Photographer Personalities

Being able to work well with a photographer is vital when it comes to being a good model. Having the right people skills will help you in letting loose in front of the camera and bringing a lot of personality to a shoot, whether you're one-on-one with the photographer or working with a whole crew. However, each photographer has his/her own personality that may or may not be so easy to work with.

Based off of my past modeling experiences, I thought it would be helpful to list examples of the types of personalitites of the various photographers I've worked with over the years (I won't be naming names of course!). This may help you in the future if you should ever work with a photographer who has a similar personality. This is not to say that ALL photographers act like this...this is merely based off of my professional modeling experiences.

The Buddy
This type of photographer is very friendly (but not in a creepy way). He/she is able to make you feel comfortable within minutes of meeting them and makes you feel at ease. They love to joke and laugh while out on the shoot. Their interactions with their models allows the model to feel as if they have known this photographer for a long time. These types of photographers tend to stay in close touch with the models, not just for shoots, but as a friend. They tend to call or email to check up on their models and ask about their lives and update them on projects. They get the shoot done and enjoy the process from beginning to end.

The Dictator
This type of photographer is very set in his/her ways and knows exactly how they want their shots to be. They may be very stubborn and not as open to creativity from a model regarding a pose or shoot. When posing they tend to bark directions and are more comfortable when they are in control of the posing and setting. They may appear uncomfortable or uninterested if the model offers an idea for a pose or location.

The Indifferent
This type of photographer is so carefree that he/she often will just go with whatever the model suggests. This can be a good or bad thing for a model. These photographers tend to find locations the day of the shoot and just shoot on the fly without any real planning. They may not have a set idea or theme in mind but just want to point and shoot...this allows the model to be as creative as he/she pleases. If you are a creative model with a lot of energy, this type of photographer may be easy to work with. New models and those who aren't as comfortable in front of the camera may have a difficult time trying to figure out what the photographer wants.

The Above and Beyond
This type of photographer is so creative and is bursting with so many ideas it can be overwhelming. He/she may have one set theme/look for a shoot but once they are inspired, that could easily turn into three, four, or five looks in one day. Instead of working with what was originally agreed upon, they like to switch things up and throw out suggestions such as a new location, new outfit, new theme, etc. Often this is done on the day of the shoot and because the photographer's mind is racing a million miles a minute, it can be frustrating or overwhelming for a model to keep up. Sometimes this can get out of hand and can result in a long day of shooting. They do not like to be limited to what's already been done and often think of ideas that are very out of the box, which may or may not interest the model.

The Enticer
This type of photographer can appear to enjoy shooting the models a little too much (this mostly happens with male photographers shooting female models). They can come across a little creepy but are professional and do not try to get close to the models physically. While posing they may get overly excited and may say things like, "Oh, yeah, that's sexy...", "Mmmmmm, I love that", etc. While these sayings can be totally innocent and a part of the photographer's way of expressing his excitement over the poses/photos, it can sound sexual, which may make some models uncomfortable. In addition to making these comments, the photographer loves to entice the models by directing them to remove items of clothing, "That's great, now try unbuttoning your shirt..." and other types of requests in order to see how far they can get you to go in a photograph. If you are a model who does not do glamour or implied nude work, this type of photographer may be difficult to work with.

The Perv
This photographer is all about taking advantage of the models, both in front of the camera as well as behind. This type of photographer can either be professional or a complete scam artist only interested in shooting nude and half-naked girls. They tend to be aggressive and already know exactly what kind of shots they want. These photographers should be avoided at all costs. There are photographers who specialize in glamour and adult photography but do not act in this manner. They will never violate your comfort zone or force you to do something you do not want to do.