Are your portfolio photographs good enough?? If you want to give yourself a head start in the model & talent industry then this blog direct from the Models Direct team is one for you!
How are you supposed to know what a ‘good’ portfolio photograph is?? You may well have no experience in photography and/or are new to the talent and model industry so defining what is or isn’t a good image can be difficult!
Imagine your model portfolio to be a shop window display, it’s what draws the eye of a potential customer or in this case client to you. Independent boutiques and high street stores spend huge amounts of time and money in making their window displays as appealing, eye catching and desirable as possible, amongst hundreds of competing shops, store owners know they have to stand out above the rest and get noticed – it’s super competitive and a stores success is partly due to how many customers it can lure in off the street!
OK, Models Direct understands you are not commercial stores, but there are many similarities, your portfolio pics are your shop window! It’s the only thing a client will see of you in the initial stages of talent/model selection. Often you will be presented to a client alongside 20-30 other faces, in some cases more, so it’s crucial your images are as good as they can be and represent a true version of YOU!
The Models Direct team spend a lot of time with models and talent explaining how important a variety of good images are for your modelling career, that’s all part of the customer service experience the Models Direct team offer and without the right images the Assignments team can not put you forward for work! So if you are serious about being a commercial model take a look at Model Direct’s portfolio advice:
- You must have at least one head shot AND full length shot on your portfolio. Ideally your portfolio will include a variety of good quality images to allow a client to see how versatile you can be and the types of character/roles you could fulfill.
- Light is very important when taking a photograph, without professional studio lighting you are best to take the pictures outside. Natural light is very complimentary, a dry, cloudy day is perfect. Avoid glaring sun, it creates big shadows and we tend to squint! Make sure the background is clear, ideally a plain light coloured wall. A clear background will make you stand out and you are more likely to attract a clients attention.
- Clients want to see you – that’s why you have been put forward to them, you fit the brief!! Don’t cover your features by wearing sunglasses, hats or have your hair all over your face. Keep your look natural so the client can see your face shape, features, length of your hair and natural beauty. Also keep make up to a minimum.
- No one likes to see pixelated or out of focus images – it doesn’t look professional or show you off to your best, so upload high quality images to your portfolio. If you require assistance with this you can ask your model coordinator. Only upload original images, not a phone pic of a pic!
- Commercial modelling often requires talent to play a character, models with versatile looks are often more successful in this industry for that reason, so make sure your portfolio shows that you can portray different looks, ie, happy and relaxed, casual, corporate, smart, fun, etc.
Here are examples of ideal head shots and full length portfolio images from the hModels Direct’s books:
You will see from the selection above that good light and a clear background can make a HUGE difference to the quality of the image, making an effort with your portfolio pics may be the difference of being selected for work or not!
If you have ANY questions about your photographs please speak to a member of the Models Direct team and they will be able to advise you.
Your portfolio photographs also show us at Models Direct your level of commitment, after years of experience Models Direct can see how determined you are to succeed in the modelling industry – give yourself the best shop window out there!!
