Model photography with Alphastudio XXL

Photography is the ultimate medium for capturing any type of scenario, from nature, streets, objects, and especially people. Photography with models is an important resource to add personality and value to a brand’s product with the aim of reinforcing a business’s branding and achieving more sales. Therefore, if you’re interested in working with model photography, both for product shootings and catalog photography, in this post we’ll tell you all the key points to work with model photography professionally.

How to take fashion photos with models?

Photography with models is key in the fashion industry. It adds humanity, personality, and helps convey the message of a product. Therefore, professional photographers must master this discipline so that they are able to capture images that show the value and detail of products that make them stand out from the competition. Given the high competitiveness in the commercial sector, it’s important to know how to highlight all the attributes of a product to obtain the relevance sought in the market.

• The key to a successful photo session always lies in the planning and organization of the entire process, from conceptualizing how to highlight the product, how the model should pose, to visualizing the final result. One must consider what is really desired to be highlighted and shown to the user, the product or the model.
• It’s important as professionals to create a storyboard of the packshot beforehand. This way, you will arrive at the workplace with guidelines and a pre-established script to get to work.In addition to taking into account all aspects related to photography, it’s also necessary to be prepared for unforeseen events that may arise during the day. For example, if the model doesn’t show up, if the props are not appropriate, or if the work equipment doesn’t function correctly. In these scenarios, it’s important to design a plan to be able to continue working without inconveniences.
• It should be noted that there are two main types of photography with models: catalog photography, which revolves around the relationship and creation of concepts around the product, the setting, and the model. Generally, catalog photography requires much more production and logistics, such as setting up a set with props or outdoors, designing and thinking about the complementary elements of the photoshoot, transporting materials and personnel to the desired location, etc. In this type of photography, the relationship between product and concept is paramount, given that the main objective is to recreate a scenario that provides added value focused on the emotional aspect of the product. This type of photography stands out because the brand seeks to relate to a concept, value, or emotion, that is, to strengthen its brand concept or branding. On the other hand, product photography has the main objective of showing the distinctive characteristics of a product and achieving a high volume of sales. In other words, this type of photography tends to show the folds of clothing, the texture of materials, the possibilities of using an object, etc. Generally, these photo sessions are done on a white background to highlight the product and not distract users with unnecessary ornaments. Although it’s not always necessary to work on a white background, you can also play with colors to add creativity to the photo session. This type of photography is much more convenient for working with models, given that it is generally carried out in indoor environments where adverse weather conditions and logistics of transporting material are not an issue.

How to work with models?

Unlike a packshot of a product with mannequins, it’s important to keep in mind that in model photography, you’re working with people who are dedicated to this profession, each with their own character and ways of being. Therefore, it’s crucial to give them special attention from the start so they can feel comfortable and valued in their work, establishing a connection to work in harmony. This will be key to working professionally with them and capturing images with much more quality and naturalness. In model photography, a wide variety of aspects must be considered for the desired results. It’s important to take care of all details at all times, as these will make a very significant difference in the final result. It’s crucial to convey confidence and create a pleasant environment so that models feel comfortable and confident to perform their work professionally. Communication with them is essential to create a pleasant work environment. It’s very important to always have water, coffee, or tea available for them, as well as provide staff with refreshments and small snacks during break times to cope well and with good humor during the working hours.
It’s fundamental that for the creation of product packshots with models, they should present an attractive or neutral image, without large ornaments or excessive neglect of their personal appearance. Therefore, prior preparation of the products and models is of utmost importance to obtain the best results in the session, so as not to capture unwanted wrinkles and folds in clothing or messy hair that convey a chaotic feeling in the results.

At AVisual STUDIOS, we know the importance of taking care of all the details of a shooting to ensure the best results. That’s why, in our rental photography studios, we offer a wide variety of additional services to perform model photography professionally, such as: hairdressing, makeup, catering, photography assistants… Because having a comfortable space along with all the necessary equipment is key to working optimally and professionally.

Technical aspects to consider

• Lighting is key in all types of photography. An image with the necessary exposure is what will mainly determine the quality of the final result, regardless of how well-crafted the props and model’s pose are. If the sensor is overexposed or underexposed to light, the final result will not be the desired one. Therefore, before starting to work with the models, it’s important to set up the necessary lighting in the location, whether it’s an indoor space using spotlights and panels, or outdoors, using reflectors to direct sunlight or large outdoor lights to illuminate night scenes. Flash can be a good ally in photography, but special care must be taken in how and when to use it.
• Once the lighting is set up, it’s important to establish the necessary configuration on the camera so that the images are correctly exposed. This way, the camera will capture colors in the most realistic way possible and avoid wasting time retouching images in post-production.
• Another fundamental aspect in model photography is the focal length. It’s important to know which lens is best to work with. You should consider whether you want the background to be clear and defined or create a sense of dimension with a slight blur in the background, putting the model or product in the foreground. Knowing well the focal length you’re working with will allow you to avoid unwanted distortions in the resulting images.
• To carry out photography, special attention must also be paid to the type of camera that will be used. That is, depending on whether the photographs are for physical or digital media, one type of camera or another should be used. Generally, the use of professional Full Frame (FF) cameras is recommended, as they allow capturing images with exceptional levels of detail for campaigns aimed at physical media, such as magazines, billboards, posters. On the other hand, if you’re looking to create content for digital media, it’s most convenient to work with an APS-C camera, which offers excellent results, but without the level of detail capture that FF cameras present.

Automated photography with models

At AVisual STUDIOS, we strive to offer the best and latest in photography. Therefore, in our studios, we offer the possibility to reserve our automated photography device Alphastudio XXL. Un instrumento de última generación en fotografía diseñado para ofrecer la mejor experiencia para los fotógrafos, operarios y modelos en cualquier tipo de proyecto. Se trata de una alternativa automatizada ideal para realizar packshots completos de productos de grandes dimensiones y para photograph models or fashion mannequins.

Alphastudio XXL has everything a professional photographer might need in a well-equipped studio, all concentrated in a single device:

• It features LED panels that provide perfect lighting to capture a wide range of colors.
• It is equipped with a completely smooth white background, ideal for ecommerce photography.
• It has an installed rotating platform designed to capture a wide variety of angles.
• It includes integrated software to automate and streamline all processes in the photo session, from adjusting the lighting, camera position, shutter speed…
• It allows for 360º videos, photographing large and small objects, as well as real models.
• It is an excellent alternative to streamline all production processes for advertising and marketing campaigns focused on online commerce.

If you want to know more about automated photography, we recommend you take a look at our previous post on automated solutions in product photography or our article on tips for photographing models or mannequins.