may be useful in the beauty industry for the promotion of commercial prod-
ucts. Another opportunity for the publication of glamour photography is in
the finer adult magazines; on selected web sites; and for calendars, posters,
and other retail products. Tasteful nudity has become acceptable, as long as
it is subtle and sexy, rather than tacky or risque.
As a result, the typical subject used in glamour photography has shifted
from the busty, blatantly sexy, bottle-blond to the beautiful, perfectly pro-
portioned woman with a sexy, girl-next-door look. Proof of this is the fact
that the more sophisticated men’s magazines have become very celebrity-
driven, featuring tastefully glamorous images of many of today’s supermod-
els and Hollywood stars. (Note:Again, the key here is “tasteful.” The more
hardcoremen’spublicationsarecalled“top-shelf”magazines,andmostcom-
mercialclientswillnotbeinterestedinamodelwhohasdonetop-shelfwork.)
The look of the lighting in these images can vary widely, from soft and sul-
try to very dramatic and edgy. The goal will be to accent your model’s best
features—her physical beauty. In this kind of image, the model is the prod-
uct, so it’s all about lighting her to look her very best and most alluring.
Lingerie Images.
Lingerie photos can be created either in the studio or on location but should,
of course, be shot with good taste and sensibility. Commercial lingerie pho-
tography must be exquisite and beautiful but not sexual. If the shot becomes
sexual, you are no longer selling the lingerie—you have crossed over into
glamour and are showcasing the beauty of the model.
The advertisers will determine the focus of the shoot. Sometimes, they
want each photo to detail a particular garment. For example, a client may re-
quest that the photograph concentrate on the strap of a bra, the underwire,
or an especially beautiful strip of lace. Sometimes, they simply want to invoke
a feeling of romance, excitement, or glamour. Some clients request more
catalog-type photos; some allow the photographer more of an outlet for his
personal creativity. As with swimwear models (see page 99), models for lin-
gerieshootsaregenerallyshorterwithmorecurvesthanthetypicalhigh-fash-
ion model.
Thelightingstylesusedforlingerieimageswillvarydependingonthelook
you are trying to achieve. For catalog-style images, the light will be one of
your tools for revealing the cut and texture of the model’s garments. Be sure
to note any special details on the garment, and try to accentuate them. In
more glamous-style looks,the lingerie still needs to be accentuated, but there
willalsobe asecondary emphasis onthe model’s physical beauty inthosegar-
ments. When shooting portfolio images for a model seeking work in lingerie
photography, you’ll want to employ lighting that accentuates the model’s
curves.
92 LIGHTING TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MODEL PORTFOLIOS
6-11(below), 6-12(facingpage).Lin-
gerie images can range widely in style
from catalog-type images to shots that
verge on glamour-style.The look of the lighting
in these images can
vary widely...