A photographer on one of the modeling sites, HT Portraits, shared a blog post of his, which discusses some ideas on overcoming a learning plateau in terms of photography. Given my last entry, and how the team I worked with stepped outside our comfort zone, I thought it would be appropriate to share his blog with you.
Before I do that though, I would like to address it from a modeling standpoint, as quite often a model reaches a creative plateau that can put her in a funk (of sorts) and result in all kinds of issues. Boring, still poses, the same facial expression over and over, doing the same kind of shoots over and over… you get the idea. I have definitely been stuck on that plateau before… and it sucks. So, I’m going to take this blogger’s suggestions for photographers, and write some tips for models. Here they are… 10 tips for moving past a learning plateau, for models.
- Ask questions. And ask again. Ask the photographers you work with to explain something about their lighting. Ask models you know how they practice their poses, or acheive certain expressions. Ask models and photographers about styling (or drop by your favorite retail store and ask an employee to help style you). Ask an MUA you’re working with for a quick tip on makeup application. Ask, ask, ask! You can’t learn more if you don’t.
- Take a risk and try something new. Step out of your comfort zone and try something you’ve never done before. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to try something you’re totally uncomfortable with (like nudes, or fetish), but try out a genre you’ve never done (pinup or horror, perhaps?) . Maybe try out a new pose or a new expression (don’t be afraid to be vocal while shooting). Go through your closet and find 3 articles of clothing you’ve shot in before, and figure out a way to style each one dramatically different. You won’t know it won’t work until you try it, and you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.
- Read through forums for an uninterrupted amount of time. The forums on many modeling sites can be a wealth of information. And a great source of entertainment. Spend some time browsing through them and reading posts, looking at the profiles of people who post often, and just absorbing the knowledge that’s there. If that’s not enough, you can use a site like www.tfp.me to search for posts on a specific subject, and learn more.
- Start an inspiration collection. I’m a huge advocate of this, and have mentioned it before, numerous times. See an image that inspires you? Save it to a folder on your desktop. See an ad in a magazine you like? Tear it out and put it in a binder. Store window catch your eye? Snap a pic on your cell phone and email it to yourself to save. Carry a small notebook with you to write down ideas as they come to you, or even sketch things out. Inspiration is everywhere, and when you open your mind to it, you’ll be surprised how fast it can come to you. Especially when in conjunction with #2.
- Aim high. Don’t just look for inspiration in average places. Look at the best of the best, and see what they’ve done. Be inspired to be the best, by the best. Sometimes, though, inspiration can be found in a poorly done image, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Just strive to not only be inspired by what you find, but to do it better.
- Find mentors. Everyone can use a mentor, no matter how experienced you may be. Look for someone to offer you tips and advice in an area you want to excel in, and then ask questions. Perhaps see if you can shadow them for a day. Maybe find a mentor in a different area–a photographer for example, instead of another model–to help teach you about other aspects of your craft.
- Take a break. I’m also an advocate of this, having done it numerous times myself. The length of the break doesn’t matter–take however much time you need, and don’t let anyone pressure into coming back until you feel you’re ready. Sometimes, it’s as simple as turning off the computer and putting down the smartphone for a night, or a weekend. Other times, you have to step away for a few weeks, or even months. Stepping away from something, no matter how much you enjoy it, can give you a fresh look at things when you come back to it.
- Teach others. Sharing your knowledge can be very rewarding, and you can also learn things from those with whom you’re sharing. Offer to mentor a new model, or host a workshop for new photographers. See a question being asked in the forums that you know an answer to? Answer it!
- Get paid. When you are getting paid, often, more is expected of you. And quite often, that alone makes you step up your game and work harder. When you work harder, you learn more, not just about what you’re doing, but about yourself.
- Enjoy the journey. That’s right, enjoy what it is you’re doing along the way to wherever it is you want to be. Take some time to make art, to shoot what you want to shoot. Immerse yourself in a concept you’ve been dying to do, or something you’ve never done (see #’s 2 and 4), and while you’re doing it, have fun. Never, ever forget to have fun. If you do, once you reach your goal, you’ll look back and find yourself wondering if it was worth it. You can still work hard, but take some time to enjoy both your work, and the results from your work.
So those are my thoughts on breaking out of a creative funk, or learning plateau, as HT Portraits calls it. A model’s POV.
Now, take some time to read a photographer’s take on it, for other photographers.
Though models can learn from HT as well 😉
Thoughts of a Hobbyist Model 