Themed Photo Shoots....Yes or No?
In the spirit of the holiday, todays article is about themed photo shoots. Do they add value to your portfolio or not? Do they serve any real purpose in the legitimate (not ModelMayhem) modeling world?
Yes and No. There are two main questions you should consider before taking the time and energy to plan out a themed photo shoot.
First of all...... Is this a paid job?
Yes? Ok, proceed.
No? If you are shooting TF for the sake of attempting to add some value to your current portfolio, then consider the following:
Is the theme CLEAR?
Without the theme of the shoot being completely clear, you will be wasting your time. If you or anyone else looks at an image and cannot tell what the theme is within 3 seconds, the shot should NOT be included in your professional portfolio. To make sure the theme is clear, all of the following need to be considered and in harmony with your idea: Hair, Make Up, Wardrobe, Background, Photography Style/Lighting. If any of these don't seem to make sense in relation to one another, you're already on your way to a bad image.
WHAT is the theme?
There are as many ideas as there are people on earth so for the sake of time I will only include a few examples of themes that would be productive and non-productive to a models portfolio. Keep in mind, in this article I am NOT referring to glamour models or models who ONLY work off of ModelMayhem. I am referring to models who are represented by agencies or are seeking representation. I'm giving advice for a portfolio that will book jobs in the "real" world if you will...so if you are a hobbyist model who doesn't have specific industry goals, please do not take offense to this information.
BAD (sample)
It is never good to have a mask covering your face or too much going on in the image that is distracting the viewer from YOU. YOU should always be the main point of every image because after all, the goal of your portfolio is to "sell yourself to clients." Unless you are being casted for a project that has a theme closely related to one in your portfolio, it won't be super helpful.
GOOD (sample)
Different time periods are a useful theme. There are several marketing campaigns that draw on looks from the past and it is good to be able to portray yourself as fitting in within that time period. Anything that shows your face and body clearly will always be a win. Make sure YOU LOOK GOOD in the image, that should be your primary concern. A themed image adds nothing to your portfolio if you don't have a good facial expression or pose, or if there is poor lighting or a poor quality of photography.
The moral of the story is: Don't let the theme take over the shoot. You, the model, and/or the product that is being advertised/promoted will always be the main point of the photograph. If in doubt, go for simpler themes, ones that need no explanation beyond the image itself.
So for all of you doing Halloween themed shoots this year, my advice is focus on great, professional quality makeup and good wardrobe, match the background to your theme, and try to make your images as versatile as possible, so that if you were to add them to your working portfolio, they could fit right in.... even in June or July!
Good Luck everyone and get to work!
Do you have questions about the modeling or acting business?
Email: M2ATALENTMANAGEMENT@GMAIL.COM
SUBJECT: BLOG QUESTION
In the spirit of the holiday, todays article is about themed photo shoots. Do they add value to your portfolio or not? Do they serve any real purpose in the legitimate (not ModelMayhem) modeling world?
Yes and No. There are two main questions you should consider before taking the time and energy to plan out a themed photo shoot.
First of all...... Is this a paid job?
Yes? Ok, proceed.
No? If you are shooting TF for the sake of attempting to add some value to your current portfolio, then consider the following:
Is the theme CLEAR?
Without the theme of the shoot being completely clear, you will be wasting your time. If you or anyone else looks at an image and cannot tell what the theme is within 3 seconds, the shot should NOT be included in your professional portfolio. To make sure the theme is clear, all of the following need to be considered and in harmony with your idea: Hair, Make Up, Wardrobe, Background, Photography Style/Lighting. If any of these don't seem to make sense in relation to one another, you're already on your way to a bad image.
WHAT is the theme?
There are as many ideas as there are people on earth so for the sake of time I will only include a few examples of themes that would be productive and non-productive to a models portfolio. Keep in mind, in this article I am NOT referring to glamour models or models who ONLY work off of ModelMayhem. I am referring to models who are represented by agencies or are seeking representation. I'm giving advice for a portfolio that will book jobs in the "real" world if you will...so if you are a hobbyist model who doesn't have specific industry goals, please do not take offense to this information.
BAD (sample)
It is never good to have a mask covering your face or too much going on in the image that is distracting the viewer from YOU. YOU should always be the main point of every image because after all, the goal of your portfolio is to "sell yourself to clients." Unless you are being casted for a project that has a theme closely related to one in your portfolio, it won't be super helpful.
GOOD (sample)
Different time periods are a useful theme. There are several marketing campaigns that draw on looks from the past and it is good to be able to portray yourself as fitting in within that time period. Anything that shows your face and body clearly will always be a win. Make sure YOU LOOK GOOD in the image, that should be your primary concern. A themed image adds nothing to your portfolio if you don't have a good facial expression or pose, or if there is poor lighting or a poor quality of photography.
The moral of the story is: Don't let the theme take over the shoot. You, the model, and/or the product that is being advertised/promoted will always be the main point of the photograph. If in doubt, go for simpler themes, ones that need no explanation beyond the image itself.
So for all of you doing Halloween themed shoots this year, my advice is focus on great, professional quality makeup and good wardrobe, match the background to your theme, and try to make your images as versatile as possible, so that if you were to add them to your working portfolio, they could fit right in.... even in June or July!
Good Luck everyone and get to work!
Do you have questions about the modeling or acting business?
Email: M2ATALENTMANAGEMENT@GMAIL.COM
SUBJECT: BLOG QUESTION
