Photography 101

By Lеаnnе Bell

Ever wonder how so many photographers find these gorgeous women to work with? Do you ever look at the graceful, nubile bodies of the nude models in your favourite photos and wonder how on earth these angelic women ever agreed to pose for these photos? If so, you're not alone. While many photographers can afford to hire professional models, or have close friends and acquaintances willing to pose for them, the average amateur photographer has to find his models wherever he can, and faces the daunting prospect of having to approach her with his ideas once he's found her. If you're a budding photographer of Sυpеr Bеаυty and are having a difficult time finding models or approaching women with whom you'd like to work, here's some tricks of the trade from a woman photographer

1. Take advantage of your secret weapon - your wife.

You may not even know it, but you just might have a secret weapon at your disposal. If you have a wife or girlfriend - even a good female friend or sister will do - who supports your work and wants to help, she will likely be the very best good luck charm a photographer could ever want. Having a woman with you when you approach models is by far the best way to accomplish your goal, because it instantly removes the doubt from the model's mind as to your real intentions. Attractive women are hit on constantly, and have heard it all when it comes to pick up lines and come ons, and so if you approach her alone and claim to be a photographer looking for models, I can guarantee that the first thing she'll think is that you're just trying a creative way of asking her out. She won't appreciate it either, especially if you're suggesting nude photos (more on that later)

My husband and I once spotted a lovely young woman in a take-out restaurant, and decided she had great potential as a model. As it happened, she left quickly and so my husband went out to the parking lot to catch her before she vanished, leaving me behind for the moment to finish our order. When I came out of the restaurant and joined them, the difference in her attitude was quite noticeable. She seemed to relax when I approached, she seeemed to listen a little less suspiciously to what my husband was saying, and later, after we'd completed a successful photo shoot with her, she admitted that when my husband had approached her alone, she'd thought he was just hitting on her, just using the "I'm a photographer" line to pick her up. My presence there convinced her that he must have been sincere in his desire to merely photograph her.

Having a wife or girlfriend involved also tells the model, perhaps subconsciously, that you're not a pervert or some sort of sexual deviant - women often judge men by how successful they are with other women, and if you can show that a sensible, intelligent woman is married to you, then the model be much more likely to think you deserve such a woman, and are probably sensible and intelligent too. She'll be less likely to assume that you'll use the photos for offensive pornography or some other malevolent purpose. If you're not married or involved but have brought a friend with you, be honest about it - women know that a man has to be special to earn a woman's friendship, and so a female friend can work to your advantage almost as well as a wife.

Women generally trust each other. Speaking as a woman I can assure you that having another woman around is a comforting, anxiety-easing thing. And when dealing with a stranger, particularly a male stranger, women need comfort and peace of mind, knowing that this is a safe and respectful situation. It's a good idea to let the model know that your wife will also be at all photo shoots with you, and make sure you can follow through on this promise - you won't get very far if you promise this and then show up alone with some excuse.

2. Don't come on too strong

If you and your wife have succeeded in capturing the interest of a potential model, don't blow it by inundating her with your ideas and your vision of what the photos will be. Don't blurt out that you plan a series of topless or full nude photos with props, for example - her mind will probably race with a million unsavoury fears. While I would never suggest that you deceive or lie to a potential model, I suggest you begin by talking to her over coffee in some neutral place, about the nature of your photography. Tell her that you do tasteful nudes, tell her why this area of photography is important to you, and tell her how you intend to use the photos. Have a least some idea of the kind of poses and situations you'll want to explore, since she'll likely ask, but stress always the tasteful nature of the photos you plan. If she absolutely does not want to pose nude, consider doing a fashion shoot with her instead - if she's a beautiful girl she'll still be beautiful in clothes, whether she ever changes her mind about nude sets or not. You should also suggest that she could bring a family member or friend, male or female, with her to the shoot if it would make her more comfortable.

Make it clear that you want her to be comfortable with everything you intend to do; you can be confident and self-assured but if you're too smug or too arrogant she won't likely pose for you. There is also fine line between being a confident professional who is the position of hiring someone, and being a meglomaniac who thinks anyone should consider themselves lucky to be chosen as a model

You should also avoid falling all over the woman with excessive praise, longing glances or schoolboy behavior - women, especially attractive ones, are well used to the lavish attention and often idiotic behaviour of smitten men, and for the most part, they don't like it. It makes the men look weak and completely hormone driven, and this is a turn off to women. As much as women like to be admired for their beauty, they want to find something to admire in a man in return, and would rather receive quieter, more restrained admiration than the giddy fawning that many men get caught up in.

3. Have samples with you at all times.

It's not hard to keep a small to medium-sized display portfolio (even a binder will do) of your best work in the car with you, or to keep small photos in your wallet. Pick your best, most tasteful work and if you have other photos that don't involve nudity but show off your skill, include those as well so that your committment to serious photography is clear. Have business cards made up with an image of your work, these make you look more professional than scribbling down your phone number on the back of a receipt - and give her the option of emailing you as well, since phone number exchange is always a sign of a pick-up and might just scare her off again. If you don't have any samples yet because you're just starting out, find some examples of other photographers' work from magazines, etc that will give her an idea of what you're looking for. She'll need to see something that reassures her of what you have in mind.

4. Be professional, respectful, and fair.

Remember that for many women, posing nude is perceived as a risk. Even if they're comfortable with you, they may have concerns about future ramifications of their actions. So set their minds at ease right away.

It's best to have a standard model release that clearly states your name, her name, the date, how to contact her, and options for her to check off regarding how the photos will be used. Make it clear that you will never do anything with the photos without her consent, and that she is ultimately in control of how they are distributed. Have her attest to her age, and make sure she gets a copy of it. Stick to your commitment, it is a binding contract like any other and must always be honoured. But make sure she understands that she is signing a release, meaning she is giving you permission to use her photographs in some capacity.

It's also important to offer decent compensation. Some photographers work for prints only, meaning they'll give a model copies of the photos taken of her in lieu of cash payment. This works well for aspiring models who want to build a professional portfolio, but if the woman you approach does not intend to do any further modelling, you should offer to pay her well for her time. Depending on the circumstances, $75-$100 per hour, with a guarantee of three to 4 hours minimum, is reasonable for nude work. It may seem expensive at first, but an enthusiastic, beautiful nude model is a precious commodity and should be compensated accordingly. You should also come to some agreement up front about how many prints she may expect from the photo set, and how much you will charge her if anything for extras beyond that. Some models might feel better receiving half of their payment up front, others may prefer cash to a cheque (since they don't know you well, they don't know if your cheque will be any good), so be prepared when you do arrive at the photoshoot with all the arrangements made that you previously agreed upon.

5. Get experience.

Sometimes inexperience is your greatest problem, not because you aren't technically adept with the camera (that can be learned) but because you're nervous about how a photo shoot should go, what you should say or do and what not to say or do. Just being around a beautiful woman can be a nerve wracking experience sometimes, nevermind being responsible for a nude photo shoot with her. Perhaps you're anxious about her expectations, about appearing professional and providing her with a pleasant experience. The best remedy for this is practice - every woman you approach and every shoot you do will increase your confidence and make the next one smoother.

So how do you practice? It makes sense to start out with something familiar and easy. You probably know quite a few women already, and even if you've never thought of asking them to pose for you before, it might be a good idea to get some practice with women you're already comfortable with. Many women have at least some beautiful features - it might be a good exercise to see how beautiful you can make them look, or how beautiful a photo you can take of someone who isn't model material. It will at least get you comfortable with the whole process of taking pictures, from approach to proposal to photoshoot.

6. Know your enemy.

It's important that you at least understand the negative feelings many people have about nude photography - not that you agree with it, but that for your own sake, you understand the trepidation many women feel about this kind of thing. Be aware that the urban myth of the slimy photographer who lures girls into his studio and then tries to seduce them is rampant, and that our culture in general often distrusts the motives of people who take nude photographs.

I once showed my new business cards to some colleagues of mine at my office job, cards in which I had decided to use the image I'm most proud of. The card was tasteful, and elegant, and conveyed the kind of classical beauty I try to depict in my photos. Imagine my disappointment when my colleagues began to giggle, like schoolkids, and give me the raised-eyebrow, aren't-we-naughty look. I tried to explain that the human body, especially women's, is a timeless and gorgeous thing, something that can and should be admired for it's sexuality and it's sheer beauty - yet my co-workers shook their heads at me and told me my motives might be pure but no one else's were, and that I should be careful who I showed those cards too. It was an illuminating moment for me - it was then that I got the first inkling of the implicit "benefit of the doubt" that people will give female photographers, but also of the pervasive attitude that nudity-equals-sex. I learned from this that you might have to tread carefully with some people, and be aware of the cultural taboos they will have to overcome to pose for you. Fortunately these taboos are beginning to disappear, but for the most part they still exist in many people's - including potential models' - minds.

7. Know your cause.

It's true that many people are comforted or convinced by the opinions of other people, and like to feel that they belong to a like-minded community of people whose opinions they trust. So give a potential model a taste for the kind of thoughts, attitudes and beliefs she will be a part of: ask her to visit Body in Mind.

If you suggest that a potential model check out a sucessful, pro-value beauty site like this one, she will likely come away with a heightened appreciation for your work and what you hope to achieve. Many models I've worked with have agreed to pose for me after having visited this site. I give them time to view the site and read the articles, and specifically to see what's been done with other models and photo sets, and ask them to get back to me in a few days if they'd like pose - invariably they do, with praise for the site and enthusiasm for the project. A site like this one inspires many models with the belief that they are accomplishing something important and profound by posing for photographs, especially if you later publish your photos here.

It's important for you to discard any notions of guilt or bad feelings you might have left over about the nobility of taking nude photographs, and even more important that you understand the simple philosophy that this site is unique in espousing - that beauty has an objectively moral component that makes it a good thing. It is never merely enough to say "I like looking at women, therefore it must be a good thing", because there are a great many things that people "like" which are no good at all. Read the essays on this site, understand that you're not looking for moral sanction or rationalization for why you like to see and photograph nude women, you've found proof that your interest in beauty is a reflection of your highest values in life, and something you should be proud of.

Body in Mind is always looking for quality, pro-value images of Sυpеr Bеаυty, from amateurs as well as our regular professional contributors. Send us your best, and good luck.