How to Use Model Calls for Marketing Your Business
What can you post on social media or your blog when some of your clients are hesitant to have their beautiful images posted online after their session? It’s so important to create regular content so that the algorithms see you as relevant, thereby showing your hard work to the deserving masses who need your services.
I understand and respect my clients’ desire for privacy more though, even when I love their images so much I wish I could share even just one. But, I don’t want to deny a family an opportunity to book a portrait photograph simply because they don’t want their images to be posted on my website for marketing purposes.
I have actually had several of those sort of clients in recent weeks, and have had to pivot when thinking about what type of content to post to my blog and social media pages. Enter the Model Call!!
A Model Call is just that, an appeal put out to your followers and friends that you are looking for models for a specific project. Model calls can be paid or discounted sessions, they are paying for the privilege of being featured, or you may choose to offer them for free in return for the model signing off that the images may be used at the photographer’s discretion for marketing online or in print materials.
The beauty of the model call is that you the photographer call the shots. You can specify the type of project, who you’re looking for, what they should wear, where they need to show up and when. Do you like outdoor urban scenes or boho studio setups, or something totally different altogether.
Let your creativity go wild as you plan what you want. Make sure it stays on brand with your overall style, but if you’re looking to break into a new style of photography then model calls are definitely the way to test out those images prior to booking paying clients.
You can advertise your upcoming model call project on your social media pages, send out a request to your email list, or just network word of mouth among friends and mom groups in person or online, for instance.
Check out my opt-in form below if you’d like to be put on a list to receive updates about upcoming model calls with prairie girl co. | Photography.
I want to be a model! Sign me up!
This post highlights one such VERY willing model call client who gets paid for her sessions in copious amounts of treats. Her idea of a great afternoon is doing whatever she’s asked as fast as possible so that the treat factory keeps pumping out the goods. I love all my model call clients, the two legged and four legged varieties. They help build my online portfolio and we have a fun working relationship that is mutually beneficial.
If you see me advertise that I’m hosting a model call and you fit the criteria of that project, don’t hesitate to reach out! Better still, opt-in to my mailing list so that the updates come straight to your inbox.
Note regarding this particular model: Any time you see her on my website or socials with her head down it’s a trained “cute” behavior being asked of her. She’s in no way emoting any emotion other than hurry up and pay me, so don’t let those sad eyes fool you! She’s being paid very well for her efforts. lol.
-xo Trisha
Behind the Lens: The Puppy Portraits
In my new blog series entitled “Behind the Lens:” I will share some outtake-style images and shooting details for a specific photoshoot.
Alright, let’s dive in to the recent puppy sessions!
In my new blog series entitled “Behind the Lens:” I will share some outtake-style images and shooting details for a specific photoshoot.
Alright, let’s dive in to my two recent puppy sessions!
In mid-May I showed up to a lovely residential location with a ton of gear bags in tow and immediately noticed that a house full of Goldens = A HOUSE FULL OF DOG HAIR! Haha! Like a lovely snow globe. But the wet nose kisses greeting me made up for that quickly.
So much personality. Mr. Blue was NOT wanting to play along and Mr. Green said, “I’m outta here!”
Once I got my lights out I started to meter and figure out where the best places to work might be. For the five-weeks-old photoshoot I actually went into the family room and used a blue sofa in a room that had almost no natural light as it was late in the afternoon/evening. I set my strobe to camera left and had the light pass in front of the sofa (feathering the light). This is similar to standing near a window but where the light is all in front of you, not directly on you.
For their individual portraits, we decided to place the puppies in baskets for visual interest. At five-weeks-old they were rather rag doll like and slumped rather than sitting up with strength. Much like with infant photography where they are placed in things to prop them and look cute, I used that idea here also with the puppies.
The puppies were just old enough to want to spill out of the baskets and explore around them. To capture their attention we used a variety of dog toys, high pitched trills, clanky keys, etc. For the most part, the puppies didn’t care…lol!
Once I photographed the individual puppies I then used the puppy wranglers to help line all seven up on the sofa. This was a little challenging at five weeks, but got to be VERY challenging at seven-weeks-old! By then they were all over the place with energy, strength, and curiosity. To capture their attention at that age we discovered that pounding on the piano worked GREAT!
Did you think getting the group photos was fast and easy? Seven curious personalities made for some fun antics while photographing!
When I came back for the seven-weeks-old photoshoot I did the same as the previous session, but the difference for this shoot was choosing to shoot in the living room which was on the opposite side of the house. There was much more natural light coming through the window, but it was also much earlier in the day than when I photographed them previously. I like the contrast of the two sessions. By the later session the puppies are awake, energized, light and bright in their personalities. In the earlier shoot they were young and sleepy, so the darker snoozy atmosphere complemented that feeling.
Pullback of lighting setup. With proper lighting and intentional framing of a photograph, any location can become a “studio” setup.
I used two lights for the second shoot. I wanted full control of color of the overall light and its intensity, so I aimed one light straight at the window to bounce added light off the window and onto my little furry subjects as a hair light. My second light was set 45 degrees to my camera right and was used to light the room space evenly, provide a consistent color to each portrait and fill the shadows. Using my strobes lended itself to the feel of a well-lit daylight space but without too much backlighting overpowering the scene. So if you had previously thought that artificial flash is too “flashy” it’s all about learning how to set it and the camera so that it looks natural, but with more control over the end result.
The puppies were being puppies and we enjoyed playing with them in between takes. I took my time and went at their speeed—which included a potty break, food breaks, and a few nap breaks! But in the end we ended up with some really fun images for the breeder to use for marketing these cuties.
After much repositioning of moving puppies we got a few really fun group images and here is one of them.
Using strobe lights I have nice catch lights in the puppies eyes.
Let me know if you like this series showing the work behind the scenes to capture the photographs. Let me know in the comments.
Until next time,
-xo Trisha
Seasons in photography…
What’s your favorite season for scheduling a portrait session? Maybe it’s spring with the promise of growth and renewed life. Summer with the flowers, beautiful sunsets, warm breezes through prairie grass in the late afternoon. Many love autumn seeing the landscape ablaze with color on all sides.
What’s your favorite season for scheduling a portrait session? Maybe it’s spring with the promise of growth and renewed life. Summer with the flowers, beautiful sunsets, warm breezes through prairie grass in the late afternoon. Many love autumn seeing the landscape ablaze with color on all sides. Winter whites with snow and the joy of the holidays with a splash of bold colors are fun to capture.
I don’t have a favorite photography season. Each season has something new to enjoy and wonderful to capture. The main thing in each season is photographing YOU and your family or pet in a way that says, “yes! That is exactly who they are!”
I also love working in a studio environment where the light and background are consistent regardless of the season or the time of day. In fact, that is my preferred place to photograph due to the consistency. I love when images in a series, taken at different times, all blend together beautifully because of consistent light and backdrop.
This type of photograph is all about YOU and you won’t get lost in the background as it competes with its splendor for attention from the viewer. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy both styles a lot, but my preference for ongoing series in a home is definitely going to be studio portraits.
Stand-alone portraits or series all photographed at the same time look wonderful in nature, but equally wonderful when captured in the studio in a simple style that is timeless and clean looking.
Whichever your preferred style, contact me to discuss booking a portrait session for your newborn, family, or pet. I look forward to hearing from you!