Model Portfolio Shoot with Natalie | Foyers Photography Suffolk

A Collaboration Built Over Time

Some shoots come together quickly because the groundwork has already been done. That is certainly true of my work with Natalie. We have been collaborating since I opened my studio at Rendlesham, and she was among the very first people through the door for portrait sessions. Over the years we have built up a working relationship where both of us understand what we are trying to achieve before we even start setting up lights.

That clarity makes a real difference. There is no ambiguity on the day, no time spent figuring out whether we are on the same page creatively, because the conversation has already happened. For a model portfolio shoot, that is exactly where you want to be.

Building a Portfolio with Range

Natalie is an alternative model, and her aesthetic runs dark and moody. That is not something I try to soften or redirect. It is the look that suits her, and it is what the images needed to reflect. But within that world there is still a lot of room to move, and that is what we were focused on with this shoot: keeping a strong consistent identity across the images while showing genuine variety.

We worked through roughly five different looks across the session. Each outfit brought a different feel, and we planned the order in advance rather than working it out as we went. The progression mattered.

Planning It Together

One of the things I value most about working with Natalie is that she is genuinely involved in the creative process. Before this shoot we were both adding images to a shared Pinterest board, and it was through that process that some of the clearest creative decisions got made.

The fine art fabric work at the end of the session was one of those decisions. We had both pinned similar images independently, which told us immediately that we were thinking along the same lines. It was not something that came to us on the day. It was planned, discussed, and agreed. That kind of preparation means the shoot time is spent actually making images rather than working out what they should be.

Natalie had also flagged a number of images on the board that used gel lighting, which told me clearly that this was a direction she wanted to explore. It is a useful way of working, not least because it means any creative choice I make is grounded in what the person in front of the camera has already said they want.

The Lighting Setup

The main setup for the darker backdrop sections was a large softbox as the key light, with a red gel on a second head used as a rim and hair light on camera left. The red was a deliberate choice: it adds edge and contrast, and it works particularly well against Natalie’s bright pink hair. The warmth of the gel against the cooler, shadowy background gives the images a slightly heightened quality that fits the alternative aesthetic well.

For the cream dress section, we moved to a lighter grey backdrop. That was a considered decision based on the outfit. A cream dress against a dark background disappears into itself, whereas the lighter tone lets it read properly. The contrast of the pale background against the pink hair and the extensive tattoo work also gives those images a very different feel from the rest of the set, which was the point.

The Fabric Work and the Black and White Decision

The fine art section at the end of the session involved draped fabric rather than clothing. One piece was a rich orange velvet, the other a lighter cream material. In colour, the orange fabric was fighting with the pink hair, and the overall palette was becoming too busy. The decision to convert those images to black and white was not one we had planned in advance, but it was the right call once we could see what we had.

The black and white treatment strips away the colour tension and lets the shapes, the light, and the tattoo detail carry the image. It also gives those frames a more classical quality that sits well alongside the bolder, more saturated work from the earlier parts of the shoot. As a final section in a portfolio set, it gives the images a very different register.

What Natalie Brings to a Shoot

Experience in front of a camera is not something you can fake, and Natalie has it. She knows how to hold a position, how to shift between looks, and when something is working. That makes the whole session move more efficiently.

What I appreciate equally is her willingness to try things. The Pinterest board approach only works if both people are genuinely engaged with the process, and Natalie always is. She comes prepared, she has thought about the shoot beforehand, and she brings that preparation with her on the day.

Her partner Connor was also there throughout the session, which I always encourage. Having someone familiar nearby makes a difference to how relaxed the session feels, and Connor is always helpful and easy to work with.

We have already started thinking about what the next shoot will look like. That says something about how well this one went.

A Note on Model Safety

This section is here because I think it matters, and because I include it whenever I write about shoots involving models.

During any shoot at my studio, I do not make physical contact with a model. If a posing adjustment is needed, I describe it verbally or demonstrate from a distance. That is a straightforward professional boundary, and it is one I hold to regardless of the circumstances.

I always encourage every model I work with to bring a chaperone. A partner, a friend, a family member. Someone they trust. The offer is made before the shoot, not just in passing. Natalie always brings Connor, and I think that is a sensible approach. It means she can concentrate on the work without having to think about anything else.

If you are a model considering working with any photographer, new to you or otherwise, and that photographer is reluctant to allow a chaperone, or discourages you from bringing one, that is a significant red flag. There is no professional reason to object to it. A good photographer will have no issue with it at all.

Your safety is not something you should have to negotiate.