Rudolph Uhlman Photo wrote:
It really depends on the genre but If you can only have 5 shots in your port make them the 5 best. Seems simple, but it's not. The 5 shots need to show that the model is versatile. If the shot without makeup is not good then it should not be in the port.

It also depends on if you are working freelance or looking to get signed.  The five shots you need (and five shots can actually be enough), will depend heavily on the market you are in if you are trying to get signed.

As an example, portfolios in NYC are far different than in San Francisco which is different from LA or Chicago.  I wish there was an easy answer to this question.

Rudolph suggested that they be the model's best images.  That really may not be correct.  As an example, if the model's best image was artsy/high fashion, that wouldn't be useful in an SFBA or LA portfolio.  It would be great in NYC or Dallas. 

The modified answer would be your best five images that were appropriate for your market, but then there are mainstays that you have to have.  All portfolios need a good headshot and a good body shot.  That means you really only have three discretionary images to add.

GPS Studio Services wrote:

It also depends on if you are working freelance or looking to get signed.  The five shots you need (and five shots can actually be enough), will depend heavily on the market you are in if you are trying to get signed.

As an example, portfolios in NYC are far different than in San Francisco which is different from LA or Chicago.  I wish there was an easy answer to this question.

Rudolph suggested that they be the model's best images.  That really may not be correct.  As an example, if the model's best image was artsy/high fashion, that wouldn't be useful in an SFBA or LA portfolio.  It would be great in NYC or Dallas. 

The modified answer would be your best five images that were appropriate for your market, but then there are mainstays that you have to have.  All portfolios need a good headshot and a good body shot.  That means you really only have three discretionary images to add.

Thank you for the correction and I agree that they need to be your best for the market you are looking to get in to as well as having a good head and body shot.

Francisco Castro wrote:
If you could only have 5 shots in a portfolio to show agencies or clients, what kinds of photos would you have one there? Let me start:

1) The clean, no makeup shot.

.... continue

I would actually not include a clean, no make up shot. I would definitely include a couple of "clean" shots, but totally no make up at all, in a high quality, printed out... looks awful. there's a reason why these are called "polaroids", very few people look decent like this on A4. Unless it was in a kind of raw/pretty-ugly interesting sort of way, but then I'm not sure if I'd include it in my book... If they want to know what I look like in real life, well, I'm standing right in front of them right ?

Anna Adrielle wrote:

I would actually not include a clean, no make up shot. I would definitely include a couple of "clean" shots, but totally no make up at all, in a high quality, printed out... looks awful. there's a reason why these are called "polaroids", very few people look decent like this on A4. Unless it was in a kind of raw/pretty-ugly interesting sort of way, but then I'm not sure if I'd include it in my book... If they want to know what I look like in real life, well, I'm standing right in front of them right ?

Thanks for the input.

Anna-- unfortunately, most agencies here in the U.S. that I've dealt with insist on a no makeup shot. It's their way of knowing how much work is needed to get a girl "camera ready". It may not be the most flattering of shots, but it is what they need.

Francisco Castro wrote:

Thanks for the input.

Anna-- unfortunately, most agencies here in the U.S. that I've dealt with insist on a no makeup shot. It's their way of knowing how much work is needed to get a girl "camera ready". It may not be the most flattering of shots, but it is what they need.

I'm agenysigned, I know agencies require that type of shot. I also know that those shots almost never are to be found in the model's actual portfolio

KenBrandon wrote:
1. Clean no makeup shot...to show your "foundation"

2. Swimsuit shot....so they can see your bodily proportions

3. Full body shot in mini-skirt and very high stilleto heels...to see how you look "put togeather"

4. Headshot in full made up and hair....this is obvious.

5. Half-body shot of IMPLIED nude ...to show the look of your skin.

I think this should give anyone an idea of you as a model

hm... maybe it shows what the model looks like, but how about what the model can do? her abilities? the way she moves, what kind of expressions she does?

IDiivil wrote:
For example, someone suggested an implied... that would destroy you if you were submitting to a commercial agency. Any kind of implied/nudity is, as I've learned, a huge no no to include in your bid, your book, or otherwise.

Or if you're in an area that's not NYC or LA - around here no to not many models have implied shots in their books, fashion or otherwise. We just aren't in that kind of market where those images are normal.

Thus again, as a few of us have said, it really depends on the market and who is going to view the images and what they expect.



Andrew Thomas Evans
www.andrewthomasevans.com

Andrew Thomas Evans wrote:

Or if you're in an area that's not NYC or LA - around here no to not many models have implied shots in their books, fashion or otherwise. We just aren't in that kind of market where those images are normal.

Thus again, as a few of us have said, it really depends on the market and who is going to view the images and what they expect.



Andrew Thomas Evans
www.andrewthomasevans.com

I wasn't arguing that implied/nudity would fly elsewhere. I was just making a specific example of a genre that implied/nudity most DEFINITELY has no place in - regardless of area.

Neil Peters Fotografie wrote:
the no-make-up shot is a total myth
yes, many agencies require it, but their standard response is pointless
and they really don't know what to do with the picture

Isn't that contradictory? If many agencies require it, then it's not a myth. It's what they require. Regardless of whether or not they know what to do with it, if they ask for it, then it's a requirement.

IDiivil wrote:

I wasn't arguing that implied/nudity would fly elsewhere. I was just making a specific example of a genre that implied/nudity most DEFINITELY has no place in - regardless of area.

implied/nudity can totally have a place in commercial/lifestyle!

the picture on the right is of lizzie miller and was published in glamour. it gave her instant fame; the picture went viral and everyone was talking about it, and it basically made her career what it is today.



and I can imagine that if you're a commercial model that a nude ad for dove is also completely appropriate



I totally do get your point though, and I totally agree, just wanted to show an awesome exception.


in the end, what should be in your portfolio depends on the market you're in, the clients you want to approach, your abilities as a model and the quality of your work.

Francisco Castro wrote:
If you could only have 5 shots in a portfolio to show agencies or clients, what kinds of photos would you have one there? Let me start:

1) The clean, no makeup shot.

.... continue

You need a NATURAL clean shot, not necessarily a no-makeup shot.

If people want polaroids, they just ask for them.

IDiivil wrote:
I wasn't arguing that implied/nudity would fly elsewhere. I was just making a specific example of a genre that implied/nudity most DEFINITELY has no place in - regardless of area.

I'm not arguing either.



Just that implides, although they do have a place, don't have a place in a lot of smaller commercial markets.

IMO



Andrew Thomas Evans
www.andrewthomasevans.com