How many shoots did you do in 2024 and plans for next year?

James Bessant Photography

Oh James....pull yourself together and make those lovely images!!!

I’m aiming a minimum 50% increase in shoots next year.

I only managed two this year. :(

2024 has been a bit of shock for me.

I used to shoot 2-3 times a week for my wife’s insta influencer account but she gave that up beginning of 2024 and hasn’t modelled since. I also used to shoot every day before COVID (retired now after 14 years)

I ‘reacted’ by spending a lot of £ on buying a lot of film cameras in 2024.  I have loved it. Including additionally moving into Digital Medium format (Pentax 645z).

In terms of photography in 2024, I attended 3 community group shoots (2 as a photographer and I led the third shoot, something I really enjoyed).

I have had time to reflect over the last 3 months and I will definitely be looking to do a lot more community group shoots this year. They are TF (well £5 for a day) and I usually get to shoot about 6-8 models per day. I will also aim to do at least 1 analogue community group shoot.

I am also going to join a local camera group to re-ignite my passion for general photography rather than model photography.

I also have 4 or 5 provisional TF shoots lined up through Instagram with some great models. Some established, some new. All have contacted me as I haven’t made any ‘active’ plans myself to arrange shoots with Instagram.

I am highly unlikely to do any model shoots through PP. Mainly because I love glamour photography and this genre has almost completely disappeared in terms of new and upcoming models. Ditto for glamour nude (lads mag style). And topless is definitely disappearing too (when added to the word glamour). And this site was perfect for finding these models in days past. 

To be fair, this isn’t just on PP. Times have changed.

And in terms of portrait models, the ‘feel’ of imagery in this genre plus the ability to engage with models through comments (either sent or given) on Instagram just feels far more positive and gives a sense of belonging that seems to have disappeared on here. Which is weird as a lot of models on here are also on insta.

But, for now, if I am ‘motivated’ enough to dig deep and travel, there are still a ‘cohort’  very professional, models  who are perfect for the photo shoots I want to do. 

3, that’s all :( Luckily they were great :)

Possibly 50 mainly repeat shoots with my fav models but made some new model friends. 2025 will be many less but again mainly with my regular models. Cash is running low now and need to plan for future especially with new dictator government hitting us all hard. Far less disposable income, and costs all round hitting hard. So model shoots my first cut back