Finding a Test Photographer
Video Transcript:
Finding a Good Testing Photographer
When starting out a career as a model- a portfolio is a necessary marketing tool. If you have already sent your digital photos to the agents you wish to pursue and you have yet to receive any responses- finding a quality test photographer is your next step. Now this information is just as useful for those who already have representation because building a portfolio book will be your primary goal throughout your career.I personally continue to update my portfolio. This keeps your photos current and any existing clients or agents you have- interested.
My first suggestion in finding a quality test photographer would be to call a reputable agency and ask for a referral. Most agencies have a list of photographers they suggest to the models they represent. If you are already attending castings, look at the other books of the models. If you see some photos you like, ask them what test photographers they have used and who they recommend. In any case, a referral can go a long way in choosing the right one.
The Internet can be a good source but proceed with caution! There are a lot of weird people out there and besides the safety issue there is a quality issue as well. You still need to make sure the photographer you have chosen will produce the kind of photos that will get you work. To help insure this I strongly suggest you meet with a handful of photographers before choosing one. Set up a time to interview them. After all- they are providing you a service and it is your right to meet with them first. Ask every photographer to not only show you their book but to show their latest test session with another model. Review all of the photos for lighting and background variations and to see how many great shots that model got. If you only see a couple you like- your experience is bound to be the same.
The average cost of a testing session ranges from $400 to $650- depending on how many different looks are shot. The average is four clothing changes. These prices usually do not include a hair and make-up artist- that is about $100 additional. Guys can save the money by bringing a compact of face powder that matches your skin tone to eliminate any shine on set. Girls should go ahead and make the additional investment because make-up for photography is far different than your everyday application. Doing your own make-up could make the quality of your photos suffer in the long run.
When deciding on your clothing for a test shoot you will want to detail the different looks you are trying to achieve. For example, if you are pursuing commercial print modeling you will need commercial print photos for your book and a photographer who generally shoots this style of photos. The same goes for fashion. You can hire a clothing stylist that will bring an assortment of coordinating outfits to the shoot for you for about $150. Everyone can save money by doing this on his or her own. Look for examples in magazines and catalogues, borrow clothes from stylish friends and add them to your own then go to the mall and get ideas from the different stores. If you still don’t feel you have enough, then buy a couple of things at the discount outlets. Leave the tags on them! The ones you did not use at the shoot can be returned. At least this way if you spend $100 on a handful of new items- you get to keep them.
You should know that on occasion you could find a photographer to do a free test. This is how a photographer builds their book. They look for models to shoot with them in exchange for free photos. You can ask your agency if they know of any of these opportunities. You can also contact a stock photographer. A stock photographer catalogues all kinds of shots to sell to various companies that do not want to invest in their own shoot to produce advertising. In this case you make some extra money and build a book at the same time.
In any case, be aware of any photographer that charges more than the average cost detailed earlier. There are a lot of scams out there and they are rampant among test photographers, so do your homework and be a good consumer.
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GETTING STARTED AS A MODEL