As I have a photoshoot tomorrow I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to post about this topic. I can imagine a lot of people looking at the title of this blog and thinking ‘What do you mean you just turn up don’t you?’ That is far from the truth, from a models perspective there is a lot more work that goes into ‘just turning up’. I feel like part of your job as a model is to do as much as possible to help out the photographer and MUA (Make up artist), because they have enough to set up and prepare so you should contribute as much as possible. It’s all about team work after all.
For instance to help the make-up artist, you should have clean, clear and smooth skin. This will make the MUA’s job a lot easier if they have a smooth surface to work on. In order to do this I always exfoliate, cleanse, tone and moisturise the morning of the photo shoot, like I said it just helps the MUA too start off with a smooth surface, I like to think of it as the MUA is a painter and you are the blank canvas awaiting the paint.
I’ll stick to the topic of helping the MUA out, because it all runs along the same lines, I mentioned smooth skin earlier you also want to make sure your hair is good condition, don’t style your hair or have any products in your hair (unless requested). Same principle as the skin it’s having a good base too work off, but be careful of having your hair too soft as your hair may not be able to hold certain styles, if you love your conditioner or hair masks (I am slightly obsessed) then try to ease off them a few days before having soft hair actually makes it harder to style and requires more products to make the hair stay in place.
This next tip helps out the MUA and photographer and it’s something that tends to go the back of your mind when organise yourself and that is your nails, especially your fingernails, think about it if your using your hands to frame your face and your nails have chipped nail varnish on, it’s going to look tacky, the least you can do is make your nails look clean and presentable (only paint them if you have spoken to the MUA and photographer first to ensure which colours to use or to just add a clear coat for some shine)
Something I like to do when I’m doing a lingerie shoot or showing more skin then usual is to shave, exfoliate and tan (talk to the MUA and photographer about tanning first, it may not be the look there going for) by doing this it just helps me feel more comfortable when I have to do sultry poses, the last thing you want is for the photographer to tell you to stand in a certain position or expose abit of skin and you don’t want to because you haven’t shaved or your skin feels bumpy, it makes you look like your just being hard work if you say no because of that.
The last one and probably the most important is to make sure you get a full 8 hours sleep! If you are doing modelling on the side because you have a full time job chances are your shoots will full on the weekend and you want to go out the night before or just down to the pub for a couple, just don’t risk it. Even if you can manage on little sleep and your one of those freaks who doesn’t get bags under their eyes it’s still easy to tell if you’re tired and it shows on the camera. It shows in your eyes and even in your complexation. What I tend to do is the night before a shoot I use as an excuse for a pamper night, relax, get a couple of the girls round if you like to ensure that you look as naturally beautiful as possible, now that won’t be too hard now will it? xxx
