After being in and around photography for years you meet a large number of people. Some you hope to forget and others become very close friends. I've been lucky in that regard. I hold no ill will toward anyone. In fact, I'd even say that my instincts have done me well. Sure I have a couple of stories that began well but ended with frayed nerves and tension. Nevertheless, those are very few from my side. It's just the nature of the business. Therefore, it's best to get over yourself and develop very thick skin and chalk the remainder up to misunderstandings to get over.
But having a favorite model is a different kind of question that required me to give the question deep consideration. Why? Surely I must have a favorite right? Well maybe but not really. You see, the very person who may be my favorite today may not be later. I learned that years ago. People move on and develop different tastes, habits and preferences and I'm sure some of those models have as well. But as it pertained to having single person that I'd publicly proclaim as my definitive favorite, I'm thinking no. There are people around that I have amazing creative synergy with. But to say they're my favorite might be inaccurate or more to the point, to say so publicly would be insensitive and unprofessional. Are there models i'd prefer to work with more than others? Absolutely!! But my projects are so specific that I always seek out the best person for the best look and not necessarily someone I personally like despite the look. I'd be doing myself and that model a disservice to not consider whether a look, clothing or otherwise is appropriate or consistent with my style of shooting or what I'm after or they want. No one would believe me if I said that I didn't prefer a specific person for a project over another on occasion and they would be right not to. But to say "favorite" publicly is a bold move I need not do. I only want the best for everyone and myself. Publicizing a list of Favorites isn't smart anyway. I praise everyone because quite frankly they're all magnificent men and women. Firstly, I'm honored to have an opportunity to create art with them. They chose to work with me and for that I'm fancied beyond words.
The other consideration is why would I be so obtuse as to publicly declare a favorite person on anything in this business unless it's a celebrity model or someone I haven't worked with yet. Not only would I be alienating every other model I've ever worked with, it makes those models think I didn't appreciate everything they've done with and for me. It's just not smart unless I've decided to retire. Even so it doesn't look very professional. That's the kind of opinion I think should be kept private and discussed among colleagues. Should someone ask me privately I might share more insight. Or should I feel compelled to privately share with a model how I feel about his or her ability I will. But if you're out there saying this or that about your all time specific favorite anything in this business I think you're setting yourself up for some intense resentment.
To clarify, my answer is NO but with a "however." I may have a go to model for sports photography, a go to model for lingerie, a go to model for fitness, a go to model for fashion and so on. But no one is better than another. I've help choose over a dozen cover models and select images for ads out of hundreds of pictures daily. Are they all my favorite? Is there a single one? They are or at least they were at that particular time for that particular project. They're different people with different gifts. Sure they'd be flattered for me to publicly call them my favorite but what about everyone else I've worked with? Would they be flattered? Or would they think "wow, what a bastard. I've worked with him six times this year and SHE is his favorite?"
Now I know everyone reading wants me to just stop BS-ing and just say who my favorite model is. You've followed my posts, my blog(s) or other social media pages. You can decide for yourself who you think my favorite might be. But if there is a person that matters the most to me creatively and photographically, you better believe that they PRIVATELY know who they are and it doesn't help for me to publicly downgrade anyone by saying I have a singular favorite. It's just bad manners.
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