Selfies the Digital Polaroids

I have to be honest, you simply cannot rely on the photo shoot images alone. Because, as a professional fashion photographer I know how they can be manipulated, so you need a more firm source. One of the easiest ways I feel is to look through the models social media profiles. As we live in the “selfies rage age” and at times do not even consider twice before posting them.

This is only when I am looking for a specific look, at most of the times I am able to work with the models I have used before. This is more about the models that are new in the industry. As I want to give them a chance, the same way clients did with me. As I feel this is a healthy way to let the industry grow, and keep the doors opened for all that wish to pursue their passion.

[pullquote] It started out as a curious habit, and now I use it more often than I ever thought I would. [/pullquote]

As I have had a few disastrous experience before. So I believe in being safe, than being sorry later. Because I hired a new model once based on her portfolio alone, as I did not have time for a sit down. And I could have sworn someone else showed up. And to top it all off, she swore it was her, and the images were just “tweaked” a little, as that is what happens in the fashion industry.

I did end up using her as the model that day, but I did give her a piece of my mind politely after the shoot was over. Because, honestly, she was prettier in person. And the “tweaks” she has made were only to live up beauty standards that do not exist in my books. You cannot sell an entirely fake image, as that would be deceiving your audience in believing in things that do not exist to begin with. As this way you are degrading yourself worth, lying to the fashion photographer, and asking him to continue your lie.

So to help avoid such situations, I decided to look for them online. As many models had started leaving the details to their social media profiles on their portfolio. It started out as a curious habit, and now I use it more often than I ever thought I would. As looking through their selfies allows me to determine is he/she is the perfect model for the job. And helps saves so much time, and resources.

So my advice to you is, that uses these careless selfies, and post them to show off your beauty. As they portray the real you. And for beginner fashion photographers I suggest you promote the beauty your models hold, and do not encourage them to “tweak” the image to a point where you cannot tell who they belong to. I even urge you to check out their selfies, as they are the digital Polaroids, and without them you will be setting yourself up for a blind date.