You need to work with models.
When I first started legitimately making this photography thing into a business I did a lot of free photoshoots or a lot where I was paid very little. I definitely don't want to sway you from doing this if you are first starting out because honestly, you make amazing connections, and if you do great work they will become future customers! The first photoshoot I ever did actually booked me for their wedding just recently so make those connections!
But back to posing. This was honestly something I was terrified of at first. I would watch videos of other photographers doing photoshoots, download countless apps about posing, scroll Pinterest for far too long. I would write the poses down and screen capture them so I could reference them during photoshoots. While that did help a bit I often found myself in situations where all my overthinking got me nowhere, I would get to the photoshoot and the family wouldn't be how I had envisioned, sometimes it was more chaotic, haha, and sometimes they would stand and stare at me like they were unable to move their bodies without my commands.
So I felt a little bit hopeless, and while I was still taking the shots and producing things that people loved I knew I could do better (because I always hold myself to unachievable standards, it's a work in progress haha). Then something finally clicked. I was part of a photography group that connected models and photographers together, to collaborate together and do lots of fun photoshoots. I took the plunge and decided to make a post, and I got a lot of answers. It was winter and business was slower so I decided to set a couple of them up. This is where I had that click moment. I got to work with a couple more experienced models, just seeing the way they fell into a pose when given a location was amazing. The way they moved their hands, legs, hair, the way they tilted their head and chin was all a fluid amazing work of art and something I now bring into my non-model photoshoots.
I definitely recommend you get out there and do some fun creative photoshoots! Each person will teach you something new, share a new location, or even just be a chance to learn things about someone new.
Thanks for reading!
Carmody
