Model Talent

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If I am doing a shoot for a client I can choose to pull someone off the street who looks right for the job and normally not pay much money or I can hire a skilled professional model and pay a lot more money. The reason I would op for paying more for a professional model is that a shoot will go quicker and have a better chance for success with a pro then someone off the street. So a professional model can actually save a client money by shortening a shoot and the quality of the images will be better (better usually meaning more sales). So what does a professional model bring to a shoot that some one off the street does not, professional attitude and the "model's tool kit." The "model's tool kit" is the ability to express and pose and knowledge of make-up, hairstyling and wardrobe. This package of skill is what makes a model worth their fees.

Working on Expression and Pose

In the old days of melodrama and vaudeville they made a science out of communicating with facial expression or body position. They exaggerated and standardized every emotion that one might want to express. They produced books showing these standard expressions and poses and when you studied theatrics this was part of what you learned. All of this early work was a bit over exaggerated and through the years has gone through a lot of refinement. When photographs began replacing drawings in fashion magazines the photo fashion industry came up with their own set of expressions and poses. These expressions and poses usually communicated beauty and grace. A model would learn a standard set of poses that told where the feet, hands, torso, and head would be positioned. One would work on one's cheery smile or surprise facial expression. By the early sixties it had become pretty regimented. But just as all the rules for being a model were set, along came the late sixties and a time for breaking all of the rules. It has been a muddled mess since. Today there are no set rules for models except all of the old rules still can apply except we want to break them all the time. The modeling schools say they will teach you the standard modeling poses but the agencies and fashion industry say that there are no standard poses; everything is creative and you either have it or you don't and we decide who has it.

As a working photographer I think it is great to have both. I like it when I can tell a model to look sad and she has practiced that look in the mirror and can do it on cue. I also like when we can play sad music or tell a side story and get an honest sad expression. I like when shooting a simple fashion shot and I ask the model to go through her short or long group of poses and she has a set routine that we can shoot through. I like it when we need something very different for a shot and I can tell the model how to stretch, twist, and reach and she is aware of her/his body and can do it. I think you should know the rules so you can break them. You should know your body so you are aware of how it moves, what lines it forms, and how it can be coached into different positions. I think you should know yourself and your emotions so you can show these to the camera and feel confident in what you are showing.

So how do you work on expressions and posing? One good way to start is doing activities that teach you how to move you body gracefully. For this I like dance and rhythmic gymnastics. Dancers and gymnasts move great in front of the camera. They know how to created a long sweeping line with their bodies. Other sports can help with kinesthetic knowledge and are good for conditioning but I favor dance to teach how to move and communicate with you body. Of course for expression theater is a great teacher. That is part of what an actor must do at times - communicate without words. If you have an opportunity take a class or participate in these activities, I encourage you to do so.

You can work on facial expressions by practicing them in a mirror. What do I mean by facial expressions? We are all capable of showing various emotions on our face. Most emotions that you can think of can show on your face. Hate, love, sadness, longing, happy, and more can be expressed on your face. What you should do is make a list of all key emotional words you can think of (run through the dictionary) and practice those expressions in front of a mirror. After you have practiced for a while, try them on a friend and see if they can tell what emotion you are conveying. The idea is that when you are in front of the camera and the photographer wants you to look longingly into the distance you know how to do that.

More on Posing

When you are in front of my camera lens your body and how it is positioned become a critical element in making my photograph successful. Learning how to move in front of the camera begins with some basic principles.

Basic Principles

Lines of Force - There are certain principles of design that apply to any visual art. With a model in a photograph your body works as a compositional element. All the basic rules of design apply to how you position your body. Learning basic design rules can help you understand why arm should go one way and a leg the other way. And why when the rules are broken a whole different message is given.

Non-verbal communication - Years ago when I started in college I majored in communication. One of the first classes I took was on non-verbal communication. As may be no surprise curtain body positions communicate different messages. By learning these body positions and recreating them in front of the camera you can communicate a powerful message.

Symbolism - This is a refinement of understanding of non-verbal communication. This is the old nature verses nurture debate. There are curtain body positions that have specific meaning with in a culture context. There can be body position that will mean something in one culture or for one group of people and mean nothing to another. With the global economy and the whole planet reach of the Internet it becomes more important to understand what is mankind universal mind or world view and what is a cultural aberration.