Although I mainly work as a photographer in Valencia , sometimes I take the camera and go to another city to shoot some pictures.It is usually a small challenge.It involves traveling, changing from the usual environment (“leaving the comfort zone”, some call it) and getting in the mood that everything is going to be a little different.
Inma in Canary Wharf
In fact, and leaving aside that one has to do a previous job of thinking about locations, the process is very similar and I do appreciate a change of scenery.
Portfolio for models in London, Madrid, Barcelona …
As you can imagine, I always expect working out because it always seems that I will be able to see a bit of the city. Of course, you see some places, but the most usual thing is that you mentally note many of the places to visit them at another time.During the session there is a lot of work to do.But it is not very different.In addition, it find very important to bear in mind that in a portfolio for models, regardless where it is shot, a relevant part of the work, such as the selection and editing of the photos will be carried out in the usual computer.I do not usually travel with the laptop and edit in the place of the session.It is better to see the photos with the best screen, the best size and with the right tools.
There are many cities in Europe where I have not shot any portfolio and I would love it.Edinburgh, Berlin, Rome, Lisbon, Santiago or Paris are among my objectives.So if you want photos there it will be especially easy to convince me.
I am Sergi Albir and, as I said, I usually work as a photographer in Valencia.But wherever you are, if you want to contact me for a photo book, sergi@archerphoto.eu is the easiest and fastest, and my phone with WhatsApp is +34 644459753.
Portfolio for models in London, Madrid, Barcelona…
It’s being a quite productive season. If I was doing a lot of videos during the winter, now the portfolios for models, sessions and photos are being a more important part of the work. And they are, without doubt, good fun and in general, very interesting. It is true that in many cases there are topics such as makeup, hairdressing and subsequent editing are a more laborious job than a report of an event, but it is worth it.
Of the sessions, all of them in Spain and most of them in Valencia, some have been boudoir photography, other conventional books and some other professional session. There are also some things that just do not fit here, because they are more private in scope, and there are also other photos that belong to ongoing projects that are not finished and I prefer not to show yet. In some cases work was for a model, in one for a dancer and in another for a person who did not dedicate himself professionally to the image, but in every case we make the maximum effort to obtain the best result.
As I often find, my option for many of the photos final result looks better to me in old black and white. I still can not explain easily why.
Carolina, mayo de 2017.
In any case, in addition to videos, portfolios, sessions and photos, and all my work as a portrait photographer, the topic of SEO positioning is taking me an important time. I’ll probably have some invited contributions in the coming months.
You can contact me at sergi@archerphoto.eu or on +34 644459753. I don’t always have dates available, so contact me as soon as possible. I don’t just shoot portfolios for models but also business, real estate and corporate photography. In Valencia, in other places in Spain, Europe or wherever.
I leave here an additional gallery and links about portfolios, model work and portraits that may prove useful. I hope you’ll like them.
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.
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.
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.
