Whether it is a Skip The Games post or a complete website, great photos will increase an escort's marketability. Fabulous photographs can, in fact, make the difference in attracting attention and generating business calls and closing the gap between average and top rates. But you are an escort not a Vogue fashion editor – so how do you get great pictures? Here are some tips:
Hire a Professional Photographer
Take a look on Model Mayhem.com for your city. There will be lots of professional photographers who, for a reasonable fee, will capture your beauty. It might sound expensive but it does not need to be. First of all, there are many very good photographers looking to expand their experience and their portfolios. If you are willing to model for the shots they want, they will do the shots you need. This is the well know Time for Pictures (TFP) trade and a great way for an escort to obtain the pictures she needs for the cost of a couple of hours of her time.
A professional photographer, even one who is just starting, will have access to a studio, lights, and a really good camera with the right lenses. We'll talk about lights in a moment, but the fact is, that for escort photos, a studio setting gives you a great chance at a superior photo.
Know Thy Self, Know Thy Market
Going into a professional photo shoot you need to know what you want your escort photos to be. Which means you need to carefully consider your market, where you are advertising, what your escort website looks like. Then you have to assess your own escort persona: are you more of a Dita Von Teese or a Gisele Bundchen sort of a girl? Are you selling a glamour girl experience, a retro date, a domina encounter or something a bit more "girl next door"?
Decide on whether you are going to appear nude in your advertising and on your website. Note, nude does not mean spread eagled nor does it require photographic gynecology. Good photographers can make your bare breasts or pert bottom look delectable and, from your point of view as an escort, that may be what you want. If you are ok with nude shots, make sure that the photographer and – if there is one, the hair and make-up person— are too. Whatever you decide, remember this – if you put nude pictures of yourself on the Internet they are there forever. It is something to think about long before you enter the studio. Always best to err on the side of caution, I say, rather than the stress of regret.
Or you could cleverly opt for something artful that is neither clothed nor nude. And certainly neither tasteless nor pornographic. The right lighting and body make-up can make the most of an escort's assets. The allure of a demure scarf, screen or some device of concealment is intriguing without being revealing. The final results are beautiful, suggestive, and evocative. Aim for sophisticated effects like soft lighting, shadows, slightly out of focus shots. Consider black and white which are always more subtle than the stark reality of full colour.
At a minimum you'll want a few good head shots – likely both head-on and profile. Even if you don't plan to have your face visible in your escort posts, having the shots gives you options: it is easy to digitally disguise yourself. You will also want a set of shots in a couple of looks. Again, stay in character – if you are all about the glossy courtesan look, then dress and look the part. You do want a variety of poses and looks within your chosen genre so even undoing a few buttons here and there changes the image and the message you are projecting.
Planning & Prep
The more an escort can prepare for her photo shoot, the better the result, and the more pictures she'll get.
Include some great lingerie sets. This means checking your escort lingerie wardrobe. Don't have one? Well, one of your gentlemen callers might be delighted to take you on a little lingerie shopping tour. There are books to be written about great lingerie, but the basics for an escort are: matched bra and panties, garter belt, stockings. Make sure you bring spare stockings to the shoot. Add anything from slips to camisoles to girdles or corsets for the ultimate escort lingerie look. Remember that gorgeous lingerie is an escort's best secret . Think Agent Provocateur rather than Fruit of the Loom. Invest in quality lingerie. It is, after all, one of your few business expenses.
Accessories & Props
Jewellery adds sparkle and finish to the final effect, so don't forget it. And don't stint. For photographic purposes, seek out big, interesting pieces from vintage stores for eye-catching appeal. Not sure what goes with what? Pick up a few of the latest fashion magazines for inspiration, or look to the retro icons of the past.
Hats, furs, sunglasses and other such fascinations can really transform your photos into the realm of awesome. Ditto for shoes. High heel, strappy, sexy. If not new, then clean and polished. Patent leather shoes look great on camera because they are glossy and catch the light. Pick shoes with pizzazz. Again, the thrift store is a great resource.
Make sure you have a list of props – if you are doing domina work, the traditional riding crop or thin cane gives you something to work with, and is a visual reference to what you specialize in as an escort. If you do "toy shows", you should bring a few of your nicest toys along.
Most of the items you purchase for your photo session can be used again for your escort encounters, or added to your personal collection, and if no longer required, then donated or consigned.
Make a Shot List
Make a Shot List. This is a list of your outfits and poses/props. Having a detailed plan helps an escort organize what to take to the shoot and facilitates in business planning to make best use of the photos. The list also gives the escort a measure of control over the shoot. Make a copy for the photographer and one for your make-up/hair person. Remember, you are the star, but it takes a team to make you shine.
A written plan such as this also provides a strategy for the stylist and a guideline for the photographer. However, photo shoots do have an energy all their own, and a good photographer will quickly realize how best to photograph you, so you are wise to go with what is working rather than trying to strictly adhere to your preconceived plan. Trust me, the end results will be more dynamic.
Make-Up & Hair
Studio make-up is very different from street wear. Photo lighting washes out colour, and photography make-up adds it back in. Part of the magic of fashion photography is the fact that these super (and even the not-so-super) models have had the benefit of exceptionally talented hair and make-up artists. To maximize the va-voom factor of your escort photo shoot, consider hiring a make-up and hair pro. It may cost a bit, but it is worth it.
Although a professional model just walks into the photo studio with the session orchestrated by others, an escort managing her own shoot needs to be both organized and resourceful.
Seeking hair and make-up services may take a bit of time, so start as soon as you book your date. One avenue is through on-line advertising such as the Used(your city).com site or Craigslist. As well, your photographer might also be able to recommend someone they have worked with before. Or call a local modeling agency and ask for recommendations. Paying attention to the credits in the local magazines and fashion spreads in the newspapers also will give you the names you seek.
Be careful. Your clients are going to want to see a version of what is in your pictures. Simple is best.
Hair salons are an obvious place to look for talent in that field. And there are often certain salons that do a lot of photography work either for their own salon or for local advertising and modeling agencies. Inquire about the standard fees, then determine what you can afford to spend, if anything, and set about finding someone to do the job. You don't necessarily need the best in the city, just someone competent and pleasant to work with. Once you locate said person, book a meeting with him or her. Ideally, this will take place a day or two before the shoot and ideally, at the photo studio with the photographer present. In a perfect world, the photographer will have at least one of the lighting set ups ready to go so the make-up person will be able to see how you look under the lights and thus, what will be required to make your shoot a successful one.
Bring in a few tear sheets from a fashion magazines to illustrate the looks you love. This gives the hair/make-up person(s) and the photographer a clear idea of your expectations and actually makes their job easier because you have given them something to work with.
Hair is sometimes also done by the make-up person. However a camera-worthy hair style requires a fair bit of skill and a fair bit of product. Glossy, healthy hair works well in a photoshoot and can be an escort's most valuable asset. No, really. Get your hair into good condition before your photo shoot by getting a trim or cut if necessary and using a weekly deep conditioner or salon treatment to enhance shine and manageability. Make-up always looks better on glowing, healthy skin, so pay attention to your skin care routine, drink lots of water, eat your greens, exercise, and get enough sleep to keep dark circles at bay.
Keep in mind that on a photo shoot, time is money, so try to keep your looks relatively simple and easy to style. Also remember that one of the most basic rules in escorting is that your clients expect to see the same girl at the door as appeared in her ad. Make sure that whatever techniques the make-up person uses are ones which you can basically replicate and make work for your escort encounters. You may learn a few tricks of the trade to make you look fabulous every day.
Think Sexy
Unless you are a trained model, you will need to practise your poses in the mirror before your shoot. Looking sexy for the camera is not as easy as it sounds. Find your best angles, features, and learn to move in a fluid, natural way, pausing as if the camera is snapping your every move. As with an escort encounter, music is a great way to get in the groove, so turn up your favourite tunes and think about being seductive.
Arch your back and point your feet. Believe it or not these two simple techniques will make your legs look longer and your breasts look perkier. (A fact to remember in your escort encounters as well.)
Have Fun
Yes, you have done a lot of work to make this photo shoot happen, and generating escort business is your ultimate objective, but when you are in front of the camera, enjoy the moment. Having fun means overcoming the nerves and shyness you may feel at first and being adventurous, taking risks, going a tad beyond your comfort zone. The photographer's job is to push you in a positive way to bring out the energy and essence of you, and to capture it on film, whilst also ensuring that you feel comfortable. Above all, be confident in yourself and revel in your beauty, your sexiness.
Chances are you will feel amazing in all the great outfits and accessories you have selected and now is your chance to show the world that you are one amazing woman.
Photo shoots are hectic. Even the best organized often end up with duct tape holding a light and a dress together. Things get lost. They are a complete break from the day to day world of escorting. With a reputable photographer they are also safe. Even nude shots can be great fun simply because you are the center of attention. Let yourself go. You can enjoy the moment.
The End Result
Once the lights and cameras and off, and you go back to your escort life, you are now going to wait. Some studios take longer than others, and some may even test your patience. But just be cool and wait for the call to tell you your proofs/disc are ready for pick up.
Yes, in these digital days, the actual images will be ready instantly at the studio, but a good photographer is going to want to make all sorts of adjustments to the pictures in Photoshop. You may, in fact, be going in twice: first to select the best pictures and then to pick up the finished images. While your time as an escort is worth money, taking a bit of time to get your escort images right will pay off.
Remember that these escort pictures are going to be used for a bunch of different things.
If you have an escort website, it is a good idea to think of your photos in terms of galleries. Plan 10-15 shots per gallery with a theme for each. For example, one series could be you in a crisp business suit with glasses and your hair up. 15 pictures later your blouse is undone and somehow your skirt is over your stockings tops. Then, the next gallery would have you without your blouse and skirt, hair coming down and glasses off. If you offer the "girl next door" experience, there is nothing wrong with a sequence in a mildly naughty swimsuit or a little cheerleader outfit.
You'll want pictures for your posts as well. Here you want to stand out from your competition so pick great pictures which have real style. Leave the thong shots for the service providers.
Rinse and Repeat
Particularly if you have a website it is a great idea to set up a photo shoot every few months. 4-6 a year will give your site fresh content, fresh galleries. Plus you can send your regulars cute updates, put the pics up on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook – without making your escorting too obvious.
The delightful thing about professional photographers is that each will bring his or her own take to your beauty and style. Which is great fun because, long before you are an escort, you are a woman and your beauty is reflected in each photographer's lens.