13/06/2008 09:45:46

LisaCassells wrote: Ahh but I have at least 25 great images, I have done so many TFP & have got so many images from them that it seems a pity not to be able to display them in my portfolio.

I'm not doubting that you have 25 great images. Knowing you as I do, I'd say you have evenmore and I'd love to see them all. But if you're approaching people for work, you need to select your very best images relevant to the type of modelling you are pitching for. Basically, you need to go in there fast and hard and make an impression and leave them wanting more. Too many images can dilute the impact of that approach, in my opinion.

LisaCassells wrote: ...after all thats what tfp is for I thought?!

I think every experienced model, professional or not, should be doing TFP on a regular basis, provided of course, that they don't just do it with anyone. TFP shoots are the ideal way for a model to keep her portfolio right up to date and also a great way for a model to experiment with new ideas and looks. When you're doing a paid-for shoot, you may not get any images and you have no say in the style of the shoot, so how can a model keep her portfolio looking fresh and up to date if she refuses to do any more TFP? I think models like you, with experience, are in fact the ones most likely to benefit from doing selective TFP shoots in the long run.

- Thorsten.

13/06/2008 09:27:05

"That's far too many! You ought to be aiming for about 10-12 images and certainly no more than 20"

Ahh but I have at least 25 great images, I have done so many TFP & have got so many images from them that it seems a pity not to be able to display them in my portfolio...after all thats what tfp is for I thought?!

Thanks for your help once again Thorsten.
Lisa

12/06/2008 22:51:59

LisaCassells wrote: At the minute I have around 40 pics in my book and that's not even half of what I have but some I decided didn't do me the best justice.

That's far too many! You ought to be aiming for about 10-12 images and certainly no more than 20. Your book should be like a CV - customised for every job you're applying for. Yes, I know that sounds like a lot of extra work, but if you're really interested, that's what you need to do.

And remember to keep the presentation consistent if at all possible. Ideally if you can keep all your images in either horizontal or vertical format, that's the best. If you have to change formats then keep the changes to an absolute minimum.

- Thorsten.

12/06/2008 18:19:27

"the one thing i am surpriesd at is they point you in the direction of other photographers to get new funky images, surely they should be able to produce them for you as they now have an built-in model and more than willing one at that. Bit of the can talk the talk but cant walk the walk... "

I can't find the 'Quote' button on the blog so I'm just gonna copy & paste LOL...
The people I work for aren't model photographers, mainly wedding, commercial & family portraits as it's a family portrait business I'm working for...One of the girls offered to do my make up & take pics but she's only just qualified and plus I'm not sure my boss would rather me use his studio for my work instead of bring in an hours session at £60 of a family LOL. They were just recommending that is what i lack in my portfolio. I have been thinking for some time now about the direction I'm going to take & I'm going away from indpendant modelling because as previously mentioned in Brendan's forum post by others there is too much TF* nowadays & no-one is interested in keeping the industry going financially so I've worked with most people I would like to work with and now I fell there isn't much further I can go this way.
That's why I'm getting my portfolio all updated and properly printed so I can take it to one of the agencies as I feel there is so much I need to achieve that I can't independantly i.e. Commercial & Catwalk, which are what I set out to do in the first place but havn't done very much of at all.

"if you have a printed portfolio, you need to be careful how you lay it out. You want to make an immediate impact as soon as you start showing it but at the same time you want to close on a high note so that they remember you, so you need to start and finish with reasonably strong images."

Thanks Thorsten this is something I have had real trouble with when putting all my images together... I just sat one night & lay out all the images on the floor then my parents helped me put them together in some kind of order. But I was not sure if I should group one's from the same set or shoot together or spread them out away from one another or what way i should go about doing it with old images to recent images. At the moment I just have it, Portraits, then fashion images then lingerie, I might look at changing it because I have put most of my oldest stuff at the back and am now thinking I should do as you say- leave a really strong image to the back & then space the old one's out through the book. At the minute I have around 40 pics in my book and that's not even half of what I have but some I decided didn't do me the best justice.

12/06/2008 18:10:11

I come across a similiar problem when it comes to achieving the type of images I want to have. I have agreed with a few models here to do TF for our portfolios but there is a bit of a wait, one of the reasons that you just pointed out. To get these 'dramatic' shots you need a number of things but mainly money or a very interested crew. I have been holding off slightly on TF simply because I end up paying quite a bit in the end if I want it done right. And I dont want to waste my time. I could go and take straight forward shots in the studio but it still ends up costing me over 200eur and then editing time afterwards etc. To have that wow factor in terms of 'fashion photography' you do need someone who has a vested interest in fashion styling. Thats where it starts. They will need to discuss the image you want to create and then figure out how to go about getting the clothes & props - pro stylist will get all the clothes in the right sizes and they charge about 100-200 per session. I dont know of any stylists willing to work TF who can get clothes and props etc. Then you need a reaaly good hair stylist. A great make-up artist. This is where paying comes in as a positive as you then have resourses you just wouldnt have otherwise. I have considered all sorts of ways around this such as booking a hotel room, asking permission to use common areas, getting a few interested models and all chip in a reasonable fee to cover the costs. I just dont know if that would work though. If you have any brainstorms let us know as I am very bored with white backrounds, TOP shop clothes. I hate to say it but I want to be able to have a stab at vogue type shots without having to get a loan.

JX

11/06/2008 22:48:15

as "professional" photographers i would have been very dissapointed if they couldnt spot the obvious things you mentioned.. as they should have the eye for this. the one thing i am surpriesd at is they point you in the direction of other photographers to get new funky images, surely they should be able to produce them for you as they now have an built-in model and more than willing one at that. Bit of the can talk the talk but cant walk the walk... and i mean that reasonably kindly.  As for myself i know you have great potential and have always been a good model to work with and never afraid to get in amongst the nettles etc. to get that shot, if u know what i mean. You also know that if there are any weird or wonderful ideas you have and wish to try i am only a phone call away.

11/06/2008 20:05:14

Agree with Brendan here....(and ten photographers will probably have ten different ways to do everything)

Advice is great and you can learn a lot from it.......but always remember, a technically perfect photograph, if there is such a thing, does not necessarily make a brilliant image.

Sometimes its the non perfections that make an image other times its the perfections. The commercial world of imagery has demonstrated that throughout the history of photography.

I agree with Thorsten on the layout of your pics though....impress at the start but leave a cracker in the middle and also the end....not too many images either, less is more!......you want to leave them wanting to see more......and get several opinions on your profile layout.

Good to hear your enjoying the new work.

A

11/06/2008 19:24:15

LisaCassells wrote: Anyways, some shots I've been told to to take out cuz they look too amateur or the colours just are not right and it takes away from the rest of the shots that do look well.

This is a point I've made several times in the past, but it's one that seems lost on a lot of models. It's better to have a handful of strong images than a bucket load of average images. Also, if you have a printed portfolio, you need to be careful how you lay it out. You want to make an immediate impact as soon as you start showing it but at the same time you want to close on a high note so that they remember you, so you need to start and finish with reasonably strong images.

Anyway, it's great to hear you're enjoying the new job. Perhaps you'll come back here with a fortnightly blog on photography from a models perspective. I floated the idea of a photography for models workshop at one stage in order to highlight this very sort of thing. I think it's good for a model to have an awareness of photography and what's involved in doing a strong shoot as it helps to bind everything together.

Looking forward to more posts from you on this.

- Thorsten.