Since my photoshoot turned out well, and the feedback was so positive, I figured that I did something right. I performed all of the following research and practice over the two days before the shoot: here are the guidelines I used to prepare myself. Some of the tips are my own nuggets of wisdom; the rest were found using a little research via Google searches and Youtube.
*Look good for the camera
These tips work well for photographers directing a model, too.
Body: Angle your hips toward the camera (about 45 degrees), rest your weight on your back leg, and exaggerate your shoulders either hunching them toward the camera or rolling them back away.
Hands: Keep your hands soft in most shots. Try to only show the sides of your hands to the camera, and hide your thumb whenever possible. Hands look best when they are each doing something different.
Face: Learn how to use your eyes to convey emotion. Eyes look more engaged when they are open wide. Learn the different variations of smiling and which suits your face best. Practice how to make a smile look real, not just with your mouth, but with your whole face.
A couple guides which helped me a ton:
Great tutorial for creating a basic frame and pose. Includes advice which I haven't found anywhere else, but I see every model using.
http://digital-photography-school.com/21-sample-poses-photographing-female-models
Lots of examples for poses (you can see which ones I copied in my shoot :P)
*Create model makeup
The idea is that you want a natural but flawless look which emphasizes the attractive contours of the face. This photo served as my guide to makeup:
Contour the dark areas with a color that is several shades darker than your skin tone. Highlight the light areas with a color the same as or slightly brighter than your skin tone. Blend the edges well, and voila, perfect makeup artist effect. (guide: http://theuntrendygirl.com/accentuate-the-good-contour-the-rest.html)
Your makeup should be completely matte except for the highlights on the eyes and glossy lips. A nice tip for keeping my face from getting shiny: I blotted my foundation with a tissue after applying it to remove the oil. I also apply my makeup in downward strokes to go with the direction of hair and look more natural. As for the rest of the body, oil makes your skin glow beautifully. I used almond oil on my arms, collarbone, and legs.
*Create model hair
When I thought of model hair, the first picture that came to mind was Victoria's Secret models. One of the most attractive styles for long hair is the light, gently wavy, tousled look, messily parted in the middle and curled away from the face. There are a bunch of ways to get the same look, and I took bits and pieces from lots of different Youtube videos (including backstage at the VS fashion shows). I washed and curled my hair the night before, slept on it (doing so minimizes frizz and makes it look healthier), then ran a curling iron through it the next day using tons of hairspray. I also backcombed the roots to give my hair more body.
*Practice
Watch videos of models in action. They never stop moving. They cycle through different poses, changing their position and expression every time a flash goes off. Find some poses, and practice them in front of a mirror, noticing how your face and body feel in a certain position.
*Be healthy and happy
The blogs and model interviews all tout the same basic principle: take care of your body and mind. Drink tons of water, get plenty of sleep, and avoid salt for at least two days before the shoot for healthy, radiant, and young skin. Just as importantly, prepare mentally: a happy, confident state of mind will shine in the photos.
It's amazing what just a couple days of work and research can become. I need lots more practice before I get good, but I was happy with my first try. Hopefully I'll be doing more shoots, and I can keep adding tips to this list!
