Basic Injury Prevention
Hey all!
Welcome back to Model Pro Tips Monday (well, the live chat was Monday- the write up is Thursday because I've been busy).
If you caught the live chat, or the posted video, you know that I talked about injury prevention when modeling. Believe it or not, the job can be dangerous sometimes. Models do photoshoots in all sorts of conditions. You may shoot on one hour of sleep, in 115 degrees, in 8 degrees and a blizzard, or in a questionable location (...the top of a skyscraper, maybe?). Whatever the shoot is, like any other job, there is the possibility for injury. Here are a few things I jotted down that could happen while you're working your pose game:
a) Cuts/bruises
b) Pulled muscles
c) Pinched nerves
d) Sunburn and frostbite
e) Broken bones
f) Concussion??
g) Infection (especially skin infection)
PART ONE:
I've personally gotten cuts and bruises, pinched nerves, infection (don't do pool shoots with open cuts), sunburns, and pulled muscles from shoots and promo jobs (my jaw locked shut at a convention gig in January and Brade at BWell Massage took care of me). OUCH!
So what can you do to prevent these ugly oopses from happening while you're modeling?
1) DO Take breaks. Tell the photographer ahead of time that you'll need them. I get delirious a few hours in if I don't take breaks and rest my brain for a few.
-DON'T Power through and overpose. This is how you pull muscles. If you think you've been holding a pose for too long, you've held it for too long. Some photographers don't know to tell you to rest when they're checking the camera, so watch for this.
2) DO Drink water. I dehydrate for some bikini and boudoir shoots, but don't go too hardcore. Bring water with you and drink it.
-DON'T forget to drink water and pass out. Okay? Easy enough?
3) DO reasonable things for "the shot." Know the laws about public indecency in case the photographer doesn't. Be smart.
-DON'T do "anything for the shot." This is how people end up naked in malls and arrested, or dead on train tracks. Real things. Google them.
4) DO Bring snacks! And eat them.
-DON'T Worry about being bloated if you eat mid-shoot. Bring nuts or veggies and eat slowly. Again,
5) DO Stretch and foam roll before! Know what poses you are doing and be warmed up to do new ones.
-DON'T Attempt new or bendy poses without a warm up round of stretches. PSA- Modeling will make you hurt in places you have never hurt before.
6) DO Know your abilities.
-DON'T Commit to a shoot that you know you probably cannot do (Example: don't shoot for a fitness product if you don't have the training or background).
7) DO Wear clean wardrobe. Wear your own wardrobe.
-DON'T Wear dirty looking wardrobe from a photographer. You have no clue who wore that before you. Your safest answer is "no thank you." Discuss this ahead of time.
8) DO Maintain the boundaries that you set before the shoot.
-DON'T Shoot "whatever." No shoot is worth an injury.
PART TWO:
Basic Tips:
1) Practice your posing ahead of time. I spend about eight hours each week practicing posing.
2) Foam roll and stretch right before the shoot or gig, especially if you have any tight areas. I now fly a foam roller with me when I travel.
3) Drink water and pack snacks. And use them.
4) Pack up everything else that you may need ahead of time so that you don't forget it (sunscreen, blankets, coat, hand-warmers ***, umbrella, towel, first aid kit, etc). It's always better to be over-prepared.
That concludes this week talk. Send me a message with any questions you may have, and stay safe at your gigs, friends! No accidents!!
xoxo
Ashlie Noelle
