How to choose a photographer
Choosing a photographer to work with on building your portfolio can be a big step for your career as a model. It’s important that you select a photographer who can help boost your chances of getting signed with an agency and booked in the industry you’re most suited for, but it can be difficult to know who to hire.
Do your research
Find photographers in your area and review their work closely to ensure it aligns with your goals and makes your portfolio look professional.
Do their images appear in active modeling portfolios?
Are the images well-lit and high quality?
Does the fashion and makeup across their photography match the type of modeling you want to pursue?
Does their photography style span across different markets (LA, NYC, Europe, etc.)?
Is their editing style suitable for a modeling portfolio? (Natural looking edits)
Ask for referrals
Find models with portfolios that you admire and look at who they have been working with during their career. You can also reach out and ask them who they suggest. If you see a model doing the work you hope to do, find out who they worked with to build their portfolio!
You can also ask photographers for testimonials from satisfied clients. This can be biased though since they are not going to share negative reviews with you and not everyone has the same experience with each photographer.
Check their prices
It is important to shop around and get the most out of your money when you're first starting out. It may be tempting to go with the least expensive photographer in your local market, but that money is wasted if the images cannot be used in a portfolio.
If you love the photographers work, but it is not portfolio quality, you can still book them for personal projects.
But, when a model is building their portfolio, it is essential to find quality work for a good price.
Here are some things to consider with pricing:
How many edited images will be provided?
How many outfits or looks are included in the shoot?
Does the quality align with the price point?
How much time do you get during the session?
And finally
Find someone who makes you feel comfortable! When you’re new to modeling, it is easy to end up in situations that might be unsafe or simply creepy. You’ll want to work with someone who makes you feel comfortable enough to try new poses, express yourself throughout the shoot, and of course, that makes you feel safe.
An easy test is to have a short conversation with them via email or social media messages. You can also ask if it is okay to bring a friend, parent, or romantic partner to the shoot (if they say no, it may be a big red flag).
Growing in your modeling career comes with quite a few challenges, but choosing a photographer to hire does not have to be a major challenge.