Teenager portraits for aspiring model Carissa’s portfolio

Carissa is an aspiring model. She wanted a series of portraits for a portfolio she could use when applying for modelling work. For portfolios like these, agencies are looking for portraits that show the model with a variety of expressions against very clean, simple backgrounds.

We started the shoot indoors. Carissa switched from a black top into a white top, and I worked with both natural lighting and studio lighting to squeeze as much visual variety into the portraits as possible. The short-sleeved T-shirts Carissa wore gave a lighter, summery feel to the images, despite the shoot taking place in Autumn.

Teenager portraits of Carissa by Sarah Plater in Bicester Oxfordshire

We then stepped outside to capture a few images with a different seasonal feel. Carissa donned a wooly hat and coat and I asked her to look over her shoulder for this image. Again, for maximum variety, I asked Carissa to look towards the camera, then away from it; to smile and then to be more serious. These show that she’s able to create a variety of moods and expressions on demand – essential for modelling.

Teenager portraits of Carissa by Sarah Plater in Bicester Oxfordshire

Lastly, we headed back into the studio for a shot with more motion and energy. Starting by looking away from the camera, Carissa spun her face back round, with a smile ready on her face. Her hair was lifted by the movement, creating instant volume and resulting in the beautifully soft blur at the tips, as seen here: