Forums > Model Colloquy > would a photographer
Search

Model

Anna Adrielle

Posts: 18763

Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

megan rose wrote:
be responsible for giving
a model direction?
or is it solely on the model
and is her responsibility.

i tried imagining how
my posing would appear,
still it was kind of difficult.

after all, we don't
know exactly whats
being captured behind the
lens. in a sense, we are
blind in that regard.

so who's responsibilty
is it?

and does that mean the
photographer isn't as
good if they don't give much
direction?

why did you write your post as a poem big_smile?

true, you don't know how it's being captured through a lens. But that develops as you gain more experience. Really. I have a WAY better understanding of what a photographer will see through his camera when I'm posing. And in the beginning of the shoot, when all the lights are in order and everything, I also ask if I could see a picture, just to have an idea of how everything looks with the light and all.

it will develop as you gain experience. So will be the amount and type of direction you need to get a good shot.

Dec 05 12 01:35 am Link

Artist/Painter

Two Pears Studio

Posts: 3632

Wilmington, Delaware, US

I feel the best models know themselves and know how to put themselves in position to be their most beautiful... How the head and neck work... how bending a certain way creates shape, etc...

They have control and expression of themselves.

Now the artist's job is to translate the whole... how the model fits in space and the composition, etc... So if direction is needed... it is more to create the visual quality they are after.

Think of it as a partnership...

Dec 05 12 12:58 pm Link

Model

Keira Sibali

Posts: 189

Oakland, New Jersey, US

V Laroche wrote:
Nothing is worse than an over-director who doesn't know how to pose you. You will learn what works for you in terms of posing. Sometimes people will ask you to do the opposite. Then you have a quandary.

I've had to deal with this a few times and it's the worst everrr. Aside from that, though, I do like some direction. I like to know exactly what the photographer is going for, and who better to tell me that than the person behind the camera? I think it's ultimately about balance.

Dec 05 12 07:04 pm Link

Photographer

A R S Photography

Posts: 176

Louisville, Kentucky, US

It depends on the situation. You don't have to do much directing for a model laying on a bed... If you're doing a basketball dunk action theme that's a whole different can of worms....as a photographer you have no choice but to direct in that instance.

Dec 05 12 07:23 pm Link

Photographer

Matt Forma

Posts: 373

Denver, Colorado, US

I think it's both. It's very important that a photographer direct the model at times. It can also be a spontaneous dance of sorts. Sometimes the model is just really talented at what she does. You can shoot her moving and emoting and just get great stuff if everything else is right. It's all about the vibe.

But most of the time even if she is great, the photographer should have an idea of what looks best to them or how the model is performing. How the light looks from certain angles, etc. What a photographer creates is part of their aesthetic and without direction leading someone to give you the kind of images that fit that aesthetic, you're just leaving it up to chance. Which can work, but it isn't always preferable.

Dec 05 12 10:06 pm Link

Photographer

TerrysPhotocountry

Posts: 4649

Rochester, New York, US

KevinMcGowanPhotography wrote:
The photographer is solely responsible for creating the image he has in mind.   You're right, you probably don't know how you look through the lens, especially if you're new to modelling.

If the photographer doesn't give any or much direction it may mean you're doing what he wants. Or it may mean he doesn't know how to direct. Or, what is most likely, he doesn't really know what he wants to capture and may be hoping inspiration hits him.

It's best to have a conversation prior to the shoot so you both know what the photography hopes to achieve. 

I'm a big believer in having a concept before someone picks up a camera.   

Many photographers pick up the camera with no particular idea in mind. 
And many of them don't have an idea of what they got, once the put it down.
It can make for mediocre and inconsistent results.

I Agree!

Dec 05 12 10:24 pm Link

Search