# Portrait photography and Working with models?



## danielsabata (Jun 27, 2016)

I am a 15 year old photographer with really great photos. I am fairly efficient with Lightroom and Photoshop, I have great landscape and wildlife photos, but when it comes to portraits and working with models, I feel very very inexperienced. I have a girl in my school that I would like to ask if she wants to model for a few shots. We barely know each other. I fear that I won't know how to pose her, and that I would seem very unprofessional. I thought about just telling her that she can pose however she likes, and I will take the pictures as she does. Would that work? Do you guys have any advices on working with a model? I would appreciate it a lot. Thank you


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## tirediron (Jun 27, 2016)

Unfortunately a photographer that doesn't know how to direct and a model that doesn't know how to pose probably won't yield optimal results.  What I would suggest is that you spend a little time reading up on posing, looking at the 'sites of photographers who work in this genre, and of course, YouTube.  

Poses don't have to be complicated or difficult, but there are some basics things such as avoiding "football shoulders", placing the model's weight on the back/ far leg, and keeping "pairs" (eyes, shoulders, etc) off-level.  But by all means, give it a go.  The worst thing that can happen is one of you isn\t completely happy with the images.  If/when that happens, look at the images, figure out where they can be improved, and shoot again!


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## vintagesnaps (Jun 28, 2016)

Try taking a class, you might still find something this summer. Sometimes classes at community art centers etc. that are for adult learners (for personal enrichment) will allow high school age students to participate.

If you learned what to do and how to do this then you'd develop some confidence - because you'd have some idea what to do. And if you took a class maybe you'd have the start of a portfolio of portrait work to show someone who you're asking to model. That could enable you to do some TFP (trade for 'print' which now means other usage such as a portfolio not necessarily in print).


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## 480sparky (Jun 28, 2016)

I think this really isn't a 'digital' question and should be moved to a more appropriate forum.


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## tirediron (Jun 28, 2016)

480sparky said:


> I think this really isn't a 'digital' question and should be moved to a more appropriate forum.


Good catch.


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## Designer (Jun 28, 2016)

danielsabata said:


> Do you guys have any advices on working with a model? girl


I think you need to learn girls first.  There are far better ways to get to know a girl than asking her to pose for photographs.  After you get to know each other a bit, and if your photography is worth looking at, she might want to pose, but nothing kinky.


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## 480sparky (Jun 28, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Good catch.



I played left catch in high school.


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## Designer (Jun 28, 2016)

Oh, sure, I talk real big now, but in HS I was a complete nerd.


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## tecboy (Jun 28, 2016)

Designer said:


> danielsabata said:
> 
> 
> > Do you guys have any advices on working with a model? girl
> ...



True.  Give her a diamond ring or anything she wants.


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## 480sparky (Jun 28, 2016)

tecboy said:


> Designer said:
> 
> 
> > danielsabata said:
> ...



Just give her everything you own and skip all the dating, wedding, marriage & divorce crap.


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## table1349 (Jun 28, 2016)

Try one of these.....

_Let me focus only on you._
_Picture us together._
_I’ve got you in my viewfinder._
_Will you be my long-term project?_
_I Leica you._
_True love can never be Photoshopped._
_So, what’s your focal length._
_You are the catchlight of my eyes._
_I’m a news photographer and you’re definitely A-1 material._
_Your smile is 255, 255, 255._
Now with your free time try reading this.  101 Portrait Photography Tips

500 poses for photographing women a visual sourcebook for portrait ph…


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## tirediron (Jun 29, 2016)

gryphonslair99 said:


> Try one of these.....
> 
> _Let me focus only on you._
> _Picture us together._
> ...


On its own, any one of those is sufficient cause to ban you... all together????


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## table1349 (Jun 29, 2016)

tirediron said:


> gryphonslair99 said:
> 
> 
> > Try one of these.....
> ...


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## TheLibrarian (Jun 29, 2016)

Look up poses and don't hit on her too much. You have to worry about light with landscapes and wildlife I suppose but idk how you deal with getting the distant porcupine to stand in the right light or what lighting you use.

Even models with much more experience than me (which isn't much) need some direction. They can be insecure and they don't see what you see so its good to give your input. If you get a nice looking shot on the display early on show them to give them confidence and get them excited. People (some people) enjoy the attention and appreciate being appreciated and like looking at themselves. Can easily be awkward especially if you don't know them well. Assuming they even agree to do it.

I joke maybe flirt to get some reaction and mood but learned real early not to ask or talk about boyfriends, husbands or kids or certainly not 'US' at least until after the shoot to avoid any awkwardness on either side and get your pictures first. You have one specific girl that you barely know may or may not be a tough sale. Worth a shot but don't be too disappointed if shes not interested... its a numbers game. Of course little to none of that is professional. As long as you know you know how to work your cam and don't be too creepy youre 15 idk how pro you expect to appear


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## Studio7Four (Jun 30, 2016)

Whether it's with this specific girl or not, at some point you'll work with your first model, and most likely that model will be fairly inexperienced as well.  (Just the economics of the situation.  Models want something out of the shoot, and that's generally either to be paid for their time or to get shots which will improve their portfolio - which you can't prove you can provide until you've worked with models and built up your own portfolio.  All that leaves are new models looking for experience.)  So, don't be afraid to use visual aids.  Save and print photos which have poses you'd like to reference.  There are also posing guides out there, some free online, which you can reference.  (The advantage finished photos have over posing guides is that you can analyze them to figure out light placement relative to the model, whether that be flash or ambient light.  Posing guides tend to be evenly lit so don't really show how light will play with a particular pose.)   It's perfectly okay to show these to a model and say that's the look you're going for.  

Once you have a starting pose, don't just snap a few (or a bunch) without providing direction and then move on to the next illustration.  Give the model specific direction for minor tweaks to the pose.  For example:
"Lift your chin a little."
<click>
"Now turn your head a bit toward the light."
<click>
"...a little more."
<click>
"Eyes only, look a little to the left."
<click>
"Tilt your head a bit to the right."
<click>

And so on.  This conveys to the model that you are walking her toward a goal, that you have a plan, even if you actually don't know how each tweak is going to affect the shot.  

And yes, feedback during the shoot is good.  You don't want to make generic comments about her ("You're so pretty!"), but making those comments about the images is fine ("Nice!"  "That's a keeper!" - and show her these when it doesn't interrupt the flow), as are specific comments about her posing ("Right there!  That's the look we're going for!").


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## epeddy1 (Jun 30, 2016)

As I approach my 20th class reunion, I was just thinking about all the "girl" opportunities I passed up on for being a chicken.  There was one girl in particular that I KNEW was into me and I was into her, but I never got the courage to ask her out.

Photography advice aside, don't be me.  I have absolutely zero lifelong scars from being rejected when I was younger.  I don't know why I feared it so much.  It's the regret of not acting that sticks around forever.  If you pass on this opportunity because of the advice from the photographers in this thread, that's one thing.  But don't pass on the opportunity because you're nervous about asking a girl.  Just do it.


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## Mardon (Sep 2, 2016)

Google and Youtube is your best friends here, there are many tutorials. Just search like girls portrait photography tips...you can take a class as a long term solution


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## KmH (Sep 2, 2016)

Study the differing face and body shapes women have and how best to photograph each combination.
There are a variety of lighting and posing techniques that work best with each face/body type.
The big challenge is posing and lighting to minimize perceived flaws like a not so attractive nose, a double chin, uneven eyes, love handles, etc.

There is also a difference between directing and posing a subject.
Keeping your conversation with the model professional and about making the photographs will help establish a good reputation for yourself.
Photographing Women: Posing, Lighting, and Shooting Techniques for Portrait and Fashion Photography
Picture Perfect Posing: Practicing the Art of Posing for Photographers and Models (Voices That Matter)


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