I’ll be honest and say that I don’t necessarily have many close people around me. Nor do I have a huge portfolio that would make people interested to pose for me. This means I’m kinda just alone when it comes to photography. Yet, I want To experiment with portrait photography to learn and make myself a portfolio. I can’t really take pictures of myself either considering I plan on using an old 1970’s film camera when it comes to portrait. Though, I do have a digital one with remote control functions, but that one won’t be nearly as immersive. What are your suggestions?
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Pay for a model.
I would suggest to book sessions with professional models. This enables you to focus on your gear and lighting while the model already knows their posing and maybe can even help with finding good compositions. If you’re just getting into working with people maybe there’s a workshop you can attend in your area? I would say if you have to direct everything even the posing because your model might not be super confident in front of the camera will lead to frustration and bad results which hinders you to get better fast. Definitely a worthwhile investment!
Offer free sessions on social media. You’ll get a decent amount of responses. People eat free things up.
You could always ask people in public? You’ll get a lot of no’s but someone will say it yes eventually.
Another vote for cosplay from me. You have a giant pool of models with very different levels of skill, assuring you can find someone on “your level” that will be more then happy to do TFP shoots. You also have conventions as a great way of meeting these people and the whole community is very connected, so you can easily connect with new people who are friends/acquaintances of people you have shot with. The convetions are not great places to take pictures (even when they have a “photo area”), but they are a great way to get to know people to connect with.
And even if cosplays are a little “too much” for your taste, in my experience most cosplayers dont mind modelling for “normal portraits” once you have built a working relationship/friendship.
Just please make sure you dont exclusivly ask the ones with the most cleavage and have them pose in a way to show it off. Theres sadly a lot of those kinds of photographer in the community (also a lot of cosplayers talk, once you have that reputation people will avoid you).
Offer free shoots in your local community Facebook groups. Keep the guidelines clear - you choose the place (choose a safe, public place like a park), the time (just before sunset is good), the duration, and they must agree for you to use the photos in your portfolio. They get copies of the photos in return.
Aka “time for print”, right?
Just ask random people. Say “Hey I’m learning portrait photography and I thought you are really interesting because of XYZ” offer to send them the picture. Everybody won’t say yes but a pretty high percentage will.
Also ask cosplayers, theater groups, actors, dancers even musicians often need portraits done. Tell them you are experimenting with a film camera.
Go on instagram and dm people
Lol you’re being downvoted for speaking the truth. This is exactly how I did it and still do it.
This sub is so bitter
90% of my threads get downvoted lol
- Practice with friends/family if any are local or when you/they visit.
- Practice on coworkers by offering new headshots or seeing if anyone wants to let you practice with some family portraits of their families.
- Join your local photographer’s Facebook group or a joint model and photographer’s group. Post asking for a portrait exchange or a time for photos exchange.