Adam Sund Photo Blog Photography is the new black.

Working with a model – how to

Usually my posts are 50% text and 50% video or photos. This will be 100% text with my own advices on how to work with models, so if you're not too busy, I'd suggest to sit down with a cup of mocca and continue reading.

I asked around what subjects could be interesting for the blog, and several said that they wanted to know how to work with models. I've discussed this subject in details on some of my courses, but I'll try my best to convert some of that to the written media.

When I started photographing a while back, I used friends as models. I had them come over to my small dorm room where I had put up a black bed sheet over the window (which I used as backdrop), placed them om a chair under my 45watt desk lamp and shot with my Olympus e-500 and kit lense.  There wasn't really that much I could do with the lighting - it was as it was (too harsh and with a terrible color balance). But knowing that the lighting was as it was, I was able to concentrate on the models and get some funny stuff in the camera.

This changed when I bought my first strobes (interfit 15ow kit set). Suddenly there was numerous lighting options and in my eager to achieve greatness, I had invited a model over (to my new appartment with a real backdrop). The photos came out terrible eventhough I had a "real" model and better lighting equipment. The reason why, was because I became to focused on the lighting, placing the strobes, exposing correct that I completly forgot about the model. I didn't speak to her because I had my head buried in the camera or the strobes.

When it comes to people, I'm not much of a fan of listing up things to do and not to do, but I'm gonna do it anyhow since it helped me and hopefully can help some of you.

- Talk to the model (yeah). No really, talk to the person you're going to shoot. Both before the actual shoot (figure out how's the shoot is going to be, what you are going to and such), but also while you're shooting. If this is the first time you two meet, chances are that there are tensions, which means that you're not going to get any good shots in the box for the first 15 minutes. You might as well accept that and let the model know it as well. Tell the model what you are doing - when you are testing lights, tell her that you are testing, so there's no need to do insane split poses.

- Know each others limits. For God's sake, do not ask a model over for a portrait shooting and then ask if she's (or he's) interested in shooting it topless. You probably have the purest of intentions and really have a great idea for a photo, but if you are going to shoot nude or partially, make sure that you agree on that before the actual shoot.

- Use friends and family. You have models closer than you might think - most people around you are willing to let you shoot them, so use this to your full advantage to get to know how to work with other persons.

- Look at your model. Study the person that you're going to shoot. If they have a crooked nose, make sure to pose them so that the nose is pointing towards you instead of away from the camera (it makes the noose seem smaller). If one eye is bigger than the other, make the smallest eye be the one closest to the camera. Make sure female models don't have a hair band wrapped around the wrist (I've spend oh so many hours in photoshop editing them away).

- Guide your model. Some photographers like doing the poses themselves (I can't help myself), while others have a folder on their computer with poses they want done. Find out what works best for you. Other models do poses freely, so make sure to ask what he or she is most comfortable with.

- Music. Music is one of the most crucial things at my photoshoots. There is nothing like music to set the mood and loosen up people on a set. Ask the model if she has any preferences - if not, put on something you might find suitable (try to avoid Trash metal).

- Refreshments. Make sure to have some water at least, some fruit and stuff to keep the sugar level up so that non of you end up collapsing because of lacking energy.

I know that these are rather basic advices, but if you can follow through with some of them, my bet is that the whole process of photographing another person will run more smoothly.

If you have any advice yourself, please post them in the comments.