print out for your book?- I have a hard time judging what is my best work- Does anybody else have this same problem?

most models aren't the best judges of whats a good image for a portfolio or comp card..in my observation, they will use really bad images because it makes their nose or butt look small..

better to have an agency or experienced commercial model photographer pick what images are best to market you..

I know I do - all my stuff is so good - .... ok just kidding...

Actually now that I have a pretty extensive set of shots to choose from it is hard to pick 1 let alone 10..

The thing that people (like myself) need to remember (especially photogrpahers.... I tend to link images with shoots and the attitude of the model off camera - thus certain shots men more to me for reasons that the general public will never know... so you have to pick images that show you in the best light for the assignment you are going for...

And why I ask models to send me 5-10 of their favorite images - and tell me why you like them... this gives me a great idea for what I can do to make the shoot that much better

Actually on my online profiles like this I usually post my throw away stuff.

The physical "BOOK" has the real work.

Doug I agree with your assesment on the general level.

I have stayed away from posting my best stuff but as I learn to protect myself,  I am doing so more but my books are different.

But I will post in the other thread but that is another advantage of working with a agency model and maybe a net famous model.

More eyes and lawyers not out of my pocket to catch the copycats.

Paranoid boy goes to post elsewhere..

My mom is one of my editors..  either I like it or I do not.

But I know photography but I still struggle from time to time to know what the model agency/models need.

I usually know if it's the shot for my portfolio, right at the moment of taking the picture.

Online stuff, I just go through my latest work and pick out what I think will catch people's eye.

What goes in my book, that's important. Every image in my book is in there not just because it's a good image but because it enhances my book as a whole. Pictures that face each other do so for a reason. The pictures are in the book in a certain order that tells a visual story. It's still not anywhere as good as it should be - I'm not as good as I should be but my book isn't even as good as I am. But it's getting better every day.

I also have more than one book. I have one that's a start-to-finish visual photostory (all same model, all same shoot, it's like a short story with no words.) I have my "main book" that's got representations of my style in a variety of fields. I have my "glamour" book that has racier pictures and nudes. And I have my travel book (which lives in my briefcase) that I can haul out on a moment's notice and show anybody at any time, including a co-worker or a family member, because all the pics in it are vetted as family-safe and free of embarassing or confusing situations. (No uber-goth models, etc.)

M

I'm very scientific. I have a dart board and a blindfold...

I do have a problem deciding on what to put in my book, which is why I swap stuff out a lot. I really have no easily definable rules.

I don't know why you'd want to "hold back" on your "good stuff"
seems kinda dumb not to show images you know are good.
You're afraid of getting images stolen? Just post one good one
from your best shoots.

Agreed and Arturo shoudl know he posts some really great shots....

Posted by Arturo J: 
I don't know why you'd want to "hold back" on your "good stuff"
seems kinda dumb not to show images you know are good.
You're afraid of getting images stolen? Just post one good one
from your best shoots. 

in an industry thats based on "the Image" before all else..how could anyone post less then their best work..

i am completely amazed..

regardless of what anyone thinks of my work, i always try to show the best work i can..my sub par work i dont want seen....

I feel you should ALWAYS show your best...there is competition out there.
Make a statement with your work, make it accessible and make it count.
Anything else is BS.

You can count on if you post a good photo online, someone is going to use it for something. It might be a wallpaper background or something.

Of course, a low to medium resolution digital image isn't going to go far. Its not like they're going to be able to use it to print a large photo for their living room wall and have it look good.

I'm happy if someone likes my stuff. This is all about advertising. If it ever came down to the legal part, I have the originals to prove I took them. There's no way their stolen copy is equal to my high-res photos.

Therefore, post your best work and then go take more photos.

I only post the same handful of images for 3rd party portfolio hosting sites as a policy.  And I use them extensvely at ALL 3rd party hosting sites for marketing reasons (people tend to remember me better this way when they go from website to website - "Hey, I've seen that guys work.") Makes them want to visit my official website.  My official website contains the final images and the ones in my book are slightly different.

Although I may put 1-2 images and rotate those.

I think that people who say they don't post their best work online are bluffing...

Realistically, I think that your photos are not doing you justice.

I post my stuff that appeals to me.  If I get compliments on something else, I'll post that, too.

In a place like this, I'll post model shots because I figure that models will be looking for an idea of what I do.  In my printed book, I have a majority of landscapes or non-people art shots, because that's the stuff I've done that I like more.

reese-
  Was that response to me? What can I do to improve?