A Studio Collaboration: Morrigan and Carla
Carla had been thinking about the flowers and cling film long before she arrived at the studio. It was an idea she and Morrigan had discussed with me beforehand, and when we actually shot it, against a bold red background, the preparation showed. That kind of image does not happen by accident. It comes from a model who has thought carefully about what she wants to bring to a session and done the work of figuring out how to make it happen. That preparation ran through the whole day.
Morrigan and Carla came in together for a single four-hour session at my Rendlesham studio, and between them they worked through somewhere in the region of twelve to fourteen looks. This was a collaboration in the practical sense: two experienced models, a shared session, a set of images they can both use.
Who Morrigan and Carla Are
Morrigan and I have worked together quite a few times now. She is an experienced model with a clear sense of what she wants from a shoot, and that clarity makes the work move quickly. She knows how to use her body in front of the camera and brings a physical energy to a session that is not something you can teach. Carla is equally experienced and comes with a different quality, warmer and more bubbly in the studio, but no less focused on what she wants from the images. The two of them know each other well and come to the studio together regularly, which meant the day had a comfortable, easy rhythm from the start.
How the Day Was Structured
Four hours in a studio is a good block of time if it is used well, and this session was. Morrigan and Carla worked through their looks in turns, and some of the outfits were shared between them, worn by one, then passed to the other. This is a practical way to run a shared session and it works well when the models are a similar size and have planned it in advance. Both handled their own hair and makeup, and both arrived ready to shoot.
The range across the day was considerable. At one end, western-influenced looks with a shared cowboy hat and denim. At the other, the floral concept on the red background. In between: leather, tailoring, earthy tones, graphic prints, and pieces that sit more comfortably in the commercial fashion space. That kind of breadth is what a working portfolio needs.
The Styling Choices Were Theirs
This is worth being clear about, because it matters to me as a way of working. I do not tell models what to wear. The styling decisions, the outfits, the accessories, all of that comes from the model. Morrigan and Carla each made their own choices about what to bring and how they wanted to put it together. Some pieces were shared between them, as I mentioned, but that was their decision, planned before the day.
A model who arrives having thought carefully about her styling will always get more from a session than one who is waiting to be told what to put on. I could offer an opinion if asked, but the best portfolio images tend to come from models who feel like themselves in front of the camera, and that usually means wearing clothes they have chosen.
The Flowers and Cling Film
The idea Carla had in mind was flowers wrapped against the body with cling film, shot against a bold red background. We had talked through how it would work before the day, which mattered. This is not the kind of concept that benefits from being improvised on the spot; having it worked out in advance meant the execution was clean.
We shot it with both models, which gave a useful contrast. Morrigan’s version is more stripped back, with flowers positioned to one side and a strong profile, quieter and more graphic. Carla’s has a different quality altogether, with more colour and a warmer emotional tone. Both images are editorial in character, and both sit well in a portfolio when a model wants to show she can handle something beyond a standard fashion shot.
What Each Model Brought to the Session
Morrigan moves well in front of the camera. She is physically confident and does not need much directing because she has already worked out what she wants to do before she gets there. The image I keep coming back to from her set is the chair shot. She turned what could have been a fairly straightforward seated pose into something considerably more dynamic, getting quite acrobatic with the chair and the space around it. The result is an image that stands apart from the rest of her set in a way that is difficult to manufacture.
Carla’s standout for me was the series in the brown top. There is something about how she was moving and holding herself in those frames that just clicked. It is hard to pin down exactly what it is that makes one series work better than another; it tends to have as much to do with what the model is doing with her energy as with anything technical. Whatever the reason, those frames have something to them.
What to Expect from a Model Portfolio Shoot
If you are a model thinking about a portfolio session, or looking to update what you already have, it might be useful to know how a day like this actually works. You arrive with your outfits ready and your hair and makeup done. We talk through the looks at the start of the session and work out a rough order. From there, the session is flexible. If something is working, we stay with it; if it is not quite landing, we move on.
Twelve to fourteen looks across four hours is achievable, but it requires preparation. Models who arrive having thought through what they want to shoot, with the clothes sorted and the accessories ready, move quickly between looks and get more out of the time. The session runs better for everyone as a result, and the image count at the end reflects it.
My studio at Rendlesham offers a range of backgrounds, and the lighting can be adapted to suit different looks and moods. Morrigan and Carla worked across a dark grey, a mid grey, and the red, and the shift between them gives their portfolios a variety that a single background simply cannot match. I use a key light as my main source and a rim or kicker light behind the subject to add separation and depth. It is a clean, workable setup that travels well across a wide range of styling choices.
A Note on Safety for Models
I want to be direct about how I work, because models, particularly those who are newer to working with photographers, deserve to know what to expect before they come to a studio.
There is no physical contact between myself and any model during a shoot. If a pose needs adjusting, I describe it verbally or demonstrate it from a distance. I do not touch. That is a firm rule, not a preference.
I encourage every model to bring a chaperone. A friend, a partner, a family member, someone they trust. That offer is made before the shoot, not as an afterthought. If you want to bring someone, bring them. There is no reason not to, and any photographer who objects to a chaperone being present, or who discourages you from bringing one, is showing you something important about how they operate.
Your safety is not something you should have to negotiate or justify. The right photographer will be clear about the process, will have no problem with you bringing someone you trust, and will not make you feel as though you are being difficult for asking.
Foyers Photography Studio, Rendlesham, Suffolk
My studio is at Base Business Park in Rendlesham, on the former RAF Bentwaters site in Suffolk. It is within easy reach of Ipswich, Woodbridge, and the wider East Anglian area. I work with both established models and those who are building their portfolios for the first time.
If you are a model looking to put together a new set of images or update what you already have, feel free to get in touch. I am happy to talk through what a session would involve and what you would need to prepare.
You can find Morrigan on Instagram at @morriganswolf and view her portfolio at models.foyers.photography/model/morrigan. You can find Carla on Instagram at @carla.dawes.modeling and view her portfolio at models.foyers.photography/model/carla.
