Model Portfolio Checklist:

A Clear, unmanipulated head shot is at the heart 

of a good portfolio

A model’s portfolio is her most important asset, and should be compiled and constantly updated to present the owner as a competent, wholly professional and very employable commodity - a totally respected member of the model photography community.

Model Portfolios have constantly evolved over the years into a very streamlined and universally accepted formula, and every model, whether female or male, should do their utmost to comply with the well accepted conventions of the standard “book”.

Portfolios today can also exist as files on CD’s or DVD, or as pages on a website, but the traditional printed portfolio contained within a presentation folder is still the most valuable and useful possession a model of any experience level can possess.

It might be useful to note carefully, because seemingly many models, and far too many photographers who claim to provide model portfolio photoshoots, seem to misunderstand this important point: the collections of pictures appearing on Model Facebook pages, or on profiles on model social media sites, such as Modelmayhem, and Starnow, are NOT portfolios in the true sense which Industry Professionals expect. They are in fact simply collections of disparate pictures.

• A good portfolio should be highly focused, presenting the best of the best.
• It should consist of a minimum of eight images, and a maximum of twenty.
• It is not unknown for people in the industry to refuse to look at portfolios of more than 20 pictures.
• It should also provide the viewer with a strong idea of what the model is good at, and the direction she wishes to take in the future.
• It is not a collection of pics to illustrate her past history as a model.

What a Model’s Portfolio Should contain:

Not good photography, but Excellent photography, with excellent lighting, showing superb makeup skills, perfectly exposed and properly processed images, with accurate attention to detail.

Preferably colour images, however if black and white images are included, they should show an excellent tonal range and proper post processing. B and W should not be artsy farstsy crap, which might make the photographer look “creative”, but should first and foremost be about the model.

Colour and B and W versions of the same images should NOT be included.

Having stressed the importance of excellent photographs the whole portfolio is about the model, not the photographer.


Images to include without fail:

A good figure shot is essential

• One professionally shot image of the model’s face without makeup.
• At least one if not several headshots, the full head showing hair and with nothing lopped off by careless cropping out of frame.
• A bust shot, from between the bust and the waist upwards to the top of the head
• A three quarter figure shot, from thigh upwards to the top of the head
• These pics should be frequently updated, as the model, changes or grows older, changes hairstyles, gets teeth straightened, or other evident tweaks.
• Several pictures showing a variety of poses and clothing styles ...from casual to formal, and including beachwear. Bikinis, one piece swimsuits, shorts and blouses, jeans, slacks, dresses, skirts for girls and the equivalent styles for men.

Makeup for all portfolio shoots should be light and designed to enhance rather than disguise, and either professionally or skilfully applied specifically for photography: social or formal evening makeup does not photograph well.

Further pictures should show the type or genre of modeling you wish to concentrate on: for example a fashion model would have images of fashionable clothes complete with suitable accessories, a catalogue or advertising model would be shown presenting or demonstrating products, an aspiring television host would be photographed in a suitable set with broadcast legal clothing colours, etc


As Career Develops:

A model who has been successful enough to get paid work , should where possible include tear sheets from paid jobs she has completed and which have been published. Tear sheets should no longer be torn from magazines or wherever they appear, but high quality photographic copies of the pages should be made for inclusion in your portfolio, and any photographer who provided you with great folio pics, also has the expertise to do these quality copies for you.

If you are lucky, you may also be able to obtain outtake pictures from the campaign shoot to use in your folio, but do not ever expect to be able to use, or even get copies of the actual images used in the campaign, especially before the campaign is entirely completed.

Be aware though that amateur publications, photographs entered or taken as part of competitions
( such as swimsuit, or wet tee shirt comps and similar) are not suitable for use in your portfolio.

Neither are photographs which appear in vanity or exploitation online magazines, due to the very low level of acceptance, the non existent payments to models or any contributors, and the extremely poor overall quality of these “magazines”, they are not recognised by industry professionals as published work.

Remember if it is not PAID work, and it has not been published through normal channels, it is not really worth including in your portfolio. Be guided by photographers and artists when compiling their own portfolios: if it has to be explained it doesn't work.


Should NOT Contain:

• Nudity: Topless, full, or even “implied”
• Lingerie or sheer: although becoming acceptable in some quarters, the majority of industry professionals still frown on this kind of work in a normal working portfolio
• Zombies, sugar skulls, disaster victims or any similar “theme shoot” material where your identity is disguised or obliterated by makeup...your portfolio face should be a “blank canvas” to be considered for its suitability for a job, not a "work of art" advertisement for some “creative” makeup girl.
• Theme shoots may or may not be fun, but they are strictly amateur...consider just how many times in a publication or an advertisement you see a girl dressed as an ice-cream sundae pushing washing powder, or a horribly disfigured zombie as a featured cover girl?
• Any picture which isn’t quite up to the mark, but was included to make up the numbers.( Go out , do another shoot, and get a better picture)
• Bad photography, either or both technically or creatively, and posing which looks posed or forced.
• Photo-shopped images: no images should use photoshop tricks, screens, filters, over-saturation, HDR, or any of the multitude of “artistic”plugins. Photoshop correction should be limited to correcting tonal range, colour, and sharpness, and eliminating distracting background elements: skin blemishes, moles, freckles, operation scars should not be removed and figure altering manipulation is especially taboo.

If your photographer/s isist that any of these are "necessary" or "great for your folio". it is time for you to walk out and find a professioonal photographer who actually knows what s/he is doing, and has actually not only seen , but also photographed model portfolios in the past.

You would be surprised just how many have not!


 ©Copyright: Stephen Bennett, MMXV
Except as permitted by the copyright law applicable to you, you may not reproduce or communicate any of the content on this website, including any  photographs  and files downloadable from this website, without the permission of the copyright owner.
The Australian Copyright Act allows certain uses of content on the internet without the copyright owner's permission. This includes uses by educational institutions for educational purposes, and by Commonwealth and State government departments for government purposes, provided fair payment is made. For more information, see www.copyright.com.au and www.copyright.org.au.
We may change these terms of use from time to time. Check before re-using any content from this website.
Interesting Links:
My Photography Webpage
Facebook page for Professional Photographers and Models
The Definite Article Photography and Video on Facebook
My Pond 5 Page

Rights of Various Participants in a Photo-shoot...Part Two:

The Photographer´s Rights

In most cases, (including when a shoot is commissioned by a client), the photographer retains copyright in any and all photographs taken at the shoot.

He then licenses (limited and lawful) usage of those photographs to the client, or to other users, and potential markets, and usually, but not always, licenses a limited usage to the model to allow him/her to promote themself on the internet and within  a printed portfolio.

Model with Assistant/MUA/All in One

 

 

Photographer´s Assistant

Many models, actors, and photographers are keen at times to act as a photographer´s assistant, and it is a great experience to see a shoot, and learn from both sides of the camera. I regularly ask models, especially those interested in photography to assist me on shoots with beginner models.

Several models have asked what does an assistant do? (apparently very little!)

Apart form the stock answer ¨there is always a reflector to hold¨ they are actually very valuable:

• they do wonders for putting an inexperienced model at ease,
• they liaise easily between a male photographer and a female model where a new working relationship may be a little tense at first...(believe me it is on both sides)
• they also keep inquisitive onlookers at bay,
• they keep valuable photographic equipment secure while the photographer is concentrating elsewhere,
• they attend to makeup, hair and clothing, and any problems which arise.

But of most value to them: they learn, and learn quickly by observing, helping and doing.

Assistant’s  rights: besides respect and value for a job well done, they are also encouraged (by me, as well as  many other professionals) to take some of their own photographs during a shoot, when time permits...to which they do own the copyright, although if the shoot is for a client they are under the same limitations of usage as the photographer.

However it is advised that they get the photographer´s permission to sell or license any of the photos they do take, before they do so.

 

 

Second Shooter

A second shooter is often required on big shoots such as a large wedding, or an event where the main photographer simply cannot be in two or more places at once.

I have been told of photographers being asked to be second shooter on model shoots and similar, but I can not fathom why one would ever be needed.
( I do however have a suspicion as to why, namely the photographer thinks the second shooter will have ideas better than his own, or will take better shots than he himself is capable of...the reason for this will be become obvious in the next paragraph)

The second shooter has no rights to ownership of any of the pictures he/she takes on a shoot...they are actually contracted to the #1 photographer (unless working under other previously agreed arrangements) who owns copyright of all the shots taken whether or not he pressed the shutter button, or owns the camera equipment used.

And because most shoots which are big enough to require a second shooter are usually commissioned by a client, there will be little or no credit or portfolio use offered as well.

However more agreeable second shooter terms can be negotiated with certain photographers on certain projects...one possible scenario is when one shoots stills while the other shoots video, an arrangement I often work under.

 

Makeup Artist

Very few rights: they own no rights to the photograph at all as expected, and just as a model allows usage of their likeness, a makeup artist allows usage of their makeup design, which in most cases is fairly standard and therefore not original or copyrightable.

They may or may not be offered photos for their portfolio and self - promotion.

The Make up artist’s more elaborate original designs: often seen in photographs these days (but incidentally these photos which have little saleability), is technically subject to copyright, but in practice they have given permission for their design to be used.

Similarly an original design of a tattoo may be copyright (in some cases) to the tattoo artist, but they cannot stop people from looking at it, or photographing it once it is on someone´s body, or in the public domain.

 

The Stylist

This category is only included for the sake of completeness as the vast majority of us will never come across a stylist in our day to day photography.

As an important member of high end commercial photography teams, the stylist is responsible for strict adherence, and even improvement upon the shooting brief, and for making certain that the client’s product is seen in the “best light”, and therefore have the  right of input into all aspects of the shoot to ensure that happens.

At the opposite end of the photographic spectrum it is apparently the rising trend to have at least one “stylist”, and sometimes several: hair stylist, set stylist, furniture stylist, clothing stylist, shoe stylist…well the more the merrier.

As to their actual function?  Well who really cares as long as everyone is having “fun”?

 

 

Model´s  companion

(includes stage mum, chaperone, boyfriend, minder)
No rights whatsoever, except to keep their charge safe, and out of harm´s way.

Can be ejected if distracting the model or the photographer or interfering in any way with the shoot

However it is usually a very good idea to have a mum around when:

• the model is young and inexperienced
• is under 18
• it is the first meeting between an unknown model and photographer
• the shoot is being run by an amateur

Young, same age as the model girlfriends are not a good idea
...boyfriends, however, are never much more than a distraction to everybody involved.

 

NB: Professional shoots

In some cases, including on my shoots, especially when a model is young and/or inexperienced, a mother of family member is welcomed on set, (as long as they are not tempted to interfere with what is essentially a job of work - and there is always a reflector to hold)  but in the majority of professional shoots with most professional photographers a minder of any sort is completely banned, and totally unnecessary. (let´s face it:  do young people take their mum or boyfriend to their job behind the McDonalds counter?)

The last remaining question:

What if, as so often happens in the internet modelling arena, a model, a makeup artist, or even a stylist, organises or facilitates (commissions?) the shoot and merely enlists the photographer to press the shutter button?

Is the model, the makeup artist, or the stylist entitled to copyrights of any kind over the resulting photographs?

Afraid not! This is technically a commissioned shoot, and as with all normal client commissioned shoots the photographer owns the copyright to the photographs, unless the photographer has signed a contract with the client, or is willing to sign over his copyrights to the client in writing.

This is one of the reasons so many internet modelling arrangements instigated by models or makeup artists attract only amateurs or very inexperienced, non-savvy photographers, as no professional photographer would ever agree to signing over copyrights without receiving a very large payment.

This last entry pertains strictly to Australian Copyright Laws and may differ in other countries.

None of the above is not meant and should not be taken as legal advice … it is information gleaned from many years experience as a practicing photographer.

For further information refer to: Australian Copyright Council website: www.copyright.org.au

P.S.: you will appreciate that I refrained from saying “I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV “ which no doubt would have sent you all in to hysterical fits of uncontrollable laughter…or so it would seem from the number of times I have seen this phrase posted ad nausea over the past fifteen years, by legions of “internet experts” who do not want to assume any responsibility for anything they say on innumerable forums.

©Copyright: Stephen Bennett, MMXIV

Except as permitted by the copyright law applicable to you, you may not reproduce or communicate any of the content on this website, including any  photographs  and files downloadable from this website, without the permission of the copyright owner.
The Australian Copyright Act allows certain uses of content on the internet without the copyright owner's permission. This includes uses by educational institutions for educational purposes, and by Commonwealth and State government departments for government purposes, provided fair payment is made. For more information, see www.copyright.com.au and www.copyright.org.au.
We may change these terms of use from time to time. Check before re-using any content from this website.


Interesting Links:
My Photography Webpage
Facebook page for Professional Photographers and Models
The Definite Article Photography and Video on Facebook
My Pond 5 Page
The Definite Article at Publicise Me