A Model Portfolio from & for the City of Angels

 
It's always humbling when I'm chosen as the photographer for people whose professional careers depend on my pictures. So Cal model Elizabeth is a special case.

For years she has used photographs from her modeling gigs as her portfolio. But recently she decided to create a collection of pictures specifically for her. After canvassing websites of many, many photographers, Elizabeth found me; and she chose to drive eight hours all the way from Los Angeles to come here to Cupertino...TWICE!

We worked both days and had some fun setting up different categories of shots to create a complete portfolio: headshot, commercial, athletic, and business-style photos.

The collaboration brought us from the studio, to San Francisco downtown, to the garden in my backyard, to a local park. We really covered her comp card in more ways than one. Tiffany Chiang did the makeup wonderfully.

Being a model is about versatility and acting. By creating photographic situation for the model to act out her role will dramatically increase her chances of being cast into a role.

My best wishes follow Elizabeth back to Los Angeles, and I hope my photos will bring her great luck with her modeling career.

- Michael Soo

Modeling Composite Card (aka Zed Card)

Comp card creation for modeling agency in less than 4 hours! Ok, not the most optimal condition to create a 5 image comp card, but it can be done.

No, I don't recommend to rush a 5 magnificent images in just 4 hours since some planning on the shots, the clothings, possibly makeup and hair styling will make the images look 10X as good! But for the time constraint ones, this is doable.

These images are all shot in a single condo complex, done with beautiful natural light, some with artificial light but just to compliment!

If you want great images for a full comp card, I highly recommend scheduling 2 sessions of at least 4 hours each. That way, you get a good break. Unless you want to look haggard, posing in front of a camera for 4 hours can make you look like you just ran a marathon.

Now, who says modeling is easy work?

- MS

Work-a-Scene of Popular Photography & Imaging Magazine

Work-a-Scene is a series of monthly articles in Popular Photography & Imaging that teaches a photographer on how to fix a situation during shoot. For example, taking multiple HDR images and fix them in Photoshop do not count, whereas, changing the contrast or using a filter does. I wrote a total of 6 articles for Work-a-Scene in 2006, 3 of them has been accepted, two of them do not fit the category well and the other one may need more work). None of them were not published due to some shuffling of articles. So, I figured that I'll just lay off from doing more of them until they start to get published. Then one of the article got published in the January 2007 issue (page 52). It's about using aperture to create starburst effect.

Senior Editor, Pete Kolonia of Popular Photography sent me an email two weeks ago stating that their Work-the-Scene articles that I have been writing for them has mostly been published (in the publishing world, magazines get prepped to be published at least 3-4 months in advanced) and they need new material, and they need it NOW. "Sure!", I said, let me run to the wand shop in Diagon Alley first.

After a week or so of sitting around being a bum cracking my brains off for a concept and trying to schedule session with a Angelina Rika, whom I've shot before, I figured that Angelina isn't really that serious about modeling. Right at the same time, I got a message from Libby over myspace. Libby probably got my info from Paul Ferradas. I absolutely loved her images that Paul took of her a while back by Alviso. Libby is a natural beauty, gorgeous and has a great personality. We booked off a time for a shoot in a within a day or so. One of the fastest, come-shoot-with-me-right-away type of request. She got all excited and we're off to a great start.

I decided that we should shoot in 2 locations in the South Bay, around the region of Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Jose downtown, maybe more depending on the mood and situation. The first location is shot for the magazine and in order to compensate her for her time, I'll shoot her a strong portfolio in the 2nd location, a rooftop.

You can find the images in the Fashion and Glamour Gallery.

- Michael Soo

Modeling Portfolio

Paul and I decided to do a 2nd mega photoshoot, this time with 4 models, 3 photographers (Paul, myself and a guest photographer) and 1 videographer (Bryan Chang). We were graced by the presence of 4 models from across the bay, Nicole, Celeste, Melina and Angelina. Each bring a very different and unique set of talents into the shoot. It's really amazing because most Art Directors will think of a particular concepts and there will only be ONE model out of hundreds that can fit that role. Same case in this shoot as I have concepts rolled up in my head weeks before the shoot. Along with the concepts, ideas on who can fit the roles has already been stamped and cleared. In effect, I was the Art Director, the Photographer and at some point, a really bad stylist and awful make-up artist, all rolled into one. For a larger shoot, this will not be ideal, obviously. Wearing multiple hats will help ensure that I can jump into a role when the need arises.

One of my objective of this shoot is to help "pave a pathway", if you will, for these new models-to-be, into the world of commercial modeling. I'm hoping to help create a starting point with at least 1 out of 5 shots that they can use for their comp card, should they choose to do so. The other part of this shoot, done most gracefully by Paul are glamour shots for the girls. Paul has a style in photography that few has managed to achieve, much less, duplicate. It is no secret that many photographers tried to have him divulge his techniques. However, it's my belief that if it isn't their style to begin with, it will never be their style to end with. Paul, if you're reading this, you can share your techniques with me. I'll keep it a secret. ;-)

We also had Bryan videotape an hour worth of fun. The video footage is amazingly well done (thanks to Paul and...me, haha!) and if you have not watched it, it can be found in youtube as well as MySpace. Do NOT miss it. It's good clean fun and if Nicole can have her way, she'll dance her way through the entire shoot. ;-)

Nicole on the right was fooling around when I shot this. What she does not realize, most of the time is that she has the innate ability to extend her character across the room when she is relaxed. That's her personality and her great selling point in a portfolio. Nicole rocks. I keep telling her that and it may diluted the effects. Bah, who cares. Nicole Rocks!

I do have to admit that the best shot that I did that day is actually a ultra hot glamour shot for Celeste. If you want to see that image, you'll have to talk to Celeste. ;-) But let's push glamour aside for a minute and talk about modeling portfolio. What do the commercial agencies really want? Modeling is really about acting and if you send them a comp card with 5 images of identical expression, it'll get them uninterested really fast. You need to prove that you have the ability to be an actor(ess) in a different scene, different products and different use case.

I first took Celeste to the fireplace for my first session of the day. Celeste took a bit of time to warm up but when she did, she really glowed with her full ability to showcase herself. She is also a bit more seasoned as a model as she has done work with a few other photographers. I really wanted to showcase her "wild side" and she has the body to show off. We did my best glamour shot that day and right after, this shot on the left. Her hair flying sideways looked incredibly dynamic. In addition to that, Jorge's wonderful makeup on her just spiced it up a big notch. The hardest makeups are the ones that you can't tell there's a makeup but makes the model look incredible at the same time. That's a fact! Keep that in mind for your search for the best makeup artists out there. Jorge did a phenomenal job here. I also found the perfect crop for this hot image. Yup, I'm the Crop King!

Melina coyly admitted that she's not the typical glamour girl. However, that's not really an issue here. As I stated earlier, it's really about personalities and how a model can fit into a role and, not the other way round. Her gorgeous blue eyes is the main attraction and rightfully so. I had Bryan and Ken hold her arms while she gave me an intense stare. What came out from it is perfectly slated for this mock ad, Delirium on the right.

Angelina has one of the most perfect skin and beautiful face one can lay eyes on. She's a cutie. If there is a commercial for skin products, she is the perfect choice. She only had red lipsticks on at the time. Of course, I could just shoot her plain and she would look incredible. But to give it a unique twist, I had her hold two torn pieces of translum and got the shot on the left. The additional make-up was done by yours truly. ;-) As you can tell, I only smooth out skin when necessary and skin texture can be a great friend and gives an image a real feel to it.

For a model to jump into the modeling business, he/she needs to start with CRS (Critically High Standard). What does that mean? You need to be able to impressed the agent with just one glance. One look is all it takes for you to get in. You folks have it easier than actors. Actors sends in one headshot and that's their one chance. Models have a comp card that shows 5 shots. You are as strong as your weakest link and it's true. Your worse + worst image will be branded into the minds of Art Directors, agencies and photographers. This really is a First Impression business.

- Michael Soo