Amateur Indiana

[rwilliams]

Modeling is a tough business and I’m glad I’m not a model. However I’ve had a lot of years working with models, 35 based on my last birthday which I suppose dates me and in that time I’ve chatted with very successful models and the not so successful. Here are a few things I’ve learned.

Let’s begin with something so very basic it gets forgotten. A pleasant attitude along with spoken please and thank you will get your further than you might imagine. Everyone likes working with people who are nice and polite and loath working with people who aren’t. I’ve know a couple of models over the years who had everything going for them except they were, well “B$^*#s.” They didn’t last long because no one could stand being around them. Conversely, when talking about people you hear; “and she’s a nice kid;” which is industry speak meaning she’s pleasant to work with. Push comes to shove the nice kid wins.

Become a student of your craft:
Photographers spend years and years learning as well as thousands of dollars on their craft. What makes models think they are any different? Your bodies and your faces are your tools and your ability to strike a pose and express an emotion to the camera is your craft

If I work with a new model I fully expect that I will need to give full directions on a pose. If I work with the same model a year later, then they should be able to hit a number of good positions on their own or they aren’t bothering to learn anything! Look at the models in magazines and practice in front of a mirror.

The same is true with facial expressions. You really need to learn to project a warm smile, interest in what you’re looking at look, surprise, happy, laugh, frustration, anger and if you’ll excuse the reference, the CFMN look or the come hither look that all women can do…BG! You’ll need these facial expressions down pat if you do illustrative work and they are handy for all modeling.

One of the tricks I use to elicit a look that will draw a viewer in is to ask a model; “who’s your favorite male actor?” Ok, you are in a crowded room and in walks Brad Pitt or whomever; you have a half second when he looks your way to get his interest. Go! It usually works.

Learn makeup! Read magazines, take lessons, hit Mary Kay parties whatever it takes but learn it and invest. Really learn to do your eyes well. If you can draw a person into the eyes of a model in a picture, then the picture will usually work. Models need to know that photographers who know what they are doing usually focus the camera on the nearest eye. I learned really early on that what I considered my best shots would get rejected if the eyes were soft.

Clothing:
I admit, fashion sense is not well developed in me, but I have friends! A lot of photography is directed at women and women, well many women really know fashion and are brutal critics. In cases where attire is important, I have a female friend of mine who absolutely knows the current trends and has enough contacts that she can borrow from shops the latest in style clothing from head to foot if need be and with impeccable taste.

Models should develop relationships with people like this. Find the better shops in town and ask questions get to know the folks and maybe on that big shoot they’ll let you borrow some clothes.

Professional Practices:
This is a business, pure and simple. If you treat it as a lark or hobby, then that is what it will remain. If you treat it like a business, then you’ll probably get work.

First, buy a freaking organizer or calendar! Know what your schedule is. Second, answer your email and phone calls even if you aren’t interested in the assignment. You might be interested in the next one from that person, but if you don’t answer the first, you’ll never hear about it!

Confirm, confirm, confirm shoots. Don’t go silent as you have a shoot coming up. It makes us nervous.

Be on time and be prepared. Save the parties for after the shoot. Get lots of rest and be in your best form. It’s prom night ladies and just like prom, you only get the one!

Nice Touches:
In 35 years I have perhaps 40 models ask me after a shoot if I was pleased with their work. Each of them were top models and agency represented. That’s professionalism! Most of the bigger agencies as a practice send out a thank you card following a booking. There’s an idea! Of the unrepresented models I’ve had one model who asked how she did and then emailed me a questionnaire on her work and what I thought she could do to improve. That is very impressive and what you expect from professionals.
_________________
Rick Williams
Multi-Media Design, Inc.
Newburgh, IN
www.themmd.com

[Shaylene]

Eeeek... Rick!!!

I totally agree with this... definitly better to be "harsh" than to have false illusions. However, one of the things we do best is critique ourselves. So we need some sort of buffer to tell us when to quit.

I have picked myself to pieces I should cry...

My nose is big and funny shaped and I don't have a strong bottom jaw line.

My legs are longer than the rest of me and skinny.

My hair isn't thick enough.

My skin has moles and freckles

Eeek... those are stretch marks on my lower abdomen (faint but I can see em!)

I'm 30 now and getting tiny lines on my face... Botox where's the botox!

I still have a great bod... but I think I need a gym so I can get that six pack back. Now it's not like I have a keg or even a 2 liter but could always use tone.

Wait... why is one eye always open more than the other.

Yup... there is truly a reason you'll never see me in Playboy! Although your right... I seen all this in the beginning so I never set my ambitions quite that high... but I have went further than I ever expected. So life is good!

Thanks Rick!!!!!!!!
_________________
Shaylene
http://www.shaylene-brown.com
OMP# 137722
MySpace - http://www.myspace.com/shaylenebrown

[rwilliams]

Glad to see you back, hope all is well.

I suppose that being a bit neurotic about your looks comes with being a model but like anything else over doing it serves no real purpose. To me the greater danger is spending a goodly amount of your life living a false dream like the 5'2" model that spends a fortune trying to get into high fashion.

The simple truth of all this is that if you look like Quasamodo and someone wants a Quasamodo for a shoot, you'll get work. Assuming that a person's looks fall somewhere between Tyra Banks and the aforementioned hunchback, the trick is playing to your strengths and finding your niche then working your fanny off to get work.

Another sad truth is to be careful what you wish for. In my younger days I ended up doing a lot of work for two advertising agencies and as a result spent about 50 of 52 weeks a year doing location shoots. After a couple of years of that I quickly came to realize that that wasn't how I wanted to spend the rest of my life particularly when you realize that there are dozens of photographers just waiting for you to lose your edge, even an inch so they can swarm in for the kill. At that level you litterally live or dissapear based on your last assignment. Have an off day and you are back to nowhere with a reputation for not delivering. I got out before that happened.
_________________
Rick Williams
Multi-Media Design, Inc.
Newburgh, IN
www.themmd.com