When you’re a new model and you’ve been shown–for some reason or another–the whole film of a first shoot for the first time, don’t freak out!
Yeah, you’ll have some decent shots in your first shoot, but chances are, you’re not exactly going to look like Coco Rocha in every frame. Photographers don’t generally show the model the whole film. In fact this happens very rarely; the photographers will usually choose and edit which photos to send. There are always bad photos to filter through. Maybe you’ve blinked in one photo, or you have your hands at an awkward angle that looks unattractive. A photographer will shoot until s/he has “the shot” (one amazing shot, or a selection of shots) for each main look.
Even though the photographers don’t usually show the whole film, I had the opportunity to view the raw film from my first fashion shoot and I was a bit shocked at first. Many of the photos were rough and, frankly, a little unattractive. This is to be expected with someone inexperienced, even with a model who has done years shooting.
Reviewing the raw film from any of your shoots is a good way to learn quickly what angles, poses and expressions work the best and what doesn’t work so much.
As a new model, understanding how you photograph is important. As you learn what you look like, you’ll slowly adjust your modeling accordingly and your raw film will look better and have more high quality photos. These improvements come after experience and practicing in the mirror often as well.
All in all, don’t be too hard on yourself when/if (if, being optimistic here) the raw film disappoints you. Use this as incentive to practice and see what works!
Keep on working forward.
Be Fierce!!
Briauna Mariah (: