I like poop best when it is far far away from me. When I was
a baby, poo felt nice and warm, for a few minutes and then….I didn’t like it in
my diaper and I cried till mom changed me.
What the? Has Sparky lost his mind? Talking poop in a
modeling blog. Well, frankly yes I have. I’m about to go insane and this is
why.
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| Rachell Sean |
Some photographers that think every image they make is so
wonderful that they think even their poo smells good. Worse are the models that
fall for it.
Here is what I’m talking about. Photographers who shoot
everything with a point and shoot or their iPhone, or all their models have
static boring poses or the skin color is off, or the lighting is so bad that a
monkey can do better. Or all the photos are tilted. Or the highlights are blown
out. Harsh shadows on the face with no useful purpose, flash lighting that is
direct and un-flattering, a photographer using the pop-up flash on their
camera. (btw, I have done all of the above except the stupid tilted angle
photos)
There is a difference between a photo that will make an
advertiser or a director or someone else who has budget, hire you, versus a photo
that all your friends say how sexy you are.
Your portfolio should be professional, it should show versatility, it
should show more than the fact that you have a nice ass and great cleavage. T
and A are cheap and easy and have no value unless you want to get just T and A
jobs at a bar or dance club.
How do you know if you are working with someone who can give
you quality images? Read. Go to the book store, get a cup of coffee and sit
down and read the fashion magazines. Pick rags that have a style or styles that
you want to do. Buy some of those magazines and rip out the photos you really
like, memorize them. Stand in front of a full frame mirror and mimic them.
Then, go through your prospective photographer’s port and see if he or she has
that style and has demonstrated an ability to make those images.
How do you learn what a good image is or is not? Again,
study, look through images of people you do not know and see what makes you
react. Why do you react to some and not others? Figure it out by hard work. If
modeling is a job, it is your job to know this. If modeling is a hobby, why
would you want to put out crap as a hobby? Either way, learn and make better
images and demand more from your photographer.
Here are a few hints.
Color; does the photographer get accurate color? If the
colors are muted, does it really look good? If lots of a photographers images
have orange skin, move on.
Focus; are the eyes in focus? I see so many portfolios where
the eyes are not tack sharp. Ugh. There is such a thing as “soft focus” but
that is a select style that should be limited in use. If a photographer can’t
demonstrate a consistent ability to get a good focus, move on.
Poses; Are poses awkward, stiff, unimaginative, all the
same? Are limbs cut off in weird places? ( this is a tough one because fashion
is a bit different than portraiture here, but still, does it feel odd? If so,
move on.
Image Quality; Do the posted images look good? Are they pixilated
and rough looking?
Have an agent or a seasoned and respected photographer
review your portfolio and talk about what is good and bad in your port and if
it is meeting your objectives. You don’t have to believe everything they say,
but getting outside opinions is a good way to expand your understanding.
Don’t buy the crap out there. It belongs far, far away from
you. Make sure your portfolio represents how awesome you really are.
