Anybody do Fashion? I think I got a job.

[Touchdown]

A couple of girls need something called "Zed Cards", or basically 5X7 biz cards with their dimensions and eye/hair color on them. They use these to get jobs at Calvin Kline or Saks, or K-Mart or something. They usually have 4-6 shots of the model on them.

Anyhow, I've gotten some Vanity Fairs and Vogues from my co-workers to tear pages out and pour through to give me some ideas for poses and other things, but I'm not too familiar with what they need or how to pose them. My friends were pointing at mesaying "What the..." Quite a sight to see a 40 year old fat man walk out of the building with Vogue and Vanity Fair under his arm.:D

I have made a few observations though.
Not too many rules compared to portraiture. It seems that if they can contort, you should contort them.

Everything is in focus, especially the clothes, but also the background. Big no-no on portraits.

Shooting up is flattering apparently. One girl mentioned that she needs to show off her long legs.:shrug:

Lighting seems all over the map. One main or one fill. Reflector, 2 strobes, 4 strobes, available light, whatever.

They all look pissed off. All those models seem mad at the world. One look at them... they're thinking "I am so fucking HUNGRY.":rofl:

The agency appears to really prefer film to digital. I guess that's not a problem. I still have fingers I casn cross when they're at the lab. It just seems so roll the dice nowadays.

Any pointers would be a big help! Thanks. :bounce:

[Samurai_Writer]

1. I've shot fashion...

in a different genre though -- plus size modeling. Here's a few tips...

Background is VERY important. If you are shooting at a location, make sure there's nothing distracting in the background or anything that shouldn't be there.

Costume changes. You'll want them to have at least 3 costume changes, maybe more. Casual, business, semi-formal, swimsuit, lingerie... whatever they are comfortable with.

COLOR COLOR COLOR. Bright, eye-popping color that complements the model's natural coloring. A few B&W photos are fine, but color seems to the norm.

Angles. Shoot from every angle you can think of. Bring a step ladder. Some angles are more flattering than others. Shooting from above with the model looking up with make her look thinner. Shooting from the ground, looking up at the model, will make her look taller but also thicker.

Face shots. Take LOTS of face shots. In modeling, it's not only about the body, it's about the face just as much.

Full-length shots. You want to show the model from head to toe in shots as well. Full-length shots and face shots are staples of modeling portfolios.

Posing. I've been lucky with the models I have shot. They were experienced, and I really didn't need to 'pose' them. I just let them do their thing, and I just kept shooting as they moved and posed themselves. However, try to get them posed in all different ways -- standing, sitting, laying down, from the side, from the back, with them looking over a shoulder, etc.

Good luck, and have fun! :)

[regnaD kciN]

2. Only tried it once...

...some 20+ years ago, on film. Most of them looked pissed-off then, too.

[babylonsister]

3. Here's a website w/pics of models. The

owner of this site represents photographers who do advertising work. I went to high school with her. Maybe some of the pics might inspire you.

http://www.kateryaninc.com/detected.php?page=&pass=

[F.Gordon]

4. They're actually trusting their career to you?

:evilgrin:

Kewl. How'd you land that gig? Are you working for the models or the agency? And how old is this agency that they want you to use film?

I know nuttin' bout nuttin'.... so good luck. I should have the Dead Spider Studio-Gallery finished by January if I can get my damn contractor (Ms F :-) ) to finish it up for me. :P Once it's done you're welcome to use it. I'll just insist on helping out if you are doing nudes.
:rofl:

Oh, and if you want to get into this kinda' stuff I have a Denver website you might want to join. It's on Ms F's laptop so I'll have to send it later.

:hi:

[blueraven95]

5. Some small suggestions (I guess)

I work for a talent agency - mostly actors, but some models, and look at these things all day. Around here they are called comp cards but it sounds to me that we are talking about the same thing. It usually has one headshot type photo on one side - usually a three quarter or long shot, and then about four on the other. The most important thing about these things is to show range - that's the whole point of having more than one pic. For an actor this should show range in terms of acting ability - different emotions, different looks (upscale dressy versus casual), and sometimes can show different age ranges, ie one person could look either like a 20 something college student or a professional 30 something or a late 30s parent. It happens a lot. For a model, it should be the same thing - showing range although in this case it would be the different looks and situations the model can pull off. I reccommend shooting pics with very different outfits and very different backgrounds.

In terms of the shooting up - it elongates the model, which in turn extends her legs and makes her look thinner. She will love you for that.

One of the things about these cards is that they are really supposed to mimic what the model would really look like on a photo shoot. In most print campaigns everything is in focus, including the background - which is why most backgrounds are in focus on these ads. I've found that for the one big pic, its usually best to do it against a solid background - and really make sure the face is strong - it makes the model more interesting.

As for film vs. digital, this agency might prefer film, but that's not the case all the time. I know we love digital because that way it can also be emailed to us, which makes it easier for us to get a quality shot in our database.

My biggest suggestion is to do whatever you can to make each model really stand out - anyone who handles these will spend most of their day going over hundreds of comp cards and headshots and they really do get blurry after awhile. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see one which employs basic good photography technique or which is shot in an unusual way. Those talent are much more likely to land jobs.

Also, just so you know, it is generally considered the photographers job to clean up any blemishes - marks on the skin, wrinkles in clothes, etc. But keep in mind that the model needs to still look like him or herself in the final photos.

And just as an fyi, there is really good money to be made in headshots and comp cards and almost every major metropolitan area has a demand.

Hope this helps.