Who to pick when needing models??

[therest]

I have been wanting to expand my portfolio quite a bit and need some models. I want to shoot an e-session (or portray one), a family portrait session, and a baby/newborn. I'm wondering if there's any basic guidelines when picking models out for these things. Is it or is it not a good idea to pick friends? What don't you do when picking out models?

[Tom]

A lot of people think that it is poor form to pick and use models for your wedding portfolio. The reason being that you want to use your portfolio to depict what you can do, and with a professional model, you aren't really working in a real world senario. It isn't a normal couple, but rather someone paid to pose, and a great deal of being a great photographer is knowing HOW to pose people. So you would basically be paying people to skip that part of creating the image.

Obviously, if you are into fashion or model photography, the story is different, since you would be advertising work where you do work with models.

[therest]

I see what you mean Tom, and makes complete sense. I guess in my mind I had people in mind that don't necessarily model at all but to use them as models. I would be posing them myself, at least that's what I had in mind. For example, my sister-n-law has been married for 3 yrs and is still young. She still fits in her dress and plan on asking her to let me do a shoot of her in her wedding dress. She isn't a model but does have a look that I like.

[csa]

Let it be known that you are offering a limited number of free shoots with prints as payment to those who volunteer and sign your "model release" for use in advertising even though they are not professional models. Ask around and you should be able to find people willing to have their portraits made.

[HotHolly]

no problem with it, especially if they are brand new models and have no idea what the heck they are doing. i use newB models to try new things and for ad pieces. i always want to be able to pull an image if a client asks. ive had everything from crazy Xs to stalkers, in terms of why an image needed to be taken down. its a good way to practice too. btw, i still have some wedding gowns that r super cheap. if u r interested in grabbing one for a shoot, PM me. i used to own a designer bridal shop and found 5 more in hanging in the back.