PHOTOGRAPHY

Lots of beautiful young women and good-looking men have dreams of becoming fashion photographers or models in this glamorous industry.  But because the allure of making it to the top level in the modelling world is so appealing, there's a lot of competition for those few top spots that produce the world's "supermodels".

If you're just starting out, the challenge is how to pick the perfect photographer who can do a top-notch portfolio for you.  You want a portfolio that stands out and gets noticed by the top agencies who can get you those big modelling jobs for fashion magazines and commercials.  So what kind of qualifications does a photographer need to have?

First things first: location.  If you're based in Dallas, Denver, LA, Chicago or another major city, there are top photographers who've got the right connections to get your portfolio to the people who matter in the business.  If you don't live in these cities, there are two ways you can solve the problem that your "remote" location might cause.

First, you need to learn the ropes of the fashion industry so you know who the key players are.  Then you can ask the photographers you know if they know about the networking they need to do to get your portfolio noticed.  This might be tricky if you don't have any insider info, but getting to know models you know who've "made it" to some success is a good start.

If there aren't any photographers in your area who really get the fashion industry, you might have to travel to a big city to find the right person.  But most of all, don't compromise your values on this.  Just having a good network isn't enough for a photographer to be able to handle your portfolio.  There are some other important tests you need to do as well.

• The agency has to be legit.  They don't charge for the portfolio and they don't advertise to get models.  A good agency is making loads of money selling their work and they can find good models without resorting to such measures.
  
  
• The photographer has to be well equipped and know their stuff.  Interview them and talk about the kind of effects you're looking to achieve for your portfolio.  They should be able to chat to you about how they'll get the effect and show you examples of how they've done it before.
• The photographer should have a good eye for colour, lighting, framing and staging your shots.  Check out some of their other work to see that they know how to get what you're looking for in a shoot.  Also, try and get references from other models who've worked with them.  When the shoot is about to start, you'll want to know that you're in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

The most important thing is to get on with your photographer.  Having your picture taken is a very personal event.  These photo shoots can be pretty long and tough.  Achieving perfection takes a lot of hard work.  Have a listen to how the photographer talks about his work.  The most important thing to come from these shots is personality.  That's what's going to make you stand out and get noticed.  If your photographer can get that from you, they can really help you to succeed in the modelling world.