Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The New Market of Tattoed Modeling

Tattoos are a beautiful expression of personality, life and art. Now more and more of the population have tattoos. Big or small, men and women, of all ethnicity's are embracing the ancient art of tattoo. In the modeling business tattoos are not always what the photographer is looking for. 

As a photographer you are now asking yourself, will I have to turn away models who are otherwise perfect for my photo shoot, besides a tattoo. There are ways you can cover up tattoos making it unnecessary to dismiss models for their ink. Make up can cover up smaller and lighter tattoos. This is a quick fix that will work for both you and your model. Depending on the clothing, that can be used to discreetly cover a tattoo. Carefully draped or taped down clothing will completely cover up a tattoo. Double sided tape is one of the best to use to keep clothing in place. When it comes to tattoos on the neck, if the hair is long enough you will not even notice the tattoo. Jewelry can some-what cover up the wrist, ankles, chest and neck.
Photoshop is a great tool many photographers use as well to cover tattoos. There are many tools within the program that are made specifically for this purpose. The clone tool is one of the easier ways to accomplish this. You can copy the exact pattern and color of their skin tone, and then paste it over the tattooed area. With patience and a good eye for detail, you can easily cover up small and large tattoos with Photoshop creating a very realistic illusion. 

Today there are many web sites, magazines and publishers that want models with tattoos. Incorporation of the tattoo with the look or message you are trying to portray can be fun. More products and companies are open to this style of marketing. There are websites and companies dedicated to tattooed models. Another solution can be, if your model is able or the tattoo is on the back of an arm or leg, just having them face only certain parts of their body towards the camera will give the illusion that they have no tattoos. Despite what people may think, there is no need to worry that a tattoo will interfere with your photos. With the many resources and innovative ideas out there you can easily cover up or incorporate tattoos into or out of your photos.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

The Allure of Lingerie and The Modeling

Lingerie modeling on billboards, in catalogs and the Internet has had a significant effect on the way women shop for lingerie. While bras, underwear, and similar items are worn under clothing, and are thus not visible when women go out into public, there are still serious implications behind these products. The way they are advertised has made women – and men – take notice, and choosing high quality women’s underwear has thus become more of a priority.
 
Consumers might wonder how important a bra or panties can really be. Apparently, a sophisticated bra or well-made pair of underwear can be an important commodity for a woman. Lingerie billboards often insist on using attractive models that are striking seductive poses. 

These ads aren’t so much about the lingerie being modeled, but the attitude that is being portrayed. Confidence, sex appeal, sensuality, and sophistication are featured in these ads. They encourage women to get in touch with their passion and not settle for generic cotton panties and a matronly bra. The message is that a woman deserves to feel pretty,  confident,  and poised – even when she is just in her underwear.


Victoria’s Secret is a perfect example of how to project lingerie as more of a lifestyle and attitude than just a product. The infamous Million-Dollar bra that they have showcased in the past is obviously not attainable for most people – and even if it were, very few would spend that much on a such an expensive novelty/luxury – but it sent out a message that a woman’s body deserves to be adorned by the finest of jewels. And if not jewels, than state-of-the-art push-up bras will do.

High quality underwear has also been advertised as having practical qualities. While lace, satin, and silk are pretty and nice, it is important that underwear do its job of making the figure look flattered beneath a Woman’s clothing. Control-top underwear, slimming body suits, and bras that minimize of maximize one’s bust all promise to create a better body instantly. The repeated exposure to these items in catalogs and online is astounding, and it has impacted the way women look at underwear. Rather than spending a few bucks on plain panties or a sports bra, women are viewing have begun to view corsets, “Spanx”, and the like as small investments. Body-shapers have become the go-to product for those who want to slip more comfortably – and smoothly – into their favorite dress. They can be used for special occasions where one wishes to look slimmer. They can ever be worn under a pants suit to work.

Another element of high-quality underwear that is present in advertising is fantasy. Lingerie modeling has tapped into one of the most central aspects of lingerie: escapism. Lingerie can be sweet and simple, or daring and different. A woman can morph into a vixen or even a French maid with one little outfit. If these kinds of outfits are offered alongside the more traditional – but high-end – bras and panties that women have become accustomed to, then they just might be more inclined to purchase them.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

LinkedIn: The New Resume

Social networking sites play a very important role in today’s lifestyle. In today’s generation, you would be hard pressed to find anyone who is not connected to at least one social networking site. LinkedIn has over 21 Million subscribers and Facebook has over 1 Billion users. It is here that a social networking site plays its hand.

With the capacity to upload photos, videos and portray yourself, these networking sites bring people much closer and add a visual before meeting them. With so many people getting access to profiles of one another, it poses a very important question. How qualitative should the profile be maintained? On hindsight, people would say what is the big deal? These are only known people who are accessing the profiles of one another. But does that hold good. The statement need not be completely true. It is also true, that anything once uploaded on internet may not be erased completely. It is henceforth very important that a proper profile is made and uploaded that might not cause an embarrassment in future.
The importance of having a professional quality picture on LinkedIn and other Social Media Marketing sites versus an amateur picture is also due to the fact that these profiles can be accessed by prospective employers. In today’s scenario, employers are relaying not only on the personal interview done and other tests but also they prefer to hunt down the profile of the candidates on the networking sites. This gives the employers are very clear cut idea of what the candidate is in real life and how fit his social image would be to the company. 

Given the importance of such a scenario and also the fact that jobs are pretty difficult to come by, it would be a foolhardy scenario to get a job offer rejected due to the amateur picture uploaded on LinkedIn or any social media networking site. Headhunters and employment agencies are also searching LinkedIn profiles prior to submitting a candidate to a positions of whom they will be represented by. An bad picture leaves a bad taste in their mouth with no other choice than to assume that this person is not as serious about representing them as they are about being represented properly and professionally.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Have You Cosidered Parts Modeling?

Ever been told you have GREAT hands? BEAUTIFUL hair? SEXY feet? Ever considered being a parts model?

Parts-modeling is a subculture of the modeling industry. Models have been stigmatized as perfect, and the average model is presented as a whole entity. For example, a regular print model might be shown in a catalog, his or her whole body in the shot, modeling an outfit. Parts-models are models who are utilized for a singular – and “perfect” – attribute, such as great hair, a dazzling smile, capturing eyes, etc. Their strength lies in an aspect that, when solely featured, makes for a great advertisement. And usually, if not always, the “perfect” part of that parts-model is used in an equally perfect conjunction to the product. There are hand models for rings, for example. A model with healthy hair might be used to sell shampoo. Someone with pretty eyes and long lashes might be a good candidate for makeup, and close-ups can be used of their eyes.

Just as the standards for the typical model are demanding, if not nearly impossible, to meet, those for parts-models are just as specific. In fact, since it is a part that is being zoomed in on (figuratively and literally) – as well as being relied on to sell a specific type of product – the demands might be even more intense, with less room for error or deviation.

A visit to a website that hires parts-models might reveal that they need hand models, and that their skin must be flawless, with well-shaped nails. Feet are required to sell shoes, so the feet of a parts-model must look pampered and healthy, with perfect skin and no veins, blemishes, or anything off-putting.

 Another aspects of parts-modeling has to do with maintenance. The average model must maintain their body at the very least slim – body, must be fit, must keep their skin youthful, etc. For a parts-model, extra care must be lavished on whatever part they are getting paid to model. Someone modeling their hands needs to be careful: a cut, chipped nail, or other imperfection can mean no work for the model. There are torso models, and they must stay in tip-top shape, as well as keep their skin tone attractive. Someone who uses their eyes in ads needs to also maintain skin, and avoid getting crow’s feet, lines, or bags. People using their teeth to model must maintain good oral hygiene, and need to keep their teeth white. The body part will be under intense scrutiny, so it must be well taken care of.