Model Portfolio Shoot with Melissa

As children grow older, it can seem less urgent to capture their milestones. However, whether it’s to build their modelling portfolio or simply to record new stages in their life, professional photography is just as important for teens as for toddlers.

13-year-old Melissa and her mum popped into my Bicester studio during half-term to capture some professional headshots and full-length portraits.

When they arrived, Melissa revealed she was a little nervous. I switched on some music (choosing Adele as she was one of the artists we both knew and loved!) and talked through what we’d be doing, so that she started to feel at ease. We looked through her outfits, discussed which ones would work with the different studio backgrounds and also got to know each other.

Melissa is fascinated by history (particularly the period around the Second World War) and plans to be a counsellor after finishing her education. She and her mum love going to see musicals, and they particularly enjoyed the recent cinema hit, The Greatest Showman.

We continued chatting away as we started the shoot, beginning with the white background. First up I opted for a few full-length portraits, as the camera lens is a little further away which is less intimidating when you’re getting started!:

Here, the pose and camera angle convey self-assurance and confidence, while Melissa’s gentle smile add friendliness and approachability.

After a few more portraits in the stripy top (including the featured image at the top of this post), Melissa switched into a blue-grey top with subtle detailing at the neckline:

By turning off my background lights, the white studio background takes on a grey tone. This gives a very contemporary look, while also complementing Melissa’s clothing.

I also wanted to capture a shot that I knew Melissa’s parents and grandparents would love – one with a big, natural smile:

Natural expressions like this one come from genuine interactions. We played a few Q&A games to see how well Melissa and her mum knew each other, and one of the questions led to this beautiful smile.

Next up was a hair, outfit and background change. My remit during model portfolio shoots includes capturing a full range of expressions, so for this one I was after a more serious expression:

I love how Melissa’s clothing and background are from the same colour palette, giving a harmonious image and keeping all the focus on her face. I also like how the rim of light along the left of the image provides shape and separation from the background from the top of Melissa’s hair right down to her elbow.

I followed this with a crop shot, taken from a slightly higher angle to open up Melissa’s eyes to their fullest:

Lastly, we opted for one more hairstyle change, and finished off with this headshot:

I love the gentle movement of Melissa’s hair (it’s being lifted by a fan just in front of her) and her soft, confident smile.

I think she looks absolutely stunning in all the portraits, and Melissa’s mum told me afterwards that she really enjoyed it.

If you’re interested in headshots or modelling portfolios in Bicester and would like to see my pricing guide, please get in contact by emailing [email protected] or submitting the form below:

Sarah Plater is a portrait photographer based in Bicester, Oxfordshire.

(c) Sarah Plater Photography