Listen to the Photographer!

There’s nothing more frustrating to parents than giving direction in life to children who think they know better. Aren’t they aware that we’ve “been there, done that”?! Caring parents use their own life experiences to help their children be the absolute best they can be, and it drives them crazy when their kids don’t appreciate it!

Fitness modeling is no different, and many new fitness models act like children when they refuse to take direction from photographers. Instead of learning and benefiting from a photographer’s experience, many new models waste their money on spec shoots or ruin their chances of ever being hired again by thinking that they know better. And then they go and blame the photographer!

Part of the problem is that many new models come to the commercial arena through success in fitness pageants or bodybuilding contests. These shows require very specific ways of posing on stage, which can work against you in front of the commercial lens. I’ve had beautiful fitness girls on my television show, American Health & Fitness, who ended up looking stiff as boards because they stood in front of the camera as if they were in a pageant lineup.

If you’ve been hired for a commercial job, or if you’ve gone to all the trouble of finding a legitimate photographer to shoot your portfolio, don’t blow it by ignoring their advice during the shoot. Try to forget everything you think you know and willingly take direction from the photographer. You’re going to learn a lot, and you’ll most likely be happy with the results.

One of the best things I’ve learned from my years of modeling and being around some of the best models and photographers in the business is that the more uncomfortable and awkward the pose feels, the better the photo will turn out!

There’s nothing worse than a photo that looks staged. Now, if you’re shooting technical workout shots you need to be precise, but that’s not the kind of shot you want in your book. You want creative images that show you looking comfortable and relaxed in a wide range of poses in order to set yourself apart from the crowd.

Artistic commercial photography demands that you empty your mind and listen closely to what the photographer tells you. Provided that he or she asks you to do things that don’t compromise your personal code of ethics, do what they say without complaining. Realize that the photographer cares as much about getting a great shot as you do — maybe even more — and that he or she is the one who actually sees the shot through the eye of the camera.

Just like the parent who knows what’s best for you, a good photographer will bring out the best in your physique. The result will be killer shots for your portfolio that will help you find success as a fitness model. Always remember that in this business, the photographer knows best!