Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-By-Step Guide for Photographers

I am a somewhat experienced amateur photographer that is moving more into portrait and studio work.This book is a quick read, straight and to the point. This book describes, step by step, what is important when photographing models (even covers some legal issues). It is also a must read for beginning models (I have all my inexperienced models read it before we begin, along with Pegram's book in the "P.S." below).It covers basic photo techniques with lots of example photos, basic studio layout, basic posing do's and don'ts, basic makeup and hair, and examples of basic "kits" for both inexperienced photographers and models. Also includes several example photo portfolios.Even has basic tips on `how to find work' for both aspiring photographers and models.For both newbie models and model photographers, this should be your first book.P.S. For a great beginning book on model posing, see `Posing Techniques' by Billy Pegram

This is a fantastic book. It provides great information about doing photography with a model's portfolio in mind It provides good examples with lighting guides, and dips the reader's toe into the fashion/modeling industry with just enough information to excite some readers - and scare others away. this is a good thing.I just longed for more information; it lacked information about the modeling industry as a whole, particularly modeling agencies and how the work. this is good information for a photographer who wants to help models break into or maintain effective work with such agencies. Sadly, this information was lacking in the book, which is why I only gave it 4 stars. This information could help photographers work better with agency models on their portfolios.That said, this book has a plethora of information on portfolios, the dos and do not, and plenty of other supplemental information that can be applied to any situation involving model photography.

The difference between this book and Billy's last is that he wrote this one without the help of a ghostwriter. It is clear, concise and with beautiful examples. For the beginning model, it has everything from how to stand to what to put in your model's bag. My daughter has modeled with Billy since she was a toddler and is featured in this book as a young adult. He taught my daughter the techniques that took her all the way to Asia to model - he is top drawer all the way - BUY THE BOOK- YOU WONT BE SORRY!

Billy is accurate and understandable. The images in the book are clear and it helps to put everything Billy teaches into perspective. I hope Billy will write more books! They're easy to read as they're not super huge yet a lot of great and useful information is inside.

Very nice book covering essentials of photographers wanting to learn about creating modeling portfolios for model-wannabees. Includes lighting, posing, comp cards, zed cards, releases, makeup, what the modeling bag should include, types of models and height requirements, etc.

I found this book very useful. I have recently done a project that involved photographing over 20 beginner models. It gives good information on how to work with modles, lots of information about how to be a model that you can pass on to girls who won't read for themselves, and there was photographic and lighting setups.I found the book to be very useful.

Rather limited in the plethora of tutorials one can gleam from the web!

This is not a bad book and I'm not going to trash it. It is, however, like many of the Amherst Media books, a little disappointing for anyone pretty far along in the business. I would consider it a complete beginner's guide to modeling and model photography. In that light, it's a useful and interesting book. I found the photos to be less than stellar and a bit dated, but this is totally subjective. (You can see a lot better by browsing the showcased photos on OneModelPlace.com.)The entire book left me wishing for more. With all this stated, I did learn some things from this book, which probably compensated for the cover price. In short, don't expect miracles from this book.

Excellent. This book gives a full insight into what is required to make a portfolio, not only for myself but for the model too. It is now my bible on the subject.

This is not so much a book about photographic technique, (although there are lighting set ups included) rather the photographic workflow of handling a model and building a portfolio. Let's face it, if you can't already handle a camera, this book is too far down the road for you.One of the most common questions facing any photographer with a good reputation is that of people who approach them with the wish, "I want to be a model!"Rather than floundering in the seas of never having done this before, this book will give someone new to the model portfolio business the ability to handle the whole process from start to finish.Let's face it; portrait shooting is well covered in many other books, but what isn't covered is the knowledge of what agencies are looking for and it focusses on what many photographers fail to consider ... the product ... in this case, the potential model.From my point of view, this holistic book will enable a shooter to be able to take a potential model and get them a head start in the whole process ... ie. a portfolio that is worth shooting.There are those who will argue that how the model looks, behaves, is dressed, made up, etc. is not the remit of the photographer ... personally I fall in the other catagory that believes that the photographer should have a major hand in the creation of the whole artwork.Being able to understand the whole business of a portfolio, how it will be used, what agents look for, the key points to focus on and avoid in a portfolio shoot, is crucial for making a good job in the market.

There is No advice on Male posing. they show a male model in one of the sample photos in the advertising giving the impression it is male and female but there is just one small male photo included in the book about measurements so basically just female posing. Very misleading.

Like the previous reviewer I fail to see where the photographer part comes in apart from the model discussion part and the worked examples.It is far more for models or agents than photographers. I acknowledge that there seems to be an ethos of photographers also 'managing' models in the US, as per the options on probably the most famous Model site. It just seemed the book was mainly that sort of information and not much use regarding how and what to shoot.Now I know that a Head and shoulder shot, a full length shot form the basis of a portfolio but what I had been hoping for was guidance on what styles of headshot might prove advantageous to a model in certain situations, and therefore what type of head shots to do for a model.

Not very well written but all the relavent information is there even of it is a little out of DateThe book it self is a high qualty book with some great images