Models, in this case not necessarily referring to professional fashion models, but rather anyone you put in front of a camera, are different from shooting objects, in that you need to communicate with them as you go. Models move around and are often uncomfortable in front of the camera, and it’s your job to make them look good. Likewise, many photographers who are just starting out, find it difficult and intimidating to work with models, not knowing how to properly direct them. An important thing for photographers to remember in this situation is, that the model wants good pictures as much as you do, and that directing is not the same as bossing someone around against their will. Getting good people shots is all about cooperation in a relaxed atmosphere.
Most photographers out there want to work with models, and when you’re doing stock photography, you can pretty much use any type of model for a good, commercial photo. The notion of finding willing models and asking for signed releases, can seem like a huge step to take. And it is. But the sooner you get into it, the faster you’ll get used to the idea. And that’s where the fun can begin.
The Model Release
All stock photos with recognizable people must come with a model release, stating that the model has given consent to the photos being sold as royalty free stock and that they understand the implications of this. In other words: It’s a piece of paper that gives you permission as well as protection, in case problems arise down the road.
The iStockphoto release also requires a third party witness to sign the release. A standard form is provided that covers all the basics, and I highly recommend using this over any kind of homemade document. Be sure to read this and help your models understand it as well. It’s pretty straight forward and based on common sense — nothing to be afraid of.
Start Close to Home
For your first shoots, get someone you are already comfortable with to stand in front of the camera. A family member or a close friend is a perfect way to start. To get good pictures, it is vital that both you and the model are relaxed and able to have fun, and getting that is a lot easier with someone you know. Expect your first few photos to be a little stiff and probably not stock worthy, and focus on just having a good time. Soon, your model will loosen up and you’ll find yourself directing with greater ease.
After your first four or five shoots, you may want to expand into using unfamiliar faces. To get started with that, I highly recommend using websites like ModelMayhem to find amateur models, who are looking to expand their portfolios. Often these models will do time for print/cd (tfp/tfcd), which means that you give them a set of fully processed photos for their portfolios in return for their services. It’s a win-win deal for everyone involved.
Whether your model is someone you know or not, I suggest you pamper them a little before and during the shoot. Have a few snacks on hand, buy them a cup of coffee or offer to pay their parking. These little gestures will give you a good reputation and make your work a lot easier.
Plan Ahead
You don’t have to plan out every frame in advance, but you should definitely have a general idea or theme in place, and preferably find suitable clothes and props as well. For a single session of about an hour or so, I would suggest having a couple of outfits and no more than three or four props. You don’t want to waste too much time changing clothes or trying to figure out which prop to use.
If you have your preparations done beforehand, you will also automatically have an idea of some poses, compositions and angles to go with them, making it easier to start directing your model when the shoot begins. If some of the poses are particularly important, you may want to repeat them near the end of the shoot, when the early stiffness has gone.
Keep the Shoot Going
As tempting as it is to stop and check your pictures along the way, you should keep this to a minimum. Every time you stop, you cool down a little and will have to get back into it. The same goes for your model. Plus, if you save the looking through of the images for after the actual shooting, it will act as a small reward for your hard work.
This is the same reason, why you shouldn’t have too many outfits or set changes to go through during the shoot. Everything that slows you down, will take away from the creative energy.
Play Games
Playing around is a great way to build up a comfort zone and can get you some unexpected inspiration mid-shoot. I have two small games, that helps get the model loosened up.
I call the first one “Say it!”. If I am shooting a model who is supposed to look like they are very pleased with the book they are reading, I will have them actually say it out loud. It’s silly, but it works. Or if I am shooting someone who is supposed to look like they have a toothache, I might ask them to make the sound of someone in pain. The sound may not be captured by the camera, but the expression that comes from it will.
“Click ‘n’ Go” is another favorite of mine. When playing this game, I tell the model to strike any pose they want and hold it until they hear the shutter or see the lights go off. As soon as I shoot, they must change their pose into whatever they want, hold it and wait and so on. This is a challenge for both the model and the photographer, both of whom will have to think on their toes. Very often, this will lead to more laughter than actually good photos, but nothing creates comfort like laughter, and when that’s done, you can move on to more planned shoots.
The trick with these games is to not overdo it. Play “Click ‘n’ Go” for a couple of minutes, then move on. Have your model “Say It!” if they are having trouble getting the right expression for the shot you want, but don’t have them act out an entire play.
Don’t Touch
This is especially important, when you are working with models you don’t know personally. No matter how much you want your model to pose in a certain way, you should find a way of directing her without touching. This is a matter of professionality and coming off as a serious photographer, rather than a creep. It is so much better to show your model the pose you want or offer little directions than it is to break the trust there is between you and the person you are shooting.
It is much better to offer little, short directions such as “bend you elbow a bit” or “turn you head half an inch to the left” than it is for you to put your hands on the model and guide them. Most of the time, when photographers resort to physically guiding their models instead of telling them what to do, it is because of impatience on the photographer’s part, and if you find yourself getting impatient with the model, it is better to move on to a completely different pose than to risk creating an uneasy atmosphere.
Eyes, Hands and Blemishes
I’ve heard photographers say they didn’t like shooting people, because they move around too much. There is some truth to that, because a good model shot has to catch a certain expression or mood, and to get that the model has to look right and you have to frame it just so. To help you do this, there are a few things you can watch for, when you’re looking through the viewfinder.
The eyes are extremely important. If you’re shooting a picture of a housewife baking, you don’t want her to have bedroom eyes, and if you’re doing something that’s fashion inspired, you want the eyes to shine and have a certain amount of confidence in them. The rest of the face plays into all of this as well, of course, but even if the model is smiling and the eyes are not there, it will look fake.
The position of the hands is equally important. First thing to do is to make sure you don’t have any half hands in the frame. Awkward cropping like that takes away from the overall image, so keep the hands out of the shot completely, or in the shot completely. No half hands. Next, you should make sure the position of the hands looks natural. Whether the pose feels natural to the model is not important (as long as it doesn’t hurt). You will also want to check that nails are clean and that there are no hang nails to gross out the designer, who will be buying your shot and viewing it at 100% resolution.
Which leads me to mention blemishes, pimples and other unfortunate things. Make-up is your friend here, to give the skin a uniform look and take away any shiny reflection on the skin, but be careful not to overdo this. Some things will have to be fixed in post processing, but remember that the better your raw material is, the less processing you will have to do. And no matter how much fun Photoshop is, you will want to cut down on the time spent on it, when you are trying to build up a large stock portfolio.
In the end, the most important thing is to get out there and do it. Don’t try to remember everything in this article, or you might lock up from fear of breaking the rules. Experiment and learn from your mistakes, and come back to read this again after your first few shoots and compare your mental notes to these.
This post is part 14 in a series about my experiences with stock photography, tips and pointers, meant to offer a little inspiration to those interested in such things. Next up: An introduction to basic post processing. For a complete and chronological list of articles and a lovely donation-button, check out the Microstock Photographer’s Guide.
