Your portfolio
is your passport A
portfolio is a set of professionally taken pictures of a
model in various outfits, looks, make-up and
expressions. Consider
your portfolio (or "book") as your passport to the
modeling world as without one you will not be taken
seriously and it is going to be very difficult for you to
go anywhere. A good
book gives potential employers something to look at so
they can visualize you in their upcoming shoot and make
an informed decision. Your
portfolio is your first step to enter into the fashion
world and it needs to be handled very carefully. It
should highlight your beauty, moods, expressions and
emotions. Your
career can get off to a flying start, or suffer a slow
death - all based on the way you visually present
yourself starting day one. The
quality of the photos in your book is critically
important. A great portfolio shot by an
experienced photographer not only enhances your chance of
getting a break in fashion industry it also gives you
confidence. A good
photo shoot is a team effort. Be sure to discuss what
you are trying to accomplish before and during a shoot.
It is only when you communicate and cooperate that you
will be able to create great images. Keep
jewelry to a minimum. Big jewelry or the same
earrings and/or the same necklace in different shots and
different outfits detracts from the impact of all of
those images. Stick
with solid colors. A black dress is fine,
otherwise avoid anything all white or all black or
anything too busy (dots, floral prints, paisleys,
stripes, etc.). Bring everything on hangers, not in bags,
to avoid wrinkles. Make
sure clothes fit properly. Swimsuits, for example,
should be snug, with no gaps showing when they move but
they also shouldn't be too tight. Vary
your hair style. When trying to create a variety of
looks short hair can be a challenge. For variety, try a
wig. Keep your hair as close to its natural color as
possible. AVOID chunky highlights as they can make you
look older and do not photograph well. Make-up
should look fresh, young and natural and needs to vary in
style and color to compliment different hairstyles or
outfits. This makes each portfolio image look truly
different. Heavy make-up, especially in the beginning
stages, makes potential employers have to guess what you
really look like (not good). Every
day make-up is very different than photographic make-up.
DO NOT attempt to cut corners by trying to do your
own make-up. Shoes
can also make a big difference. Bring along at least
one pair of shoes with highest high heels you have or can
borrow. Even though they will not show in most photos,
high heeled shoes change the way you stand and give you a
bit of extra height that all but the tallest models can
use. Hold
in your stomach a bit to give a more toned appearance -
even if you are in great shape. Maintain
good posture. Most people, models included, do not
have good posture. Unless you're going for a casual look,
keep your back straight and shoulders up. Learn
five basic poses ahead of time by looking at a magazine
or a catalog. Practice in front of a mirror a few
times and have them ready to do without having to think
about it. Generally,
don't keep both arms entirely straight unless directed to
do so for a specific pose. Bend one or both arms,
even if only a little, to make the pose look less
artificial. Likewise, don't keep both legs entirely
straight. Don't
hold your breath. The concentration will show making
you look awkward and stiff. Don't
always look straight at the camera. Instead,
use a variety of head positions. Try turning your head,
tilting your head to one side or the other, or look off
to the side in some shots. Don't
use a big smile for every shot. Try a closed mouth
smile, a pout, a laugh, a scowl, or even a frown, to give
some variety to your facial expressions. Listen
to what (professional) photographers direct you to do and
learn from them. They can see how things look through
the camera. You can't. Do not
allow or encourage spectators to "shoulder hop" the
photographer as this will create huge distractions
that virtually guarantee poor results. Do not
shoot with amateur photographers as this will as this
will not give you quality on-camera
experience. Shooting
with amateurs will teach you bad habits that are very
hard to break. Plus, you will never know where your
pictures will turn up weeks months or years
later. Have a
cell phone with you at all times and make sure it is
turned ON especially while you are on route to the
location. Bring
at least one bottle of water so you don't get
dehydrated. A good
hair cut or trim a few days ahead of time is highly
recommended. Come with hair in rollers or blow
dried. Wash
hair the night before to avoid fly aways and be sure to
get seven or eight hours of sleep. Do not
wear contact lenses (unless you can't see without
them) and come with a clean face (NO makeup, light
moisturizer ONLY.) Stay
out of the sun as much as possible. Avoid having tan
lines and do not use self tanners. Be on
time and, of course, do not be late as you will be
cutting into your own shooting time. The
day after the shoot your agency will probably call and
ask the photographer, "How did the shoot go? "
("He/she was late," is not the first thing you want them
to hear.) ALL
photos need retouching. There isn't a model on earth
that does not have a blemish or a wrinkle or imperfection
of some kind that needs retouching. Make
sure the photogapher has at least two or three years of
experience in photoshop and ask to see work
samples. If
his/her book contains images of models with blemishes,
dark circles under the eyes, etc., you can be sure your
images will look that way too - and you will not be able
to use them. Overly
"photo shopped" images are also a negative as they do not
allow potential employers to see what you really look
like. Do not
waste time, do not waste money and do take chances with
your personal safety or your career. "TFP"
situations are almost always a waste of time and
potentially dangerous. Anyone can buy a camera, make some
business cards and claim to be a "professional
photographer." Get in
front of someone at a real agency, go on and on about how
wonderful "TFP" photo sessions are - and watch how
quickly (and often loudly) you are shown the door and
asked to leave. Never
Forget: "You are your book" and the last thing you want
to be doing on an interview is stuttering, stammering and
making excuses for poor images in your
portfolio.
There
are thousands of fake modeling and talent agencies and a
relatively small handfull of real ones - especially in
the state of Florida - so feel free to send an e mail
with your name, stats and a small jpg photo or two and we
will try to point you in the right
direction.
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