Preparing for a photoshoot

A girl over 25 recently asked me about preparing for a photoshoot. This was part of my reply:


Your outfits should be simple. solid colors no crazy desgns or logos. Simple balck dress, jeans and tank top or cute denim jacket or something. I would look at magazines such as Redbook, Cosmo, Marie Claire and get inspired. Notice the ads inside.

I think the best time of day is in the morning like shooting between 9 am and 11am... or 2pm and 4 pm personally.

But a professional photographer should know what is best and the shoot should NOT take all day. You should discuss what you need ahead of time so make sure to do that. You want to focus on getting the nice headshot and full body shots you will need for your commercial print agency submissions and making your compcard. Sure you could shoot other things but make sure you get what you need done first.

For makeup if you can not afford a makeup artist go to a makeup counter at a department store or Sephora. For photography the main thing is having a nice natural lookig foundation, and then making your eyes pop but not tooo tooo much just enough. An example of a good headshot is the girls on the boxes of the hair color, go to the drug store and observe...also when you meet with a makeup artist you should bring with you some samples of the makeup you want from magazine tearsheets you have ripped out. I I would simply ask to have your "eyes done" and Show the makeup artist your examples, and then purchase the eyeliner or mascara for touch ups. Your lips can be natural or with chapstick r some gloss or lipstick.

You might want a more done up look but you also want to totally have a natural look. A not trying to hard look, just a nice pretty headshot.

No matter what you should look like you when the makeup is done, your hair should be natural maybe with more volume but honestly the photos should be an honest portrayal of you, you want the shots to look like you. So nothing nuts or too fashionista...just natural.

It is best to look at ads and get inspired, look at modeling agency websites and communicate with the photographer what YOU need. :)

By thinking of the ads and modeling jobs you can picture yourself realistically doing it will help you plan your photos.

I hope this helps and you have a nice weekend,

Isobella

Click these past blog posts about modeling photos and making a compcard:

http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/01/making-modeling-compcard-tips.html

http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/01/naturally-photographic-models-are-not.html

http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2009/01/modeling-compcard-tips-whats-too-sexy.html