Say cheese!

It’s time to get you camera-ready with a few of our top modelling tips!
Whether you are out and about snapping your own shots for your e-portfolio or you are undertaking a professional photo shoot through Models Direct, there are some key DOs and DON’Ts for being caught on camera…
1 Listen to the person with the camera
Whether you are working with a professional photographer or a friend or relative, you need to listen carefully and follow their instructions. They can see how you are framed, what the lighting looks like and whether the image is likely to work. On a professional photo shoot, the camera person is unlikely to want your suggestions. They will be operating to a tight schedule and will know what they are seeking to achieve during the assignment. When snapping your own modelling shots, do what the person with the camera says, then try out a few of your own fun ideas afterwards. After all, on an amateur shoot, you can take all the time you need!
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2 Practise being fluid

Before the photo shoot, spend a little time in front of the mirror, moving slowly but fluidly between different positions. Take your face through a variety of poses too – serious, moody, playful – until it all starts to feel very natural. That way, when you step out in front of the camera for real, it will all seem much more familiar.
3 Try to relax
They say the camera never lies – and it will certainly pick up any stiffness and nerves. Try to keep your back straight and head up unless otherwise instructed. Attempt poses with your arms in different positions, loose by your sides but slightly angled, one hand on a hip, one hand against the wall…Perhaps even lean against the wall… Try to move naturally between different positions, turning your body to either side for certain shots, as well as facing the camera.
4 Think about your head
Start with a straight-on shot, then try tilting your shoulders and then your head to one side and then another. Look at the the camera, then past the photographer then slightly to one side and then the other again. If the photographer is shooting as you move your head, don’t lock eyes with the lens unless instructed to do so. Try to let your eyes move naturally with your head. Perhaps attempt a pose where you are looking back over your shoulder.
5 Consider colours

For a professional photo shoot, you may well be asked to dress in a certain way or be sent to the person in charge of wardrobe to be dressed when you arrive on set. If not, or if you are conducting your own photo shoot, think carefully about the colours of the clothes and accessories you are wearing. Try to choose shades that don’t leave you looking washed out or with unusually heightened colour in your face. Keep patterns to a minimum and avoid over-accessorising. Your outfit needs to lift and complement your look, rather than overwhelm it.
Most of all, however, try to have fun when you are in front of the camera.
Not only will it make the whole experience much more pleasurable but your ease and enjoyment will simply shine out in every shot!