Chapter One. Finding Your Models

Oh my, you don’t want to know how often people ask how to do this. Of course, we all want to shoot the famous models, but let’s be real. Most of the time, we have to take it down just a few levels, but even then there are some amazing models to shoot (some maybe even better than the real top models). In this chapter, I’ll give you some examples of how I get my models and some suggestions for how to find your own.

When I scout a model on the street, I realize that most will just throw away the business card I give them without ever visiting my website. So, when you scout on the street, don’t push the person, just give them a card with a phone number and website on it (not scribbled on a sticky note). Don’t use a card with a nude or lingerie image (my business card doesn’t include any images). A nice design with a clear description of your activities and website address should be enough.

Don’t be discouraged when people don’t respond. When I scout on the street, I get maybe one response for every 25–30 cards I give away. Anyway, the most important thing you need to “catch” the people you want to model for you is to impress them with your portfolio, and to build that, you need...yeah, models. So, if you don’t have anyone close to you and the models from the street don’t respond, there are other options.

It’s often better to find the right model via a networking website aimed at our market. The main advantage of these sites is that you can search for a model that fits your criteria—you can look for length of time modeling, fashion/beauty/glamour experience, location, TFP/paid, etc. Most models also have a short description in their profile and a portfolio.

Hatfield House workshop (Model Mayhem)

There are many such websites that will get you a network, and to be honest the list grows almost monthly. At least once every month I get an invite for yet another model site. When you want a good model, though, my advice is to go to a website that has been in existence longer, like Model Mayhem (www.modelmayhem.com) or One Model Place (www.onemodelplace.com). The reason for this is simple: those sites already have their structure, there are already a lot of models (or other team members, but this is the model chapter) on them, and you will probably find what you want a lot quicker.

Let’s first look at the way it works most of the time for me. When I look for a model, I usually post something like the following:

1. When we need new models for specific sessions

I will place a “casting call” in the forum or casting call section of the website. It helps to clearly describe what you need and your general location. I often get email from models living thousands of miles away when I ask about new models for workshops in the Netherlands, so make sure you describe that very thoroughly. And remember that sometimes people are such bad readers that, even if it’s there in capital letters, they still won’t get it. By the way, these are the models I won’t work with in the first place because they will probably also forget to show up. :-D

2. When we need a model for a certain date or event

This is often a bit trickier because while, in situation 1, there is no pressure and no problem if a model doesn’t show up, with this situation, it is a problem. Imagine being on set with your team and there is no model. That’s a big no go. So, for these models, I’m much more careful in my selection. You’ll see next how I approach it.

New York workshop (Model Mayhem)

If you’re still looking for TFP (Time for Print) models (we’ll talk more about this later in this chapter), it’s often wise to just wait until the model sends you a message. In most cases, this will happen a few days after she/he adds you as a friend. Now the ball is in your court and you can ask the model if TFP is an option. Because the model approached you, the chance is really big that it is and you’re both happy.

Now, if you respond right away (and I know sometimes it’s hard not to), in most cases, the model will ask a modeling fee or for travel expenses. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with this, and I strongly believe that if a model can lift your portfolio to the next level, you should be willing to pay them. However, by waiting a little while before you contact them, it could save you some money.

The first contact you have with the model is vital. I always look at the way she/he responds to the casting call. In my casting calls, I am always specific and ask for a few photos, like this:

“At the moment, we are looking for new models for our fashion workshops. We would like to add models that have experience with modeling and movement (like jumping or dancing) who are available on Friday and Saturday from 10:00-15:00. If you’re interested, please contact us at [email protected] and send us three recent images with at least one portrait without any retouching.”

With these small casting calls, there is actually a lot that can tell me if a model is serious. Let’s look at some pointers that I find important for an invite to a test shoot:

The first thing is that a lot of the responses will start like this: “Hi, I read your casting call and I’m very interested.” Well, these are going in my trash, although I have to admit I always check their portfolio. But, if they don’t send me three images as requested, it often means that the model is not someone I can build on. In other words, models often respond to everything that’s out there by copying-and-pasting.

You will also get a lot of responses that will include the images, but still ask on which days the workshops take place. Trust me on this one, if the model asks this in her first contact, it’s very likely that she will not show up for the shoot or workshop you’re booking her for, because it clearly states it in the casting call.

Now, if I get the images I’ve asked for and we’re talking, she/he will be in my list of models and I will start my selection. I know this sounds incredibly harsh, but trust me when I tell you that the number of models who won’t show up on the date you agreed upon is huge. In fact, we always book at least three models if I only need one. Since I’ve become much more strict with my first screening, I have to say that the “no shows” have become less and less.

Sometimes you’ll get a response like I just mentioned, but when you look at the model’s portfolio, you’ll say, “Wow! Oh this is amazing! Wow! Wow! Wow!” (yeah, I know it’s a bit over the top). In this case, I’ll start an email conversation with the model and try to get her for a test shoot, but I will be aware of what can happen. And, in all honesty, sometimes it turns out that the model works out great, so don’t take these rules as the “golden rules.” They are there to bend and break, but give you a guideline.

So, how do I make sure I get the model I want? Again, I ask her to send me three shots: (1) full body, (2) three-quarter view, and (3) a head shot (or, depending on the shot we’re going to do, I’ll ask for a bikini shot if we’ll be shooting lingerie). I also always ask for one unretouched image of her face. I don’t care if it’s a cell phone picture, a professional shot, or a Polaroid, but it has to be a recent unretouched image, right out of the camera.

About 99% of the images you see online are retouched to varying degrees, from a lot to a little. Even if you’re a Photoshop guru like Scott Kelby, for example, it’s important to know how your model looks without any Photoshop. Simply put, for some assignments it’s not preferable to do a lot of retouching, while for other assignments it’s no problem at all. You can save some time by hiring a model that’s already a little “pre-Photoshopped” (meaning she has good skin and hair from the start—those are the hardest things to fix later in Photoshop).

The models that are on the sites vary in their degree of experience, and some even lie about it. It’s also difficult to judge a model on a portfolio that’s online. I’ve done sessions with models with great online portfolios, and given them great images I also love, but to get the images was terrible.

Some models pose very naturally and the good images flow out of your camera, but some models have stunning looks, yet have to be coached to the limit to give you one good image. This can be a real problem, especially for beginning photographers. It would be a good idea to plan a test session before the photo shoot where you invest your money. I’ve heard so many stories about photographers renting great locations, getting a team, and getting a stunning looking model, only to find out that on the day of the shoot the model posed so stiffly that, in essence, she destroyed the entire day.

This is, of course, a worst-case scenario. In most cases, you can get a pretty good idea about a model from a website and they will perform the way you expect, maybe even better than expected. Well, that is, if they show up.

Good examples of the difference the right casting of a model can make are the workshops we did in Austria in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, it was the first time this organization had done the workshops. They did their best to get some nice models from a starting agency and they borrowed some dresses, all in all not bad. I got some nice shots from that workshop, but nothing that would really fit in one’s portfolio (if you are really picky). In 2013 however, they used one of the top modeling agencies and a dedicated stylist. The difference is day and night. When I got back from teaching these workshops, I could literally update half of my portfolio.

Orlando photo shoot (Model Mayhem)

A lot of people don’t realize the importance of a good team (we’ll talk more about the team in Chapter 4) during the photo shoot, but trust me on this one: if you invest some time, and probably money, in finding a really good team, you will be stunned by what you can actually do. Models that model for a living just know how to pose, and they don’t nag when it’s a bit too hot (both the shots from Austria were taken when it was about 95° F [35° C], and trust me, the clothing was hot). In the end, you can really see the difference in your work, and I always say, “Why not go from okay to wow!?” A good team does this for you.

Austria workshop

Austria workshop

Dublin workshop (Model Mayhem)

When I shoot in our studio, I just cancel the shoot, send everyone home, and am disappointed. But, when I arrange a location shoot, I always try to get three models, taking into account that I will probably end up with two. Believe it or not, this is often the case. So far, I’ve never had all three models show up during a shoot, but I’m still very careful with my selection and I always ask the models to meet up with us the day before the shoot. If they don’t show up then, I always have at least one backup model.

I’ve done shoots in many countries, and it’s not a trend only in the Netherlands, Belgium, or the U.S. It seems to be a worldwide problem, and it is something you really should be aware of. Add the cost of three models into your calculations for any assignment you do (without saying there will be three, of course), so when all the models do show up, you will have a nice surprise for your clients (and be surprised yourself).

With all other the options that are online, there is a big chance that a model simply won’t show up. This is one of the reasons we often use agencies, so let’s look at those and some other solutions now.

Florida agency models through Kelby Training

Marie

I’m very big on this issue because I almost missed one of my best models. I thought she didn’t have what it takes to be a model. But, she kept sending me messages (you could almost call it stalking) and begging me for a test shoot, so I finally decided to just let her come and give her a chance. Her first images were not that good and she realized this. She took a few minutes, then came back to the set and blew me away. I decided to invite her over for a few more sessions and, from there, she grew and grew.

Now, a few years later, she is without a doubt one of my favorite models, with some great ideas. And, because she really wanted to learn, she was always willing to come over for shorter sessions—sometimes less than an hour—just to get more experience. Well, she not only grew to be one of my favorite models, but she has gotten some very nice publications, worked with some great photographers, and has a killer portfolio. So, keep an eye out for hidden gems, and you might discover the next “top model.”

Copenhagen workshop (modeling agency)

When you are willing to pay a model, you often get a better quality model than you get when you use TFP models. So, there are no good TFP models? No, there are a lot of really good models out there working on TFP, however, the better the model, the better the results should be for him/her to model on TFP. By shooting a few models that are helping you improve the quality of your output, you will lift yourself to the next level and you’ll find that more models are willing to work with you on a TFP basis. This way, you can grow even more.

Cork (Ireland) workshop (Model Mayhem)

At a certain point, it will be time to invest in locations, styling, MUAs, etc. We, as photographers, should always try to improve ourselves and improve our portfolio. As a result, you’ll get more and more messages from models that want to work with you. Now, you have to be careful. Don’t invite everyone over. Be selective. You don’t have to shoot three or four TFPs a week. As a business option, you could offer some photo shoots to the models you think are interesting, but whom you don’t want to work with for free—start out by charging just a little bit of money, and it will build up to something more. You just have to go with the flow.

When you shoot a person, you are using their portrait or their appearance for your work, and you have to realize that people have rights. You can’t, for example, use the image to hurt the reputation of that person, or make the person look ridiculous. Now, that’s probably not something you will do, but there’s more. It could be that the person’s situation changes or that his/her opinion about your shot changes. That’s why it’s important to have a model release (we never call it a contract).

• For the model: online and print portfolio, their agency, and websites with non-commercial status.

• For the photographer: all forms of promotion (website, print, exhibition, articles in media, etc.), and use for commercial activities.

For commercial activities, you can add different options, like: publications whose print run is below a certain number, or publications that don’t pay or pay below a certain amount. In our model release, however, there is a clear statement that the good reputation of the model can never be hurt, or the content of the image as known by the model cannot be changed, for example, to suggest another meaning.

Maybe it’s just me, but the team member that is the most difficult to get is a good stylist. These people are definitely the pride and joy of every photo shoot they work on. They take care of the clothing, the mix of looks, the ideas on set, and, well...in short, a good stylist makes sure that everything looks jaw-droppingly good. All the details you miss, they will add, and much, much more. I always call them the “do it all people” in a photo shoot. Since stylists are not found on every street corner, be prepared to pay money for them, but they really are worth it.

Make sure that you are careful when selecting a model, and don’t be afraid to sometimes pay for a model for your own portfolio. A good model can really lift you to the next level and, in the end, make it possible for you to start earning money from your photography. But, don’t pay every model. When we agree on TFP, it’s a TFP session. I’m not paying for travel expenses, clothing, etc. (although you will have to decide this for yourself because, in some situations, it makes a lot of sense to do this). And remember that building a good, solid relationship with several models will make your business stronger.

There is nothing bad about working with the same group of models, but make sure you always do something new and exciting, and don’t repeat the same thing. The main advantage of this approach is that you can be very creative, because you know each other and can work better that way.

As with all professions, you need to invest in your work to make sure you are getting the bigger/better assignments. So, don’t be afraid to pay people for work if they can lift you to a higher level. And, always remember that if they like you and love your work, you will probably now have a team that will work on TFP with you on certain occasions, or even better, tell clients about you and maybe land you a great job.