Working with Photographers

What to look for in a photographer
Simply choosing a photographer from the yellow pages can be tricky. It is preferable to ask around to see who is well known for good work in your area. You can ask magazines, modeling agencies or even newspapers for some contact names. Your photographer should show you his or her work and be up front about styles, experience, expectations and costs.

Some photographers will do the work for free or for a reduced price if you allow them to be creative and use your pictures for their own personal use. This can be risky since most photographers will ask you to sign a photo release form before taking pictures so that once the picture has been snapped, the photographer owns the rights to them.

When paying for a professional portfolio, you should feel comfortable telling the photographer exactly what you are looking for because in this case he or she is working for you. It's also good to remember that many photographers charge by the hour so you should be extremely prepared and know which outfits you are going to use, what expressions and poses you are going to do and practice before hand to ensure that you get the shots you want.

Portfolio
When taking photos, always keep in mind the purpose of the session: it is to build up your portfolio. Try to get as big a variety of photos as possible including the following important categories:

• High fashion
• Formal/evening wear
• Swimwear and lingerie
• Casual fashion
• Business wear
• Sports and fitness wear

Back to the modeling information page.