Recruiting a model for figure work can be tricky, even for someone who has been photographing artistic nudes for a long time. To better introduce the concept of recruiting, I explain the core recruiting activity in terms of five stages. They are:

1. Establishing contact
2. Building interest
3. Overcoming objections
4. Getting commitment

If you skip or rush through any step, you risk not getting the booking. This happens to many photographers and they wonder if it has something to do with the model. In many cases it is a matter of not completing the process. Many photographers fail to secure bookings because the skip directly from establishing contact to getting commitment.

Establishing contact means meeting the prospective model and exchanging contact information. Just handing out a business card is not establishing contact. It is important to have the model’s contact information so that you do not have to rely on her to retain your information and follow up. If you make contact online, the exchange of a return email address is usually automatic.

Building interest is an often overlooked step. This can be a simple as showing some portfolio pieces to the model but it should involve more. You need to let the model get to know you a little bit. Nobody wants to work with someone until they gain a comfort level.

Overcoming objections is something photographers often engage in, but seldom in the right way. Objections are usually requests for more information or confusion about what you are proposing. The faster you attempt to get a model to commit, the more confusion you will encounter. The first step to overcoming an objection is to recognize it. Then you need to let the model know that other models had the same question. Finally, you need to explain how you will make things work out.

For example, a model might object because she does not feel she would know what to do as a model. If a model says this to me, I let her know that this is common among many new models and more than half of the models she sees on my website expressed the exact same concern. However, once they did a photoshoot, they found that it was easier than they thought it would be.

Finally, you must ask a model to commit to booking a specific time and location. If you rush the model to commit, she may agree just to delay having to deal with you. You want a true commitment. A good first step in getting a commitment is to ask the prospect to come to a face-to-face interview.

I hope to write more on the above four steps in the future.

Many photographers get frustrated by models who cancel, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the professional relationship. Ann, a model who has shot with me at least ten times, almost didn’t do it at all. She had initial reservations, and just needed time to make up her mind.

Here is how the conversation went with the reluctant model

Model: “I’m not sure that this is for me”

Photographer: “I can understand that you might have hesitations about doing this. A lot of the models who pose for me felt the same way before they started. Some of them never took the plunge. But those who did found it was a lot easier than they thought it was going to be and were glad they did.”

Model: “I see what you’re saying. Maybe I should try this.”

That was all it took. So, next time you get frustrated with a model who is initially reluctant, don’t end the conversation. Just let her know that her feelings are normal. Some models may come up with an implausible excuse. My advice is that you not dwell or her reason for cancelling, bargain or argue. The shoot is not going to happen, but another one can. If you focus on the future you can still have a great shoot.

If you are a model thinking about posing nude for the first time, rest assured that with the right photographer it can be an exhilarating and fulfilling experience.

Many aspiring photographers ask me what to put in a portfolio. The answer all depends on your goals, but a pretty common goal is to recruit more models to shoot. Some photographers find it especially tricky to recruit models to shoot nudes, and often the portfolio is the weak link. I often see portfolios that indicate that the owner’s should have asked somebody for some advice, so this is for those who have not yet bothered to ask anyone.

What to include:

• Recent photos (that usually means the photo is less than six months old when you add it. Try to remove anything that has been in your portfolio more than two years).
• Photos that look like what you want to shoot. That means post models that you would work with again and in poses that you want to shoot.
• Variety. If your portfolio is all of one model or one location, you will not look very accomplished or versatile. Show your entire range, within reason of course.
• Consistent quality. Each shot should be as strong as the next. You can ruin nine good photos with one bad one. There is no need to include everything you have ever shot.

What not to include:

• Stuff that is racier than what normally shoot. If you normally shoot implied nudes, there is no reason to frighten off models by posting a bunch of full frontal or erotic shots.
• Other people’s work. Only post your own work. Do not post other photographers’ images, saying that you would like to do “something like this.”
• Tiny images. This offence is more common than it should be. Anything less than 600 pixels on a side is way too small.
• Flash presentations. Unless you are trying to make your work unsearchable, stick to JPG images; not Flash.
• The hardest shots to get; unless they truly yielded the best results. Just because you were standing on top of a flaming school bus, balancing on one foot, and tripping the camera shutter with your teeth does not mean that the resulting photograph will be interesting. Save good stories for story telling time, put good photos in your portfolio.
• Self-portraits. Unless you are both a working model and working photographer, save the self-portrait for your “about me” page.

Christy had never modeled before meeting me. She was a bit of a tomboy and at twenty had just started wearing makeup the year prior. A slender 105 lbs., size 2 and 5-foot 8-inches, she sported statuesque abs and unforgettable bone structure.

Tia, one of my models, recruited Christy while we were out searching for talent. Tia was quite familiar with my style of shooting and my processes, so she was a capable advocate.

Tia and I were at a bar known for female bartenders dancing on the bar. It was not the one you may be thinking of, but a local version of the famous one. We intended to use a decidedly soft-sell approach. If we met someone who would eventually model for me, that would be marvelous; otherwise, we had a bit of fun and nothing was lost.

It was at the beginning of the evening, so there were not many patrons in the bar. Several of the bartenders were practicing their moves on the bar. I was sure to glance at the dancing bartenders occasionally, but I was careful not to come off like a fascinated newcomer. You may meet prospective models who are professional club dancers, ballet dancers, or dancing bartenders. When watching a prospective model perform, you should not act like you’ve never seen anything like her before.

Although there was almost no business, Christy was intensely energetic and stayed active, doing things in various parts of the establishment. Sometimes prospective models appear busy to stave off boredom and other times they have a pressing agenda. Remember that being rude and interrupting someone who is busy hurts your cause. In this case, we judged correctly, as she jumped at the opportunity to engage in something different and exciting.

Tia decided she was going to have to go up to Christy if she was going to get a chance to speak to her before the bar began to fill up with patrons and noise. As Christy headed down a stairway toward the front door, Tia scurried after her. I am sure Tia’s smile and innate charm helped steer the mood toward intrigue on Christy’s part. A few minutes later, Tia came back and said, “She’s going to do it,” and gave me Christy’s contact info.

Christy

Christy

Tia

Hope at the interview

Hope responded to a classified ad I placed on a popular free classified website. I had posted ads once or twice a week for the previous few weeks. The ads stay up for a couple of months, so there were about ten ads up. Hope responded to all ten, so I assumed she was probably hitting all of the ads she could find, what I call shot gunning. A model appearing uncommitted can be a yellow flag, so I needed to determine how deep her interest was. I responded quickly to Hope, knowing she was eager to get started and might soon be busy with other photographers. Here is the e-mail she sent me:
“Hi, I am interested in being the nude model for your photography. I am an artist myself and have painted some nude portraits so I understand. I would like to meet beforehand and maybe know a little about you before. I will attach one or two photographs of myself in semi-nude to see if I might be what you are looking for. I will check my email often for a reply. Thanks, Hope”

As it occasionally happens, Hope’s photos were not large or clear enough for me to determine her suitability for my projects. It was obvious that she had some attractive features, and the photos she sent me were unusually creative in their lighting and poses. This was substantially encouraging. Nevertheless, I still had some questions about her appearance that were difficult to answer via an e-mail exchange. From the small, dim shots, I could not see if her skin was smooth or if her muscles were toned. I was also concerned about her apparent shotgun approach. I decided an in-person interview would solve these uncertainties, as well as verify her interest and commitment. My reply to her first e-mail read, “Hello, Hope. I like what I see. I’m pretty flexible with time this weekend. If you send me your number and tell me when you’re available, we should be able to do something.”

I called her, and we agreed to meet at a coffee shop that was convenient for both of us. Hope was on time to the meeting and lively when she got there. She was, in fact, easily identifiable as the most attractive woman in the shop. On that note, I typically do not worry about how I am going to spot a model at our first meeting; if I cannot find her in a crowd, she’s probably not what I’m looking for. I introduced myself to her while she was standing in line. I bought coffee for both of us, and we sat. Hope reiterated that she was an artist, and concerning nudes, she said, “I get it.” She was emphatic, and I could sense she had zero qualms about creating images with me. After a few minutes, I suggested we step outside to see how well things worked with her, my camera, and me. We walked into the parking lot, and I retrieved my camera from my car and snapped a few quick shots, one of which appears on this page.

I did two shoots with Hope before she unfortunately had to move four hours away. For months, we did not do any shoots. I kept in touch with her through Facebook and we have continued to work together. I have traveled up to work with her over a weekend and she has come to me on occasion. When visiting her, we traveled to some of her mountain haunts, including some amazing waterfalls. She has posed with classic cars and at an abandoned Buddhist monastery. Hope is good at making a single prop work, whether it is a rope, chain, scarf, or bottle filled with water. I have photographed Hope at least eight times, each with spectacular results.

More about Hope and additional recruiting diaries appear in my book Up to My Eyeballs in Nude Women.

The following analysis pertains to a self-reported data from of over 140,000 American models. All respondents were female, ages 18 to 28, and actively seeking modeling assignments through online accounts that each model maintains. Each was asked if they were interested in nude modeling assignments. Their preference for or against nude modeling was posted publicly, along with their portfolio.

Of these models, those who openly advertised a desire to pose nude numbered 12.5%. This percentage includes all heights, sizes, and shapes. If we just consider models who fall into a particular body type, the number willing to pose nude goes up. For example for those between five feet tall and five foot eleven, having a dress size zero through eight, and have a bra cup size of “B” or larger, 15.5% are willing to pose nude. If we look at the subset of these women who have a bra cup size of “C” or larger, the number goes up to 17.5%. If we look at those with a D or DD bra cup size, 20% are willing to pose nude.

The first sample, models ages 18-28; one in eight is actively looking for nude modeling jobs. With the last sample, it is one in five. These numbers reflect models who are seeking regular employment modeling nude. If you consider those who are willing to entertain nude modeling on a case-by-case basis, the proportion increases.

The results can’t be considered scientific because it is based on self-reported data. However, this analysis does make clear that body type has an effect on an interest in posing nude. The single most influential factor is bust size. It seems bustier women are more comfortable posing nude.

In a separate survey, the willingness of models with breast augmentation to pose nude was considered. It was apparent that having breast implants did not significantly change a model’s willingness to pose nude. In fact, only 16% of those willing to model nude had breast implants, compared to 26% of all models in the survey. In most instances, breast augmentation reduces the aesthetic appeal of a nude model. Many photographers don’t desire the unnatural shape and scars that come along with breast implants and models know this. So, it’s not surprising that the percentage of nude models with a natural bust line (84%) is higher than the percentage of all models over eighteen with a natural bust line (74%).

It is also apparent that models of average or shorter heights are slightly more comfortable with nudity than their taller counterparts. Models who are 5’9” and taller were about 1% less likely to advertise a willingness for nude modeling jobs.

When comparing various ethnicities willingness to pose nude, the results are disparate. Over 62,000 American models ages eighteen to twenty-eight were sampled on a modeling employment site. Of those who stated an ethnicity, Native Americans and Caucasians were the most likely to express an interest in posing nude (22% and 16.5% respectively.) All other categories were less likely than the average (14.5%) to respond positively. The least likely to respond in the affirmative was East Indians, which were only one-third as likely to do so.

Even hair color plays a role in determining willingness to pose nude. In a sampling of models, again all ages 18 to 28 in the United States, respondents were asked to report hair color and their willingness to pose nude. Amongst blondes and dark-haired models the results were mostly undifferentiated. Redheads and brunettes were at opposite ends of the spectrum. Redhead models were the most likely to opt to model nude, more than twice as likely as brunettes. Even hair length comes into play. Models with very short or very long hair are up to twice as likely to model nude compared to those with medium length hair.

How to use this information? You don’t want to limit yourself to pursuing models of only a very specific body type or appearance. For one thing, the demographic that is most willing to pose nude may not be what you’re looking for in a model. If you want to photograph tall models with small bust lines, there is no reason not to pursue them as subjects. Additionally, the subset that is most likely to pose nude comprise only a small fraction of the available models. Although short, very busty models were the most likely to be seeking nude jobs, they accounted for fewer than ten percent of respondents.

The more experienced the model, the more comfortable with nudity

Experienced models are more likely to want to model nude than inexperienced. This is mainly attributable to the fact that modeling nude is a one way trip. Few models begin modeling nude and then stop. More often, models will start modeling before they decide to pose nude. Then they will continue to pose nude. Models who describe their experience level as “very experience” are more than twice as likely to pose nude as those who say they have no experience. The desire to model nude increases sharply as models gain experience. For this reason it’s beneficial to seek women who already have some modeling experience.

The style of photography is a huge factor in attracting models.

When models are asked their opinion of nude photography versus artistic nude photography, the results are astonishingly different. In a sampling of over 1,400 American and Canadian female models 15% of them said they would be willing to pose nude. When models are asked if they would pose for an artistic nude, the number jumps to 45%. This is three times as many positive responses.

This was not an anonymous survey. These data are from a modeling employment web site where the models receive job offers for various modeling jobs ranging from fashion to nude.

The models were told that artistic nudity meant full nudity with artistic intent. For sake of clarity, the models were told that this was not implied nudity. One in seven models are willing to pose nude, while nearly half are willing to pose nude when the photography is described as artistic. Clearly the style of the photographs has a huge influence on a model’s willingness to pose nude. What makes a photograph artistic is subjective, and it is the photographer’s intent and style that attract models. Because art is in the mind of the viewer, you need to do more than describe your work as artistic. This is why you need a portfolio.

On a side note, various data were compared from modeling web sites of varying sizes. On heavily trafficked web sites, models are less likely to advertise their willingness to pose nude. Many models say that this is because of the large number of undesirable correspondence they receive.  On smaller modeling sites more models indicate an interest in nude gigs.

For more on this topic and other aspects of recruiting and working with nude models can be found in my new book, Up to My Eyeballs in Nude Women. This book is written for the serious beginner, the curious non-photographer, and even the moderately experienced photographer who needs a better grasp of recruiting and working with nude models. Understanding this book does not require comprehension of photographic technique.

Model: Bonnie Rose

Recruiting Tip #4

Experienced models know the importance of communication. When doing a nude shoot, there are a lot of questions that can come up. It’s important to get these questions answered before the shoot is booked. Less experienced models are not going to know what questions to ask. When recruiting a less experienced or inexperienced model, you need to use your expertise to help educate them. Make sure you explain what kinds of poses you expect. This needs to be established before the two of you agree that you’re going to do a photo shoot. When it comes to recruiting nude models, images communicate better than words. A well planned and executed portfolio is the core of your communication.

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.

Recruiting Tip #2

Models care about more than just money. Certainly, getting paid is important to any professional model. Like anyone else, she has bills to pay and various other needs for cash. First-time or occasional models are going to be enticed by monetary compensation. Even part-time models rely on modeling for income. However, they want more out of a modeling career than just a steady stream of paying jobs.

Models want to be portrayed in a favorable light. They want a comfortable working environment and an amiable photographer. Models want to work with a photographer that they perceive to be an echelon above whoever they’ve worked with previously. Novice models will want to fortify their portfolios with images that are superior to their current ones. Experienced models care about working on projects that are higher profile than they have worked on before.

Certainly a few models seem to only care about money. But even the money-conscious model has more than one dimension. Although some models tell me that they are willing to work with anyone who will pay, I’m willing to bet that they perform better when they admire the photographer.

Offering more money will often bring in more models. But anything significantly above a fair wage will yield diminishing returns. Offering outlandish pay can backfire as models become suspicious of your legitimacy.

Recruiting Tip #1

I’m often asked how I’ve convinced so many women to pose nude. The answer is: I don’t. There is no need to. The women I photograph are willing to pose nude before they even know I exist. The first nude shoot I did was a total surprise to me. The model just took her clothes off and stepped in front of my camera, ready to model. She simply assumed I wanted to photograph her nude.

The fact is, plenty of women want to pose nude for photographers, so you don’t have to convince them to. Not only have I photographed plenty of nude models, but they’ve shared with me their reasons for choosing who they pose for.

Some ideas to think about:

• Almost all particularly attractive, fit women enjoy being photographed.
• The vast majority of the above women  would be interested in posing nude at least once in their life.
• Almost no woman would pose for something she considered truly embarrassing.

Kathy E. had never posed nude before she met me.

The observations above are based on my experiences and conversations with models. The notion that would surprise most readers is the second one. Among women who are physically fit, highly attractive, and enjoy being photographed, most would be confident enough and interested in posing nude one or more times in their life. The key concept is that they would do it at least once. So what about the rest of their lives? The times that are not one of those times they wanted to pose nude? Consider that women who model are being approached many times to pose nude; they sometimes say yes and other times say no. Although you don’t have to convince someone to pose nude, most models are discriminating about for whom they pose. You have to convince the model that you are worthy of working with.

Many women, many styles of nudes

Another reason a woman won’t pose is if she doesn’t feel attractive. Either she’s never felt confident enough to pose nude or she doesn’t feel attractive because of some temporary reason. Temporary reasons can come and go quickly or they can last a long time. For instance, if a would-be model is experiencing a problem with her complexion, she might avoid posing all together. It’s not that she doesn’t normally feel up to posing; but rather, her resistance is just temporary.

Sometimes external factors, such as what others may think of them, come into play. This could be judgment from religious people or family, or the envy of friends, for example. Worrying about the opinions and judgments of others is based on her self-confidence and feeling attractive. Many models are confident enough not to care that others may be judgmental or envious of them. Sometimes models are relieved to discover that their family or friends are supportive of their aspirations to model nude. Other times, they just choose to follow the beat of their own drum. This transition is usually a one-time event; once a model comes into her own and decides to pose nude, she has come to terms with outside opinions. So finding someone willing to pose nude is easier if you can find a model with nude experience.

Sometimes, a woman doesn’t know she’s ready to pose nude until she sees a fantastic image and is inspired to pose for a similar photo. Sometimes the image she sees is mine; sometimes it may be yours. In that case it’s likely she’ll seek out the specific photographer in hopes of getting the results she wants. Maybe it’s a sexy image or maybe it’s not sexy at all; maybe it’s deeply artistic or maybe it’s downright shocking. Different women don’t always agree on how they want to be photographed. A model’s self-image will not always fit with your assumptions of her, so you need to ask and listen. One woman may say yes to posing for sexy pin-ups and no to posing for more modest, artistic nudes. The point is your model imagines herself in the final image and that’s why she chooses to pose. However, if the model doesn’t think you can create the image or listen closely enough to her to understand her point of view, then she won’t pose for you. Hiring is a two-way street. Both employer and employee must have a common goal.

Having a varied portfolio can really help in this department. Stack the deck in your favor by showing a variety of your favorite nude styles in your portfolio. Remember your portfolio is intended to showcase the kind of images you want to continue to create. This will help recruit models that are amenable to your style and genre.