Backstage images are a required element of every shoot day at abbywinters.com. Their importance, along with some shooting tips, are documented in the What makes a good Backstage image FAQ.
This FAQ page analyses excellent Backstage examples from which Shoot Producers can take inspiration.
Great Backstage examples, December 2021
These images are the standout images from Backstage release 570
This image of Sonya is successful for a few reason:
- The models eye contact and wide smile invite customers to share in this fun moment with her
- The down-blouse tease is good – looks unplanned (Backstage images can be engineered, but “happy accidents” happen all the time, so be on the lookout for them)
- The eye mask treatment cream below her eyes is a great feminine grooming activity to show
- Customers are fascinated by these sorts of things, as they are alien to them. The mask is especially suitable because it is feminine beauty care, yet involves no make up – very on-paradigm!
- The eye mask cream looks a little like something a sports fan might wear as part of their “war makeup” – playful vibes and easy to imagine this model in a real world setting (“at the game”)
- Improvements;
- More in-focus, and better lit – always preferred, but technical standards for Backstage are lower, and the lower technical quality differentiates the media from the production shoot… but better focus and lighting are always preferred.
The above image of Hania and Sarah Q is successful for the following reasons:
- Models appear are unaware of the camera – it’s a real moment
- Models emotions are positive and easy to read
- Models are happy – confirms models enjoy working here (ethical company)
- Shows models likeable personalities
Many customers enjoy the pee fetish, and it should be captured whenever there is an opportunity.
Not all models are comfortable (or able) to pee on camera during a shoot but many of those models might be comfortable posing for a Backstage image on the toilet. Reference material;
- More info about how to capture peeing scenes in Fetish Finder
- How we present peeing on-camera to models
- How to ask a model about peeing on camera SP FAQ
Respect model boundaries, it is never ok to follow a model into the bathroom with a camera without having a conversation first but that is a conversation that should be had:
How would you feel if I took a Backstage picture of you on the toilet?
Great Backstage examples, December 2020
These images are the standout images from Backstage release 524
Models and crew at work
The above Backstage images are excellent as they show models and Shoot Producers at work. This allows customers to imagine what it would have been like to be in the room as the content was created.
Achieving images like this is only possible when there is an additional person on set. For GGT3 and GBT3 shoots, a SCO is required anyway, which is ideal for Backstage. For GGT3 shoots if the SCO happens to arrive a little early (during the end of Stills), there is a perfect opportunity for these types of images to be taken.
On GBT3 shoot days the SP always shoots the female alone for an introduction. During that time the male performer should be encouraged to take Backstage images of the SP and the female model as they work together.
On IM days, encourage models who are not in the scene currently being set up to take Backstage images.
Unless models do not feel comfortable, always utilise opportunities to document models and crew at work. An example of when Backstage images would not be suitable is during a GGT3 shoot if the arrival of the SCO is distracting or alarming for the models or if the models are struggling with the scene.
Model comfort and producing a good main shoot is more important than Backstage images. In such a situation, the SCO should go to another room to wait for the Stills to be completed. Backstage images will still be required, they will just be captured during an easier part of the day when everyone is more relaxed, at times outside of the main work.
All SPs shoots are suitable for ‘while they work’ Backstage images
Not all SPs are comfortable having their face in Backstage images or are suitable to have their face in Backstage images (that is, it’s never appropriate for male SPs to appear in Backstage images). This does not mean that images of the SP working with the models should not be taken. Careful framing can ensure customers get to see how shoots are produce while maintaining the SPs anonymity.
Models highlighting a fetish
This image of Chloe V and Andrea is successful for the following reasons:
- Highlights a models glasses – a fetish
- The personal personal prop is used in a creative way – customers can see one of each models eyes in the lens of the glasses
- One model is naked, one model is clothed (nice contrast)
- Models look happy and are close together
- The models are having fun, this is a playful image that feels spontaneous
- Improvements
- Seeing all of Andreea’s breasts would have improved this image
Models having fun
This image of Andrea is successful for the following reasons:
- Models nude breasts look great
- Takes place near an open window – risk of neighbours seeing is a bit exciting; shows we are in a real home not a studio
- Feels spontaneous
- Models having fun with clothing
The above image came about after the models found a card on set with the saying “always be yourself unless you can be superman, then always be superman”. It is excellent that their SP had created an on set environment where the models felt free to explore this idea further on camera by creating a superhero cape for Andrea.
Models in the real world
Seeing models in real world settings helps confirm they are real people (who do things away from set) and feeds into the fantasy that our customers might one day see an abbywinters.com model in real life. We do not encourage that in reality by sharing models real names or locations, but customers enjoy daydreaming about it.
This image of Maia and Ivanna is successful for the following reasons:
- Models are in a “real world” setting (not an abbywinters.com shoot setting)
- The models have chosen to hang out after the shoot – supports the paradigm of our models being friendly and having fun! This is not just a job they do, then they rush home
- The models are eating the cream off their hot chocolates in a feminine way, they are not just drinking them but using their tongues to lap the cream off the top using tiny mouth movements (a stereotypical manly man would probably not consume a hot chocolate like this)
Great Backstage examples, September / October 2020
This image of Danna is successful for the following reasons:
- Capturing models away from the shoot setting gives a “fuller” feeling of the whole of the shooting day (not just the parts in the shoot space)
- Customers like seeing models in the real world – more public is better, but on a driveway is still good
- Improvements
- The light is not flattering here (emphasising the size of her nose), flash should have been used to fill her eyes, or the model asked to take a few steps back
- Dogs are positive energy in the world, and always evoke positive emotions in customers. If the model tolerates dogs, showing her interacting with a dog should always be captured
This image of the model Lotte L is successful for a few reasons:
- The model is not posed – she is busy with an activity
- While it can be good to pose models for the camera in Backstage images, it is equally valuable seeing models engaged with an activity – it gives a sense of realism to the Backstage content (like a documentary about making an abbywinters.com shoot)
- SPs aim to include several images where models are not looking to the shoot camera (as if they are unaware of it) in each Backstage set
- Lots of well placed props
- The floor around the model acts as an “advert” for what will happen within the shoot. There are pegs, sex toys, headphones, several piles of clothes – this will make customers curious for what happened in this models shoot
- This image can be used for POTD for this reason. POTD is one of the tools the business uses to retain customers. Customers are important as they fund everything the company does!
- The images is landscape orientation
- The image fully fills the computer screen of customers (no wasted space, wall to wall model)
- The image can be used for POTD, which requires the landscape orientation
These images are successful for a few reasons:
- The inclusion of gear in frame instantly gives a “Backstage feeling”
- The images feel very different to production images (always preferred)
- The images document part of the day separate to the shoot itself
- The first images shows models doing paperwork; the second image shows models packing a suitcase
- Customers are interested in what happens outside of the main scene so it is important to capture these kinds of events in addition to moments showing models in the shoot space.
- These moments might include, models arriving, models traveling, models buying / making lunch, models showering, other model grooming, models helping with gear, models moving furniture, the physical warm up etc
- Warm ups are a requirement for every shoot and make great Backstage content
- The models are clearly having fun
- Customers care about the ethical treatment of models and want confirmation that they had a good time producing the content. Seeing happy models gives customers “permission to masturbate”
- Happy models also shows how likable the models personalities are
Great Backstage examples, August 2020
This image of the model Noemi is successful for a few reasons:
- It shows part of the shoot day process (pre-shoot grooming)
- It does not look “staged”, looks like it was taken in the moment
- Clear the model is in a real home, not a studio
- The model’s facial expression. She is starting to giggle supporting the idea that shooting for abbywinters is fun
This image of the model Fiona T is very successful for a few reasons:
- Gear in shot
- INS posing level (rarely shot for Backstage)
- The model is happy
- The model is not “posing for the camera”, this is a genuine moment
- Improvements:
- None – this is excellent!
This image of the models Pascal, Zhen, Margherita, and Noemi (shot on a DIM-SIM day) is very successful for the following reasons:
- Landscape – fills the screen
- Wide context
- Proves the shoot took place in a home and not a studio
- Very different to Production Stills which typically have tighter frames
- Includes all of the models present on that shoot day
- All the models are nude
- More appealing (customers pay to see naked models)
- Customers are able to compare the models bodies
- (this is very likely directed, as on a DIM-SIM day, it’s unlikely all models would be nude at the same time. Excellent!)
- Involves gear
- Many customers are fascinated by how shoots are made and relish specific details about the exact lights and camera models being used
- Showing gear in frame further differentiates Backstage images from production images
- Even though the image is posed, there is a feeling of spontaneity.
- The models are having fun and are in a moment not a serious freeze frame
- Improvements
- This is an extremely successful Backstage image
- The only small improvement would be if the camera tilted down to show less ceiling and more of the model’s feet – despite this, it’s very good!
Great Backstage example, February 2019
This image of Alessia and Danai is successful for a few reasons:
- Excellent light
- Getting the models to stand with the light behind them created beautiful texture and form on their skin and hints at how the main scene was lit (a nice technical detail)
- The inclusion of the window in frame is very on-paradigm, it brings the outside in, and adds a pop of colour, and further indicates this is not a “studio” shoot
- The models are being “sexually friendly” with the boob-grabbing
- The models are happy and engaged in what they are doing
- This is probably highly directed and posed, but it feels natural and comfortable
- The different focuses of the models
- When SPs have two models together, having one focused on what they are doing, while the other acknowledges the Backstage camera is very fun, as customers get the best of both worlds – they are witnessing a “real” event happening on-set but one of the models is welcoming them into that moment through eye contact with the camera.
- There’s a technical exposure “problem” on Alessia’s hair, imperfect focus, and some lens flare – this is all totally fine for Backstage images.
- Improvements
- There is no possible way this image could be improved – it is excellent!
Great Backstage examples, December 2018
The above images are successful for the following reasons:
- Multiple models included
- The SP forward-planned
- To have props ready
- To take Christmas POTD image when there were maximum models on set
- To capture these images a month before the date of the event
Great Backstage examples, November 2018
This image of Elah is successful for the following reasons:
- The picture feels “ad hoc”, not posed or staged
- It shows the model doing an activity that is part of the day (stuff customers do not get to see in the main shoot)
- Visually appealing as she is not fully dressed,
- Engaging, as she is smiling to camera
- The mirror adds a nice artistic touch and helps to reveal her naked breast