Polaroids are the most important photos for a model
Discover the importance of having good polaroids for your modeling career, and how to get yours.
Polaroids are photos specifically made to show you as you are, without any filters, special effects or makeup. Like a blank canvas.
Model agencies, bookers, casting directors, stylists and photographers select models mainly through their polaroids because it greatly helps them understand how you really look, and whether you're a match for what they're searching or not.
Polaroids are not your modeling resume because they don't show anything about the jobs you've done or your experience. They simply show you as you are in this moment, in the most natural and direct way possible.
These are the characteristics Polaroids must meet for them to work well:
Clothing
- Simple clothes: Preferably tight, white or black. The silhouette must be clearly visible.
- Ideally for girls, a two-piece swimsuit. For boys some swimming pants. Clothing that shows the neck, shoulders, arms and legs is ideal. Do not wear only lingerie or underwear.
- No makeup
- No shoes, although in some photos you can wear heels, especially if you are catwalk-oriented.aje
- If you have long hair, tie it up or put it back so that your shoulders and neck can be seen, avoid it covering your face.
Posing
- Neutral poses, simplistic, relaxed, not forced. Standing.
- Several full-body or three-quarter body photos: Completely from the front, a little from the side, completely from the side, and from the back.
- Make sure you have at least one full body photo from head to toe.
- Close-up face photos: From the front, a little from the side and in profile.
- Having a close-up photo of your face between your polaroids is ideal.
Technical aspects
- White background, ideally in a cyclorama.
- The model should always be centered in the frame.
- No accessories: Only the model and their clothing.
- Color photos, no color grading, filters or color effects. Make the skin look as natural as possible.
- No liquify effects, skin smoothing, cloning to remove blemishes, or the like.
- Preferably global, diffused and frontal lighting. Optionally, use filled shadows to help define volume, but avoid shadows that are too dark.
Where to get good polaroids?
Fashion photographers know how to take good polaroids for your portfolio. Search the Litmind services section to find photographers and get your polaroids:
Keep your polaroids up to date
As is normal, agencies and bookers don't like it when they select a model based on their polaroids and they discover that the photos were too old, or that the model has changed too much.
If you've grown since your last polaroids, if you've gotten a tattoo, or if your figure has changed, get new polaroids and delete the old ones from your portfolio.
Bad examples of polaroids
Just so you have an idea, in these bad examples of polaroids, clothing that is too baggy does not allow us to distinguish the silhouette, makeup was used, or the poses are too elaborate and make it difficult to simply appreciate the figure of the model.
