Aspiring model pic heavy

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Friend of mine's daughter wants to be a model. asked me to do some shots. I am hopeless at directing for poses, its something I need to work on. Tips? Also critique welcome on these.

#1 this is the uncropped version y mistake...

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

Any thoughts please?

cgipson1 · Sep 12, 2012

#4 and #6 are keepers IMO! #3 isn't bad either, maybe a tad too warm / gold.

#4 light is a little contrasty on $4.. but it works... nice light. A little fill would have been nice.

#6... being backlit the subject is a little darker than she should be.. need to bring her exposure up a bit.

The rest look awkward and not flattering.

amolitor · Sep 12, 2012

#1 is flat, the background is terrible, and why are you shooting her from above?! Down low, show us the legs.

#2 is potentially nice, but comes across flat and cool. Not sure about the cropped hat. She's quite good in it, the photo isn't all that.

#3 is getting better, I'd lighten and warm her up a trifle. Also the farmer's tan visible on her arms is not so hot. If she wants to be a model she needs to start paying serious attention to stuff like that.

#4 is lovely. See how warm the light is, and how the shadows reveal the shapes so well? Nice.

#5 is ok, I don't get the shoes with the outfit, though, and she needs to work on her posing. If she's comfortable, the pose is probably no good. She should spend some time looking at fashion magazines -- muscles are engaged, there's a lot of twisting, stretching, tension in the body.

#6 is also nice to look at, but I don't like the lighting. Dead-on lighting is actually kind of a fashion trope these days, but they're going for either a paparazzi feel or a facebook feel, so the poses have to be quite a bit different and the light much brighter to pull that look off.

Parker219 · Sep 12, 2012

Rokvi, I think both you and the model could be a professional. :thumbup:

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Cheers Charlie. I think the others look awkward because she doesn't know what to do with those long legs!

There was a little fill on #4 (Pops holding reflector) but I think I need to get me some stands/clamps, so I can set it myself. Your also right about them being warm I actually did bring them down a little but I might have to bring it down some more. Roger that on #6.

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Good pick up on the tan amolitor. Never noticed that! Thanks for the good advise too. Will take it on board.

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Parker219 said:
Rokvi, I think both you and the model could be a professional. :thumbup:

Her maybe. Me hardly.

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Parker219 said:
Rokvi, I think both you and the model could be a professional. :thumbup:

Oh and thats what everyone tells me on facebook too!

Designer · Sep 12, 2012

rokvi said:
... she doesn't know what to do with those long legs!

You've GOT to be kidding me! Is she 15? This young lady needs coaching, whether you or someone else.

1. Get a book on posing.
2. She needs to lift her chin.
3. Those legs will be her money-maker if she breaks into modeling.

gsgary · Sep 12, 2012

rokvi said:
Oh and thats what everyone tells me on facebook too!

Dont believe everything you read on Facebook

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

Designer said:
rokvi said:

... she doesn't know what to do with those long legs!

Click to expand...

You've GOT to be kidding me! Is she 15? This young lady needs coaching, whether you or someone else.

1. Get a book on posing.
2. She needs to lift her chin.
3. Those legs will be her money-maker if she breaks into modeling.

3 & 6 were poses I coached. She wants more done over the school holidays, so I might spend some time with her going over magazines etc and work on them.
As for the legs, I know right!
I'll also try and put the good advise into play as well.

rokvi · Sep 12, 2012

gsgary said:
rokvi said:

Oh and thats what everyone tells me on facebook too!

Click to expand...

Dont believe everything you read on Facebook

But there are so may talented professional goggle wearers on there!

Big Mike · Sep 12, 2012

There was a little fill on #4 (Pops holding reflector) but I think I need to get me some stands/clamps, so I can set it myself.

Don't bother trying to use a reflector, outdoors, on your own. You'd spend 5 minutes trying to get it in just the right position, then a gentle breeze would blow it over. Stick with the VALS (voice activated light stand).

Overall, I think that most of the shots could use a little more light on her face....whether it's fill, or just more exposure.

amolitor · Sep 12, 2012

Make her do some of the work. She should find a half a dozen different photographs, with different poses. She should think about what clothes to wear for each one, 2 or 3 outfits tops though. She should bring the actual photos, cut out the pages from the magazine.

Then work with her on each pose. Have her try it once or twice, then look at the photos of her, and compare with the original. Take your time. You'll be moving the camera around and probably fooling with focal length, and she will be working on hitting the pose properly. She'll be appalled at how uncomfortable and awkward most of them are

Some of them probably won't be doable -- either too much photoshop in post, or she's just got the wrong body.

She should probably do some stretching before the shoot. A little light yoga, and some straight-up stretching.

Designer · Sep 12, 2012

I've seen girls who have attended modeling school, and they just move and stand differently than their siblings and cousins. Yoga is an excellent practice to improve one's posture, but you can't make a 15-year-old do what she doesn't want to do. Your local library might have a book on modeling, and the magazine picture idea is a good one. While building a model's portfolio, remember to work on a variety of poses, clothing, hairstyles, makeup, and expression. You can't predict with certainty what any particular employer will want.