RE: This shoot was both a success and disaster
It just happens. I had several photoshoot disasters ... but not like the one happened to you.
My "favourite" is when model comes to the photoshoot, and you can't recognize the person. Because of photoshop amount in her portfolio, or because pics she sent to you are ~15kg outdated ;-)
Last photoshoot I tried to do started from the "oh, I forgot about makeup and don't have any cosmetics with me, can you fix it in photoshop?".
But I guess the winner on my side is a model who claimed to be a dancer, with serious stage experience, owner of a small off dance theater. Unfortunately, she was unable to not even do a pirouette, but even just turn in the place, without moving away from given point. I have better dance skills :D
I even still have somewhere on my disk the only photo from this photoshoot, named disaster.jpg ;-)
Yep you do come across some strange ones alright. Thats a bit mad claiming to be a dancer when she couldn't dance though, how on earth did she think she was going to get away with that?
I'm pretty sure she lived with a strong confidence that she actually is a dancer.
Of some kind of "free-dancing" style.
And I came to her as a bit painful reality check :P
I always have a fight in my head when it comes to such a situations during the shoot. One voice says "tell her to gtfo", and other "you should be nice to people". Usually I'm trying not to hurt model feelings at my own feelings cost :|
Haha I know the type. Thankfully I've only had a small few shoots where I've had to deal with full blown "delusionals" but I've heard a few horror stories from other photographers. You certainly do meet all sorts doing this stuff.