Had a fun model portfolio shoot yesterday in the studio with a lovely girl who had been offered a contract with a modelling agency and needed photos of herself.

A variety of images are needed for a model portfolio, so I thought we should take some shots outside, too, but the weather was freezing, and light & time limited, so we decided to stay indoors and take shots in the studio only.

Arya had never had a photo shoot before, so we just had a relaxed chat first of all so that she got used to the studio environment. We looked through the outfits she had bought and made a rough plan what to shoot. When I started taking the first shots, I worked with her gently as I know that being in front of bright studio lights can be quite a strange experience for a first timer – especially when you need to take photos wearing only a bikini to show the shape of your body, which is usually a requirement for modelling agencies. I think being a female photographer makes things easier for the girls as I can empathise with any concerns and make sure that the ‘sitter’ feels comfortable and confident.

We took some more casual photos, too. Props always help when taking portraits – it gives the ‘sitter’ something else to focus on rather than worrying about how they look, which makes for more natural photos that show their true character. Arya plays in a band so she brought her guitar with her to the shoot.

We took all the needed shots for a model portfolio; beautiful headshot (i.e. ‘beauty shot’), some shots using natural light rather than studio lights, all the needed full length shots etc. At the end we still had some time spare, so we started playing around with other ideas.

By this time, of course, Arya was completely at ease and really enjoying our shoot. We had music playing and we were chatting and having fun in between poses and outfits. Arya and Becca (my lighting assistant) were comparing Glastonbury experiences and everything was coming together nicely!

I love seeing the transition from a slightly hesitant start to the model relaxing, getting really into the shoot experience in a friendly environment, having a great time and at the end seriously enjoying being in front of the lights and being photographed. Happens every time, and I love it. Here is the shot that we ended the shoot with.

If you are interested in getting a model portfolio of yourself, I’d love to hear from you! I am very accommodating and can make it a pleasant experience even for first timers. And if you are more experienced I will be ready to go and get more creative with set-ups, backgrounds and props. I can give advice on the kind of shots you will need in your portfolio, and you will have the option to have the digital files only, or digital files + 12 x a4 size prints in a portfolio book.

I love doing this stuff and I guarantee you will have a great time at the shoot. Give me a call on 07951-635802 for more detailed information, or use the ‘Contact’ page. Look forward to hearing from you!