Starting to work with models but I am afraid of it. Need help

Thaash

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Maybe some of you will laugh at my problem but I hope I will get some answers from the pro / semi-pro photographers reading this.

I have moved to a new city where I do not know anybody. I have access to a nice, equipped studio and I want to start to shoot some models. I could get some models easily through internet or newspaper ads.
I plan these sessions to be free for the models as I will collect references for my website. After this has been done I will start advertising myself as a photographer.

My concerns:
I am shy lol. I mean I never worked with girls or any model (only with my ex girlfriends who knew me very well). So my problem is that I have following thought in my head: "How should I tell the girls that this is the first time I am doing this with girls who I do not know?", "Should I tell it to them?" "What will they think?" "Am I able to give good instructions, motivate them while shooting?"
"What if the pictures will be not really good?"

So these are my concerns. Please give me some tips how should I move on. I would really need some advice on how do such a shoot for the first time.

Thank you in advance for your help.
 
If you are bringing in models for a photo shoot...you should have a preconceived idea of what you want to accomplish with the shoot. Maybe it's a theme, maybe it's a particular type of shot etc. You can then work with that goal in mind. Tell the model what you are trying to accomplish and let them help you to get there.
Don't just ask them to come stand in front of the camera and hope something good comes from it.

If you have a goal, and you are working toward that goal...it shouldn't matter that you don't have much experience.
 
: "How should I tell the girls that this is the first time I am doing this with girls who I do not know?" said:
#1 Do not tell them anything of the sort - if you act like you know what you are doing and tell them what you want they will respond.
#2 they may think "what the heck am I doing here this guy doesn’t know what he is doing and this is a waste of my time..
#3 if you know what you are doing and setup/prep is right they should be fine.

If you are not paying the models and they are not getting any shots for their portfolio don't expect to get top models. If you have any connections (people) were you are see if you can get friends of friends to help you out with the directing strangers how to pose for you. This will give you experience to move on with models (people who do it for a living
 
^ agree with big mike, have an idea of what you want to shoot. im doing a similar thing at school for a portrait assignment. i find it helpful to have a sheet with ideas you can run down, possibly even with framed sketches.

ofc, it helps to look fresh at work! =)
 
Even if you don't shoot models professionally, you want to act professionally. As Mike mentioned, have a preconceived idea of what the shoot is about, and communicate that well in advance to the model. I recommend having a model release for the model to sign (even though I just shoot for trade, I have a model release and a usage agreement which we go over up front). Having a makeup artist also helps - it's another person in the room to deflect some of the one-on-one awkwardness, the hair/makeup time is an opportunity to get familiar with each other, and it improves the images (and you may be able to find one willing to work for trade as well). The more professional you act in general, the more "quiet" comes across as "focused on the details" and less as "nervous and awkward". And remember to not touch the model!

An alternative to working for trade is to, at least at first, consider paying professional models. If you pick a good one (check references), she won't care how nervous you are, she'll still deliver the poses. Some models even state in their profiles that they don't care about your level of experience. That will let you focus on your end of things and on getting comfortable dealing with a model rather than worrying too much about directing her. And, frankly, it will probably be less stressful for you...you're compensating the model with cash rather than images, so if the shots don't come out as well as you hope there's nothing lost from her side and you've still gained experience.

(*Disclaimer - I am a hobbyist who works with models just for the fun of it. I'm also not the most outgoing person, so I'm somewhat in your shoes.)
 

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