Model Photography – Why You Should Use a Professional Photographer

Anyone hoping to break into the modelling industry needs a portfolio of pictures to show prospective clients and agencies. But in a time when everyone can take photographs on their smartphones, is it worth hiring a professional photographer to build up your ‘book’?

The answer is an emphatic ‘yes’. Lee Hayes, who specialises in model photography in Suffolk, outlines five reasons why it’s always worth investing time and money in a quality session with a professional photographer. 

The Quality of the Pictures

However good you think you look, if you can’t capture it on camera, then it doesn’t count for much.

A professional photographer has access to quality equipment, editing software, as well as experience and skills. This means that not only will you look your best, but you won’t be at a disadvantage compared to other people who have used a professional photographer, and you will be one step ahead of those who haven’t and are just using friends, family, and basic equipment to build up their portfolio.

It’s a competitive market, and using a professional will ensure that all your pictures will be of a consistently high quality, and you won’t have any lower-quality ones which may suffer by comparison.

The Experience in Front of the Camera

It’s not just how you look in the images, it’s also about how comfortable you feel and behave in front of the camera. A shoot with a professional photographer will give you valuable experience in having your picture taken in a pressurised environment. And the photographer may be able to give you helpful tips on how to behave, not just during his or her shoot, but also for agencies and paid clients in the future.

It’s an Invaluable ‘Dry Run’

When you go for a client or agency shoot, you will be in unfamiliar surroundings, dealing with new people, which can be disconcerting and a little nerve-racking. Using a professional who you don’t know to build up your portfolio will give you valuable experience compared to just relying on family or friends, and will help you out of any ‘comfort zone’.

Also, many professional photographers have their own studio available for hire (including myself), which has proved particularly popular for model photography with clients across Suffolk. You can learn more about my Ipswich studio here. I can either take the pictures myself, or hire the studio out to other photographers. Either way, I will always be available during the session to lend a helping hand.

The Choice of the Pictures

After the shoot, a professional photographer will be able to help you to slim down the selection of shots and pick the best - less really can be more. They will also know what is likely to be a hit with agencies and customers. And they will be looking at the photos with a discerning eye. For example,  a mixture of smiling and not smiling pictures, with different poses and clothing, which can be tailored to the kind of model you want to be and the clients you are aiming for.

Model Photography in Suffolk with Lee Hayes

If you would like to know more about my model photography sessions, which are available for aspiring models from Suffolk, you can reach me on 01473 722743 or 07809 431944. You can also follow this link and fill in the online form.

I am looking to start organising group model shoots (with multiple photographers booking the space) once people are allowed to safely gather in groups again. I also offer a lot of other commercial photography services, including portrait and product photography, also for clients in Ipswich and across Suffolk.