Directing the Model
Written by Abin Alex and Anu Joseph.
Abstract
A practical guide to directing a model: the 80/20 rule of posing, building a connection, eight habits on set, directing the eyes and expression, the three posing goals and the model release, with two tables.
Keywords: directing a model, 80/20 rule posing, model direction, posing and expression, catchlights, posing goals, model release, fashion shoot
What is the 80/20 rule of posing?
Short answer. About a fifth of a pose is the body. The rest is the model's state of mind.
- Arranging arms and legs is the small part of posing. A perfectly placed body still fails if the face is empty, and the face follows the model's mood. A useful rule of thumb puts the physical side at about a fifth of a pose and the mental side at the rest (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 44).
- Expression goes beyond a smile: it is the spark in the eyes, the posture and the energy of a lean. Getting it is an exercise in managing the model's attitude, not their limbs.
Shoot one pose twice: once in silence, once after a minute of real conversation. Compare the eyes.
Directors say the same of actors: blocking is easy, the performance is the work.
Cham tipFix the mood before you fix the pose.
Cham taskWrite three questions you will ask a model in the first five minutes of a shoot.
Check yourself: What share of a pose is mental?
About 80 percent.
How do you build a connection with a model?
Short answer. Get to know them enough to relax them, and never leave dead air.
- You do not need to be the model's best friend, but you need to know them well enough that they relax. A shoot can feel like public speaking to a nervous model, so information from a consultation before the shoot gives you things to talk about (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 44).
- Take a real interest in them and they will trust you. Reassuring comments help. Nervous chatter does not calm anyone, but dead air, with no conversation at all, can build fear. Think how it feels when a doctor says only "Hmm" (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 44).
Before a test shoot, spend five minutes asking the model about their work and interests. Use one answer during the shoot.
A first assistant director keeps a set calm the same way, with steady, clear talk and no long silences.
Cham tipNever go silent behind the camera.
Cham taskRun a five-minute consultation before your next portrait shoot and note what you learned.
Check yourself: What can build fear in a model?
Dead air, a total lack of conversation.
What habits keep a shoot relaxed?
Short answer. Know your kit, show the pose, keep it moving, do not touch, use humour, build energy, listen and fix problems fast.
- Table 1 lists eight habits that keep the energy up and the communication open (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, pp. 44-45).
- Know your camera and lights before the model arrives, and avoid staring at the camera screen, or the model will think you are studying their faults. Show a pose by doing it yourself, because copying is easier than following "turn this" or "bend that" (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 44).
- Do not hold one pose until the model stiffens. Take the frame, adjust and move on. Avoid touching: show the pose or direct with a hand. If you must touch, touch only a hand or the hair, and ask first (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 45).
- Build energy toward each frame and be ready, because a peak expression does not last long. Listen to comments from the model or anyone with them, because they know themselves better than you do. And deal with a problem, such as a disagreement or a bad hair day, at once (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 45).
| Habit | In practice |
|---|---|
| Do your homework | Know the camera, lights and props before the shoot |
| Demonstrate the pose | Do it yourself so the model can copy |
| Keep poses fast and fresh | Shoot, adjust, move on before the model stiffens |
| Do not touch | Direct with a hand; ask before touching a hand or hair |
| Use humour | Tasteful humour when the energy drops |
| Build the energy | Adjust, then lift the mood and shoot the peak |
| Listen to feedback | Use negative and positive comments to adjust |
| Handle problems quickly | Resolve worries before they spoil the session |
Table 1. Eight habits on set.
Direct one pose only by demonstrating it yourself, with no words. See how fast the model copies it.
Many directors show an actor a move rather than describe it. It saves time and avoids confusion.
Cham tipShow, do not tell.
Cham taskLead a twenty-minute session using all eight habits and note which was hardest.
Check yourself: If you must touch a model, what may you touch?
Only a hand or the hair, and only after asking.
How do you direct the eyes and expression?
Short answer. Light the eyes first, have the model look at a person, and keep the eyes in line with the nose.
- Light the eyes before anything else. Beginners often light the bone structure of the face and forget the eyes. Aim for a catchlight high in each eye, near the top left or top right of the iris, and for the true colour of the eyes to show (Smith, 2010, pp. 52-53).
- Ask the model to look at a person beside the lens rather than into it, and the eyes come alive. Keep the eyes pointing the same way as the nose, or the model looks distracted. And keep the nose inside the outline of the far cheek (Smith, 2010, p. 53).
- The right expression depends on age. Parents love a laughing baby, children can carry a serious mood, and teens and adults usually look best with a subtle expression (Smith, 2010, p. 55). Every face is different, so expect to work differently with each model. A portrait without expression is a dead image.
Shoot a model looking into the lens, then looking at you beside the lens. Compare the life in the eyes.
An actor's eyeline is set to a person or a mark beside the camera, not the lens, for the same reason.
Cham tipCatchlights first, then expression.
Cham taskShoot five frames and check every one for catchlights and eye direction.
Check yourself: Where should catchlights sit?
At about the 10 o'clock or 2 o'clock position.
What should every pose aim for?
Short answer. Complement the model, correct problem areas and convey a mood.
- A pose has three aims: complement, correct and convey. To complement, find the model's strong and weak features early, then pose, light and choose the camera angle to show the strengths and hide the weaknesses (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, pp. 49-50).
- To correct, pose to reduce a problem area, for example by using a prop to break up the mass of the body. To convey a mood is the hardest. Match your manner to the model: act a little playful with a playful model and speak calmly with a quiet one (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 50).
- Once a pose works, shoot variations of it, with a different crop, angle or background. The model gains confidence and you gain choice (Wacker, Wacker and Wacker, 2009, p. 50).
Pick one strong feature of a model and build three frames around it.
Cinematographers choose lenses and angles to suit an actor's face in the same way.
Cham tipFind the best feature in the first five minutes.
Cham taskWrite the complement, correct and convey plan for your next model.
Check yourself: What are the three posing goals?
Complement, correct and convey.
What is a model release?
Short answer. A signed permission from the model to use their name and photographs.
- A model release is a written permission in which the model lets the photographer use their name and the photographs taken of them, in the media and for the purposes the release names, such as advertising and trade.
- The model signs and dates it, with the place, and states that they are of the age of majority. If the model is a minor, a parent or legal guardian signs instead. The release carries the photographer's name and contact details, and each side keeps a copy.
- Get the release signed before the shoot or at its start, not after. The wording and the age of majority depend on the law where you work, so check the release with a legal adviser before you rely on it.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Grant of permission | Use of the name and photographs |
| Media and purposes | For example advertising and trade |
| Age statement | Adult, or parent or guardian for a minor |
| Date, place and signature | Proof of agreement |
| Photographer details | Who may use the photographs |
Table 2. What a model release records.
Prepare a release for a practice shoot and have the model read and sign it before the first frame.
Film sets use an appearance release for every person who can be recognised on screen.
Cham tipNo release, no commercial use.
Cham taskDraft a model release for a college fashion shoot and list what it must contain.
Check yourself: Who signs for a model who is a minor?
A parent or legal guardian.
Questions beginners ask
What is the 80/20 rule in posing?
About 20 percent of a pose is physical and 80 percent is the model's state of mind.
Should a photographer touch the model?
Avoid it. Demonstrate or direct with a hand. If you must, touch only a hand or the hair, and ask first.
Where should the model look?
At a person beside the lens rather than into the lens, so the eyes look alive.
What are the three posing goals?
Complement, correct and convey.
What is a model release?
A signed permission from the model to use their name and photographs for the purposes it names.
References
- Smith, J. (2010) Corrective lighting, posing and retouching for digital portrait photographers. 3rd edn. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
- Wacker, D., Wacker, J. and Wacker, J.D. (2009) Master guide for photographing high school seniors. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
Further reading
- Wacker, J.D. (2002) Master posing guide for portrait photographers: a complete guide to posing singles, couples and groups. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
- Jacobs, L., Jr. (2008) Professional portrait photography: techniques and images from master photographers. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media.
How to cite this guide. Alex, A., & Joseph, A. (2026). Directing the model: A guide for photographers and cinematographers. Creative Hut Academy. https://creativehut.org/library/directing-the-model/
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