Just saw a rerun of an CSI-Las Vegas episode (Model found dead in a shopping cart - don't know the original title of it) and oddly enough a question came up.
The victim was a model an so they showed a lot of pictures and magazine covers in this episode. One magazine cover shows a picture which looked really familiar.

So did anybody shoot (or sold) a pic for these purposes? Who does these pictures for TV Shows anyway (is there a photographer on the set)? Any experiences in this field?

Love CSI.  I think all this TV stuff is just stagged.  No real magazine or stuff they just use it for the TV show and then it is trashed.

I have never heard of any still photographer on a TV show.  There may be one here and there. Since you do see photos in real life magazines but these are promos for the show.  Got to promote the show in TV guide and in the newspapers. 

But that is about all I can think of as to why. bs

BTW wasn't that cool about the rat coming out of her mouth?  Damn dude that was wild. bs

Yeah - that was the coolest part (well - one of it)...

I found the episode - it's: "The Hunger Artist" from Season 2.

But how do they scout for the models or the photographers? The model in this didn't even had a role - not even as a corpse. She was only shown in pics, billboards or magazines...

They have talent agencies that work with the TV shows.  All TV shows basically use the same agencies that supply actors.

Back in the 60's the westerns used the same bad guys all the time in the same season over and over.  Harry Carey Jr. did a ton of extra work in almost every TV show you could think of.

Same with CSI and the other shows. They tell the agency what they need and the agency sends photos of the models and the show's producer? or his gofer picks the models and they run with them.

The billboard model/magazine model did do some acting.  Not much but some.  A small flashback between her and her sister when her sister was the model and drugged out at the shoot. 

The CSI models are noted for being a dead person.  Yes the agencies do have a need for that so some people can and do work all their carees as dead bodies. Sounds strange but this is hollywood.

Have a good one. BS

And CSI the 5th year is about to come out on DVD.  Should be at my house in a week or so. bs

Thanks! That definately makes sense. I should have be able to found it out myself if I'd spent some thinking about it

Argh - I just found out that the fifth season of CSI is aired from January 2006 (!) on... Can you believe it?? We're soo far behind...

Well being a TV kid most of my life just something I knew a little about.  But now all I watch on TV is CSI or CSI Miami.  I hate TV for the most part.  Glad to have been a help.  And I am sure that some of the other boys will have more info than what I have.  So glad if they can fill in any other info they may have. bs

I work on sets as a still photographer. You work for the production for all the photographic needs.The prop dept might even call on you for favor's too. They need pictures all the time. The Unit Publicist will need stuff too, and other departments will call on you too for shots. Your producer will also want it all at the end of the show. At the end of a show you have to come through all the way for them, or you won't get paid. Especially the FX stunt shots  I remember one film job, they put a Production Assistant next to me. Every time a roll came out of my camera, it went right in his hand, and to the production office it went. I never was able to see any of the picture I shot from those rolls. Untill the film was about to come out. The better you become on the A-list. The better the deal you can make for yourself and the pictures on the next film. I have a few posted in my profile you can see some for feature film and some for TV shows. The pictures you saw on CSI where done by there production still photographer. The model was a day player. I was asked by a film company  if they could use one of my magazine's that I published in their movie. I said "yes!!!! ". It was good promo for my magazine. If  I would have said no, the prop dept would just had to make there own mock-up. It saved the film company money just using mine. Only because it was already being printed and had a good credibilty. All and all its very lucrative.

This is why I love this site. You always get first hand information about every aspect of modeling and photography.
Thanks to all of you!

Vegasmusic: Sounds like a cool job, but I guess I could never hand an undeveloped roll of film to the producer... Must be tough sometimes...