Working with models
Hiring a model, any model, can be beneficial to your photography for so many reasons. We show you the various routes into the modelling industry that you could take
Words Georgie Woof
There are many reasons for working with a model. Perhaps more than you think. The most obvious is on a paid commission, but there are many other reasons why you’d want to hire a model yourself, outside of this scenario.
If you have ambitions to progress within any sector of the photographic industry, whether it be music, wedding or commercial photography, then developing your portfolio is essential. For instance, having a couple of models pose as a bride and groom will let you develop portfolio material that could seriously impress future clients.
So why not hire a Mr and Mrs Smith for a day, find a location (which doesn’t have to be a church) and stage a mock wedding? It’s a great chance to try out new ideas in a stress-free environment without the pressure of a mother-in-law barking orders in your ear.
Or perhaps you’d like to branch out from social portraiture into shooting bands, fashion or editorial portraits. Some shots with a professional model can show that you have experience, and can give you the confidence boost you’ll need when a real shoot comes along.
If you feel you’ve got enough of a portfolio to wow clients already then there are other ways to make good use of your sitter. It’s best not to try out new bits of kit on a commercial job that really matters, so if you have a brand new Hasselblad still in its box (lucky you!) then why not pay someone to be your guinea pig for a day while you get to grips with the thing? That way you won’t run into problems when it really does matter and you’ll have someone in front of the camera who is patient and will let you experiment.
When it comes to direct money-making, an extremely successful way of getting the most from a model is stock photography. Hiring a model to produce a series of lifestyle shots can be very lucrative.
Stock libraries take on images showing a wide variety of subjects, provided details like model-release forms are addressed beforehand. Once uploaded to a library like Alamy or Imagefile, your images can find their way into magazines, advertisements, and be used for all manner of other commercial purposes.
Chris Rout is just one photographer who has had huge success with lifestyle stock pictures for image libraries.
“I’ve been working with Bubbles for the past nine years now – they’re a bit more specialist than Alamy,” he says. “I’ve done well with lifestyle images, like education and women’s health. I watch the press and whatever’s topical then I’ll go and shoot that. I aim to make the most of my model so I try to have something of that sort lined up.”
Some of the topical lifestyle issues Chris’ photography covers can often be rather poignant. He has shot images illustrating issues from date rape to checking for cancer. He explains these themes can be tricky to imply in a shot, but if a model knows exactly what the photographer is trying to express then they can adapt to their feelings towards the subject. “A few times, when I have shot images portraying self examination for breast cancer the model will do a nude shot, but prefer to have her face out of the frame. I find this is completely acceptable; the nature of the shot means anonymity is acceptable.”
