So, I'd never really wanna be a model, but I'd love to learn to think and pose like a model. I'm thinking that getting into the model mind-set will help me pose my clients; so all model jokes and stereotypes aside:

Does anyone know of a great book or DVD on modeling? I'd love to have time to go to a great model bootcamp or something, but I don't think that's in the cards! (My size 14 skirt agrees!)

Ok, sooooo... any help on this hair-brained plan would be GREAT! Thanks!!

Carrie, one thing you can do at anytime and often is page through all the best fashion mags and study the posing, then practice yourself! You could even start tearing out images/poses you like and start a scrapbook for reference.

i agree with bruce, its the easiest and cheapest route - grab a vogue!

Well, I agree... there is lots of inspiration to be gotten from magazines, just like looking at great photos in galleries for lighting and composition inspiration. But, there is a technique and a verbage to professional modeling. I'd love to get deeper in, and learn how models do what they do. (Because the best models really are artists, just like the best of us!)

About 6 months ago I listened to a podcast that the lightsource guys did with Aaron Marcus that talked about some of the things a photographer should know about the modeling perspective. Aaron Marcus is a commercial model and teaches models how to be models. You might want to check out his website and listen to the podcast. I am posting a link to the flickr page that will take you to both.

flicker lightsource interview with Aaron Marcus.

Have you tried an extensive online search for resources? There are probably many.

Another suggestion is to watch the runway shows and observe closely the routines and how the models move. I don't watch television, but isn't there a fashion channel, or something like it, that airs the shows, especially the important Paris, Milan and NYC events? There may be vids available of these and other related items.

Though I think that going through the magazines and really digging into the imagination of the model and photographer of high fashion, I have found that 1/2 the brides still want the traditional poses...sigh, which does suck sometimes. I completely understand where you are coming from though.

I carry a notebook of prints of different poses for brides and go through those poses with the bride to get a sense of her style. It never fails that they choose one with their shoes off sitting, one standing with back to me, and blah blah blah. The whole time I am encouraging a more fashionable pose. Nope! Yervant has some real high fashion looks too, by the way. His website is a good place to just relax and view the various shots of intimate looks he has.

I like this post and hope others can give you more information. I have actually had a bride complain that she thought her shot looked to "magazinish". I was only too happy to put her on the alter on her wedding day and take some boring, old, traditional wedding day shots of her.

Oddly, yeah... I spent a frustrating afternoon searching google and amazon.com and other places. Most of the results that I get from typing in model-related keywords are some sort of p0rn related crap, or of course... model airplane tutorials! I was hoping that some of the fabulous minds here could help out! I am off to check out Ryan's link... it sounds very promising!!

Carrie, this might seem a little off the wall, but I assume you are close to Atlanta, and while it isn't a fashion capitol, it is a major advertising market and there are a number of excellent commercial/fashion shooters. If you have the time, try and contact/connect with some of the better ones. See if any will allow you to hang out during some shoots (you could even offer to help out). Observing how refined shooters establish a rapport and coach models during live shoots could be very educational, and relates very well to our need to establish a similar working method with brides, grooms, and groups.

Just another idea!

That's such a great point, Carrie. Sometimes hiring the right model is what makes your vision really translate to the final image.

It's interesting that some photographers think that they're doing the models a favor by shooting them and yet completely miss the fact that the picture wouldn't be anything without the model there! The commercial market is a completely different beast than wedding photography...

Good luck in your quest!

Watch America's Next Top Model - I kid you not! We watch it because we love to see the photographs at the end but you pick up so many ideas about posing throughout - things like not loosing the neck because otherwise you look short & squat or how important facial expressions are or how just by pointing toes it makes the body look taller, etc, etc.

This is a great site to find a lot of the images shot on ANTM

Edit: Funnily enough the best shoots I've done are with one girl who avidly watches ANTM & one couple who are photographers themselves and who pose their clients on a daily basis so needed almost no direction from me!

ANTM-watchers make pretty good models but so do winners of ANTM!

Agnes has a bunch of rolls of film of ANTM Season 2 winner Yoanna House from when Yoanna was just getting in to modeling and hadn't been on the show yet. When we found out she was on the show we were pretty sure she was going to win -- and sure enough she did. Her pictures on the show were always the strongest and that was definitely a testament to her ability and look.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

That's cool! Yeah, I know she's from here in Jacksonville. I hung out with her brother one New Year's Eve.

I love ANTM too for all the reasons above, but there's also a new show on TLC on Friday nights called "A Model Life". It's with supermodel Petra something who is being a hen mother to 6 aspiring models. Of course there is the drama and all that, but there is also more photoshoots and modeling to study!

Also Carrie, don't be afraid to just simply hire a photographer and have your own diva shoot! The times people have asked me to model for them, it was the scariest thing in the world, but I'm so glad I did it because being forced in front of the camera like that, I believe it truly helped make me a better photographer after being able to relate to the vulnerability and fears of being put on the spot in front of the camera.

And one tip Carlos Baez said at PartnerCon that he tells his brides is to "play in front of my camera like you used to play in front of the mirror when you were in high school".

Sometimes the best modeling experience you can get is just going for it and being the model yourself. :-)

Me too!

+1 all around!! I did a portrait shoot recently with a girl who watches ANTM religiously and she posed herself the whole way through - I barely had to direct her at all. It was great!

So then I started watching it and in addition to all the great crazy drama, I did learn an awful lot about modeling and posing. Plus I got to drool over the cameras and the photographs.