So you want to photograph America’s Next Top Model

In this all-new book review shootout, we put three books to the test. Read on to learn how Posing Techniques for Photographing Model Portfolios by Billy Pegram, Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-by-Step Guide for Photographers by Billy Pegram, and A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases by Dan Heller stand up to our editorial review.

This is the first in a series of articles we're planning over the next month or so that'll walk you through the steps and resources of taking quality fashion photos.

Posing Techniques for Photographing Model Portfolios

With detailed discussions and eye-catching dynamic images this guidebook shows photographers how to masterfully create beautiful images of a model to achieve any creative objective.

Instructions illustrate basic poses as well as a host of subtle variations to provide you with an endless array of looks for editorial fashion shots athletics glamour or nude photography and shots designed to show curves reveal personality or showcase the hands hair or legs.

This comprehensive resource also provides expert advice on conducting a successful session how to work with the model how to work with a support staff of image stylists and tips for designing a high-quality portfolio. Additional lessons provide a start-to-finish analysis of four different shooting sessions each with a different model and a different objective.

Connected Photographer's evaluation

If you've ever wanted to know how to get your models into the right position -- and give them something they can look at to emulate this book is for you. It's a bit pricey for the page-count but it's also quite useful for specific needs.

Posing Techniques for Photographing Model Portfolios by Billy Pegram, published by Amherst Media Inc., is 128 pages and has a retail price of $34.95. We give Posing Techniques for Photographing Model Portfolios a rating of 4 out of 5.

Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-by-Step Guide for Photographers

This photographer's guide to creating successful model portfolios encourages a dynamic diversified artistic approach and shares essential knowledge about the modeling industry portfolio basics and agency requirements. Photographers learn how to work with models for the best possible results create and refine a standout portfolio and sell that product to agents in the United States, England, and Asia.

Three actual portfolios are included to help photographers conceptualize, sculpt, and refine their own portfolios to maximize their client's reach in the industry. Photographers learn why particular images were chosen for opening and closing shots, how to arrange the interior images, and what constitutes an appealing design.

Featuring information on working with women men and children this book will help new and experienced models and photographers alike in getting the results they desire.

Connected Photographer's evaluation

This is a useful hands-on book. We like the Amherst Media approach to photo books. They provide a very tangible guide for the topics they cover. Again, they're a bit expensive, but we think that if you're planning on doing any photography for money, they are also quite worth the cost.

Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-by-Step Guide for Photographers by Billy Pegram, published by Amherst Media Inc., is 128 pages and has a retail price of $34.95. We give Professional Model Portfolios: A Step-by-Step Guide for Photographers a rating of 4 out of 5.

A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases

Scenario: You're at your kid's soccer match at school and you're taking pictures. Being the photo buff that you are you get everything: kids scoring goals parents screaming from the sidelines the popcorn vendor and fans in the stands.

Later you show the pictures to some of the people and find that some want to buy a print for themselves. This becomes a popular event and over time your reputation grows. The local newspaper gets wind of your talent and wants to license a few photos so it can put some in the paper for an article on the school's sports curriculum. Perhaps some shots are so good that the local gift shop wants to sell enlargements of the shot you took of the winning goal at the state championships.

All goes well until someone tells you that you can't do any of these things unless the people in the photos sign a "release" allowing you to use their pictures.

This and other virtually identical scenarios illustrate a most common situation in which a photographer has to decide whether he needs a release from the people he is photographing. Whether it's a school game a music concert an amusement park or a professional-league game the circumstances may vary but it's all about the same thing: What are people's rights concerning their own likenesses and what are the rights of the photographer to use those photos?

This book takes readers through the decisions and business opportunities that are affected by photographing people and model releases.

Connected Photographer's evaluation

This is an important topic and well worth the read. Intellectual property rights are more and more "top-of-mind" and you should know what you're doing when it comes to publishing other peoples' likenesses.

A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases by Dan Heller, published by Wiley, is 288 pages and has a retail price of $29.99. We give A Digital Photographer's Guide to Model Releases a rating of 4 out of 5.