Information for Models

I’m always looking for new interesting people to work with.

Table of Contents

Paid vs. Free

While I do most of my shoots for free, that is not a policy that applies to everyone. Taking good quality photos usually involves bringing quite some gear to the set, sometimes multiple hours of shooting and loads of post-production work. I love what I do, but it consumes a lot of time and money. So please don’t just assume I’ll do all that for free.
However, I also enjoy working with models just for the sake of creating art together and in that case I do not want to have money involved. This will not happen until I know you to some degree. Usually I will approach you with an idea and see if you’re into it or not. Yet that is no hard policy: Should you already have an awesome idea in your head, just talk to me and chances are that we’ll work something out.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

I don’t own or usually rent studios, so most of my work is on location. That is either some neat spot I found somewhere or somebody’s home. In the past it has proven pretty beneficial to meet on neutral ground first, establishing some mutual trust and then moving on to a place that’s familiar and comfortable to you (that does not imply intimate shoots in the physical sense – it’s just easier to work in a closed and familiar environment where you can be yourself and we can fool around without people wondering).

If the shoot is going to be at your place: please be sure to make as much room as possible – put all things aside one wouldn’t want to have in a photo. For fashion-style shoots it’s a good idea to have a blank wall as a background.

Having someone else on the set

It’s totally ok if you’re a bit cautious about creepy Mr. Photographer. I maintain a reputation for not eating models alive, but anybody could say that, right? So if you think you’d feel better having a friend or your partner around, just say so. However, more than one person not directly involved in the shoot is a pretty bad idea, because you won’t be yourself. You just won’t, trust me on this. In fact, even your best friend or your partner may influence your behaviour and thus our creative freedom. If we’re in for more than a single shooting, I recommend doing this as a just-you-the-camera-and-me thing – the results are usually way more interesting.
As a general tip, whenever you go on a shoot with someone you don’t fully trust, at least tell someone where you’re going and maybe have them call you just to see if you’re ok. I’m not one of them, but there’s weirdos out there.
One more thing: if you’re bringing someone, please tell them not to interfere with the shoot and don’t look in their direction for approval. If they’re not ok with whatever you want to do in front of the camera and that matters to you, the shoot probably shouldn’t happen at all.

Be punctual

I will give you my number before the shoot so please call me if you’re delayed. Thank you.

What to bring

There are a couple of things you should have with you on a shoot, in no particular order whatsoever:

What should I avoid?

What if I’ve never modeled before?

No problem there. If you’re a reasonable and reliable person, we won’t have any problems. Here is a growing list of surprisingly common misconceptions unexperienced models often face:

What will happen to my photos after the shoot?

After the shoot is done, I will take the photos with me, lock myself into my hidden secret place and perform ancient magic rituals to make them look even better. If you’re into retouching yourself, I will provide you with a selection of the original files.
After a couple of days (obviously depending on the amount of photos taken), I will email you a username and password that you use to login on this website and view/download your photos. Unlike many other photographers I will give you high-resolution images that you can use to make your own prints. If you want me to handle ordering the prints, please understand that I need you to pay for the prints and shipping.
I will also ask you for permission to publicly display your photos (e.g. on this website) and have you sign a model release if you agree. Please note that when shooting for free being able to put the photos up for display is the only compensation I ask for bringing loads of expensive gear, time and experience. I think that’s reasonable. I also won’t put your name anywhere near those photos (unless you insist I do so), so it’s not really a big deal.

What’s a model release?

A model release is the paperwork of a photo shoot. In most cases you can think of it as a contract between you and me that allows you to use the photos of our shoot (for which I retain the copyright) to promote yourself as a model (and for any personal use of course). It will also allow me to publicly display these photos. Please note that (unless something else is said in the actual contract) none of us will be entitled to sell the photos themselves or usage rights to third parties.
A model release is standard practice and is in fact something you should look for (and read carefully) when shooting with someone.




If you’ve got any more questions, email me.
© Torsten Rehn