Find any photographer and I bet if you asked to see their work from when they began shooting you would be blown away and probably not in a good way. No one is born a great photographer and to some, it comes easier than others. It takes an incredible amount of hard work to learn the craft with plenty of bumps along the way. The best advice that I have stuck to is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. I am still working on honing in on what I shoot and that is why I find it even more important to schedule model calls. A model call is where no money is exchanged between photographer and subject. The photographer gives a predetermined amount of images in exchange for the model's time and beautiful face :). Here are three reasons why every new photographer should be scheduling model calls.
Try something different
I don't know about you but I get nervous at shoots. Like REALLY REALLY nervous. Model calls are a great way to practice without the pressure of a paid shoot. Learning how to interact with your subjects is incredibly important. Drawing emotion out of your subject is what elevates a photo from good to great. The best part about a model call is it is completely your vision. Think outside the box and challenge yourself to come up with a cool new concept for a shoot.
Play with your settings
Getting your camera off auto can be scary and intimidating. What better time to practice manual settings than when you aren't getting paid. Golden hour is an amazing time of day to shoot. Some of the most gorgeous images are produced when taken the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. It is still challenging though to expose the image correctly during golden hour so it is crucial that you practice. One setting does not fit all occasions so learning how to adapt to different lighting conditions is really important for improving in photography.
Shoot at a new location
Location is a huge part of the story in a photography session. A photographer's choice of a location is reflected in their brand. Locations could be hit or miss depending on how busy it is or what direction the sun is setting. For that reason, I love to bring my "models" to a location before I bring paying customers. See these photos where I took a photo of two adorable girls in what seems like an amazing faraway field? Nope, not the case at all. In fact, I drive by this location daily as I pick my kids up from school. You probably won't believe this but this is literally right off the main road right before a cemetery. I always noticed the way the sun was setting and it just seemed perfect for Golden hour. It did not disappoint! There was no risk if it didn't come out well as I wasn't being paid for the shoot. In fact, these are my daughters and I finally forced myself to try out this location and it was beautiful.
These are just some of the reasons why I think scheduling a model call benefits not just new photographers but anyone. Model calls don't have to be real models. It could be your kids, your neighbor, a friend, anybody! Use these shoots to inspire you and get feedback! So get out and shoot already.