Elevate Your Model Photography: 7 Game-Changing Tips for 2025

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1. Go Professional

Prior to 2024, I relished working with models on a non-paid basis via the TFP (time for print) arrangement. The model receives complimentary images for their portfolio, while I benefit from having a free model – a situation where both parties gain!

Nonetheless, after a few unsatisfactory experiences, I chose to compensate my models for their time in 2024 – and their professional expertise proved truly advantageous! As professionals, they were also eager to accept guidance when I required distinct poses for book cover-style shots.

Being professionals meant they didn’t require substantial direction from me – it essentially involved aiming the camera and documenting their transitions from one remarkable pose to the next. The pro models I collaborated with were also able to handle their own makeup and hair and were more inclined to bring along several outfits or accessories (like scarves and hats), allowing a single shoot to appear as multiple ones (adding diversity to your portfolio) and relieving me from the task of sourcing a stylist!

You might benefit from a pro model’s background, having participated in various shoots over the years. My final model of 2024 – @olgasolomodel (Instagram) – provided valuable insights on where I could position my on-site LEDs for a more effective lighting setup based on her past experiences.

2. Be Ready

Whether you’re compensating a model for their experience and time or employing the TFP method, it is crucial to be prepared while organizing a photoshoot. Some models may request a ‘mood board’ – a compilation of images that illustrate the theme you wish to capture, like a Film Noir Femme Fatale. The model might also have suggestions that can help transform your shoot’s vision into a tangible reality, elevating your photos to a higher standard!

For instance – I organized a 1960s-themed shoot with Maddy (@runway.vougish on Instagram), and my quick search for a mood board on Google inspired her to obtain a 1960s-style dress coupled with a vintage hat. She also applied a colorful array of makeup to complement her outfit.

For a subsequent ‘detective’ themed shoot with the same model, my mood board assisted her in dressing suitably – with her hair secured up, minimal makeup, and a long leather coat that appeared striking when the wind blew through it. Thanks to the mood boards, Maddy featured dramatically different looks in the two shoots. The detective concept was intended to create images for sale on a book cover stock site – an additional income-generating opportunity.

3. Explore various settings

I’ve engaged in a substantial amount of studio photography throughout my career, and studios are excellent for maintaining dryness and comfort, particularly during the chillier months. Controlling the illumination is also simpler in a studio setting. Many of my product evaluations for Digital Camera World are conducted within the cozy confines of a studio. Nonetheless, all of my sessions for 2024 models took place on-site.

Unique locations can introduce diversity to your photography sessions. Take the Barbican Centre in London as an illustration – a favored spot among photographers, and justifiably so. It boasts impressive skyscrapers that create magnificent urban scenery for your posing model. The Barbican’s tiered walkways and corridors add dimension and perspective to your portraits (and yield intriguing shapes in your background bokeh). Additionally, it features areas adorned with greenery and water, providing a distinctly varied backdrop without the necessity of extensive travel.

Different settings can motivate models to interact with architectural elements (such as walls, stairs, and even sculptures), resulting in more dynamic and inventive poses compared to what you might capture in a studio. While photographing along London’s River Thames, model @layal.official began to naturally pose with some mounted chains on the wall – an unexpected yet delightful moment!

4. Don’t stress over your equipment

I predominantly take photographs with an iPhone, as it allows me to move quickly and with minimal gear. However, I always inform the model beforehand that I will be using a smartphone to avoid any disappointment regarding the absence of a large DSLR/mirrorless camera (and to prevent being perceived as an amateur!).

Models accustomed to posing for a DSLR tend to listen for the shutter sound, which indicates they’ve been captured and can alter their pose. My latest model for 2024 – @olgasolomodel – inquired if I could make my iPhone produce a ‘click’. It was clicking, just not audibly enough.

My workaround was to say ‘click!’ after snapping a picture, which proved effective. After a while, we became accustomed to our collaboration, and I no longer needed to mimic the sound of a camera shutter. I discovered it also helps to indicate which of the three iPhone camera lenses I’m employing to assist the model in establishing eye contact in the shot.

5. Innovative lighting can also yield great results outdoors

LEDs offer a powerful means to elevate your 2025 location photography. During my December 2024 session at the Barbican with model/actress Olga, I brought along a portable Harlowe Blade tube light kit to the venue. I employed the tripod-mounted Blade 10 as the main light source and its smaller version – the Blade 5 – as a secondary light. Using the Harlowe app, I was able to swiftly adjust the RGB lights to a cinematic cyan and teal hue for added ambiance.

The illumination from the Blades helped to emphasize the contours of the model’s face and harmonized beautifully with the existing lighting in the corridor at the site. Moreover, the Blades are magnetic, allowing me to affix the Blade 5 to a metallic ceiling pipe, creating an impactful high-angle light source.

6. Experiment with a smoke machine

Directors like Ridley Scott utilize smoke to introduce texture and hue to vacant areas in the frame. Smoke generators such as the Lensgo Smoke-S Mini and the Smoke Ninja are compact and budget-friendly options to improve your location’s illumination.

During my last two shoots in 2024, I employed smoke machines at the Barbican Centre without triggering any smoke alarms (and they utilize an organic oil to produce smoke which is safer for the model). I highly endorse a smoke machine for a more atmospheric aesthetic for your shoots. Just ensure that it is used in a suitably ventilated environment (this is why I would refrain from employing one in a confined studio).