Casting plays such an important part in the final quality of your images. Good casting doesn't always mean hotter models(except in fashion), but the right models for the desired outcome. In lifestyle, more beautiful models will take your work to a higher caliber, if you're shooting lifestyle advertising. If you are shooting advertising with real people, then real people with a unique look will make your pictures more successful. If you're shooting stock everyday good looking people sell very well, and don't have to be agency models. (agency models definitely help, but aren't necessary) In the general sense, using the right models for the genre that you're shooting is key.
I wanted to touch on the following point, because I see this all the time. The most common mistake that I see in a lot of "young" (by young, I mean early stages of the photographic journey) shooting fashion is the quality of models they are using. I see so much work that is wannabe fashion, and the biggest reason(not always the only) it feels like it's "wannabe" is because the models are NOT fashion models. The lighting, the poses, etc, may be there, but if the model is not a fashion model, it kills the whole image. This may sound harsh, but it's the name of the game, and if you really want to play, you have to get real fashion/editorial models. These models aren't going to exist anywhere in the US besides New York and LA, and mostly they'll be in NY. NY is the top of the game in fashion, therefore they have the best models.
It's all about using the right type of model for the particular image you are going for. There is always a fine line. Think about the way movies are casted. It takes a lot to find the right cast for a film. Same thing happens when you're casting for a still photo, except even more weight is riding on the right look.
Sugar coated advise may tasted better to some, but it is usually saturated with feel good BS and empty promises. Thank you for providing "real" advise that will keep my career on a health path, and maybe with a little luck, and a lot of hard work I will find myself at the top someday. Thanks Nick!
Posted by: Chad Jarae | January 13, 2009 at 01:55 PM
So true Nick, so true. Your blog has been my go-to for advice lately. Honest and to the point. Just the way we all need to hear it :)
Posted by: Michelle Moore | January 13, 2009 at 02:09 PM
So true nick. It has also been my go to place for advice as well. As a matter of fact, I've been inspired by you to start posting photography tips on my own blog. But you are dead on here. I've been on a mission my self to cast the RIGHT model for my shoots lately. Great post.
Posted by: Jerren | January 14, 2009 at 09:56 AM
good call man. I've had so many shoots go sour because of this exact reason. Unfortunately living in PDX doesn't supply the kind of talent I now need for my productions.
Keep preachin brutha!
Matt (AKA Toothy)
Posted by: matt brush | January 20, 2009 at 08:16 PM
I am loving all this good advice. Thank you! Do you have any advice on getting a rep or start working with a stock agency?
Posted by: Greer Rivera | January 21, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Great advice! Thank you! Keep it coming.
Posted by: Jamie Wade | January 23, 2009 at 02:44 PM
I totally agree on this, just got to this realization a few days ago and definitely want to refocus (out of high fashion... cuz I definitely don't want to be a wannabe) to other types...
Can you name more photogs doing the other types of photography where we can draw our inspiration from?
your advice is so awesome... perfect kick in the butt (and wakeup call) that I needed!
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