Something I was thinking about recently that I thought would make an interesting topic, working with beginners vs working with professional models.
I've been lucky with all the portraits I shoot, that I've worked with a wide range of people including those just starting out, and those with a lot of experience. Like the shots in this example, this is a model named Marta Misiak who has a lot of experience. If you google her name you'll see thousands of shoots she has done around the world while on tour. This was a studio shoot she did while she was travelling in Ireland.
Its almost more enjoyable and exciting working with beginners at times because you dont know what to expect, and its always very satisfying finding somebody at the start of their journey who has a lot of potential.
However the flip side of that is professional models have so much experience and knowledge from previous shoots so they know the right angles, they often know a bit about lighting and where to position themselves for the best shots. For example Marta in this shoot needed next to no direction at all, and was so quick to move into some great poses and change up different styles. It actually made the whole shoot go so quick as I didn't have to do a lot of the explaining I normally would on a shoot.
I guess it all depends on what you want out of a shoot. Certainly for beginner photographers I'd recommend working with a professional model as they can teach a lot about posing and directing a model. Thats the kind of experience you'll only get either from doing a lot of shoots, or working with somebody who has done a lot of shoots.
Then again theres something very satisfying about working with somebody who may not have much experience (see my previous post with Mary, shes an amateur model but a great one) but has a great look and great style. Helping somebody like that near the start of their modelling journey is always rewarding and can result in some very surprising and enjoyable results.
Basically theres no right or wrong when it comes to working with beghinners vs experienced models. Both can bring some interesting and original to the table. Both have pros and cons too. The main thing is to have a good understanding what you want from the shoot, is it just a paid gig? Do you want new material for your portfolio? Do you want experience shooting different styles? The answers to these kind of questions will normally tell you the type of model that would be best suited for the shoot.
Thats just my take on it, but hopefully thats of some interest or help to others.
