Monday, April 29, 2013

Dot Com: The New Way To Start A Modeling Career

With a little bit of work and research, and the right connections to legitimate photographers, a career or side job as an online model can be lucrative and rewarding. The World Wide Web is the primary means of communication and promotion for businesses, celebrities and brands worldwide. Those who capitalize on a web presence need online models for their websites. Online modeling can provide a viable means of income and exposure. Online models may attend modeling school or enter into the profession without formal training.

With digital cameras and photography, it is easy for models to launch a career online. In addition, most computers have a webcam. It is easy for users to take snapshots of themselves, or arrange self-portraits. Potential models are able to create a professional portfolio to submit to companies and businesses that need online models.  Print and fashion models often must subscribe to certain rigid standards of height, weight and general appearance. But online models can be more versatile. Often, websites want people who look real and relatable, to appeal to their customers or consumers. They also want models who appeal to a wide range of ages and ethnicities. This flexibility allows a person to think about pursuing an online model career far longer than they could think about pursuing a modeling career on the runway, for instance. It is best for online models to follow the same path to work and exposure as models who work in more traditional formats.

Professional photographers may prefer to book models for online formats through legitimate modeling agencies. This would be best for the online model. A verified modeling agency can allow an online model to enter trustworthy networks with a high number of quality jobs. They also can mediate connections to bigger companies and the best photographers. Reputable photographers will be familiar with the particular conventions of online modeling. If you freelance as an online model, it is important to check references for a photographer you meet. You must do this in order to be sure you will be compensated and featured online where you are promised to be featured.

A benefit of online modeling is that their work is easily accessible online. An online model should be able to quickly find other models a photographer has worked with, to view their images online with other models on past shoots. This will give online models a perspective on the photographer’s style before they meet. It can also help to create a connection that can familiarize the photographer and model before they work together.

Monday, April 8, 2013

Studio or Office, Where To Shoot Your Business Portrait

A professional photographer should be willing to do business portraits where the client feels comfortable. A professional will be able to work around little inconveniences. Some businesses may choose to have a portrait taken at their place of business, or they may choose to have on taken at a photography studio. Both options come with several pros and cons involved. The choice should depend on the place of business, and their preference.

 Photographing at a studio has a few pros and cons involved. Studio shots can be easier to edit. Without so much in the background, there is less that might need to be taken out later. There are also fewer hours spent enhancing the portraits. A simple background of any sort may be placed behind the people. However, studio work comes with a few inconveniences. Time is an inconvenience to the business. Were a portrait take at the business, no one would have to step away from his or her work for very long. Studio work requires people to take time and attention away to focus on the studio. If there is no time during a workday, they end up cutting into their social lives.

 Another option is taking a portrait at the actual business. This makes it possible for workers to not have to step away from their work for too long. This also allows the workers to have a small break during their workday, and makes the portrait more personal. This may cause problems though. Taking a portrait at the business may get in the way of the actual business. Workers may not be able to do the work that they would normally do, with the inconvenience of having a photographer there.

The two options vary in their pros and cons. Both have the ability to be both good and bad, depending on the business. With studio portraits, there is more time and the distance from work in taking a portrait. There is also the option for various lighting styles and different backgrounds. With taking the portrait at the business, there is a more professional look, also referred to as environmental portraits. However, there may also be problems with the camera being in the way, causing production to decrease and that annoying co-worker making faces behind the photographer. The choice should be up to the business, and they need to determine which option best fits their needs and also their budget. Having staff pictures taken with the same background, either studio or environmental can make a company website go from meh to wow.  

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

The Blurry Line Between Fashion and Lingerie Modeling

The most conservative critics believe fashion modeling should only consist of men and women who stay completely covered up. They point to tradition and what is deemed appropriate by society. Yet lately, so many models, particularly women, have been participating in lingerie fashion shows, ads, photos and even video commercials. Such models and their supporters disagree with their conservative counterparts and often point to popular lingerie brands that employ hundreds of tall, statuesque ladies to model their designs. So who’s right? 



Conservatives point to the fact that lingerie crosses the line of decency as some might feel that companies such as Victoria’s Secret place a hurtful stigma of “perfection” on the industry and on women in general. These conservatives argue that it alienates women who many not fit the perception of beauty and totally ostracizes religious and cultural conservatives. Still again, others argue that Victoria’s Secret are quite accepting as their styles and designs fit women of all shapes and sizes. These “modernists” contend that fashion knows no bounds and by that very nature, declare it “non-fashion”.

Let’s not forget the popularity of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! Based on these drastically different viewpoints, it is clear to see why so many people disagree. In fact, these sides may never agree. In fact, who cares? The bottom line is, what one perceives as fashion is purely up to the observer. Fashion is in the eye of the beholder. Is it following the trend or the status quo? Can one be fashionable if they follow what’s “in”? Or is fashion all about stepping out into a new world, even if it means slipping on something more “risqué?” Or maybe it is about taking it all off? One thing is for sure: this issue will only continue to heat up as we blaze into the future.

It can be generally agreed upon that fashion is more about clothing and style verses overt sexual themes. Compare this to other modeling styles such as eye candy or even glamour. In these styles, models are appealing more to their sexy sides. In contrast to sexier themes, fashion modeling tends to be much more conservative in nature. In fact, there are many other themes that are often said NOT to fall into the category of fashion as well. These include nude modeling, gothic, and even lifestyle modeling. All of these categories draw a hard line to fashion. However, when it comes to lingerie modeling, many are up in arms.