Recruiting Tip #3

Don’t give up if you have trouble finding models. The availability of models can be seasonal, rising and falling in sync with college schedules, weather, economic factors, and a whole array of dynamic elements. Staying motivated is the most important factor in early success.

New to nudes

Some photographers who are new to nudes may jump right in. Others are timid; if this is you, you need to work your way up by shooting other styles of photography. If your photography skills are rudimentary, you may wish to learn the basics with landscape and still life to fill in the times you can’t find a portraiture model. Start with friends and family if you don’t feel comfortable recruiting a stranger. Start with fashion if you don’t feel comfortable hiring a glamour model. Work on a glamour portfolio if you don’t yet feel up to photographing nudes or if you’re having trouble convincing models that you can produce worthy images.

At some point you’ll start working with nudes. A certain degree of apprehension is normal. After hundreds of nude models, I still have concerns about making sure a shoot works to its best potential. I wouldn’t say I experience nervousness any more, but rather a heightened sense of attention that keeps me on my toes. If you wait until you have no uncertainties, you’ll never shoot nudes. Somewhere between self-inflicted paralysis and utter calm lies the photographer who is ready to shoot nudes.

Building your portfolio

You need samples of nude shots in order to book your models. Building credibility is an essential step to recruiting models, and nothing builds credibility better than an astounding portfolio. But how do you get your first nudes? This may seem like a catch-22, but you can get there. You may have to add progressively unclothed shots to your portfolio until you have a portfolio of nudes. Shoot clothed models until your work is competent enough to convince someone to do glamorous bikini or lingerie shots with you. I’ve rarely met an attractive woman who wouldn’t pose in lingerie and for implied nudes. Then you can move on to models who do implied nudes (nude from behind, for example) or topless shots. In many cases your first nude model can be one you’ve already photographed clothed. Each time you work with a model, the two of you will build trust and comfort.

There is a first time for everything, and I’ve hired my fair share of models who are posing nude for the first time. I don’t recommend this for beginning photographers, since neither of you will have much experience with nude shoots. But bear in mind that every model who poses nude had a first time.

Eventually you’ll have no trouble finding your first nude model, especially if you work repeatedly with the same model or hire a model who has a lot of experience modeling nude. Finding your first nude model may seem difficult at first, but it’s really not.

Once you’ve finished your portfolio, complete with everything you need to impress prospective models, know this: you’re not done. You’re never done building your portfolio. Periodically review your portfolio and relentlessly eliminate weak or old photos. Recognize what works and stick with it or update it. Your portfolio should contain only consistently strong, recent work.

Here is the general advice that I give models to prepare for a shoot. I’m posting it here in since it may be helpful to other models and photographers. It is in chronological order from about a week before the shoot. Models should read the whole list before beginning the schedule because the order of some steps will vary based on particular situations.

7 Days before the Shoot

• Confirm all details of the shoot and ask questions. Don’t be afraid to call and ask for clarification.
• Know what makeup (if any) you are expected to do before arriving to the shoot.
• Don’t experiment with hair or skin treatments. There’s not enough time to recover from a mishap.
• Don’t change your hair style unless requested.
• Cut back on tanning, this can dry skin. Use sun screen.

3 Days before the shoot

• Do your nails. Unless you’ve discussed otherwise, I suggest trim nails with a neutral color (e.g. French manicure).
  Take care of your skin. Avoid sun exposure, tanning salons. Avoid getting paint, ink or bruises on your skin. Stay moisturized.

2 Days before the shoot

• Get some moderate exercise.
• Get rid of any unwanted hair in your normal fashion. Do this more than two days before the shoot if it normally takes you longer to recover. Don’t experiment with a new method; you won’t know the recovery time.
• Exfoliate dry skin, don’t forget your feet.
• Exfoliate lips if needed.
• If this is your first nude shoot get a restful sleep tonight. You may be too excited the night before the shoot to get enough rest.

The day before the shoot

• Day before the shoot:
• Pack your kit. Bring moisturizer, a snack, makeup, robe/cover-up. (see my post: Nude Model’s Survival Kit)
• Avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol. Eat sensibly.
• Stretch. Stay limber. Stay active enough to burn off any excess energy before bedtime, but don’t do any marathon workouts today. Stay hydrated.
• Get a full night’s rest if you can.

The day of the shoot

• Wake up early enough that you don’t feel rushed.
• If you’ve been asked to have your hair and makeup a certain way, allow preparation time.
• Don’t put on any tight clothes or anything with elastic in it. We want to avoid elastic lines on your skin.
• Don’t tie your hair tightly, that can also leave a mark.
• Avoid anything that will stain your teeth: tea, coffee, cigarettes; they all show up on the image.
• Moisturize everywhere from the neck down. You don’t want anything close to dry skin.
• Directions to the shoot: Don’t forget to bring them with you. Call if you’re lost, don’t be embarrassed, just call and ask. If you’re going to be late or can’t make it, call ASAP. Don’t be a no-show without calling.
• Once at the shoot keep cell phone use to a minimum.
• Be friendly and professional

After and between shoots

• Take care of skin. Bug bites and tan lines can last a long time. A model’s body is her income, protect it.
• Eat healthy foods. Stay away from sweets, fatty meats, and junk food.
• Exercise vigorously five days a week. Perform a mix of strength, flexibility, endurance, and fat burning exercises.
• Practice posing and posture.

Nude with red cloth. Model: Audrey Rose.

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a TFP photo shoot. A long time ago I made a decision to pay all my models. It was the right decision for me. However, TFP is still right for some situations, even among experienced and skilled models and photographers.

TFP (once Time for Prints, before digital) is when a model and photographer do a shoot for free. No modeling fees. No photography fees. Both get images for their use. Details will vary, but that’s the gist of it. It’s also sometimes known as TFCD (time for CD) or TFDVD or TF*, etc. But “TFP” is the more widely used term.

This practice has been both revered and reviled. Truth is, it has its place for many models and photographers, including beginners and veterans alike.

I’ve heard some say “never do TFP” as blanket advice. When some says “never” it reminds me of the time I saw a paramedic running to someone’s aid with a pair of scissors in hand; never run with scissors, I thought to myself; never say never.

I’ve done maybe two TFP shoots in the last five years. But every once in a while someone comes along with an interesting idea that I want to do, only it doesn’t fit into what I’m hiring for. In that case, I do TFP.

Here are a few tips I have on nude model booking etiquette that I’ve compiled. They apply pretty equally well to models and photographers. There are tons more, but this is what comes to mind right now.

1. Treat others as you’d want to be treated
2. Be upfront about your expectations
3. Be realistic about your expectations — don’t think you’re going to get everything you want out of every shoot
4. Don’t apply for a job if you don’t meet the published qualifications
5. Don’t take any flack; if someone is a jerk, politely retreat.
6. If you have to cancel, call ASAP and be honest.
7. Show up on time.
8. Don’t get upset if things aren’t going well. Either take it in stride or end the shoot if you can’t talk it out.

I’ve identified an interesting trend, among the many nude models and potential nude models that I’ve talked to about doing a shoot. Quite often, an inexperienced model will request much higher pay than an experienced model. This seems ironic, but there are logical explanations. Part of this phenomenon is economic, and part is psychological.

The Economic Aspect

In a recent conversation, an inexperienced model requested between three to four times what I and other area photographers normally pay models. Although she was attractive, she was nowhere close to the level of physical beauty of nude models that were working for far less. So why would a less attractive model, with almost no experience ask for over three times what more attractive, experienced nude models are willing to work for? Some may think she’s simply doesn’t know the market and is just guessing at what nude models earn, but this is not the case. In her mind the sum was not outlandish. I established that she had indeed worked for this pay rate, although on a very short shoot. So the market will bear this kind of pay, even for a model that is not in the upper half of physical attractiveness. Read more

Not all models flake. In fact, most don’t. But the flake rate with nudes can be higher than most, especially if you’re recruiting your models online. Sometime’s it’s the photographer’s fault, for instance by not giving enough details about the shoot until the last minute.

No matter where you recruit your models, a significant number of photographers complain about no-show models. I used to have the same problem, but not in the last several years.

In my experience, the following nine yellow flags precede 90% of all flakey models. By avoiding these situations you can avoid waiting for a model that never shows up. It’s been ages since I’ve had a no-show; more than 95% of my models show up.

1. No phone contact. Attempt a phone interview as soon as possible. If you can’t make a phone call happen, chances are a shoot is not going to happen either. Reduce flake risk by 15%
2. Model doesn’t have any photos from the last 6 months. If she hasn’t shot anything recently, good luck with that changing.  Reduce flake risk by 15% Read more

1. Look for models who have been shooting regularly and recently. You should see recent photos, from various shoots, over the last six months.
2. If the model hasn’t already done the kind of shots you’re planning to do, she may back out.
3. Get a phone number, confirm via phone 48 hours in advance – if no call back 24 hours before the shoot, don’t bother setting up.
4. If you’re booking really far in advance, make sure to touch base about a week or ten days before the shoot; people do forget things.
5. Avoid booking for times that are already hectic: holidays, finals week, when models may have other things planned or when things may unexpectedly come up.
6. Be wary of models who ask about money and nothing else; they may be booking several gigs and showing up to only the highest bidder.
7. Pay market rates. If the model finds out your giving her a raw deal, she may back out.
8. Try to size up how “together” your model is before booking the shoot. For example, if she plans to drive all night and sleep in her car to be ready for the shoot – you might expect a no-show.
9. Make sure the models see your work, and know how it will be used before booking the shoot. Having a killer portfolio doesn’t hurt either
10. Be picky in selecting your models, choose them don’t let them choose you.

Be patient, sometimes legitimate problems come up; car troubles, love life, family, work, weather, health, monthly cycles, breakouts, etc.
Even following these, you’re going to be occasionally going to be frustrated by no-show models.

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You have the talent, you have the skill, you have the desire. You are ready to begin shooting nudes, but don’t know where to start. Here are ten examples of where not to start.

1. The triple first. First time model, first time photographer, first time together. Sure, it could work; but the triple first is a recipe for disaster: you’ve never photographed a nude, she’s never posed nude, and you’ve never met each other. Instead, consider doing a non-nude shoot with your model, or finding a model with nude experience.
2. Relying on words to recruit models. Pictures speak volumes, and when it comes to nude photography, the imagination runs wild (sometimes too wild) with words alone. Don’t frighten your potential models away, let your photos show how tasteful and artistic your ideas are.
3. Trying to sell yourself. Recruit, interview and hire the model. Don’t act like you’re trying to sell her on your ideas. In other words, don’t try to convince – people are naturally resistant to a sales job. Explain your ideas, and let her decide if she’s interested
4. Being too explicit
5. Being unprofessional. You’re not looking for a date or a friend. It’s OK to keep it light.
6. Acting too interested. I’ve never seen a photographer who exhibited too little enthusiasm, but too much intensity can be a major turn off (and a creep out).
7. Loosing focus. No, I’m not talking about beams of light. I mean you have to develop and define your subject and style before you’ll be taken seriously. It’s OK to experiment, but don’t throw everything into your portfolio.
8. Being indiscriminate. Don’t throw every image in your portfolio. Don’t ask every woman in the room to model for you. If people think you have low standards or are desperate, they won’t be able to get away from you fast enough
9. Skipping basics. You have to be a photographer before you can be a nude photographer.
10. Treating nude photography as if it were portrait photography. If you don’t learn how to light and pose the nude, your work will lack punch.

Just be yourself, and hang in there. Avoid the pitfalls listed above and the many more that exist. If you keep trying, you and your models will soon be well on your way to producing the spectacular nude photographs you know you’re capable of.

This article is for photographers who want to get the most out of a photo session with a nude model.

1.       Begin with realistic expectations based on your experience, the models available to you, and your equipment. Expect that your work will evolve creatively and improve technically; but at a moderate pace as you learn and grow.

2.       Make shooting arrangements with a model. Preferably choose someone who you’ve already met and who has experience modeling nude or at least has experience modeling.

3.       Make sure the model understands specifically what you want to accomplish from the shoot. Show her samples of the kinds of images you want to achieve. Images speak volumes more than words can. Preferably these images are from your own work, but if you’re beginning you might want to use examples from magazines, etc. If you plan to publish or distribute the nude images, make sure the model understands and agrees to this.

4.       Make your own notes about what poses, props, lighting, backgrounds, etc. you want to use.

5.       Agree on a location for the shoot. Make sure to consider privacy for the model, climate control, and availability of electricity, natural light, or any other requirements for making your photographs. Make sure adequate backgrounds will be available at the location.

6.       Agree on a time for the shoot. Make sure to consider time for travel, makeup, setup of equipment, or other preparations. Discuss preparation time with the model so she knows to allow enough time to arrive on time.

7.       When you meet the model at the shoot location, greet her and make sure she has everything she needs: a place to put her stuff, a place to check makeup and hair, water or other beverage, etc.

8.       When you start shooting, begin with clothed shots to warm up. This is especially important if you’ve not worked with this model before, or if she’s not especially experienced with nude modeling. Progress slowly towards nudity to maintain the model’s comfort. Don’t progress too slowly, as this can be frustrating or seem silly to a model who is ready to pose nude.

9.       Direct the model verbally; avoid physical contact and limit your proximity to the model especially when she is nude.

10.   If your model is new to nude modeling, make the first nude shots side or back shots, until she is comfortable with more revealing shots. There is no necessity to progress to more revealing shots unless both of you want to.

11.   Keep shooting as you direct the model, even if the poses are not exactly what you want. This will help keep the model’s confidence up. Continue directing the model verbally and shooting until you see the poses you want.

12.   Try a variety of poses. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Keep in mind that only the best shots need be used later. Refer back to your notes about what poses, backgrounds, light, props, etc. you want to use.

13.   When you’re done shooting have the model sign a release and get a copy of her government issued photo identification (including date of birth) if you plan to publish the images. Some photographers prefer to get the release signed before the shoot.

Nude photography entails more than just photographic technique, there is a huge interpersonal element; much more so than in any other kind of people photography. There are many articles on the photographic technique of nude photography, but herein I will address how to talk to a nude model. By learning these verbal techniques, you should be able to direct the action from behind your camera just like an expert.

1. Begin by introducing yourself or greeting the model if you’ve already met.
2. Don’t be nervous, it’s contagious. The more natural you are the better everything will go. Act as if you’ve done it a thousand times – even if you haven’t. Don’t be overly chatty or bold, just keep working.
3. During the photo shoot, Avoid physical contact with the models during posing; it is much more efficient to stay behind your camera and use verbal direction. Touching models can also come off as creepy. New models need to learn to follow verbal direction, and new photographers need to learn how to give verbal direction.
4. Be professional. Whenever possible, use neutral terms, not slang for body parts. If you want the model to turn her chest towards you, refer to her chest — not any of the popular vernacular terms for breasts. What you don’t say is as important as what you do say.
5. One effective technique of verbal direction is to mention a body part and to simply describe what the model needs to do to achieve the exact, desired pose.
6. Keep verbal directions simple and clear. For example it’s easy to say, “Place you right hand on your right hip, then move your right foot a few inches to your right.”
7. Once the model has achieved the basic pose, suggest specific, clear refinements as needed in order to perfect the pose. Your choice of approach will be a personal one, but I tend to tell rather than ask. Phrasing instructions as questions can make you seem less experienced and less professional. By making clear, concise statements you’ll keep the shoot moving with the poses you want and without any confusion.