 'normal' look for the camera.
It was interesting to me, to see that the photographers 'assistants' did pretty much everything with the photographer himself coming in take the photos. The camera was connected to a laptop and the photos were reviewed and some photos edited and color corrected a bit at that time on the laptop.
So what did I get for my time?
Fame? No. Fortune? No.
Well, Internet immortality right? After all, photos are forever on the web aren't they? I also got a nice Red Lion logo insulated drink glass (a $20.00 value) that I still use at work, and a Red Lion logo cell phone desk holder. We couldn't eat the food, even if it was real, and you wouldn't want to drink the drinks in this shot!
But I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the experience. I enjoyed seeing all that goes into what looks like it should be just a simple photo in an advertisement.
And our surprise that I was actually used in the shot, and a main shot to boot!
And Stacy, being as surprised as I was, has some 'bragging' rights! She knows a 'model'!
And me, I take the conference photos, this will be my 4th year doing it this September!
The happy 'couple' that only knew each other for an hour and a half!
Tad
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