one topic that teachers at school emphasized was to know the subject of your pictures. generally it came up during food photography class, but was discussed in portrait, architectural, industrial and product classes. as a glaring example is the recent stock photo fiasco:

http://petapixel.com/2016/03/16/need-kn … tographer/

well, that's a bit extreme, but it does apply in more subtle ways to people, fashion, cars, shoes and much more. as we broaden the scope of clients and subjects we have to learn more about them in depth. once acquired a new account being pitched to many photographers - because of asking a simple question that proved i understood the product (of course, portfolio was also considered).

That's funny!!!

I spotted the wrong side of the board aspect instantly. Then I read the article, would have noticed her burning her hands if I had taken a longer look.
Fail!

Funny!!   

When I have models pose with musical instruments I want their posing to be accurate enough that if Yo Yo Ma were to look at the bowing and fingering, it would pass muster. To me, that is part of the mastery of the craft!  In order to be able to pose a model properly with instruments, may be cello lessons, piano lessons, flute lessons, guitar lessons, etc. Watching movie Sully, Hanks had the man himself tutor!  Blind Side, Sandra Bullock had coaching from the real live mother! I could go on and on.

Bottom line: Knowing the subject--can be important!

To me the bottom line is you have to be a little smart.  Don't hold the soldering iron by the hot end, don't have the model hold a firearm that is obviously inoperative, little things like that.  I was doing a five model shoot with one of the set-ups two of the models held musical instruments.  One model had a harp and the another a violin, the model with the harp had her hands on the strings but the model with the violin had the bow on the wrong part of the strings. I was too busy dealing with five model to notice. I had to trash the photos from that set-up..... no one to blame but myself.

For that type of work, her iron should have a grounded tip and temperature control.

And electric guitars are called "electric" because they plug in.

the author of that blurb seems to know as little as the photographer and model.  or maybe the individual just isn't a writer.

And since we are most concerned with model photography here, this might be a good time to mention full and complete communication, not only in terms of initial negotiation but  during the shoot, directing, etc.

it always bothers me when I see a picture of a beautiful girl in a stunning gown or location with a bored, vapid expression that says "I'm just a piece of meat the photographer uses to get a light reading on."  It speaks to the photographer's overall skill far more than to the model's I think.

All IMHO as always, of course.