Being a Playboy photographer is a dream job for just about any guy, right? Well, ten contestants on "Playboy Shootout" are learning just how tough it is to walk the walk in the world of professional nude photography.
In the Playboy Channel's new reality TV show, which premiered this past Saturday, the contestants learned there was more to taking pictures of naked women than a good camera lens. The show puts the photographers together with ten models, with each group competing to have their work featured in the iconic men's magazine.
Check out a teaser clip from the next episode:
"To be featured in Playboy magazine is the ultimate accomplishment for a photographer or model," says Playboy Editorial Director and Chief Content Officer Jimmy Jellinek. "For one of the first times ever, we are affording that opportunity through a competition. It won't be easy; competition will be stiff, and only photos that live up to Playboy's highest standards of class, sex appeal, and style will be considered for the magazine."
Jellinek said the magazine annually gets "thousands and thousands" of submissions from photographers, but it's only the rarest of talent who gets picked.
Stephen Wayda, a longtime Playboy photographer and judge on "Shootout," said he tried unsuccessfully for years before finally making it into the magazine's pages. "People think it's all fun, sex and glamour," explained Wayda. "They don't realize when you're doing nudes there's a lot more to it. You see all the body. You see the wrinkles in the waist when (models) turn. You see how the body is built, and you have to make it look good."
For "Shootout," Playboy gathered the photographers from around the country and flew them to Los Angeles. In the first episode, contestants were told to photograph the models in a luxurious mansion, and they were given a time limit to devise a theme, set lighting, pick a costume and put the models through hair and makeup.
The all-new series is produced by "America's Next Top Model" director Claudia Frank and hosted by "The Celebrity Apprentice 2 "contender and 2001 Playmate of the Year Brande Roderick. Teams of models and photographers are pitted against each other for the chance to shoot at Playboy's legendary Studio West and to have their photos published in Playboy.
New thirty minute episodes of Shootout will air every Saturday during the Date Night lineup until the season finale on June 5. To learn about subscribing to Playboy TV, visit www.PlayboyTV.com, or contact your cable or satellite provider.
First launched in 1982, Playboy TV helped pioneer the premium channel TV market and recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Playboy TV, available in more than 66 million homes nationwide and more than 70 countries throughout Europe, Latin America and Asia, has grown to be a powerhouse of subscription and on-demand programming, offering viewers a variety of genres including reality series, international travelogues and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of Playboy, all with the fun and sensual tone for which Playboy is known. For more information, visit www.PlayboyTV.com.
