Looking your best in front of the camera

We all like feeling good, don’t we?

And we all like looking fantastic, right?

It stands to reason that models wish to appear in tip-top physical condition when the time comes to perform on stage, for a photo shoot, or when the cameras start rolling. It’s called professionalism! If that’s what you always strive to do, you know that looking great can only help your modelling career.

If you’ve had a few assignments recently, it could be that your portfolio photos are effective. We’re not saying that any model with a superb portfolio will get inundated with a constant supply of jobs (we’re realistic, after all), although having the best portfolio will get you more noticed. Stands to reason, doesn’t it?

Here are some tips to improve / maintain your portfolio pictures, thus guaranteeing you’ll look your best:

1. Keep evolving! You might have had cracking portfolio snaps three years ago, but that’s all the more reason to update them. Staying stagnant is a model’s enemy, so your first thought should be, “Do I need more modern photos?”

2. Be bright and bold! Take a look at your current photos. If you look great, then all good, but consider if the quality of the photo could be improved. We don’t ask for professional snaps, but they have to be clear and accurate. Maybe using a new phone will be beneficial, or having a different shaded background (keep it plain, though!)

3. Don’t be afraid to show off! If you have any thought-provoking or unique physical characteristics, reflect them in your photos. Looking good means looking realistic and happy!

4. It’s a marathon not a sprint. Long term advice to looking good: drink plenty of water, eat well and don’t skip a good night’s sleep. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle will aid flawless skin and hair, as well as contributing significantly to a sound mental state. This will assist in your immaculate looks, which will be a photographer’s dream!

5. Don’t edit! Photoshop? No thanks! How disappointed would you be if you viewed a three-bedroom house, only to find out it was actually a converted shed with one bedroom and two wardrobes masquerading as “bedrooms”? The same applies with your photos. Don’t use any technical “advantages” to make you appear in a different light. Have confidence in your own looks, not how someone else wants you to look. You’re a real person, not a toy to be tinkered with.

Take the leap, and try to make your photos as radiant as possible. We encourage models on our books to keep sending in their updated photos. After all – it’s the most recent photos we’ll be putting forward to our clients, so it’s to your advantage!