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rickporterphotography.com

Modeling

Why I love Photoshoots with First Time Models.

 "I like girls who are just starting. They have not been formed, they have no routine, they have not been in front of the camera."

Helmut Newton

This section is to encourage first time, amateur and begining models to contact me to do their photoshoot and to explain why I love to shoot with them.

It is very exciting for me to discover "new faces" and to be part of building diverse, creative and eye-catching modeling portfolios. These pictures might be a springboard to a successful career or turn out to be life-long favorite and memorable photos that will always be fun to look back at.

I have seen many first time and amateur model portfolios containing generic, boring, "painfully " bad photos not [only or neccesary] due to the models' inexperience but because of wholesale type, conveyor belt style photography. Many of them just want your money. They make you stand in front of a brick or graffiti wall, bark some orders and call it a day. I aim to do something I have never done before on every photo shoot otherwise how could I enjoy myself or look forward to the next shoot?

"I think photographs should be provocative and not tell you what you already know. It takes no great powers or magic to reproduce somebody's face in a photograph. The magic is in seeing people in new ways."

Duane Michals

I wish to avoid forced posing or unnatural poses, fake or uncomfortable smiles, useless or distracting backgrounds, meaningless or confusing situations and boring themes. I encourage and welcome improvisation, true emotions, a story to be told, freedom to be yourself or playing a role or a character you always wanted, circumstances that are unusual, interesting, funny, inspiring and motivating.

The following is what I came up with when thinking about why a first time or an amateur model should have me take his or her photos …

Top 10 reasons:

10. Excitement - first time models love to be photographed, their happiness and enthusiasm shines through during the photo shoot.

9. Innocence - lack of experience has its advantages. It is better to photograph an amateur model who does not know how to pose than a more advanced "semi professional" who poses badly. The former is full of future possibilities the later is often a waste of time.

8. Overflow of self confidence - first time models have not seen "bad photos" from unsuccessful photo shoots so no negative or self conscious emotions are present.

7. Lack of self confidence - in certain situations uneasiness, awkwardness, tension can be cute, sexy and very real. Captured with sensitivity it is personal, intimate and offers a unique connection between model, photographer and the viewer of the photograph.

6. Trust - if a first time or beginner model agrees to shoot with me it is because she has seen my photos and liked my photos. She often admires the beauty of my "professional" models and the emotion behind the pictures. She is equally amazed when I tell her the high percentage of first time amateur models in my portfolio.

5. Willingness to experiment - what is the worst thing that can happen on the first photo shoot? The first photo shoot is for fun!

4. Chemistry and being at ease with the photographer - shooting on location instead of a studio, not having a big crew, big expensive professional lighting and assistants provides a very relaxed and intimate atmosphere with the photographer without intimidating distractions.

3. Good photos - low expectations can produce only high quality results! The opposite is true with high expectations. One model told me right before a photo shoot how she wanted to look beautiful just like my other models, even more beautiful than them and wanting me to take my most beautiful photos with her. At that moment I felt uncomfortable due to her desperate pressuring and the fact that I just could not absolutely and honestly "promise" THAT kind of a specific and guaranteed fantastic outcome before our shoot [or before any shoot for that matter].

2. A pleasant surprise - yes, the camera adds 10 pounds but I can take 20 pounds off with lighting, angles, poses and technique. It never "gets old" to hear it time and time again: "you made me look so beautiful"! I never tell her that all along it was really her and not me who did it!

1. An unforgettable experience - after all there is only one first time!!!

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