model info

Anyone can be a photographic model - whether you could go on to make a successful career is dependant upon demand and whether the camera likes you. Why not have a look at websites like www.modelmayhem.com and www.purestorm.com to gain a better understanding of a model's requirements?

Our interest is in Micro-stock photography - more commonly called Stock Photography. Model shoots take place in our own Studio which we pre-set with 4 or 5 backgrounds/scenes already in place based on what concepts we have agreed with the model.

If you live in Carmarthenshire or Pembrokeshire, we would be pleased to consider taking your photograph at no charge to you. You would need to be available during the daytime (any day, including weekends), and a chaperone is most welcome. You must be over 18. You must have neat, clean hair and well-applied make-up. You must have suitable clothing free of logos, trademarks and images - these are simply not permitted in Stock Photography.

A shoot normally lasts about 3 hours - this time includes breaks for food and drink. We make models very welcome and try to engender a relaxed and informal atmosphere - our facilities are available to models, including a hot shower if required.

First shoots are on a TFCD (Time For CDs) basis. Subsequent shoots will be paid at £15-£25 per hour, depending on experience. The model must sign a Model Release in advance of any photos being taken, this is a standard requirement for royalty-free photographs. It is a single page, legal document. This gives all rights to the images to the photographer.

We will always send a CD/memory stick to the model containing a selection of photos. If a model has a valid objection to any image, we'll remove it. The model's CD will contain each image in 2 resolutions (one low resolution for web usage - Facebook, to send to friends and family; and one high resolution for portfolio use) and they may not be sold or given away for commercial use.

Photographs will be used on www.istockphoto.com or www.fotolia.co.uk two of the world's leading micro payment photography sites. Micro payment sites give the photographer a small payment for each photograph sold - this varies from about 20 cents (10p) to around $12 (£7). Each photograph is checked by a trained Inspector for quality and copyright issues before being accepted.

Photos must NOT include any copyrighted material - no logos, (Nike swoosh, Adidas stripes, Microsoft, etc.) no modern vehicles, no people without model releases for each, no copyrighted buildings (Cardiff Millennium Centre, for example). Stock photography is extremely strict about this - even if a cityscape has a sign in the far background, it will be rejected. For these reasons, a model must NOT wear clothing with logos or designs on - a patterned Summer dress is fine, but a dress with a single design (for example, a rose across the chest) is unacceptable. Smaller elements, like a YKK logo on a zip, can be removed in Photoshop.

All images on this site are copyrighted and may not be used without purchase.
All images are available on Royalty-free licences via their links or can be bought Rights-managed by contacting us.
Cristine & Maurice van der Velden
Parc y Teg • Llanddewi Velfrey • Narberth • Pembs SA67 7EG
Telephone 01834 860204
maurice@vandervelden.co.uk