Testing and your Portfolio, for Freelance Stylists, Hair/Makeup Artists etc.

[gius]

Thanks

I guess I should have known the answer to that
That makes sense.. Could be composition, how the light comes in, etc that the rest of the crew might not notice

 

[BetteT]

gius,

In addition to being the stylist, she was acting as the art director who normally decides the direction and the general look of the shoot ... and the producer who does the organizing of who, what, where and how. The photographer is still in charge of the lighting and the compostion, directing the model, taking the picture with his eye and aesthetic and the final result of the actual images .. to meet the goals of the art director.

If this was a paid shoot and she was the art director, he would have never questioned her ... she would have been the boss. And if he was the art director ... she would have piled on accessories if her rationale was not accepted. You do what the money person wants ... in most cases.

However, since this was not a shoot for a client ... it was only what we call a test (portfolio work), it has to be a bit more collaborative ... and everyone needs to agree on the look. It's a difficult dance to do ... but done well, the images will be great!

 

[BetteT]

I have another question - it's something that I keep debating... Is it a bad thing to have creatives from too many different photographers in my first book if their style of photography is different?

For example, I have a shoot coming up with a photographer in Montreal whose work is best described as 'very Juergen Teller' with the indie vibe/contrast, etc. and I have a lot of shoots coming up with photographers whose style lean more towards your Testino.

Would having stories in my book that contrast too much be a bad thing? Should the ENTIRE book flow nicely? Would it be better to just stick with one style of photography for my first book and wait to let the contrast in stories take over when I'm booking the jobs and updating the book?

I've never heard anyone say that you should stick to one style of photographer.

What I have heard is that you must gear your book to your market. In other words, you must decide how you are going to market yourself . You need to analyze what type work is done in your city and your book must reflect that type ... whether it be commercial (most places outside of NY, are a commercial market) or editorial.

The highly stylized type of editorial shots are the most fun and challenging ... but if that is all you have and you are competing for a lifestyle or catalog gig, your portfoilio may actually work against you. They would think that you don't know how to do what they need and they'd hire someone else with a stronger commercial book. A potential client looks at your book to see how well you do what it is that they are looking for ... so you must know your market and and know your prospective clients and have the images that work for them.

So .... a lot of stylists have more than one book ... or rearrange it to suit the prospective client's needs.

"Flow" is open to interpretation ... but it doesn't mean everything is similar in look ... it means that it sort of makes sense as you turn the pages. One story sort of leads into the next. For example, maybe the dark contrasty ones at the other end of the book from the soft lit ones ... and the in betweens ... in between those pages. Think of it as the ebb and flow of the tide ... it changes, but not suddenly.

 

[gius]

Thanks BetteT
I guess doing tests together is also a nice way of networking

 

[BetteT]

Testing/creative shoots are great way to network! What could be better? If someone refers you to a client,they can add that they are making thier recommendations based on having worked with you already. That gives you a lot more credibility. Of course, you need to be testing with that level of crew ... people who actually are getting paid gigs and who have clients that may need you.

 

[ShesElectric]

Do you guys have any knowledge of submitting tests that turn out really well to magazines? We have a few on our hands that are coming up. I've never done this and don't want to sound amateur-ish when dealing with the magazines so I was just wondering if anyone can give me any details on this? Do magazines generally compensate you for the editorial submitted if they accept? If they do, do they compensate enough to pay everyone on the crew?

Just looking for some general knowledge on the matter.

Thanks!

 

[BetteT]

Off topic, but I'll answer your question.

It's called submissions ... and most of the time you will be turned down, as most good magazines that take submissions have a ton to chose from and the competition is extremely stiff. So don't get excited about submissions before they are picked up. Just do a great editorial for your own portfolio ... and consider being published a bonus.

No ... they usually don't pay for submissions and they pay nothing or almost nothing for commsissioned shoots too. The reason a team tries to get work into a magazine is for credits, exposure and their resume ... to use as bait to get real paying customers. Magazine editorial work is often mistaken as the goal ... it's not... it's a marketing tool.


There is a thread about submitting work to magazines ... and any other questions about that should be posted there. This thread is about builing your portfolio.

 

[BetteT]

I was just reminded by a member's post that maybe some of you don't know about our Networking thead for tests, etc. So ... if any of you are looking to network to find a team to test with ... go to Behind the Lens ... here. It requires the you state who you are, the city you are testing in, what you do, that you give a link or some pictures of your work and a way to contact you directly. We ask that discussions to introduce yourself and to set up tests are to be done via emails or at least PM's ... do not discuss it in the thread. The thread is just a data base, more or less.

Don't forget to read back several pages in that thread ... people who want to test, probably are still interested because it's an ongoing process.

 

[taj76]

Hey Bette T,

I in the midst of updating my portfolio, and I am not sure if you or anyone on this are able to to help me. But I always get stumped on narrowing down my concepts sometimes I feel I have TOO much info how do you go about narrowing down this process?

 

[BetteT]

All I can say is you have to be ruthless. You will be judged by the worst image you have, not the best. So, get rid of anything that is not great. Don't get emotionally attached to images ... because you worked on them so hard, or you had such great concept or you worked with a great team. None of that matters to strangers who will be reviewing your portfolio. All that matters is the final image.

You should never have to explain anything when showing your book ... the image and stories must stand on their own. And please, don't ever have an image in there that you have to say something like this about it: "Oh, that would have been great if only .... the lighting was better, the makeup was better, the styling was better, the model was better, etc." If it's not a great picture ... even if your part of it was brilliant ... it's not working.

Here's a few things I've done to edit my portfolio.

Sometimes a story has 6 to 8 looks and I shorten it ... a lot ... to 2 or 4 images if all 8 are not great.
I limit my pages ... to a reasonable number then force it into those pages ... keeping only the best.
I line up each story and/or image and rank them as to which are better overall ... then only the top ones go in.
I know that I can rotate my pictures from time to time, so if I remove a story, I can always switch it back in later ... as long as it's as good as the one I'm going to replace. A portfolio is dynamic ... it changes all the time.

 

[vintageamour]

Question..

Is it possible to have a portfolio that is taken seriously with no tears, but professional looking photographs in it? I interned for a modeling agency over the summer and styled their photo shoots, in turn I can use all the photos with a styling credit.

Thanks in advance!

-Lauren

 

[XavierRaphael]

I have everything totally prepared. My theme, hair, makeup, clothing, accessories, photographer and location. But I cannot seem to find the right girl. Taryn volunteered to help me, but then she got really busy in NY. What should I do?

 

[BetteT]

Tears are important, but are not always necessary ... depends on the client and whether or not they think they are necessary. You can only use what you have done ... and it takes a few years to get a fully filled out portfolio anyway. It's a long process and can't be rushed.

As far as models for tests/creatives go ... based solely on my experience, a good photogrpaher should be able to set an appointment with any good agency, show his book and get a list of a few new faces who need to test. And sometimes, he might get lucky, if the agency likes his work a lot, and get an experienced girl who needs to work on her portfolio, which is even better. However, for tests ... the model is very likely to get pulled last minute for a casting or a job ... but they will usually offer someone else. It's always hit and miss ... but paid work always comes first. I never count on a test until it's done .... too many things can happen to delay the test and it happens all the time.

 

[taj76]

Hi Bette,

Thank you for the advice always a big help!

 

[XavierRaphael]

Can I waltz into an agency and see if any models are available?

 

[BetteT]

You should always call ahead to set an appointment to show your book ... if you are a photographer. They will not release models to just anyone ... your work has to be up to their standards and that varies from agency to agency. They know that a good photographer will only work with a good team ... so they trust him to pull together the right people for the test.

If you are not a photographer they probably won't see you because they want to meet the peson who is shooting the photos and see their work ... but ask them if they will see you anyway, because you never know. They will still ask you who your photographer is and will want to see his work anyway. So that is why photographers usually have the job of booking models for tests.

 

[XavierRaphael]

That is very true bette I've never looked at it that way. I'll have to speak to my photographer.

 

[lafindesiecle]

any suggestions on how to put together a team for testing (or is there a nice NYC networking thread here anywhere?? can't find one!) when you don't have many contacts in the fashion world yet??? i'm a young photographer working on her port/book -- i have tons of music / doc shots but so few constructed fashion shoots that i definitely don't even have a book to show an agency to ask to test yet -- and have no idea where to even start finding people, and have had basically no luck with craiglist and model mayhem.

 

[octopi]

what do you mean--are you trying to do fashion shoots but have no models/hair/makeup/stylists for them? maybe try local school that offer styling or makeup programs because there will be lots of students who are also trying to build their portfolio ie. you get to work together for free, on the condition that everyone is free to take the resulting shots to add to their portfolio. i've done a bit of styling work if you want to get together and do a shoot, as i'm also in need of more styling pieces to add to my own portfolio (am trying to break into the fashion publication biz)! i'll be in NYC Feb 9-14

good luck!!!

 

[BetteT]

There is a networking thread pinned at the top of Behind The Lens ... where photographers, stylists, makeup artists may network for tests (not models, however). It's not for rank beginners, however ... you need to be able to post some of your work so others can see your level of acheivement and decide if they think you would have something to ad to their portfolio. Be sure to read the first post with instructions about what to post in that thread.

I agree about craigs list, model mayhem and other sites like those. If you dig deep enough you might find a few gems, but the majority are just amateurs and mostly very poor ones but, there are a few exceptions. And the models ... oh dear! Most of them are under 5'7" and are not suitable for fashion at all ... only glamour.

So ... octopi is offering a good suggestion ... schools are sometimes a good source. For stylists, consider fashion schools ... maybe work with a few talented students to photopgraph their creations ... they'd love that.

And yes, make sure you work it all out in advance about how and when images will be delivered to them, how many they get, who choses the images they get, whether or not you will retouch them and how the may use them (usually only for self promo ... portfolios, comp cards, etc.). Get all that laid out in writing, in advance ... so there will be no surprises for anyone and that you can deliver what you promise.