| Hit Them
With Your Best Shots | by All Star OMP
Member #10270
What defines a model most? Some people might say it’s
a look, a style, an attitude -- or maybe all three.
Others will point out a person’s eyes, hair, cheekbones,
toned body, long legs, or other physical features. Still
others might say confidence and charisma really helps
a male or female model rise to the top. Runway models
can distinguish themselves by how they carry themselves,
while commercial models add expressions of likeability
and enthusiasm to their presentation.
All these characteristics are important in establishing
and evaluating a model’s potential. But now matter
how amazing these traits are, in this age of visual
gratification it is a model’s photos that can
really make him or her attract attention and start a
successful career. There is an old saying that, even
in today’s world of technological advances, still
holds true --
A picture is worth a thousand words.
Photographic images capture all the individual aspects
of a person and present them in an artistic, inviting,
compelling manner. Pictures can reveal a personality,
tell a story, share a secret, stir the senses, and capture
the imagination of the viewer in an instant. That is
why it is important to not only get shots of the highest
quality, but also to choose shots that show your highest
qualities – what makes you special, unique, and
memorable.
Once you have a fairly wide range of photos from shoots
with experienced photographers, the next step is to
get them organized. There are several different methods
in which you can accomplish this:
- Digital images can be presented online through
personal websites, public forums, and modeling pages
such as the ones showcased on OneModelPlace.com. They
can also be submitted by email or on a disk if a casting
call allows digital submissions.
- Prints are most commonly enlarged, arranged, and
displayed in portfolios. They vary in size and design,
but all portfolios serve the same purpose –
to display your pictures to agents, casting people,
and other industry experts.
- Comp cards feature 4 or 5 different looks and can
be sent out through the mail or left with casting
offices after an interview.
- Zed cards are smaller than comp cards and are often
folded in the shape of a Z.
- Headshots are black and white single shots used
mainly by actors and actresses, and have a resume
of the performer’s experience attached to the
back.
Started next month, we will talk to the experts and
get advice on common questions regarding portfolios
and comp cards, including how big, how many, how often,
and how much. In the meantime, keep booking paid shoots,
scheduling time-for-print sessions, and working with
established photographers so that your portfolio can
be filled with amazing, intriguing, diverse images.
And while you are at it, keep an eye out for work by
other models and photographers. You can start on OMP,
searching and browsing through other member pages. The
next time you pick up a magazine, really study the ads,
fashion layouts, and celebrity portraits to see how
the subjects posed and what you can learn from them.
Take a second glance at billboards and bus signs that
feature models endorsing perfume, soft drinks, clothing,
even gym memberships, and try to imagine how you might
have fit into that ad campaign. Watch TV shows, commercials,
movies, and music videos and notice the variety of styles
and attitudes that the performers adapt for each medium.
Basically, really look at all the opportunities for
modeling and acting jobs that surround you in your everyday
life. That way you will be ready to hit them with your
best shots when it’s your turn.
NEXT TIME: Surviving the Holidaze
© 2003 by Elias "All Star" Stimac
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