In an age where images are airbrushed to near Disney princess ‘appeal’ and a clever filter can transform even the most average Joe to GI Joe, it can feel decidedly unnatural to take a completely natural shot. However, as a professional model, there is no avoiding this drag of a task.
Whether you’re a newbie model or seasoned pro needing a reminder, fear not, once you’ve read this, you’ll be itching to pap away.
Setup
• Find some natural light. Everything looks better when the sun’s got his hat on. If you look that bad in daylight maybe rethink the modelling career and become a vampire.
• Posing against a plain (white if you have it) background is essential as clients are interested in you and not your new Ikea sideboard, no matter how retro and cool.
• Buy your mate lunch to take the pics because unless you’re inhumanly good looking this could take a while. Just think of it like Tinder profiles; for every 50 random you’ll get one that works.
Fix-up, look smart
• It’s time to dust off your most boring undies. Monochrome is best. This isn’t about your awesome threads but showcasing your head-to-toe commercial loveliness. If done correctly this polaroid will highlight your ability to transcend the very constraints of fashion and if it doesn’t maybe look into that vampiric day job.
• For ladies with long locks and male models looking like that hot guy from Game of Thrones you’ll need to do some shots with hair up and some un-styled and loose. This would be the perfect time to show off your highly coveted messy bun skills or lack thereof.
Calling the shots
• As much as your inner urge as a commercial model is to get all goofy and use that smile of yours to light up the world, right now you need a neutral expression. These images must be as raw as possible; clients can see from your annoyingly cheery portfolio how merry you are so reign it in and go to your sort-of happy-but-not-ecstatic place. Smiling with the eyes rather than looking like a dead fish might be an idea though.
• As well as a strong headshot you will need full-length shots taken front-on and from the back as well as a left and right profile. As Zoolander as it might sound, quite a lot of people have a better side and those pesky clients want to see both.
Sharing is caring
• Update all agencies with your shiny new material pronto as it reminds us simple folk behind a desk, plugging away sometimes coffee-less and brain dead, that you exist. No matter how much Sudoku loo roll you have in your life, the mind of a model booker is not a computer or a sponge and with sometimes hundreds of faces popping in and out of it daily, this is a cheaper alternative to Interflora to get noticed.
• Please note that the Morello Bookings team are not above floral bribery and Malene has a penchant for Hotel Chocolate by the truck load.