How to Photograph a Model

Use a digital camera. While many professionals still prefer film, a digital camera allows more room for experimentation. Until you know exactly how to get the very best shots, or are being paid a lot of money to take them, stick with digital so the number of pictures you can take isn't limited and you can see immediately how good a shot is.

Consider the setting. Are you going to be shooting against a plain white background or something more exciting? Will you be indoors or outdoors? Make sure you know where the model will be and have an idea of the kind of poses you want them to do, so you can make sure the setting is suitable for what you want.

Consider how you will light the picture. Natural light is very different to indoor lighting, plan how you will light your picture and allow for anything going wrong with the lighting if you are shooting outside.

Use a fan to add movement to a shot. Fans can add movement to hair and clothing, making an image look for more exciting. A fan won't be appropriate for all pictures however, so if it won't look right in your shoot, don't use it.

Talk to the model. It is easier to get a good picture of someone when they feel comfortable around you, chatting to the model while you are working together can help make her feel more relaxed, resulting in better pictures.

Get the white balance and exposure right. Technicalities aren't everything, but these two are vital to getting a picture that looks right. Make sure your white balance and exposure are right and don't be afraid to change them if the lighting changes.

Think carefully about how you frame your shots. Consider which parts of the picture are important and which parts aren't. Try not to let the rest of the image detract attention from the model.

Get the model to try out lots of different poses and expressions. Give them directions on what kind of poses you want, if you need them to move their arm an inch the right to make the shot look great, ask them to move their arm. You are the one who can see how the shot will look, you need to tell the model what to do, don't rely on them figuring it out themselves.