4 tips for beginner photographers planning a photoshoot with a model

my obsession with photography has grown so much that, this year, my birthday gift from a friend was free labor. yes, I asked them to pose for my second model session. so, I made a list of props to gather, charged to batteries to my Canon Rebel T7, and planned a photoshoot bigger and better than my first model session.

map out the shot

don't forget to include all the details

in my notes, I explicitly described every shot I was hoping to get: the tilt of the head, the framing of the shot, the expression the model will wear, the direction the camera will point. the more specific, the better. that way, there is no guesswork in the middle of the session; I can simply pull up my notes! this time, I didn't miss a single shot I planned to capture.

that being said, you should always be adaptable. sometimes, the photo lives up to the vision. sometimes, the vision is beyond the scope of reality. know when to reel it in to avoid getting stuck. there could be countless shots you miss out on while you're trying to line up one perfect shot.

work as a team

teamwork makes the dream work!

as I mentioned in my blog post about mistakes beginner photographers should avoid as they begin to shoot human subjects, it may be helpful to bounce ideas off your model: ask their thoughts on the pose, the expression, the background.

during this second photoshoot, when I broke out the book and asked my model to read, they sat upright with their feet flat on the ground, holding the book at chest level. I snapped a few photos, then I paused. they giggled and said, "this feels so unnatural." my response? "well, then make it natural! sit how you would normally sit to read." they relaxed their posture and adjusted their legs, which allowed me to capture a more authentic photo.

keep your model busy

idle hands are the devil's workshop — and they make for potentially awkward photos

so far, in my short time as a photographer, (and admittedly, a beginner), I've found that my subjects act more natural in front of the camera when they have something to do. this is especially helpful at the start of the session, when your model might be the most nervous.

have a few action prompts ready to go in your notes — alongside all the poses you have jotted down. give your model directions like "walk towards the camera as if you are meeting a friend" or "tell me the funniest joke you know." it makes sense, right? models don't have to overthink what it means to act natural if they are too busy acting natural.

props are also a great way to help your model act naturally. fiddling with a prop keeps the hands occupied. models don't seem to pay as much attention to the photographer when they are busy pouring, twirling, or juggling.

take more photos

the more, the merrier!

the night after our session, I swear I could hear the sounds of my Canon Rebel T7 in my sleep: the lens moving in and out of focus, the shutter closing and opening. honestly, I took too many photos — but, you know what? I'd do it again. yes, it was definitely a pain when I was culling, but it's better to have more material to work with than not enough.

the biggest piece of advice I can offer to a beginner photographer planning a photoshoot is this: aim to take too many photos. it's like the tailor's or seamstress's advice to measure twice and cut once. think of overshooting as a photographer's way to measure twice. if I didn't overshoot during our session, I wouldn't have this series of my model laughing. these two photos were taken a second apart.

what's the difference between snapping a photo and snapping several? choice. when you overshoot, you have the choice of selecting the best frame rather than working with what you got. sometimes they're exact duplicates. other times, there are tiny differences that can change the whole vibe of the photo — a twitch of the nose, a tilt of the head, or a squint of the eye can make a huge difference.