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Modelling 101: Tips for Dealing With an Inexperienced Model

Whenever I organise a shoot, I try to find models who know what they are doing. That said, you will always come across someone who you would love to strut their stuff for you, but isn't quite sure how to. I like to give my models a 'Modelling 101' before I get started. Not only does this give them some ideas of what to do, it also relaxes them a little as they are no longer diving into doing something they know nothing about!

1. Be Confident

Any photographer will tell you that, as a model, confidence is the key. Nothing stands out in a photo more than a model who is shy or uncomfortable. Getting a model to be confident is one of the hardest things to do, as it's generally an internal issue rather than something objective (such as holding your body a particular way).

In any shoot I take up to 2000 photos, sometimes more. After processing them, I come out with maybe 100-150 high-quality, usable photos. An awkward or unexperienced model will always try (and fail) to make every shot perfect. Let them know that any bad shots will without doubt be censored, so there is no reason to be worried about that.

Nothing throws a model off more than having an unwanted audience. Shooting in a quiet location is also another easy way to get your model more comfortable, as it will be just you, and him/her. If you're already good friends, that's another plus.

It can also help to have one of their friends there with them! I always let my models know they can invite a close/arty friend to help out with the shoot. That way, they are more comfortable and you get an assistant!

Finally, don't get lost in the camera. Despite the results, your model is still a human. You are not photographing an object, and they need attention and feedback! Tell them how wonderful they are, or take a break every 20 minutes to sit down and run through the best shots. This not only boosts their confidence by seeing good photos of themselves, but also allows time to think of more poses or work out new compositions.

2. How to Hold Their Body

The beautiful thing about the human body is that it gives us so many different ways to show beauty via different positions, angles and poses. There are, however, some surefire ways to ensure that the shots you do get exemplify this, rather than disadvantage them.

Crossed legs is one of the oldest tricks in the book. There is no doubt that having spread can give a feeling of power, however most times it can just make the model look fat (especially if you're working with the more curvy body types!). Whilst a model is walking around a location or set, ask them to try to place one foot in front of the other whilst walking. Let them get the hang of it before you start taking some serious shots, so that you've got the slim look and they appear natural whilst doing so.

Another old but effective trick of modelling is to try to keep their hands occupied at all times, or at least giving the arms some shape! If you want to shoot without any props, ask your model to bend their arms instead of keeping them straight- these kind of shots come out static and plain.

Taking props to a shoot is one of the best ways to ensure both variety and aesthetics. If your model is playing with an object, it opens up a whole new range of candid shots- most of which will be quite satisfying! Take for example you're at a green, overgrown location with a stream. Imagine your model bending down looking into the water. Now imagine the model looking into the water, leaning over holding a nearby branch, or placing leaves in the water. Suddenly an action is involved, and the shot has more character!

If the model is a lovely lady, ask them to twist or bend their abdomen- this disrupts the boring flow of a straight line down the body and can also give you some very sexy shots. If a male, get them in positions that flex muscles in natural but effective ways. as well as that, make sure they always place their weight to one side whilst posing!

3. It's All in the Face

Facial expression is one of the biggest influences to the mood of a photograph. The most subtle differences can make your model appear angry or happy. Unexperienced models will smile with every shot, and I hope that this would be something you pick up early on in the shoot!

A frown will, without fail make the shot inquisitive, just as a giant smile with make it a happy shot! Variety is extremely important, especially if you're taking photos for a studio (who will look for variety as well as beauty!). Sporting the same facial in each shot can get very boring, and there are much smarter ways to carry a theme throughout a series of photos.

Mix it up a little. Being over the top can produce rich results, but can also lead to fake-looking photos. Subtle differences bring out the individuality in each face, so exploit them! Get your model to show the camera why their face is unique and special.

The model's line of sight can dramatically change the mood of the photo, and the audience interaction with the photo. A model looking right into the camera pulls us in and talks to us, while anywhere else we're observing. This ties in with facial expression as, if a model is smiling at an object, he/she is going to come across as content with it.

Any emotion on a face will be directed where the model is looking. Use this to your advantage - a smile at a toy will make a child seem happy, whilst a pained expression at the camera makes us sympathise. It's all up to what you want to convey.

4. Trust the Photographer!

Lastly, tell them to trust you. You are the one seeing the frame through the camera, not them. They need to know that what you're shooting is producing good results, and if you ask them to move in a way they might find ugly, tell them that from your point of view it looks beautiful.

Ultimately the photo will come from where you are, not where your model is. You might see a curve that they can't, so you need to let them know what looks good!

Those are the top 4 tips I always offer my models before starting a shoot. Of course, it always helps to get to know a model a little before hand so they are more comfortable strutting your stuff.

Never forget to compliment your model, smile at them and tell them when you get a beautiful shot!

7 Posing Techniques for Non-Models

Not everyone works with models. A lot of photographers have the job of shooting with everyday people and we need to make them look like models. So how do you do that when the subjects have no experience posing or controlling their face for the camera? Here are seven tips to make your portrait subjects feel like models.

1. Pose the Hair

We don't generally think of hair as a part of the body we can control, but you really can! If you are shooting a subject with long hair, then bad hair is going to be the first thing anyone notices about your photo. There are no rules as to what looks "best" across the board. Everyone will look different with their hair a different way.

Let's assume you're doing a basic portrait session without makeup artists and hair stylists. The first thing to remember is that hair sitting on the shoulders looks terrible. If the hair sits on their shoulders, then it looks wild and you need to do something with it. There are five different things that they can do with their hair.

1. Hair all behind the shoulders.
2. Hair all in front of the shoulders
3. Hair all on one side.
4. Hair all on the other side.
5. Hair up.

Hair on the shoulders (#1) should be avoided at all costs. All of the other hair positions have their place depending on your model and the look you are trying to achieve. The reason I shot the hair on both sides (#4 and #5) is because the natural part in a person's hair will lend to one side looking better than the other.

Generally you want their part facing the camera so more of their face is included. For this tutorial, I chose hair up (#6) so we can more easily see the posing instructions without distraction. Many women see ponytails as the "day-off" hair style, but it actually lends itself very nicely in portraits and headshots since you have clean view of their face.

2. Pull the Chin (or Ears) Forward

When someone stands in their normal relaxed stand, or even stands up straight to have nice posture, there is a little bit of flab right underneath their chin. No matter how skinny they are, you will see this. If you tell people to bring their chin forward, which sounds like the sensible thing to do, they will point their chin at you, which brings their face up and ends with you shooting up their nostrils. (Not attractive.) Instead, tell your model to bring their ears forward.

Same technique from a male subject. He was very fit and athletic, but our natural stance is not very photogenic.

3. Lift the Arm

When people stand naturally, another thing they do is stand with their arms flat at their sides. This causes several problems. First, it makes them look awkward and uncomfortable in the photo. Secondly, their arm presses against their torso. This squishes the arm out and makes it look larger than it actually is.

You can correct that by having them just lift their arm an inch or two so it is "floating" and not pressed against them. Alternatively, you can pose their hand so the arm is in a different position, such as putting their hand on the hip. In the image above, the red line is the size of the arm when standing unposed. The exact same red line was moved over to the second photo so you can see how much smaller the arm becomes when not pressed against the body.

4. Leave Visual Space by the Waist

Everyone loves looking thin. One of the things you can do to trim down your subject is by giving them their "natural" waist, without any additives. What I mean by that is visually isolating the skinny part of the torso so they look as thin as they are. I had my model put her hands on her hips. The first photo shows no further posing. The arm in the back has no space between it and the torso, so it visually extends her mid-section. By having her pull the arm a little forward, you can see the space, so the waist doesn't have anything adding visual bulk.

The red line shows the visual width of the subject from the first photo. It is replicated in the second photo to show how much width the arm actually adds. This rule does not just apply to arms. Anything that will be in the background of your subject and make them look larger can be an offender. A few examples are other people, tree trunks, or light poles.

5. Turn the Shoulders

This is a very simple tip, but important. If your subject stares at the camera head-on, they look bigger. This can be good when shooting a football player or CEO of a big company, but it is bad when shooting beauty or portraits. By having your subject turn, they are showing a slimmer profile of themselves to the camera, and look slimmer.

The red line shows the full width of the model when standing straight forward. A small turn to the side gives a photo that is still the subject facing the camera, but in a slimmer profile.

6. Don't Show the Whites of the Eyes

When you want a far off, dreamy look and choose to have your subject look off camera, do not tell them to "look over there." Give them an object behind you to focus on so you can control their eyeline.

The first photo, I told the model to look out the door next to us. You can see the majority of the white of her eye, which is a bad thing. You want to see the iris, the colored part. I had her look out the window next to the door. That small change in eyeline brings back her eyes, gets rid of the white part, and gives a more attractive portrait.

Bringing it All Together

Here's a checklist you can follow for your next shoot.

• Hair is behind one shoulder, in front of the other
• Chin is forward to create a strong jawline
• Arm is lifted from the torso
• Waist doesn't have any visual extenders
• Shoulders are turned
• Iris is seen over the whites
• Nose doesn't break the line of the face

What have you done to make everyday people feel like models? Let me know what you were able to do with these tips and share your own in the comments.

Can I Be a Model?

New models often ask themselves whether they have what it takes to become a model

You are likely to hear that to be a model you need to be beautiful, tall and slender with perfect proportions. Now this is certainly true for high fashion models, where designers want one type of model that they feel shows off their designs in the best way.

However, if you do not fit this criteria, don’t despair as there are many other areas that you can work in successfully and lucratively as a model. The modeling industry needs all different shapes and sizes. It ranges from the models who are required for the runways of Paris and Milan to those being seen in the background of TV commercials. You need to find the right fit for you and your place in the industry. To help you with this we have listed the different types of modeling work that’s available and the criteria for each, and as with most things in life there are always exceptions

High Fashion

When you see the incredibly tall and lean figures that grace the runways and editorials for the leading fashion houses and designers, these are the High Fashion models. They are generally required to be between 172cm to 180cm (5”8 to 5”11), with a dress size of 4-6 US (6-8 UK), with a typical bust size of 34. The age range can be from 14 to 25. For guys the age range is more flexible and they can start from the age of 16 until their late 40’s. They need to be between 180cm to 188cm (5”11 to 6”2), with an excellent physique and a chest size of 94cm to 106cm (37” to 42”) and 76cm to 81cm (30” to 32”) waist. Guys tend to have longer careers if they look after themselves.

Editorial Print

This is modeling for magazine editorials and covers such as Vogue, Elle etc. The standard requirements for these models are similar to those in High Fashion and you must be very photogenic Quite often the same models will work in both Editorial Print and High Fashion. These editorials provide great exposure for models even though the fees earned are sometimes relatively low. This is normal and it can take a few years to gain the experience needed to get the bigger paying jobs.

Commercial Print

A huge market that encompasses every kind of print advertising. This can range from advertising in magazines to products on supermarket shelves to billboards. The benefit of working in Commercial Print as a model is that the target audience of the advertisers varies considerably. Naturally the brands want to attract and represent the people that will buy their products, so there are many opportunities here if you are not the High Fashion type.

Catalogue Modeling

Companies create catalogues (print or online) to sell their latest clothing lines or various others products, and it’s the models job to make them look good. Here you will find many great opportunities for different model types, as the model is chosen to represent the target audience of the different companies. With the increasing number of websites that require models to promote their goods online, this is very lucrative for many models.

Plus Size Modeling

Modeling for the larger body type, this type of modeling is on the increase and a relatively new phenomenon. If you’re confident, with great attributes and you are between the sizes of 12-16 US (14-18 UK) then this could be for you. More and more advertisers are using Plus Size Models to promote their products in a bid to appeal to a broader demographic. As a Plus Size model you will still need to have great skin, teeth and hair and have that something special about you. For High Fashion Plus Sized Models the height requirements remain at a minimum of 172cm (5”8). (Plus Size Models below - 

Glamour Modeling

Is modeling that emphasises a models sexuality. Glamour Modeling can range from lingerie and swimwear shoots, to artistic and nude photography to men’s magazines. You will need to be beautiful, sexy and confident, with an extremely outgoing personality. Height restrictions tend not to apply, which is the great attraction to many models. If you are considering this area of modeling, take care as there are many dishonest people that take advantage of young models who are eager to get into modeling. If you are interested in Glamour Modeling it’s advisable to have a reputable agency looking out for your best interests.

Body Parts Models

An area not usually thought about for newcomers, but it is a very relevant sector of the industry. The most common body parts tend to be hair, eyes, lips, hands, legs and feet, which are used to promote many products in print and TV. You will need to have exceptionally well proportioned body parts and know how to look after them. This is definitely an area within modeling that’s worth considering as it can prove to be surprisingly profitable.

TV Commercials

Modeling in TV commercials does not have any overall criteria for height, size and age, as each commercial requires someone different and specific to that job. It is usually necessary to have some acting ability, but this can be natural ability or learned. There are many different types of TV commercials, ranging from the highly stylised photographic, to the performance led reality style. The great advantage in TV commercials for a model is that brands are continuously seeking models, which the general public can easily identify with. This opens up the doors to almost everyone, who feels that they have what it takes to work in this sector. Typically those represented by a model or actors agency have a better chance of appearing in TV commercials.

Real Life Models (People Models) and TV/Film Extras

If you like the idea of modeling, but do not fit into the above categories, then this could be for you. Real life models are used in advertising or corporate campaigns, when companies are looking to represent the everyday person. As a TV/Film Extra you will generally be non-featured (no speaking parts) and in the background of a scene. This can be fun and interesting to be part of, but it can also be long hours with lots of waiting around. The benefits are that if you are flexible with your days, it can be a good way to supplement your income.