Tips for Models

Attention all models!

As a makeup artist, I’ve had the pleasure of working and corresponding with many new models. Based on my experiences, I’ve learned that there are simple things you can do ahead of time to prepare for a photo shoot that will save time on set and in some cases protect your health. This list of tips is the result of things that models have done to ensure that photo shoots ran smoothly and efficiently, as well as the result of learning from snags that arose on set which could have been easily prevented. Try these suggestions and the entire creative team on your next project will love working with you!

Hair

  • Ensure that your hair is in good condition and free of split ends. If
    your hair is very damaged, schedule a trim before the photo shoot.
  • If you colour or highlight your hair, inspect the state of the colour.
    If you have major regrowth, schedule an appointment to have your roots
    touched up before the shoot.
  • Arrive with clean, dry hair that is free of product or has minimal
    product.
  • Please do not arrive on set with wet hair as there may not be enough
    time for a blow out in addition to styling the hair into the desired
    look.

Face

  • Always maintain well groomed eyebrows and remove any stray hairs before
    the shoot. Time constraints on set typically do not allow for a complete brow
    shaping session.
  • Ensure that any unwanted facial hair above the upper lip is removed. A
    depilatory made for sensitive facial skin will remove hair in under five
    minutes. Whether you use a depilatory or waxing, it’s a good idea to
    do this a few days before the shoot in order to let your skin heal from
    any potential irritation that may result.
  • If you get facial treatments, schedule your appointment a few days in
    advance of the shoot so any resulting reactions your skin may experience
    from the products and/or extractions can calm down.
  • Do not squeeze blemishes! Squeezing blemishes results in the area
    becoming more inflamed, creating a bigger problem area.
  • Arrive with a clean, moisturized, makeup-free face.

Body

  • If possible, please avoid tanning beds and spray tans. The resulting
    colour rarely looks natural and often makes more work for the makeup and
    post-production team.
  • Make sure that all unwanted body hair is removed prior to the shoot. If
    waxing is your preferred method, you may want to schedule your
    appointment a few days in advance of the shoot so that any irritation
    that may result has sufficient time to run its course.
  • The night before the shoot, use a good body scrub to exfoliate. Pay
    special attention to rough areas such as elbows and knees. Follow with a
    good moisturizer.

Hands

  • Maintain neat, natural nails painted with either a coat of sheer nude
    or clear polish and ensure that your cuticles are well moisturized and
    free of snags.

Feet

  • Regularly use a pumice stone to slough off any rough patches of skin on
    your feet and keep your feet well moisturized.
  • Maintain a tidy pedicure of trimmed toenails painted with either a coat
    of sheer nude or clear polish.

On Set

  • Arrive on time. If unforeseen circumstances arise, contact the person who is
    organizing the shoot as soon as you realize you may be late.
  • Once you are on set, please do not text or talk on your cell phone/iPhone/
    Blackberry while you are in the hair and makeup chair.     Not only is this rude, but
    hair and makeup ends up taking exorbitant amounts of time if the stylists are trying to work
    around your phone call or text messaging. If you must make an emergency phone call or
    send a quick text message, try and find a moment when you are not required to be on set to
    do this and keep it quick.

  • Bring your own mascara with you to every photo shoot. A makeup artist who is
    mindful of proper sanitation practices will use disposable mascara wands and only dip each
    wand into the tube once. If a makeup artist is not using disposable mascara wands,
    insist that the makeup artist use your own mascara.

General Tips

  • Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. It really does help keep
    your skin looking its best.
  • Get a good night’s sleep the night before the shoot.

    • Update: For excellent advice on preparing for a photo shoot from a photographer’s perspective, please read Models: How to Prepare for a Photo Shoot by the incredibly talented Dannielle Levan.