Looking out for your model

Just a few thoughts here on taking posed photos of a client/model . It is my opinion that you need to nail down who the target audience is very early on in the process, what does your model want to do with these photos. With this information in hand you can make suggestions on clothing hair and makeup. Its not a bad idea to have a dress rehearsal several days before the shoot, maybe a female friend who is fashion conscious could come along and make suggestions. Go over with her a basic outline of the shoot and her expectations of how the photos will look. You really need to be your models best friend here you should have a good grasp of what she wants to accomplish . Is the dress she wants to wear appropriate for the stated audience ? Lets face it we all like to see a pretty girl in a sexy dress but if she is applying to Harvard it maybe the wrong choice for her. Same thing goes for the location if this photo is going to dad or grand mom maybe a string bikini on the beach at sunrise is not such a good idea. I know I’m being extreme here with my examples but I sometimes find photographers taking photos of people and it seems that their only concern is the technical perfection of the picture. It is my contention that as good photographers we have a responsibility that goes beyond that.

 

Thanks everyone
This is exactly the type of conversation that I had hoped this thread would spark. Sandi I had hoped you would jump in here I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older or the fact that I’m the father of a 2 y/o girl but it just really bothers me to see a young woman dressed up and posed like a street walker. Dan I applaud the fact that you will not photograph a client in any outfit that you have not seen first. I think that we need to maintain a degree of creative control and let our clients know that something is or isn’t appropriate. Paul you are so right I find that a lot of young women and men just are clueless as to proper dress . Sandi your bra strap comment made me laugh I had a lovely young lady show up yesterday for a photo shoot for the local chamber of commerce not wearing a bra this for a print ad aimed at high tech firms.I would have killed for a bra strap at that point. As Frank said anything worth doing is worth doing right it’s your name is on that photo and it will be around for a long time.