What are snapchat and snaps? The word is tracing paper from English, which in translation into Russian means "snapshot". Another term that can be found is the Polaroids, but it is rarely used.
What should be included
What are snaps? These are photos without makeup, without hairstyle, without posing with natural soft light on a neutral light background. The set includes full-length photographs, a large portrait, a waist-length portrait . They should be executed from all angles, that is, front view, profile, turn in ¾, rear view, all with gathered hair and with her hair loose, with a smile and without a smile. Full-length photographs are taken in high-heeled shoes. Minimum set: 3 full-length photographs (front view, profile, rear view) and 3 large portraits (full face, profile, half-turn).
What are snaps and why are they?
The task of the snaps is to show the photographer and the agency the model as it is. Makeup, light schemes, and post-processing techniques can change a person’s appearance very much, so art photos do not give an idea of the initial data of the model.
Sneps - what is it? These are the pictures that you need to get in the first place. Why? Despite the fact that they seem boring and inexpressive, a professional look will be able to assess the potential of appearance, to understand which light schemes and images are suitable. A model is a material from which subsequently stylists, make-up artists, and photographers will “sculpt” what is required to achieve a specific goal.
Demanded models without makeup in simple clothes often look like “nothing special”. It is the ability to transform, the possession of a plastic appearance, which will become an excellent canvas, is highly valued. Therefore, professional photographs, which usually make up the bulk of the portfolio, are not at all interesting for professional agencies.
Benefits of Snapshots
Art photography shows the skill of a team of professionals: a photographer, makeup artist, stylist, retoucher and model. But when you send a portfolio to an agency, you really want to choose you, and not one of these guys.
For a specialist who selects a model for the project, the value of such photos tends to zero. It does not matter to him how well the model worked in someone else's project, it is important for him to understand whether it is suitable for his tasks. Therefore, if the model is interested, you may be asked to provide ordinary photographs. Or it may not follow if the project is serious and it’s easier to look through a few more portfolios and find snaps than to spend time collecting the missing information.
Hence the conclusion: what is a snap photo? This is a way to simplify the work of agents when selecting models, as well as the opportunity to increase the chances for themselves of getting a job.
Mistakes that are made in the snap photo
The most common errors that can be found in photographs of this type:
- shooting in clothes, not in a swimsuit;
- bright, colorful swimsuit;
- the use of artistic techniques in the picture;
- the presence of makeup;
- the presence of jewelry, piercings;
- use of modeling light;
- using post-processing.
What are snaps? This is a presentation of the source material, and all of the above introduces appearance, albeit small, but distortion.
Creating Model Snaps
What is needed from the equipment:
- the simplest camera (but not a mobile phone);
- tripod.
You will need an assistant, although theoretically you can cope with the task yourself. Below is a step-by-step instruction for shooting snaps. Familiarize yourself with it and familiarize the assistant so that you do not have to redo the work.
Making a large portrait
Place a stool at a distance of 3-4 meters from the window. Behind your back, hang a neutral background. It can be a white sheet, only without folds, a large piece of whatman paper or fabric. Sit on a stool facing the window.
Near the window put a tripod with a camera screwed to it , the camera should be at eye level with the model sitting on a stool. An assistant is located behind the tripod.
It is important to choose the moment to shoot. It should not be a bright sunny day, when the light from the window hits the face sharply and leaves hard shadows on it. It is better that the day was cloudy, cloudy. If any lighting fixtures are lit in the room, they must all be turned off.
Check that the flash is turned off on the camera. This is a very important point! Choose a shutter release mode with a delay of 3 seconds. This is done so that the camera can take a fixed position after the shutter button is pressed, then the frames will be guaranteed to be clear. The digital zoom on the camera cannot be used, only optical (that is, you need to twist the lens to enlarge the picture, and not press the button).
Take three pictures: full face, turn in ¾, profile. Please note that the eyes should not be placed in the middle, but in the upper third of the frame. Look at the picture.
Correct this with the optical zoom of the camera before taking pictures. When shooting a half-turn, you need to follow the rotation of the head so that the tip of the nose does not "go" beyond the border of the cheek. In a large portrait, it is necessary that the shoulders be free of clothing.
There are not one, but several dozen photographs to be taken in each angle to choose the most successful one.
We make a full-length portrait
An important point: you need to act in a swimsuit, and not in clothes. Explain why. Sneps - what is it? Information about the appearance, about the figure. If the body is hidden by clothes, even a short skirt, this will suggest that something is wrong with the figure.
The swimsuit should be separate, without unnecessary details and drawings. Taking such photos at home will be more difficult than a portrait, since a large size of the room and background is needed. Therefore, a better option would be to go outside if it is a warm season, such as the beach.
The weather needs cloudy, cloudy. The most unfortunate option is to film at noon in the bright sun, then instead of eyes you will get huge black circles, like a panda bear. Pay attention to the background, that is, what turned out to be behind. The fewer objects there are, the better, and they should be located as far as possible. Remember, snaps - what is it? This is an opportunity to impress, which is given only once. Be mindful of the details.
You need to shoot by turning the camera vertically, from the level of the belt, and not from the level of the eyes. Three portraits need to be removed: front view, profile and rear view. There should be a little more free space above the model’s head than under the legs. Heels need to be held together and knees straightened. Make sure that the lines in the frame are flat, not obstructed.
Small tricks when shooting
Despite the fact that the alphabet of model snaps requires that the photos be completely without makeup, a little trick and apply a very thin layer of foundation to make the skin tone more even, it is still possible. But this must be done so delicately that in a personal meeting there is no sensation of deception.
Again, despite the fact that it is considered necessary to make snaps without emotions, there are subtleties here too. Without emotions - this means without bright posing, and not with the eyes, like a plastic doll, empty and lifeless. After all, what are the snaps? This is a presentation! Slightly touch your lips with a smile, add a sparkle to your eyes, tilt your head slightly, as it goes. This is in a large portrait.
When shooting at full height, no one forbids to straighten your back, slightly tighten your stomach, lifting off your back, lean forward slightly so that the priest looks more attractive. All these nuances are owned by experienced photographers. Therefore, ideally, no matter how simple such pictures may seem, it makes sense to entrust the creation of model snaps to a professional.