Your portfolio is your passport!
A portfolio is a set of professionally taken pictures of a model in various outfits, looks, make-up, and expressions. Consider your portfolio (or "book") as your passport to the modeling world, as without one you will not be taken seriously and it is going to be very difficult for you to go anywhere. A GOOD BOOK GIVES THE AGENCIES SOMETHING TO LOOK AT SO THEY CAN VISUALIZE YOU IN THEIR AGENCY AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION!
The quality of the photos in your book is critically important, a great portfolio shot by experienced photographers not only enhances your chance of getting a break in the fashion industry, it also gives you confidence!
Your portfolio is only as good as your weakest shot. If yo look great in most of your shots, but lousy in one or two, an agent will most likely only remember the bad ones.
COMMON MYTHS!
There is a vast abundance of modeling information on the net about the modeling industries photographic demands for a model (some of it valuable, much of it contradictory.) Additionally, over the years certain myths have developed- many of which are still being actively perpetuated by companies with a financial interest in their continues existence. Other myths and misconceptions are based upon practices that were instituted many years ago, but no longer work. Still others have arisen from simple misunderstandings.One of these areas where beginners experience the most confusion has to do with what kind of photos they will need to get started and/0r to become an agency represented talent.
Myth: "All I need to get started is a Polaroid or a snapshot."
Reality: Although a Polaroid or a snapshot might get you in the door to be seen by an agency, better pictures will eventually be needed- and they will always be at your own expense.
Myth: 'If an agency wants me, they will pay for everything I need to get started."
Reality: Contrary to popular myth and lots of wishful thinking, only a very small handful of agencies will occasionally advance money to models and only to those models that have signed long term exclusive contracts with them... plus, the model will be required to sign some sort of loan agreement that will state that the model will have to pay that money back at some point (plus interest)- so all models end up paying in the end for their materials one way or another.
Myth: "I have a friend that has a friend that will be able to take suitable pictures for me to get started."
Reality: Many new models make the career killing mistake of going on casting with amateur looking photos taken by well meaning family members or friends.
A certain quality and/or energy level in photos is expected, and most friends and amateur photographers simply do not know how to help pose or direct new models to assure that the will come across with a strong, professional look.
Wedding photographers, school photographers, portrait photographers, "photo day photographers, student photographers, "pin up" photographers, glamour photographers usually can't produce the proper results.
Believing the myth, that someone will actually sign you as a paid model because of amateur photos or a couple of blurry snapshots, is also wishful thinking, and going on castings with such photos will only serve to brand you as an amateur... making it very difficult for anyone to take you seriously. If you expect to work on a regular basis; you need to visually prove that you can look like a real model.
A "test shoot" is a photo session to enable the model to get suitable pictures for his/her portfolio. It is essential for a model to build a strong book!!!... so yo have to test, test, test, test and test some more!!!
Another word of caution: TFP is the #1 source of model related horror stories.
There are thousands of TFP (Trade for Pictures) offered on the new, most of which are made by amateur photographers with little or no skill. With the extremely rare exception, TFP is the province of amateur and a complete waist of time, a classic blind leading the blind. In fast, the term "TFP" is seldom used in professional circles except perhaps in jokes about it.
Why doesn't anyone ask, "What's the catch?" when some stranger offers a "free photo shoot".
The catch is, the majority of TFP offers are made by so-called photographers looking for dates and/or questionable content for adult sites, and their something for nothing offer is just to lure you in!
The "free photo shoots" will always cost you the most in wasted time, lost jobs, and ruined careers!!
Once you've found a photographer that fits your professional needs as a model you'll need to know what to do/expect at the photo shoot. Here are something to remember:
A good photo shoot is a team effort. Be sure to discuss what you are trying to accomplish before and during a shoot. It is only when you communicate and cooperate that you will be able to create great images.
Keep jewelry to a minimum. Big jewelry or the same earrings and/or same necklace in different shots and different outfits distracts from the impact of all of the images.
Stick with solid colors. A black dress is fine, otherwise avoid anything all white or all black or anything too busy (dots, floral prints, paisleys, stripes, etc.) Bring everything on hangers, not bags, to avoid wrinkles.
Make sure you clothing fits properly. Swimwear, for example, should be snug, with no gaps showing when they move, but they also shouldn't be too tight.
Vary you hair style. When trying to create a variety of looks short hair can be a challenge. For variety, try a wig. Keep your hair close to it's natural color as possible. AVOID chunky highlights as they can make you look older and do not photograph well.
Makeup should look fresh, young, and natural... and also needs to vary in style and color to compliment different hairstyles or outfits. This make every portfolio image look truly different. Heavy makeup, especially in the beginning stages, make the potential employers have to guess what you really look like. (NOT GOOD) Good makeup artist are essential. Always use a real artist to do your makeup and hair.
Everyday makeup is very different from photographic makeup. DO NOT attempt to cut corners by trying to do your own makeup!
Shoes can make all the difference. Bring along at least one pair of shoes with the highest heels, you can borrow some if you don't have a pair. Even though they will not show in most photos, high heeled shoes change the way you stand and give you extra height.
Hold in you stomach a bit. This will give you a more tones appearance, even if you are in great shape. It will also help with posture and add height.
Maintain good posture. Most people, models included, do not have good posture. Unless you are going for a casual look, keep you back straight and shoulders up.
Generally, don't keep both arms or legs entirely straight. Unless you are directed to for a specific pose. Bend one of both arms and/or legs, even if only a little, to make the pose look less artificial.
Don't hold your breath. The concentration will show making you look awkward and stiff.
Don't always look straight into the camera. Instead, use a variety of head positions. try turning you head, tilting you head to one side or the other, or look to the side in some shots.
Don't use a big smile in every shot. Try a closed mouth smile, a pout, a laugh, a snarl, or even a frown... to give some variety to you facial expressions.
ALWAYS LISTEN TO WHAT PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS DIRECT YOU TO DO, AND LEARN FROM THEM!!! They can see what you look like through the camera, you can't!
-bring a bottle of water with you so that you do not get dehydrated.
-a good hair cut of trim a few days before is highly recommended.
-wash hair the night before, but not the day of the photo shoot.
-get a least 7 to 8 hours of sleep before hand.
-do not wear contact lenses.
-come with a clean, exfoliated face... no makeup, light moisturizer only.
-stay out of the sun as much as possible to avoid tan lines.
-do not use self tanners.
DO NOT EXPECT TO WALK INTO THE TEST SHOOT WITH A LAUNDRY LIST OF DEMANDS THAT EVERYONE MUST FOLLOW AS IF YOU WERE DOING THEM A BIG FAVOR BY SHOWING UP!
Does you book show that you can look 16 as well as 26? Does your book show you can look like an editorial model as well as a catalog model? If you have nothing but catalog looks in your portfolio, then that is the kind of agency you are going to be signed to. You will get the kind of agency you show in your portfolio, so be varied and marketable. All models need multiple looks.
You can have multiple books too. If you want to market yourself in several areas, have separate books for each of those market segments. A lifestyle agency is not going to be able to get you work if you have nothing but fashion shots in your book, so put together two or three different books that specifically target the agency you are going after.
All photos need retouching!
There isn't a model on earth that doesn't have a blemish, imperfection, or a wrinkle of some kind that needs to be removed. Fashion is about fantasy and perfection. All of your pictures should be flawless. All of the supermodels and all of the magazines retouch, so do what the professional do! Make sure the photographer has at least 2 - 3 years experience in photoshop and ask to see work samples. If his or hers book contains images if models with blemishes, dark circle under the eyes, etc... you can be sure your images will look that way too, and you will not be able to use them.
Presentation is very important!
Your book is your visual resume and success depends on it. Would you submit a job resume written in pencil? Then why would you show junk photos in a visual resume? Agencies are much more impressed with a potential model that shows professional PRINTS in a nice presentation book or portfolio. Do not expect a photographer to hand over their negatives or digital files so you can sabotage their efforts to make you look like a real model by printing cheap copies! You have every right to ruin your own career if you want to, but you do not have the right to ruin the photographer's career in the process.
Do not expect to get high quality prints or enlargements from your home print! They will not look professional, they will not have a color match and the colors will fad after a couple of weeks. It costs time and money to make professional prints. Professional retouching software and archival inks and paper cost more then consumer software, ink, and paper, but the prints will last up to 200 years.
-Do not show modeling school "diplomas", amateur TFP pictures, Glamour shots, web-cam shots, prom pictures, year book pictures, cheer leading pictures, sports uniform pictures, pageant pictures, photo day pictures, bikini contest pictures, wedding picture, etc...
-Do not put low quality prints in your book.
-Do not put "age inappropriate" or overly sexy glamour photos in you book.
If you have fuzzy, grainy, trashy, amateur looking images in you book, that is how you will be perceived!
(Also, don't forget, Federal Copyright law gives the creator of an image exclusive legal ownership and the exclusive rights to reproduce the image in any form, so not only is it inadvisable, it is illegal to publish, copy, or reproduce a photographic image without the express written permission from the creator of the image.)
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