The main criteria for hiring a hand model is: Experience, Experience, Experience.

Why is an EXPERIENCED HAND MODEL so important? On a set, time=money. If everyone is waiting for a hand model to perform the shot, perform within the frame, hit her mark, or get over nerves--it will hold up production and cost the production thousands of dollars as everyone falls behind schedule. If a hand model is chosen because she was the "cheapest" or because her face looks like the model being used...you could be in for a world of problems. There have been many times when I have gotten a frantic call to be on a set as quickly as possible to replace a hand model that was not working out.

Just because everyone has hands...doesn't mean that they are a hand model. I have seen a current trend in casting where it seems like everyone thinks they are a hand model. Recently, I have heard more complaints from production about agencies sending inexperienced people who call themselves "hand models" because they have a few photos of their hands. Having photos of your hands, does not mean much--especially in the world of MASSIVE PHOTO RETOUCHING.

(This leads me to a side note, paying an experienced hand model's day rate is worth it. You get what you pay for. Any experienced hand model who works regularly will not try to lowball the competition.)

The second criteria for hiring a hand model is: GRACE.

When hiring a hand model, people tend to ask the hand model to hold out their hands or lay their hands flat on a table. That is a great way to find out NOTHING you need to know to get your shot--unless of course what you need is a hand model that will not be moving and will be posing flat against a table.

It is important to ask a hand model to hold the product that they will be holding in the shot so that you can get the idea of how this hand model moves her hands. You might ask the hand model to pretend that she is on the set, and that she is enterring the frame from camera left to reach in and take a product. If your hand model does not know the difference between CAMERA LEFT AND CAMERA RIGHT, there are going to be problems on the set. Ask the model to point, pick up the product, pretend she is putting some of the product in her hand. Watch the movements, make sure they are slow and steady. STEADY HANDS---very important. Steady, graceful, slow moving hands... in a frame where a hand is the entire frame, it does not take much movement to fall out of a frame or miss your mark.

The third criteria for hiring a hand model: SIZE OF THE MODEL. When a hand model is hired, the lighting is all for the product. Often the hand model must squeeze between lights and c-stands to get into the shot. Also, it is important that the model be small enough to fit into the actress's clothing in the case that the hand model might have to wear the actress' wardrobe to match the shot. I replaced a foot model that was hired in December on a shoot, because nobody bothered to find out that the actress' shoes were all a 6.5 and the foot model came in and didn't fit into the shoes--now that would only work if they had two pairs of every shoe! The entire production was held up until I got there.

The fourth criteria for hiring a hand model: SKIN TONE. My skin tone is the perfect neutral. Because I do not have red or pink in my skin, my hands never turn blotchy with heat or blue with cold. The skin on my hands does not change color when I'm holding something for a long time to get a shot and the blood is draining out of them. Also, I have the kind of skin that is fair enough for the fairest match or toned enough to match someone with olive skin. Remember the product is going to be lit to make it look it's best--the hand model is an afterthought. If you choose someone with hands that are TOO PALE and the lighting is bright for the product, the hands will look ghostly and dead. If you hire a hand model who has hands that looked great FLAT AGAINST A BACKDROP WHERE YOU TOOK A DIGITAL PHOTO OF HER...you might freak out when she is on set and the blue veins are sticking out of her pasty colored skin...

I am available to help you find the appropriate hand model you are looking for: male or female.