How To Create Simple, Snapshot-Style Photos For Male Modeling Auditions

Joe, a college athlete from Ohio, holds a towel in a hallway of the photographer's apartment.

If you cannot meet a modeling professional face-to-face, you need to show them an accurate, easy way to see what your face and body looks like.

When shooting audition snapshots to email to a modeling opportunity, be sure to be extra diligent to include poses that accurately show your body and face and all the assets that make your more marketable than other guys. Here is an example to that might help you understand the challenge of showing others what you look like.

Goal: Consider the Needs of Casting Drectors

If you were considering buying a car located 3000 miles away, would you want to decide if to buy the car based on blurry, dimly lit photos of the car? No, you would want well-lit, in-focus photos that allow to to "see" exactly what you are buying - even though you cannot travel to inspect the car in person. You would also want views of the car at different angles. What about photos that technically show the car's wheels, but not well enough to see the condition the wheels are in?

What are You Selling in your Modeling audition photos?

You are not selling a car and showing a car's wheels. You are showing abs, legs, tattoos and anything else that makes you unique.

So, show parts of your body. Make sure you express what you are selling to others: your body parts and face.

Amateur Snapshots Preferred

College guys do not need to submit photos shot by a professional. Ironically, amateur snapshots are preferred because they tend to be recent and do not disguise your "real" look through trying to be artsy. Well-lit digital snapshots your roommate or friend shoots for you after you lift weights is fine for our needs.

Aim For Simple Snapshots

Don't try to create a masterpiece. These pics will never be published, so you do not need to make them look professional. You do not need to be doing anything in the photos - just stand there and flex your muscles. No props. You don't need to lean against a wall or give an artsy pose. Once again, just stand there!

Sometimes Casting Directors Prefer Polaroids

Sometimes casting directors prefer to receive Polaroids from potential male models rather than professional modeling photos. Casting directors know that Polaroids are not as good quality and that they will be grittier than professionally shot photos. They know that no college guys look attractive in Polaroids!

Casting directors know that with professional modeling pics, a male model can choose a flattering photo out of hundreds shot during a the photo shoot. In contrast, there are only 10 shots on a roll of Polaroid film, preventing the chances of producing overly flattering photos.

Tips for creating audition photos:

Where: Where the photos are taken does not matter. Shoot outdoors or indoors. The background is unimportant! If you have a room with a large open space, choose that room.
Distance: the person shooting the photos should stand close enough to you so not much background is visible in the picture. Decision-makers want to see you -- not your living room! The more you include of the room, the less they see of your body.
Light: Decision-makers have evaluated thousands of audition photos and know what to look for in males - but they need well-lit photos. Turn on every light in the room. Replace light bulbs with 100 watt bulbs and take off lamp shades. The more light the better. Shadows and darkness on your body are bad. Photos created outdoors tend to offer better lighting.
Vertical: Most guys shoot pictures with the camera's width parallel to the ground. Turn the camera on its side lengthwise, so the photos are in vertical format. The longest side of the camera should be parallel to your body.
Stable: You can shoot these alone or have a friend shoot you. If you wish to shoot alone, prop the camera on a table or stable surface that is at least 4 feet high. If your camera has a timer, activate it and step into a spot in front of the camera. Shoot a test photo to establish how far away from the camera for the camera to see your body and then place tape on the spot where you should stand. This way, you can walk back and forth to press the camera's timer each time and easy know where to return. You can use your cell phone to take snapshots if you include a lot of light in the room.

Ready to start snapping photos?

Suggested poses to help casting directors accurately see what your body looks like.

1) Smiling and Serious: Two close-up photos of your face (from the front), one smile, one serious.

2) Side of face: One profile photo of the side of your face (this is called a profile shot)

3) Full Body: One photo that shows the front of your body from head to toe. You want to show your leg muscles as well as top half of your body. (This is called a full body.)

4) Upper Body: Bring the camera closer to you and shoot one photo of the upper half of your body (from the waist up to the neck). Your face does not need to be in this photo: The larger your chest can be in the snapshot, the better. Read how to flex your lats to make you body appear wider. If you have nice lats, don't hide them: Bow your arms considerably and flex your lat muscles to extend them outward.

5) Back: One photo that shows the back of your body from head to toe, so your your back muscles are visible. (This one is difficult to do with a cell phone.)

6) Close-up of Side of legs and butt: If you have nice legs, shoot one photo of the side of your your legs from waist down to your feet. Your upper body and face do not need to appear in this one. Be sure to flex your quads and make them look as thick as possible. If you feel comfortable doing so, include a side view of your bare buttocks when shooting legs.

7) Show Close-up of Your Best Body Parts: If you have any special assets that are better than most guys, make sure you include at least one special photo that shows this asset. For example, if you have great calves, shoot one photo that shows a close-up of your calves. Your face does not need to be included. If you are showing your abs, just show the abs, not your whole body.

For Playgirl and Other Nude Modeling Auditions:

8) If you are trying out for a nude modeling opportunity, be sure to include at least two photos which your penis is clearly visible (front view and side view). You can include these in the poses above or shoot separate photos that only show your crotch and not your face. If you are trying out for Playgirl, your penis should be hard or semi-hard.

Rename Your Images

After you are done, rename your images to include your name and date the photo was shot. Why? Because the busiest modeling industry professionals may not be the most organized people in the world. They may find your photos on their computer 3 weeks after you sent them and want to hire you - but not know who the model is in the snapshots. So, don't send names as pic3.jpg or DSC0000249287.jpg. Rename them as john-smith-2006june.jpg or tim-jones2005springbreak.jpg. If you are using photo prints, write your name, email and phone on the back of every print.

Joe, a college athlete from Ohio, holds a towel in a hallway of the photographer's apartment.

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