Fighting the good fight

Model: Andree de Villers. Photographer: Steve Richard. Circa: 2007.

We love the holiday season! It's a great time to spend with your friends and family, enjoy the beautiful scenery, and plan for the new year! 

It is also the season of giving and that is why the Novice Nudes team participates in The Great Canadian Chill! On New Years Day we will be jumping into freezing cold Lake Ontario along with our team (The Brr-ttalion!) and thousands of other Canadians! 

We are freezing out butts off, all in support of stopping kid's cancer cold!!!

If you are in a giving spirit today and would like to donate to help fight kid's cancer, or donate to see us plunge into Lake Ontario in the freezing cold - here's how you can help!!! Click the link below and help a child in need.

Every bit helps, please give what you can!

Team Page - Brr-ttalion:

Andree de Villers: 

Sarah DeVenne:

Thank you so much to all those who have donated!

xoxo

Andree & Sarah

P.S. Keep an eye on this blog for updates on our cold journey!

 This is our team (Ho, Ho, HOOOLY It's Cold) for the 2011 Great Canadian Chill!

Photographer: James Hamilton.

Merry Christmas from Novice Nudes!!

To those of you who celebrate...

We want to wish you a very Merry Christmas from Novice Nudes!!!!

xoxo

Andree & Sarah

Model: Andree de Villers. Photo: Wayne Forrest. Circa: 2007

Posing Techniques 101

We have had a lot of requests for some basic and advanced posing techniques so we will devote a series of posts to that topic.  Let's start off with the basics, some of these we have already mentioned in past posts, but we will put them all in one place for easy reference!

These are general guidelines and tips to follow, not rules set in stone.  Remember that every shoot is different and depending on the photographer's or art director's vision, you could be instructed to do the opposite of everything listed below.  However, everyone's got to start somewhere and we hope the following will be a good guide to get you going!

Posing your face:

Model/MUA/Hair: Andree de Villers. Photo: Sarah DeVenne. Circa: 2008.

• Start constantly staring at yourself in the mirror.  Tilt your head one way, then the other - which looks better?  Bring your chin into your neck a little bit, then raise it - which looks better? That is how you find your best angle.  Look through old pictures if you want confirmation - we bet you with every one of your favorites, the photo has captured you at your best angle!
• Once you have your best angle figured out, work out how to capture your best angle using different lighting.  Grab a lamp, take the lampshade off, and move it around your face while looking in the mirror. Move it from side to side, above and below your face.  See how the shadows look depending on the light change and try to figure out how your face looks best with each lighting set up.
• Remember your best angles and apply the learnings from your practice with the lighting the photographer is using.  If you cannot tell which direction the light is hitting you, ask the photographer to tell you.  This is information they will be happy to provide.
• Get your body into a good position that you are happy with and work within that pose a little bit.  Tilt your face into a position and try to give three different facial expressions.  Example, serious, big smile, half smile - then tilt your head in a different position and repeat.  This gives you much larger chance of getting a great image from more of your poses.
• Make sure you are also shifting around your eye line.  Look into the camera, into the light, above the camera/light, off to the distance, down to the ground, close your eyes, look up into the camera while facing down, etc.  Make sure that you constantly switch it up!
• You'll often hear that modeling is acting, it is true when it comes to the face.  As a model, it is vital to learn how to express any emotion simply through your eyes, once you do your face will follow.  To do this, again, it's all about practice.  Sit in front of the mirror and think about something that makes you sad.  Preferably, try to remember something in the past that made you really sad and try to put yourself back there.  If you can feel that same emotion, it will be written all over your eyes and face.  Same goes for happy, don't just think happy thoughts, remember a time that you were at your happiest and try to feel the feeling you felt.  It's like when you first meet a potential new boy/girl friend and every time you think about them you just can't help but get a flutter in your stomach and your eyes light up.  As a model, you have to be able to make those eyes light up on demand! If you can channel your emotions, you'll create beautiful, interesting and moving images.

Posing your body:

 Models: Andree de Villers & Karen Murdock. Photo: Steve Richard. Circa: 2010.

• It's very important to do the same test as the face with your body.  Looking in a mirror, move your body into different positions, flexing, relaxing, twisting, stretching, etc and see how your body reacts.  Look at your body from every angle and get comfortable with the reactions your body has to the different movements you make. If you can, do the same with a lamp held at different angles, see in what positions, with what lighting - you can make your body look the most toned.
• Practice pointing your toes for long periods of time and overcoming toe cramps without moving at all.  It will come in handy if you do :D We would say 80% of the time you will end up having to point your toes, especially in the nude.
• Always ensure you have your body going in at least 3 directions.  Example: Stand face on to the camera with your feet shoulder width apart. Stick your hips out sharply to one direction, and raise one shoulder in the opposition direction.  This will give your body interesting lines and create amazing shapes for the photographer to work with.
• Never have both feet flat on the floor in a shot. It is unflattering to your body!  Point your toes always!!! 
• When sitting down it is important to remember to never actually sit, more so hover.  Alternatively if you are sitting with your legs crossed, you can just roll onto the opposite hip so that your bottom and leg are not squished on the chair.
• When you suck in, don't just suck in but suck in and raise yourself up. Straighten your back, hold your head and neck up, throw your shoulders back to elongate your body.
• Never lock your knees or elbows.  It looks very abnormal and disfigured in photographs! Always keep them at a slight bend.
• Be careful when you are twisting any part of your body, looking backward as an example.  It will create rolls on your skin that are very unflattering and hard to Photoshop.  Instead, ensure that you are elongating the part of the body you are twisting, until you can run your hand along the twisted area and it feels smooth!  This may also mean you need to twist a little less!
• When you are going for extension, try to be as graceful as possible while holding every single muscle in to make your body as defined as possible.  
• If you are going for more sex appeal, it's all about chest out, bum out, stomach in, back arched, toes pointed - at all times.
  
• Think small adjustments.  Many models get caught up on doing a completely different pose every shot and others stay in the same position until they are told to move. A great way to ensure that you are getting more bang for your buck is to find a great pose, change up your face a couple times, move an arm or a leg slightly, then again give different looks with your face.  We find that often, when going through the images after the shoot, there will be so many that are close to perfect, had one small thing changed, but then right away a completely different pose is used and the moment is gone.

 

Posing your arms and hands:

 Model/Hair: Andree de Villers. MUA: Amy Kerr. Photo: Brent McCombs. Circa: 2009.

• Arms can be the worst things ever when you are first getting into modeling.  You don't know what to do with them, you can only really think of one thing and they are constantly in the way!  Know this is going to happen to you ahead of time, and think of as many positions as possible.  
• If you are going to do hands on the hips, make sure that your hands are staggered (ie. one hand higher then the other).  The reason is that this creates sharper lines on your body.  
• Try using your hands all around your face, don't just place your hand on your arm, run it down your arm for a second then freeze - this will be a more natural placement.
• A general rule of thumb is things should be perfectly symmetrical or not at all.  It's best to have each hand doing something different to get an interesting image. 
• If you are grabbing onto clothing or a prop, do not actually grip it tightly.  If you do, your fingers and hands will look veiny. Lightly hold the material and you will be pleased with the results.
• Do your best to ensure that all of your limbs are showing.  Ultimately, this is mainly the photographer's forte, but there are things that you can do as a model to try to avoid it. Again, best way to do so is practice using the mirror.  Pose in different ways so that you are able to pose with your arms, legs and hands very close to you if you know the photographer is shooting at a tight range.

We could go on for days but as there is just so much to cover, we will do this one in several posts!  We will go into more detail on posing with props, artistic vs glamour posing, posing wearing clothing and posing with a partner.  If there is more that you would like us to expand upon - let us know!

xoxo

Andree & Sarah

GWC vs. Budding Photographer

GWC vs. Budding Photographer - Presenting Professionalism to Models!

This one is more so aimed at the photographers out there, specifically photographers who want to get started with shooting nude models. Because of the gush of new photographers lately, it is easy to get pigeon holed into a 'GWC' role, just because you are starting out. If you are looking to avoid that label and you are just not sure how to do that, we hope the following will help!

Our recommendation would be first and foremost, the same recommendation we gave to models starting out.  If you want to prove that you are worth working with, you need to have the work to prove it.  Find a model that inspires you, whose work is something you would love to see in your portfolio.  Find out their rates and pay them to do a shoot with you.  If you plan it right, you can get some really diverse work out of just one shoot.  Realistically, when a photographer is asking a model to do a TFCD shoot, the first thing the model will do is look at the photographer's work.  All you need is that one amazing photo in your portfolio to convince a model that it's worth it! Once you have those amazing images, then it's time to work an industry networking site, such as Model Mayhem, to secure TFCD shoots and further build your portfolio.

Another recommendation, especially when working with a nude model, would be to propose a clothed shoot first.  This gives you the chance to build a working relationship with the model and to get comfortable with each other. A clothed shoot is a lot less intimidating when working with a new photographer and a model may be more open to shooting nude once the model knows you.

We recommend that you plan the shoot out ahead of time with the model.  Instead of just saying "Bring a ton of sexy bathing suits, lingerie and short skirts", discuss what you and the model both have available. Come up with a concept and discuss what wardrobe will add to it! This will help your model to both feel more invested in the shoot as well as having a feeling of comfort in knowing that you care about the end result.

Some models that are just starting out are extremely self conscious and nervous about the legitimacy of the photographer.  To ease the self consciousness, many photographers will tell the model how hot and sexy the model's body parts are. To some people, this is a pervy move and it will turn them off.  We definitely recommend complimenting the model, however until you have built a relationship with them, it may be best to not make comments about their body specifically.  

It's always great if you can team up with a hair stylist, makeup artist or assistant so that you can have a team behind you.  Knowing that there is a team of people at the shoot immediately quashes any fears of being put in a precarious situation, when you are one on one with the photographer.

Many photographers will offer new models liquor to 'loosen them up'.  Keeping in mind that everyone is different, some people would take offense to that.  It can come across as having ulterior motives, beyond shooting, in getting the model drunk and taking advantage of the situation.  We recommend again, that you build relationships before making that suggestion!

Another fantastic idea, when first starting out and looking to build your portfolio, is partaking in workshops!  Most workshops include a shooting portion, where you have the opportunity to not only work with an amazing model, but have an amazing photographer sharing tips and advice along the way!

Finally, we could not write this particular blog without mentioning modeling coaching.  If you can find a fantastic model coach in your area and offer their services during the shoot, it is money well spent.  Sometimes the photographer pays for the model coach, sometimes it is the model who pays.  Everyone involved, however, greatly benefits from having one there!  We can definitely delve further into the benefits of working with a model coach in another blog if there is interest, let us know by leaving a comment below!

We hope that this is helpful information and please bear in mind that these are our personal opinions, based off the different personalities we've experienced along the years.  Some of the best photographers out there have completely unscrupulous methods and some of the best photographers to actually work with, produce terrible work.  Ultimately you are going to find your own methods but we think, starting off, it's best to play it safe when dealing with young, impressionable models! We welcome you to leave your feedback, comments and questions below!!

xoxo

Andree & Sarah

 

Model: Andree de Villers. Photo: SVphotography. Circa: 2010.

Shot on location during a photography workshop with 10 photographers present.

It's your first shoot! Pretend it's your 100th!

The big moment has arrived!!  You have your model bag ready, you've stretched, you've practiced, you've researched - you're ready! But what to do once the camera is turned on? We are going to delve into some basic photo shooting tips, for both nude and non nude shoots, to help better prepare you to be able to show up and kick butt!

First rule in being professional and taken seriously - show up, every time. This business is full of flaky models and the moment you are pegged as one, you might as well give up! Professional photographers want to work with professional models, so treat this as you would any other job and you will succeed.

Nude
 

Model: Andree de Villers. Photographer: Steve Richard. Circa: 2009.

When you are shooting nude, most of the time the image is centered around the model.  The biggest differences come with the type of shoot you are doing and the image you are trying to create.

A few things as a model you need to think about when shooting nude:

• Ensure that you wear loose fitting clothing with no bra and underwear to your shoot.  Otherwise you will be covered in lines that take forever to go away and are a real pain to Photoshop.
• When you are doing glamour shooting it's all about chest out, bum out, stomach in, back arched, toes pointed - at all times.
• When shooting artistic nudes it's all about extension.  Try to be as graceful as possible while holding every single muscle in to make your body as defined as possible.  Artistic nude can go either way, sometimes you are graceful and sometimes you go out of your way to look too skinny, deformed or misshapen.
• When sitting down it is important to remember to never actually sit, more so hover.  Alternatively if you are sitting with your legs crossed, you can just roll onto the opposite hip so that your bottom and leg are not squished on the chair.
• When you suck in, don't just suck in but suck in and raise yourself up. Straighten your back, hold your head and neck up, throw your shoulders back to elongate your body.
• Never lock your knees or elbows.  It looks very abnormal and disfigured in photographs! Always keep them at a slight bend.
• A general rule of thumb is things should be perfectly symmetrical or not at all.  It's best to have each hand doing something different to get an interesting image. 
• Be careful when you are twisting any part of your body, looking backward as an example.  It will create rolls on your skin that are very unflattering and hard to Photoshop.  Instead, ensure that you are elongating the part of the body you are twisting, until you can run your hand along the twisted area and it feels smooth!  This may also mean you need to twist a little less!

A few things as a photographer you need to think about when shooting nude:

• Provide a clean towel or a robe for your model to wear in between sets. We recommend white as you can bleach them afterward for sanitary purposes.
• Ensure you are armed with posing suggestions for your model, they may not realize the poses they are attempting are not flattering.
• Work with the environment around the model to create foreground and depth to your image.
• If you are shooting digital, ensure that you pause to show your model some of the images.  It both boosts your model's confidence and allows you an opportunity to point out ways to improve the image.
• If you see that your model is running out of ideas for poses, always have a bag of materials that you can give to your model as an accessory.
• Mix up your angles, play with the lights, attempt to highlight the model's natural curves using shadows for definition. Don't be afraid to experiment - rules are meant to be broken!
• Always be aware of how the model is feeling, as an example if you are outside and your model is cold or if they've been holding a pose too long and are in pain. Many models are troopers, they will do what they need to do to get the shot, so you need to be monitoring the situation and make a call to give your model a break when you know that it's needed.
• Practice ways of articulating direction, as you should not touch a model. Never touch a model. Certainly not without the model's permission. We recommend building a relationship before breaking personal barriers as everyone's barriers are different!

Model: Andree de Villers. Photographer: Steve Richard. Circa: 2008.
This image is from a series called 'Cloudbusting', turned into a stunning coffee table book.

 Clothing

Model: Andree de Villers. Photographer: Sarah DeVenne. Circa: 2008.

When you are shooting with clothes, you are doing one of two things.  Either the clothes are just a piece in the puzzle of a greater overall image, or the entire point of the image is to showcase that clothing.

A few things as a model you need to think about when shooting with clothing:

• Add to your model bag essentials such as 3 thongs (nude, white, black), jeans, black heels, tank top, a dress, clear nail polish, small clamps, lint brush, empty bottles, safety pins, small sewing kit, push up and strapless bras, bikini and two types of nylons (nude and black).
• Ensure that if you are doing your own makeup, you choose colours that compliment, not match, the outfit that you are wearing.
• Don't decide how to do your hair until you know what you are wearing, certain looks are greatly accentuated by different looks such as hair being up swept or out long.  If you are doing your own hair, discuss it with the photographer/stylist ahead of time, it's always better to have the team's input!
• If you need to give your cleavage a boost, you can do so by stuffing your bra with socks or paper towel.  If you are wearing a bra-less outfit, tape some duck tape (we like duct tape because it doesn't come off when you sweat under the hot lights) to one side of your breast, pull it underneath your breasts and pull the second breast in, placing the tape on the side. Instant cleavage! 
• Clothing is not always going to fit. But you can make it fit for a shoot!!  
• Shirt/Dress/Skirt too tight? Don't zip it up all the way and shoot from the front only!
• Shirt/Dress too baggy? Roll up your shirt in the back and clamp it with clothes pins/small clamps.
• Pants/Skirt too baggy? Take a pop bottle and slip it in between your back and the waist line on the garment - it will pull it tight and make it appear to fit!
• Shoes too big? Ball up some tissue and put it in the front of the shoe!
• If your nylons run, just take some clear nail polish and apply it to the run on your leg.  It will stop the run so you can continue!
• Make sure that when you are posing you are thinking about how each move is affecting the garment.  Before you leave your changing room, trying raising your arms and legs in the mirror, see how it makes the garment look.  Try placing your hands on your hips - does it make the garment look good, or make it bunch up?  Be aware of all of these things and take them into consideration when you are posing.

A few things as a photographer you need to think about when shooting clothing:

• Discuss in advance with the team what the concept is.  Ensure that everyone knows what they are responsible for and maintain control of the concept if it is your own.
• If you are shooting using the model's wardrobe, always ask them to bring accessories and more clothing then they intend to shoot in. It's usually better to have too many choices then not enough! 
  
• We recommend having an assistant on hand, especially when working with material or long dresses, to drop fabric from above off camera, creating the look of the material flowing from behind the model.
• Do an inspection of the garment if there is no stylist present.  If you notice a thread, tag or something else out of place, ask the model to adjust. 
• If the clothing is the focus of the shoot, ensure that is the case.  Don't get caught up in props and accessories that overshadow the garment.
• If you are shooting in a studio, it is a great idea to utilize a fan to make the material/hair flow.
• When shooting different body types, ensure you are adjusting your angle.  An example would be when shooting a plus size model you would never shoot from a low angle, as this widens the subject.

Model: Andree de Villers. Photographer: Sarah DeVenne. Circa: 2010.

We will definitely go into further details on specific techniques for each style of photography in future blogs!!!  We hope that this information is helpful and as always, we welcome your questions, comments and suggestions!

xoxo

Andree & Sarah