0) Beginning your Modeling 1) Pose & Expression practicing 2) Pre-shoot Preparations 3) Work and Safety info 4) Clothing/Underwear/Deoderants Advice 5) PhotoDay events info
-------------- advices from models, and some from me --------------------- ==================== Beginning your Modeling Before you put yourself "out there", until modeling is your career: ... 1) set up a separate email account ... just for modeling messages! (keep your -personal- email account just for your family & friends) 2) decide on a separate "stage name" different from your real name. (so normal-job employers cannot Google you & decide to NOT hire you!) A) What kind(styles) of modeling interest you...? Think about the different styles of posing (fashion, commercial, editorial,print, catalog, glamour). ALL of these can be done clothed, in lingerie, or somewhat nude. Decide just "how much" of your body you are willing to show-in-a-picture BEFORE you accept any photoshoot offer. Then Do NOT be talked into going beyond your limits!! NOTE: posing nude is neither obscene nor pornography. BUT: its your choice ... you do NOT need to do nude poses to succeed as a model. Do nude poses "if you want to" ... but: once on the internet, for eternity. B) Giving out your info ...? YES! ... A Real Name(!), even if as "stage name" Contact-Info: A cell-phone# and an Email Address! NOTE: Separate ones for Modeling. cell-phone# mainly for -emergency- usage! ... CHECK these every Day. ... Never give out your home phone# at first, (address can be traced) ... If you don't have a cell-phone and/or email: use www.onebox.com Measurements: Bust & Cupsize, Waist, Hips. Height. Hair-Lingth, Hair and Eye color, Dress-size, and possibly Lingerie-size. Shoe size. Body Info: allergies, scars/tattoos/etc, eye-sensitivities, etc. C) Professional conduct ... Check your email EVERY day!!! Always respond, in a timely fashion, to any call/email/etc. Always say what you mean, and mean what you say. Always give ADVANCE notice if something happens and you cannot meet your committment. D) Booking/Photoshoot Info needed ... Always use the "model reference-info form" to get all info about any shoot! ----------- ==================== Pose and Expression Practice A new model should view the 'good' magazines for the clothing which fits her particular age-look. I.E., if the model is 18 then maybe she can look an age-range of 16-22. So then cut out pix of different types of nice-looking clothing. Then, you should practice two things in front of a full-length mirror. 1) facial expressions, 2) the poses. Practice by duplicating a pose or expression in front of the mirror, then closing the eyes and trying to duplicate it. 'freeze' and open the eyes to see how close you resemble the picture. Do the same with some home-grown differing smiles, frowns, puzzlements, and other expressions. ----------- ==================== Pre-Shoot Preparations & Supplies Unless you are going to be doing a paid shoot where all of the clothing and make-up artist are supplied (check that all clothing is cleaned and the makeup artist is a pro, so you do not get someones bacteria) .... you must bring allyour own supplies and clothing, and be ready to pose. (A) Supplies include: 1) full makeup kit, including Derma-blend makeup(covers bruises/etc) as well as brushes and combs and various hair-styling clips/etc, 2) sewing supplies for any sudden tears or lost buttons and such, 3) feminine hygene supplies, 4) bottles of water, 5) makeup and nail removal supplies. 6) general medical: tylenol, sudafed, band-aids, lens-cleaners, special-meds she may need, waterbabies-spf45 sunscreen, etc. (B) Clothing depends upon the kind of photoshoot assignment 'Model' is booked for. I.E. , fashion, sports, gymnastics, swimwear, aerobics, etc. The photographer should have some ideas as to what selections of clothing is needed for this particular shoot. (C) model preparations: 1) fully rested, 2) makeup kit and clothing cleaned, coordinated, ready to wear, 3) breakfast!! (D) model safety: ALWAYS ... 1) get work-references from the photog -and- CHECK each one!!, 2) take a companion with you, and leave someone complete info on where/when you are, 3) use the 'phone-call' system ... arrange (and tell photog) to call a friend a) just as you park your car, b) 15-minutes later, c) 40-minutes later, d) at the shoot-end, -and- e) after you get into your car. ----------- ==================== Work & Safety Advice for Models Based on advice from several forum posts and me. 1) check out www.newmodels.com for -really- good general-modeling info 2) check out these release & waiver legal forms ... read what they MEAN. check out the Models PhotoShoot Reference-Info form ... and -use- it. http://home.earthlink.net/~m_h_young/PhotoForms.html 3) bring along a "companion" (prefer girlfriend) if needed for safety. friend should then stay "within hearing but out of sight" during actual shooting. Leave a copy of the Models PhotoShoot Reference-Info form with someone ... for emergencies! ------------- ==================== Clothing advice for models Based on advice in "A Beginners Guide to Modeling" by Valentine Delvecchio. Shirts blouses, and other tops. Short sleeves or long. Pull over, button up, or wrap around. Neckline is key. The top must visually extend the mode¹s neck. Neckline should be scooped, V or off the shoulder. Avoid high necklines such as turtleneck. Tank tops look good and so do leotards. Dresses and Skirts should be two inches or more above the knee. This stretches the model¹s torso in the photograph. Long dresses are ok but not for every model. Thin models can wear tight fitting dresses and skirts. Pants and shorts: Shorts look very good on models that have the legs. Pants of various styles can enhance long legs. Dressy or casual. Jeans of various colors and styles with no holes photograph well. Stockings: suntan or nudes with most outfits if appropriate to wear hose. Sheer is important. Black sheer is an important option. Black fishnet is good as well for some looks. White can distract and make legs look pale. Other opaque colors can look comical or like a costume. Shoes should be comfortable and stylish. Proper fit is important. Classic, closed heels and toes pumps, flat with similar line. Straps work with lingerie. Otherwise can break the line of the leg and ankle. Buckles can be a problem as well if they are overlarge. Colors black and navy are very practical. Accessories: belts, scarves, hats, and purses. Undergarments should be neutral color, not white. Flat, with no seams. Layers of clothing e.g. leotard under sweater or blouse -------- ==================== Underwear advice for models Based on responses from photographers in a post-thread Under clothes, a bra usually makes the breasts 'fit' the clothing better, unless the person is very small breasted. what you want is a plain well fitting bra in a neutral color. If the fabric is sheer, the bra is either supposed to be seen or the person should be bare breasted... No Bra ... Unless you're shooting lingerie or the bra is part of the styling. Having watched and now shot runway shows (Thanks Udo!) I've yet to see the girls wearing bras....unless its again, part of the styling. Hrm, I'd say it depends on the models breast shape, size and ability to defy the effects of gravity. Some girls just don't look flattering without one. There are bras that are designed specifically to hide well under clothing. No lines, no wires. I own a few and they work well if you go with a neutral color. I think it depends on the intent of the images. If you're shooting fashion where you need to showcase the clothes, then nothing should distract from the clothes being featured. I have yet to shoot a major designer's line, but I'm sure that they would be pissed if their $10,000 one-of-a-kind gown showed bra straps or lines. That's why most fashion models have smaller busts (excluding the likes of Cindy Crawford, of course). If you're shooting glamour, and the intent is to focus on the figure, then shoot what looks best on the model. A bra may enhance the cleavage, and a peek may add to the allure. But make the recommendation based on WHAT should be featured in the images. -------- ==================== Deodorant advice for models Based on responses from models in a post-thread ... IsabelAurora: I use Degree and it is the bomb! But you can always take one sheet of toilet tissue and pat under your arms after you apply the deoderant to get the excess off. Ibalu: Dove is like wearing nothing, only you are protected. It's perfect. KatieK: But if I must wear something, it's Dove all the way. Super soft, never smudge, LOVE it. ==================================================================================== ==================================================================================== About "The Models PhotoDays" Photoshoots(some states have them). ... A) it is "family-style", which means 1) models ages vary from 3-4 years old up thru maybe 25 ... mostly between 13-18, 2) models may NOT wear t-back or other overly-revealing swimwear, 3) shoot starts at 10-10:30, ends 3-3:30 PM. 4) a free makeup artist is usually at the shoot. Use her! 5) models need to "sign-in" (no fee) for legal purposes. B) participants:... 1) anywhere from 6 to 15 models, 2) from 8 to 15 photographers. usually the larger figures. C) photoshoot organization: 1) the photoshoot has some monitoring to help keep out all un-desirable behaviors, 2) models get free sodas and hotdogs, 3) the photoshoot organizer supplies a tent for models to change clothes .... do NOT leave any clothing in the tent!, 4) underage models MUST bring a parent/guardian, 5) models get in free; photographers PAY to have to opportunity to shoot with these models -and- are supposed to later leave an 8x10 print with the organizer for the model to pick up. 6) photographers 'vote' on the three models they liked most; these models may get some small cash or a trophy, and their pic in Photoday News. D) models are free to accept shooting with any photographer, AND also are free to decline shooting with anyone who they dislike or who makes them uncomfortable. NOTE: if anything seems uncomfortable, ---> STOP; report it right away. (this is usually not a problem, but it could happen) E) How do models get photogs to shoot with them?? If a photog does not come up to you ....... you go up to them and ask if they want to shoot with you. happens ALL the time. F) what do models usually bring as clothing?? 1) evening dress or prom dress, 2) skirt/blouse, 3) jeans/shorts & top, 4) bikini or one-piece, 5) business skirt/blouse/jacket, 6) accessories to match (jewelry, scarves, hats, heels, flats. ---> bring things YOU feel you look good in, in good colors <---