The SaltBrite blog

Modelling and photography guides

Plain advice for models, photographers, studios, stylists and make-up artists. What to shoot, what it costs, and what the people booking you look for.

Compare PurplePort alternative A free UK portfolio site for models and photographers, and an honest look at how it compares What a free PurplePort account holds back, what SaltBrite does for nothing, what it doesn't do yet, and why most people should keep both. 6 min read Compare Model Mayhem alternative A free portfolio site for models and photographers in the US, and an honest look at how it compares What a Basic account on Model Mayhem leaves out, what SaltBrite does for free, what it doesn't do yet, and why most people should keep both. 6 min read Modelling How to become a model A beginner's guide to niches, agencies, portfolios and scams The kinds of modelling and which might suit you, whether you need an agency, how to get your first pictures, what to send, the scams aimed at beginners, and what models earn. 8 min read Modelling How to work with a photographer as a model What to do before, during and after the shoot What to agree before the day, how to take direction without freezing up, keeping to your limits, what to pack, and the follow-up that gets you booked again. 8 min read Shoot prep How to prepare your skin for a photoshoot The week before, the day itself and what to leave alone What to stop doing the week before, when to book facials and waxing, what to do about a spot, how to arrive, and what to tell the make-up artist. 5 min read Shoot prep How to prepare your hair for a photoshoot What to ask, what to leave alone and what to bring What to ask before the day, why not to cut or colour without saying so, the week before, how to travel without denting it, and what to pack. 5 min read Modelling Modelling rates explained What to charge, how to negotiate and how to get paid What moves a model's rate, why usage rights are often worth more than the day on set, realistic rates at each career stage, when TFP makes sense, and how to quote without flinching. 10 min read Modelling Alternative modelling: a complete guide Building a career as an alt model The main alt niches and why they're growing, how to build a portfolio that leads with your look, where the work comes from, agencies, rates, and keeping safe on set. 10 min read Modelling How to build a modelling portfolio What to shoot, how many to keep and what it costs The five shots to start with, why ten good pictures beat forty average ones, how TFP shoots work, what to pack, and what a first book really costs. 7 min read Modelling How to get signed by a modelling agency Finding the right agency, what to send and the scams to avoid What an agency does and doesn't do, how to pick the ones worth approaching, what to put in a submission, when to follow up, and the red flags that mean walk away. 9 min read Modelling How to find modelling jobs From your first booking to work that keeps coming Agency or self-booked, where the work turns up, how to pitch without sounding desperate, what clients weigh up, when to work for free, and how first bookings turn into repeat ones. 9 min read