How to Move for a photo - Coco Rocha style! Take pictures like a model.

                                                                                        photo by Christopher Barr Photography

It is not true that a beautiful girl just naturally takes a beautiful photo.

Many times the prettiest girl doesn’t make it as a model because she has no clue how to work a camera. She is sweet, humble, modest … and because she hears all the time how beautiful she is, this girl says "ok, I’m gorgeous" and bounces around making all sorts of goofy faces, falling into old habits like slouching or weird poses during a test shoot when the pressure is on. None of which translates into a beautiful photo.

Any girl is capable of more than this, which is why not only the beautiful girls get modeling agents. You have to become arrogant when the camera is turned on you. You must give an attitude to the photographer like “I am doing you a favor letting you take my picture!” Leave the sweet, innocent vibe at home … it will be there waiting for you when you walk through the door, but at a photo shoot you MUST be in control. Think to yourself, they could have picked any girl, and they chose ME! I am going to remind them of the reason why! 

Ahhhh, Yes... Confidence! This is what it is about and it radiates from within your head all the way to your fingertips. Last month I did a photo shoot for the Phoenician (behind the scenes photo above) and the photographer gave me the most wonderful compliment. This is what he wrote: 

     "By the way, you were awesome ... it is such a pleasure to work with pros that bring more than just genetics to a shoot. The shoot archive is strong and your one of the reasons why."

Out-takes from another commercial shoot that my makeup artist, Giselle Fox, took with her camera phone. 

When the Camera is ON so are you. When the camera is DOWN you can go back to being yourself. 

What to do? You are on the beach in a bikini. You have a top and a bottom. No props, just you and your confidence. Sounds a little intimidating doesn't it? Rather than only striking a pose and giving a smile ... you can play with your hair, toss your head, arch your back, stick out your butt, turn, dance, crack up laughing, splash the water, the options are really endless when you free your mind and let yourself really model.  Check the stupid faces at the door, and think arrogant attitude … own the photo with your face, oozing confidence and control the entire time. 

Watch and Learn - Coco Rocha as she gets the cover shot in less than 20 moves - This is how you Move on camera!

My friend and fellow Ford model, Katie Reed says, 

"Models don't just pout their lips. They have to be willing to open up. They have to show us a little of their soul. Their secrets. Nobody wants to see photos of weak people. We look at great models because they open up from a position of strength."

There are a lot of books out there to tell you what a model does, types of models, how to get an agency, modeling lingo, etc but really EVERY girl wants to know how to take better pictures and my book can tell you the secrets behind the science of doing so. Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and make up artist on how to become Picture Perfect! is available for $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as a paperback on Amazon.com What are you waiting for? Time to OWN my book and YOUR photos!