Whether you are new to Models Direct and need to take a set of photos to send us when you join us or whether you are already a model and wish to refresh your e-portfolio, summer is the ideal time to get snapping.

But before you begin – and before you recruit a friend or family member to help you out behind the camera – it’s worth reading through our top tips on how to take great modelling shots in the summer sunshine.

1 Don’t shoot straight into the sun – always make sure the sun is behind the camera. We need to see you, your face and everything you are wearing. If you shoot into the sun, we will see shadow.

2 If you find yourself squinting at the camera – as the sun is behind it – then experiment with having the sun to one side.

3 Taking summer pictures as the sun rises or sets can provide you with a really nice depth of light that can work well in your modelling shots.

4 Find a nice piece of shade to shoot in – somewhere you can still capture the beautiful blue sky behind you and the warmth of the day.

5 If you can’t find any shade, consider creating your own with a large umbrella or awning.

6 Avoid close-up shots in bright sunlight as shadows on the face will be highlighted.

7 Try taking the same shot in several different positions, moving slightly every time. Then when you go through your pictures later you may find one or two that work better than the others.

8 Learn how to adjust the exposure on your phone or camera. Some phones have a brightness bar to help you do this, but this will vary depending on the settings in your own device. Move the bar up and down until the image looks as you’d like it to be.

9 Avoid lens flare appearing in an image by making sure direct sunlight does not hit your phone or camera lens.

Have fun in the sun – but remember to stay well protected and well hydrated.

And we look forward to seeing those summer snaps!

Photographers know what they’re looking for when it comes to producing a winning image for all types of work, from commercial to digital. If they’ve got a furry companion or scaly creature in front of their lens, or any type of animal for that matter, they’ll know just about everything there is to capture a timeless moment that exudes a message and a deeper meaning. It’s a pretty incredible skill to have as a photographer because let’s face it – animals can be cheeky, playful characters with a mind of their own. They’ll enjoy getting up to cute mischief and there may very well be plenty of blunders along the way.

Photographers have come across plenty of pet owners that have high expectations and rocketing stress levels. We know it’s not meant to be intentional because the pressure can be sizzling hot (a bit like the weather we’ve seen lately) but we know that they want their pet to perform perfectly for the camera. Is this always possible? Probably not – and this is where some top tips, straight from the eyes of a photographer, can leverage the modelling experience for pets and their owners. Let’s check them out here:

Be patient
Yes, that good old phrase you might have thought we wouldn’t mention but here it is! Your animal may need time to adjust to its surroundings, particularly when they’ve been booked and have been called out somewhere further afield. New places, new people, and a good few cameras pointing at them may throw them off guard, and that’s understandable. It can be a daunting experience for animals and humans alike. This may happen so the key ingredient is to be prepared – hiccups will ensue and that’s okay. What can you do? Expose them to different environments to help ease them into unknown territories. Check in on how you’re feeling too – do you get anxious when they feel uncomfortable? Animals are incredibly smart, instinctive creatures so they’ll pick up and feed on how you’re feeling too. Try and relax – if it gets too much, take a break and restart the process when you’re both ready.

Get to their level
Great advice we’ve had from our photographers’ perspective is to get down to your subject’s eye level. Meet your pet at their level, communicate with them and whip out that smartphone to take snaps. Selfies too, so they can see you both on your screen. This’ll expose them to a modelling experience and get them accustomed to an unfamiliar face doing the same. Photographers reposition their camera plenty of times and from different viewpoints and angles, so replicate the same with your fluffy bestie for practice.

Reward them
Your pet’s hard work should never go unnoticed – whether it’s positive words or rewarding them with healthy snacks and toys (or all three!) – and you’ll know that incentives work! Your companion needs to know you’re happy with them, especially if they’ve stepped out of their comfort zone and had tons of images taken. We love our treats as do our animal counterparts so remember to pack snacks, their favourite comforter and some extra playthings to generate an enriching experience whilst you’re out and about taking their photos.

We hope that these tips are helpful when snapping your hero pet! Whether they’ve been called in for commercial modelling, catalogue modelling, digital modelling or even promotional modelling, these tips will help! Let our team know how you get on, we’d love to hear from you all!

However, even though we’re fascinated with everything associated with commercial modelling, we like to hear of tips from other experts outside our professional remit. Models Direct was moulded from a love of photography, but as our business expanded into what it is today (the UK’s only national talent agency), we concentrated on providing the best individuals to our clients – be it models, actors, singers, entertainers or musicians. So, when professional photographers advise on their own top tips for models, we listen. As should all you gifted people out there!

Here’s a list of great advice by photographers for models – read, absorb, learn. We hope you take some of them into your next assignment!

1. Don’t worry too much about the technical aspect of photography. Professional photographers are exactly that – they know what they’re doing! Leave the technical stuff to them and the day will run smoothly.

2. Preparation. Never turn up without some sort of preparation. It’s always a good idea to research the client or photographer – if you know their name. All knowledge is power!

3. Go easy on the make-up! Your photographer will assess the lighting and the backgrounds, and they might even have some advice on how much make-up (if any) is required. Additionally, if a director or PA are on set, they could have the final say in the make-up stakes. Listen to them, and go with the flow.

4. Communication is key. When we put forward models for assignments, we’ll always give them as much information as possible. Going to modelling jobs “blind” only hinders the assignment, and photographers know this as well. A good photographer will clearly explain what is required by models, as well as the idea behind the shoot – i.e. what they and the clients are looking for, and how the finished photos will help the campaign. Speaking of communication, don’t be afraid to ask questions if in any doubt.

5. Stay as healthy as possible a few days before your shoot. Get plenty of sleep, eat well (by not overdoing the calories and making sure you consume sufficient vitamins), and drink lots of water. Being fighting fit (both mentally and physically) reflects positively in the finished articles. A good photographer can often work miracles, but there’s no substitute to having a naturally glowing complexion by taking care of yourself. Models need to think in the long term!

6. Relax. A good photographer knows that a composed and unruffled model is absolutely essential for a successful shoot. Any respectable photographer won’t touch a model without mutual consent and they won’t have any qualms if a model asks a friend to come along for the experience. Keeping a model at ease is one of a photographer’s main aims!

7. Enjoy! Yes, it’s work, but photography is a skill that is enjoyed by all professionals. Any photographer worth his / her salt will also want models to enjoy the shoot. In fact, a photo shoot is one of the most satisfying jobs going!

If you want to know a little bit more about the wonderful world of professional photography in the modelling world have a read here:


We hope you’ll be applying some of the above tips in photo shoots in the near future!

Child models and modelling families

If you have a child model, or you’re a family modelling squad, you may have been called for our summer assignments. We’ve had plenty of work these past months, it’s been busy and buzzing and we’re expecting more; more briefs, more assignments and new clients to look forward to meeting over the rest of the year, and beyond.

Our models range from newborns to seniors and there are no restrictions on looks, size, gender identity, age (which you’ve noted correctly), social status, religious beliefs and marital status.

Getting your child camera-ready

Alongside getting your kid ready for the new school year, they’ll be acquiring new skills and in this case, we want to focus on them being camera-ready. They might be accustomed to you pointing your smartphone towards them, or perhaps some of the modelling jobs they’ve done, but getting them that bit prepared for those iconic school photographs that you’ll be cherished for years to come, will be one less thing for you to worry about, especially for the older bunch.

However, the story might read a little differently for younger children – think nursery and reception ages – as they’ll be busy understanding the world around them, and might not notice the camera lens, the photographer behind it or someone trying to grab their attention.

A trip down memory lane

Remember your own school pics? They probably felt a bit like Marmite – you either loved them or hated them…or you weren’t too fussed. Maybe you were cheeky and managed to pull a funny face just in time for the camera flash, distracting most of your mates, your eyes watered up or you ended up blinking! Maybe yours were always perfect. Our assignments are the same – hiccups do happen along the way and that’s okay because that’s how life rolls – a bit like that rolling camera when you were having your class photo. Our clients are prepared for their on-set photoshoot to sometimes not turn out to be expected, but that’s why they’re always rolling and asking our models to keep going, keep feeling positive and show their true selves so this resonates through the images.

We know you like the sound of that! It isn’t a dream, but it’s something that can come true if you sign up with our agency. If you want to find out more, head on over to our reviews page, and social media like Facebook or subscribe to our blogs because there’s a lot more where this has come from! See you soon and keep smiling!

Photo-shoots consist of a creative team, the size and experience of the team can vary depending on budget, location, brand, etc. Larger budgets will afford a stylist, make-up artist, hair stylist and assistants, however this is not always the case! We do know it will always include a model and a photographer.

A photographer’s role is complex, often they are the glue that keeps the creative team together and more often than not the person who leads the shoot. Being a successful photographer is of course about technical ability, but more importantly being able to make a model feel comfortable infront of the camera and in your company by giving them the encouragement they need to believe in themselves – if you master this you will be a busy photographer!

Making a name for yourself as a photographer is not easy, it’s competitive and to get bookings you need to stand out.

Here are some tips to make the best name for yourself as a professional photographer and how to work with models and get the best from them:

Shoot Preparation

• Make sure your kit is complete – Shoot days can be stressful, with lots going on, locations to find, new people to meet, schedules to keep to along with many other factors, so it’s important to make sure your kit is complete, clean and batteries charged. A day or two before the shoot do a kit check, you may not have put it away properly from your last shoot, so make sure you have the lens’s you need, your camera batteries are charged, you have enough memory cards and any backup equipment you may need. You can’t predict technical issues, but you can prepare for them, so having all the right equipment gives you peace of mind and allows you to simply focus creating incredible images.
• Locations – Whatever type of shoot you are doing there will be shoot locations involved. It may just be one, but make sure you know where it is and how you can access it. If you have numerous locations for one shoot it’s a good idea to scout them out prior to the shoot so you are familiar to them and know what you’re going to be working with.
• Timings – It’s a cliche, but time is money and your time is valuable! However you have quoted for this job it will come down to time and the client will still be expecting amazing images within the time frame you have set, so be aware of it and stay focused. You may only have your creative team for a certain time frame, be sure to know the schedule of the day and find ways to make sure you can get the shots you want with in it.
• Vision – To ensure you or your client will get the images they want you need to have fully understood their vision. Whether you are photographing a product, model or scene, sometimes all three, by asking the right questions beforehand, researching your client and talking with your client you will both be on the same wavelength, which is essential to guarantee your client is satisfied with the final images.

Shoot Day

• Models – Sourcing the right model for the shoot is very important. The Models Direct booking team spend lots of time speaking with photographers to fully understand what they are looking for to ensure they source the ideal model(s) for the right price too.

Click here to speak to one of our helpful booking agents

• Model Experience – This will depend on your budget really as more experienced models requests higher model fees, however you may not need a model with lots of experience, it all depends on the nature of the shoot and the shoot budget, something your booking agent will discuss with you. Some models work well with little direction and others need more specific directions, either way a good photographer will be able to click with the model quickly and make be able to make them feel relaxed and comfortable infront of the camera.
• Remain Professional at all times – As a photographer you may be required to work closely with a model, you may have given direction to a model but adjustments still need to be made to get the best image. It helps to have a stylist with you or even an assistant who can make adjustments to the models clothes, hair or make up, but be sure to have permission from the model before doing this.
• Happy Model – Modelling is tiring and shoots can be long and not always comfortable for the model, make sure your model is well looked after and is as comfortable and happy as they can be. Offer regular breaks and by make sure there are refreshments on set for them, this will help the model keep their energy levels up and stay focused. If you are shooting outside make sure the model isn’t too hot or too cold, you may need to make sure you have an extra coat to hand or even a fan if it’s a particularly hot environment. Try and meet your models demands, you want to get the best from them and to do this they need to feel at their best, so be patient, professional and listen to them, it’s important to keep them on side and work as a team to create the stunning, eye-catching images you envisaged.

The Models Direct website has a clear query request form for you to complete when looking to book models, by submitting this a member of the team will be in contact straight away to discuss your requirements in more detail:

Have Fun!

It’s important to have fun while shooting, by creating a positive, upbeat and fun environment will benefit you, your model and therefore the images! A photographer who is confident, capable and relaxed will instantly make a model feel at ease and you are then set for a very successful shoot!