Do I need professional photos to work as a model?

Very often I receive pictures of boys and girls who want to know if their photos are suitable for present theirselves to an agency. Most occasions are not. Maybe they could be good, but often the images I receive are terrible. I decided to write this post that answers the question “Do I need professional photos to work as a model?”.

Can I go to an agency with a book made by a non-professional photographer?

Yes, you can, but you do not want.

Nowadays business are selling millions of digital cameras. Many of them give a very high image quality. Huge resolution. Stabilized lenses. All of this is fantastic, but it does not make the person holding the camera a good photographer. It is important to say, too, that there are excellent amateur photographers and terrible professional photographers. Why should you choose a professional photographer? It’s simple: a person who spends a lot of time on a trade and gets to eat from it is quite likely to have the skills you need.

¿Necesito fotos profesionales para trabajar como modelo?

Let’s suppose an amateur photographer does very good pictures, are they worth it?

The problem is that you do not know. It is possible that you think your criteria is enough to distinguish a good photo from a bad one, and which photos are suitable for a modeling agency, but let’s be honest, you probably can’t tell. It is likely you don’t have enough experience, you have not looked at enough photos and you do need help to know which is better. If that’s not the case and you really have a spectacularly good eye, you should probably look for a job as a director of photography in a newspaper. In short: although they seem good to you, that pictures are probably not good enough to get you jobs.

Should I work with any professional photographer I find?

Let’s talk about cars. Let’s say you have big company and a known brand and you need a driver who gives you enough reliability to play a decent role in a rally. Almost certainly your decision will not be to choose to a taxi driver or a bus driver for that task. You will find a specialized person. It’s the same for your portfolio.

I do not like the idea of ​​investing money in a session. What happens if I go with photos that my classmate has made me with the super camera that her father gave her at Christmas?

Chances are nothing will happen. As is. You send the photos and nothing happens. They do not call you, or they answer you telling you they don’t want you. On many occasions they will not explain to you that your pictures are bad. If you send photos that look right for you, but they are not professional material, you will be transmitting a bad image, mainly in two aspects: you are not a person to take this work seriously (and nobody wants to work with models that do not arrive on time, simply don’t show or make excuses) and also you don’t have the look to be part of that agency.

Professional Photographer València Spain Valencia fotógrafo profesional fotografo
Carmen Álvarez in her portfolio

But there are agencies that will take any photo…

And so it goes. You just have to pay attention to the impression they convey. It is true that there are very different profiles, but that does not mean that any kind of photo works: perhaps everybody can be worth, but whoever he or she is, they will always want to see him or her well.

OK. I need professional photos to work as a model. Why shouldn’t I take the pics they offer me at the agency?

The main business of the agency is not taking photos, but finding work for models. The most common thing for agencies, even if it is not convenient for them, is that they choose novice photographers to cover their needs. Badly paid and inexperienced, you will be charged as a really good photographer, and that difference is a whole benefit for the agency. It is always better for you working with an independent photographer whose income depends on the photos he makes and how good he is. Your reputation is at stake.

In my town there are only three photographers and none of them seems to be specialized in fashion.

Life is hard. Maybe you’ll have to catch a bus! The portfolio is an essential part of your career. And anyway, the jobs that you may find as a model will not be in your village. If you can not find a suitable photographer in your population be ready to move.

So far, the post. I hope I have made it clear that, in summary, it is necessary having professional photos to work as a model. Surely you already know that I am a professional photographer and that I dedicate myself to making books for models, so if you need one, you can contact me at sergi@archerphoto.eu or on the phone, with Whatsapp, +34 644459753. Tell me where you write from so I can provide information as quickly as possible. I work as a photographer mainly in València, Madrid, or London ​​but if you prefer that we take your photos somewhere else, we can talk about it.

Professional commercial photographer, Valencia, Spain

Professional commercial photographer, Valencia, Spain

I am a professional commercial photographer in Valencia, Spain. I also do other things, but I mainly dedicated to making professional photography and video. I’ve tried different kinds of photography: portrait, portfolio, press, fashion, ads, beauty, NGOs, buildings, and I’ve been shooting in different cities. Even in different countries. But most of my work as a professional photographer it has been in Valencia. I’ve got a small studio, but I try to shoot outside whenever I can, because Valencia has a really friendly weather. Our February is an awful month to shoot, but all the rest is really OK. You can find some samples of my pictures in this page, but feel free to ask me if you need to check any particular kind of photography. I’ve got a full archive and I can license most of my pictures if you need them.

Some of  my pics are here, and you can find more of them in my Flickr.

Anna Kurika, actress, in her portfolio with Archerphoto, professional photographer in Spain
Anna Kurika, actress
Professional Commercial Photographer Spain Valencia
Gema, model
Professional commercial photographer, Valencia, Spain
Ceci

 

Photographer in Valencia, Spain
Petrés

 

 

 

Commercial photographer in Spain
Good morning!
Photographer for dancers, models, actresses and actors in Spain
Ava dancing

Professional commercial photographer, Valencia, Spain. If you want pictures, you can contact me via Whatsapp or Telegram in 6444 5 9753 or e-mail: sergi@a
rcherphoto.eu
. I am usually in Valencia, Spain, but I usually I move to whatever the place.

professional photographer portrait business spain
Carlos Castelló, actor

10 headshots I did in 2006:

Sometimes it is interesting taking a look back to what you were doing some time ago. I don’t think they are my best pieces of work, but there’s some life in the looks of the people I do like especially. Less process, less shots, less quality lenses and cameras but, however, portraits done with the gear I had in 2006. It seemed enough in that moment :)

Some of them are shot with Fujifilm S9500, some with a Nikon Coolpix 5000 and they determine partially the style I had to take: both of them have a noticeable shutter lag (especially the Coolpix 5000), so you will see the pics are mainly calmed, still. When I moved to DSLRs all I wanted was capturing movement in the right moment, but that’d be in later pictures. It’s very curious because I have had SLRs (a Mamiya ZE  and a Canon EOS 300), so when I moved to digital, I felt terribly frustrated about shutter lag.

10 headshots I did in 2006

Nadia and the blanket - Archerphoto, professional photographer

Nadia and the blanket

Isabel Bayonas - Archerphoto, professional photographer in Spain
Isabel Bayonas
Lucía. Archerphoto, commercial photographer
Lucía
Nuria. Archerphoto, professional photographer
Nuria
Archerphoto, professional photographer in Spain
África
Archerphoto, commercial photographer in Spain
Marta
Nadia in a Black Dress - Archerphoto, professional photographer
Nadia in a Black Dress
Professional photographer Spain, Archerphoto
Joana
Commercial photographer in Spain, Archerphoto
Kristynka
Professional photographer, Archerphoto
Lola

You can find all that pics (and more) in my Flickr page: http://flickr.com/photos/archerphoto. If you need pictures you can contact me in sergi@archerphoto.eu

Flickr Blog: Selected pictures of Flickr.

Flickr Blog: Flickr best selected photos.
One of the photography blogs I do follow is Flickr Blog. In this Flickr page, which is the most important page photograph in the world, they are conducting thematic selections or focuses attention on a photographer or group of photographers. The result is often spectacularly good.

FLICKR BLOG: WHY IS INTERESTING?

Grace, of course, is in the excellent selection Flickr people do. Flickr also provides a daily “Explore”, which is a complicated selection-by-programming algorithm of the 500 most interesting photos that have been uploaded in the last hours. I’ve been lucky enough to see my photos in Explore on many occasions, but the truth is that I have appeared on the blog. Yes, you can take a look at my photos on http://flickr.com/photos/archerphoto

Screenshot of Flickr Blog. The rights belong to the author of each photograph.
Screenshot of Flickr Blog. The rights belong to the author of each photograph.

In any case, the blog is chosen by direct human intervention using a computer valuing  many factors, and the result of personal touch is much better and more interesting. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just an amateur photographer you love photography, I recommend it.

And one more thing, Free Flickr accounts now have 1 GB of free storage, so if you liked your blog, you might want to join the page and have chances to appear on your blog. It’s not impossible :) This also should join one of their groups, Flickr Friday, where calls for photographs related to the theme each week.

Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi. A bad experience.

Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi

I usually write longer reviews, but in this case, with a brief comment will suffice because this is not a detailed analysis but a simple note discussing a bad experience with a Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi I bought in late July 2013.

Having taken a look at the options available (Sandisk Eye-Fi, Toshiba Transcend AirFlash and Wi-Fi), the best option seemed Transcend, so I decided to get myself one.

Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi. A bad experience.

The first moments were a bit disappointing: the card works as a Wi-Fi server and can connect up to three devices, very intuitive to set up, but a few minutes later I could see the photos shot on my Nexus 7 and mobile, thanks to the Android application. In a few minutes, I could see them on the laptop with Windows 7 but here came the first major problem: not only does not transfer RAW files with ease, but to photos download to the computer has to be ONE by ONE. There is a web interface that connects to the card, but you can not automatically download the pictures to your computer. This would streamline the work flow when we are shooting in the studio. I contacted the technical support team to confirm this software flaw and they did.

Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi by Archerphoto, professional photographer in Valencia, Spain
Transcend 16GB Wi-Fi

However, the card was relatively affordable (about 45 €, shipping included) so the profitability could come by the card capacity to transfer directly photos to the cell phone. I was mistaken. That evening I took my EOS 5D Mark III and the card to a beauty event, and suddenly, the card locked my camera. It could not read the pictures and I couldn’t shoot. I had to restart the camera and remove the SD card. Photos are not lost and did not lose the work done that day, but if it was not because I had a second memory card, I’d had not been able to work. In any case, when I got back home, the SD remained unable to work, so I decided that my new SD Class 10 would be returned.

As a commercial photographer I rule out the use of this card and I do not recommended neither for amateur use. The odds that this is only one point of failure are high, but if a professional photographer can not rely on his memory card and this one not only does not permit significant function  (Wi-Fi transmission) but also did not you allow view photos in the camera, those are determining factors to qualify as a bad product.

Julio Portet, personal trainer

Julio Portet is a known bodybuilder in Spain. He’s been Spanish Champion and he’s been also a world contestant who has been in competition since 1994. That’s quite impressive if you just think he was just 17 years-old. Julio is a really strong competitor, but he’s also a successful trainer: his team has been getting on the podium during years. As a commercial  photographer I’ve known some members of his team and I’ve watched him in competition and exhibitions.  He doesn’t just train athletes for competition: Julio Portet is also a personal trainer who brings out the best of each person who prepares. His latest achievement, 6th in Mr. Olympia, N.A.C., in 2013. His biggest one: 2nd in Mr.Universe NABBA 2008 in Cancun, Mexico.

Julio Portet, personal trainer
Julio Portet

Other info

He is also a great goldsmith, specialized in traditional Valencia crafts, in brass, silver and other materials. As long as we’ve been friends for some years, I’ve got lots of pictures of him, even from his closest family and friends. Most of the pics are in stock. Perhaps some day I’ll show them, but at this moment, here there’s some pics of this versatile man in his sports side: as a personal trainer and some promotional pictures of Julio in the gym .

His website is only available in Spanish: http://www.portet-team.com/ but you can see some of my photos there.

[slickr-flickr type=”gallery” search=”sets” set=”72157632173151420″]

Landscapes

LANDSCAPES

Almost sunset, by Archerphoto
Almost sunset, by Archerphoto

I am not a specialist in landscapes. But sometimes I can’t help to shoot some of them. I suppose it’s most common reaction when you have a camera in hands and feel compelled to capture the moment. I am just a commercial photographer, I don’t feel like an artist, but eventually the situation is claiming for a picture. So, there I am, having lots of time working just for having the pic. And I don’t even print them! The big pic was shot in Xativa, Valencia, Spain, while I was walking down a mountain.
[slickr-flickr type=”gallery” search=”sets” set=”72157633098999305″]

If you prefer taking a look to the same gallery in Flickr, https://secure.flickr.com/photos/archerphoto/sets/72157633098999305/

 

Valencia

Mercado de Colón, Valencia

Valencia is my home town and it’s where I live now. Sun, beach, colorful place and funny people. On the other hand we’ve got some issues with our politicians but, then again, who hasn’t?

Valencia is a 800,000 inhabitants  city on the shore of Mediterranean Sea. If you include the metropolitan area you can count about 1,300,000. Mostly flat, as long as an important part of the area was desecated from a lagoon, the Albufera de Valencia. The Albufera is partially wet and it’s the only protected natural space in a capital in a UE city. Or I read that some time ago.

Mercado de Colón, Valencia by Archerphoto, professional photographer in Spain
Mercado de Colón, Valencia by Archerphoto, professional photographer in Spain

Valencia is very famous for the Fallas, giant monuments made of cardboard and wood that are exposed in the street during less than 1o days.  After that they are burnt  in March 19th, Saint Joseph. It’s kind a way of a good-bye to the winter. The festivities are popular, but you can find a growing social pressure against it. Lots of problems with traffic and the constant fireworks and explosions happening. People hurt by fireworks, wasted money, social discussions. Yeah, I’m one of the people who disagrees with the festivities, I’m not trying to be impartial.

Architecture in Valencia

The cultural inheritage is really important. Valencia was a kingdom some centuries ago and was integrated in Aragon Crown and after that in Spain. Palaces, religious and civil buildings are very important, and also contemporary architecture. Most important civil Gothic building in the world, Silk Exchange, is inside Valencia.

There is also a cathedral, important baroque palaces (Marqués de Dos Aguas). Architecture in Valencia is  really interesting. As a commercial photographer in Spain, when I have some time I love to shoot those buildings.

 

[slickr-flickr type=”gallery” search=”sets” set=”72157594196951145″]

Some more pics in http://facebook.com/ArcherphotoinEnglish

Welcome to Archerphoto commercial photographer website

This is my English-speaking website: Archerphoto commercial photographer. My name is Sergi Albir, I am Spanish (I live in Valencia, Spain), so you may find some odd-looking English in these pages. Please be patient and if you just can’t stand one of my mistakes, please send me an e-mail and I will correct that one.

I am a Spanish professional photographer and writer (and producer) who does love pictures, images, movies and all these things. One of my main activities is shooting portfolios for incoming models. I encourage you to come to Spain and shoot with me, take a look and, if you’re interested, ask me for a quote.

Feel free to look all the pictures. Hope that you will like them! Of course, you can find me in Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ArcherphotoinEnglish)

Archerphoto self portrait
Archerphoto self portrait

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