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04/14/2003 04:13:31 AM · #1
I'm being approached by girls who want me to help them with their modeling portfolios. This is not my area of expertese so I am wondering anyone who knows this area could give me some insight.Shaina
04/14/2003 08:14:19 AM · #2
What kind of insight are you looking for?


04/14/2003 12:21:18 PM · #3
like a simple hey those are nice or nope you did something totally wrong here.
04/14/2003 12:22:43 PM · #4
ask dmitrii

04/14/2003 12:29:05 PM · #5
Just be glad to be being approached by girls! Blag it a bit. Just make it up!
04/14/2003 12:33:44 PM · #6
I like Shaina 2 the best!
04/14/2003 12:36:26 PM · #7
I can't speak for the fashion industry but I'll let you in on some of the things I know about portraiture...

I'm not crazy about the position of the arms in #4.. looks uncomfortable and unnatural.

Also in #5, her arms are gone!

On the plus side, I like pretty much all the other shots especially #6,7. I like the sort of daydreamy look of #6 and the mischievious look of #7.

Overall you did a pretty darn good job :) Congrats!
04/14/2003 12:44:56 PM · #8
The only one I like is shaina6. The others are to grainy and the poses make her look distorted or uncomfortable. Don' get to close of a shot because of the facial marks and if your going to show nails or feet make sure they are well taken care of or clean. Keep shooting you will get there. I hope you don't take offence to this comment, but if you are wanting to get better these are the type you want to hear. Good luck.
04/14/2003 01:12:00 PM · #9
Yeah, that's just what I was going to suggest - ask dmitri. And get a better hairdoo
04/14/2003 01:16:18 PM · #10
I like 4 and 6 - more quirky.
Need better resolution and a light reflector held by someone else to fill in the face just a teeny bit.
04/14/2003 01:30:41 PM · #11
This is coming from someone who has a modeling portfolio of her own and also has the rights to brag about being half the team that put together my son's pageant portfolio which won the state title in 1999. I have also judge the modeling portfolios since that time.

I like the first, second, sixth and eighth ones for a portfolio. I know that the things that are looked at from judging the modeling portfolios are hair, eyes, mouth and the ability to show several different looks you may want to look at some of the pageant sites for some insight there are a lot of sites that offer direction.
04/14/2003 02:14:03 PM · #12
I was in professional theatre for years and saw thousands of actors' resumes. And I would offer these suggestions:

I think she needs more professional looking headshots (#3, I'm assuming, is her basic headshot). She has a sweet face in the headshot, but she should probably have two good headshots (frontal and profile) with PROFESSIONAL lighting. The lighting in #3 is pretty flat.

She needs to show how she looks in different outfits -- in a dress, in a hat, in some kind of cardigan or coat, in shorts, etc. -- not just in jeans. She should have shots that show clearly how nice her hands and legs are. The people looking at her portfolio will be looking to see how good she might look in their clothes and accessories -- not just whether she has a pretty face and a perky attitude. So she should be showing how well she can wear all kinds of clothes, jewelry and accessories in her portfolio.

I don't think the lighting is good in nos. 4-8; the photographer should have used fill lighting to de-emphasize the shadows under her eyes; 4, 5, 7 and 8 seem very underexposed-- which is a shame because the setting for the photos is very nice.


The actual best photo, I think, is the first one because the lighting is dramatic and she looks very nice in it. It would make a nice secondary character shot.

She's a very pretty girl and I wish her luck.

04/14/2003 05:47:01 PM · #13
I would approach it much like any other photographic challenge, at least in essence. Ask yourself "What am I trying to communicate here?" and then see what happens. With models who want their portfolios enhanced, they want to show off their faces, how clothing looks on them (more important than "their bodies"), their posing abilities, the likeableness of them, etc. Find what the models do best and make it look even better! Good luck!

Message edited by author 2003-04-14 17:47:26.
04/14/2003 11:00:35 PM · #14
Thanks, you guys rock.
04/15/2003 02:03:31 AM · #15
ok, first. make-up is essential. she should look her best if she wants the best photos for her portfolio.

you need a variety of shots that show her in different "roles," images and personality that she could portray. Brainstorm with her to think of looks she might have and work with them. Make them stand out.

oh, and have fun.
04/15/2003 03:10:49 AM · #16
Get a model release signed.

Get her some booze.

Shoot away.

Send it to Girls Gone Wild, etc. :)

(Make sure the model release state you are allowed to use them for ANY medium.......)

All kiddings aside....


Technical details:

either you get a good studio lighting set up, or you can do this outdoors. Ask one of your buddies to hold a reflector so that it cuts the shadows away from her out doors. You may need two assistants to hold the reflectors some times. Use flash with gel inserted so that the flash will be diffused.

For portraits: Shallow DOF so that her imperfections on her body and face is blurred. Don't use a sharp lens!

For "porn": Medium DOF :) people want to see clearly....

Basically whatever you do, if you're doing this for free, you should have her sign model releases that you can sell their photos to whoever you wish. If they pay you to do it, then it's up to you, but i wouldn't do it for free unless you get some benefit from it. but this really depends on the "market"... if it's a bunch of normal portraits shots, you probably won't be able to sell it anywhere, so you should charge money. If it's more, um, provocative/glamour types, then you can consider doing this for free and in exchange she gets prints and you get a free/no-royalty use of her photos to sell to anyone you wish.


Originally posted by Ricky Cleave:

I'm being approached by girls who want me to help them with their modeling portfolios. This is not my area of expertese so I am wondering anyone who knows this area could give me some insight.Shaina

04/16/2003 08:57:08 AM · #17
Take a look at some work I've done with various models.

There's a couple key elements that alot of people have already hit on but I'll reiterate them.

1) Makeup. Sadly, fashion and modeling portfolios are about presenting some ideal of perfection and so any skin blemishes should be covered completely and skilfully. Almost to the point where it seems fake in real life because the camera sees so clearly.

2) Lighting. Use white boards or sheets to fill in shadow areas. Use fill flash to fill in shadows and counteract backlighting.

3) Image quality. If you're going to be actually providing this as a service, professionally or for money, or if they're even going to use these as more than just on their own personal website, you need higher image quality (less grain). Also a faster shutter speed will eliminate the motion blur I see in some of these images. Not to mention more pixels for printability.

Your model is very pretty though and seems willing and not shy, so you're very luck in that regard :)

Good Luck. Kollin
04/16/2003 10:31:19 AM · #18
btw,

here's the results of a google search on 'tips for aspiring models'

and here are some awesome free portrait lighting lessons on-line ...


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