I’ll be the first to admit it, photographers are a 
strange breed. It is completely understandable why fitness models might find it frustrating to communicate with us. Many photographers only use the right side (the artistic and creative side) of their brain and often keep the left side (the well structured and organized side) turned off. The result is you may not get the photos you need, which is problematic particularly when you are paying for something you cannot use.
So, how do you (as a fitness talent and model) get what you need from us quirky photographers?
I think there are a few very simple steps which you can do upfront to ensure that you get the most out of each photo shoot.
STEP 1) Ask yourself if you really need (or want) to do the photo shoot.
What is your goal with doing this photo shoot? Write that goal down. Perhaps you need to get some new headshots to market yourself commercially with, or you have a new look in mind that you want to take and pitch to a certain editorial client. Record your goals for the shoot and then communicate those goals with the photographer. I call this part “developing the creative vision.” It is good to ponder the following scenario, if this shoot is a success BLANK will happen. What is BLANK?
STEP 2) Determine the looks and styles that you need to shoot.
Will you need these photos to be in color or black and white? Do you need them shot outdoors or in a studio? Do you need headshots, three-quarter, or full length shots? Is your goal to look gritty and edgy, or appealing and more lifestyle? Do the poses need to be action shots, or smiling and looking into the camera? Once again, write these things down and communicate this (as part of the creative vision) with your photographer.
STEP 3) Determine the output that you require.
How many photos do you need edited? Is it 2 photos or 10 photos? Do you need the photographer to print the images for you, or are you okay printing them yourself if they give you the high resolution files? Speaking of file sizes, what file sizes will you be needing? Low resolution file sizes are great to sharing on line, but not good to print with. Whereas high resolution file sizes are great to print, but not the best to be e-mailing around. Communicate all of these needs with the photographer you plan on hiring. Everyone photographer is going to have a different process for how they approach this.
STEP 4) Determine usage.
Most talents and models are not going to ever fully understand rights and usage. But the real ironic part is that most photographers don’t understand it completely either. But to make it super simple, all it means is what can you and what can you not do with the photos. For example, can you use them online on your website? Can you put them on your composite card? Do you have the ability to send them off to agencies? What about magazines? What if you are approached by a magazine or an advertiser who wants to use the photo; what are you permitted to do in these cases? Communicate these questions and make sure you understand the answers. Every photographer is going to have a slightly different protocol for dealing with usage.
Although this is not fool-proof, by simply taking a few moments to determine and communicate the needs and wants behind your photo shoot in advance, can truly save you a lot of time and energy in the future.
Happy Shooting!
James
www.jamesmpatrick.com
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