Are You a Helios Model? And What is a Helios Model Anyway?

Who or What is a “Helios Model?”

To be completely honest with you, we didn’t know this phrase was a thing until about the third time we had heard it from at least three different people. We’re not a modeling agency but I do believe that over time we may have indirectly chosen or maybe created a different classification of models and clients.

I don’t believe it is a look. I personally think everyone we’ve photographed is beautiful. I really mean that. Everyone we have ever photographed in uniquely gorgeous in their own way. Our portfolio is far too varied to say it is just blondes or brunettes, dark hair, asians or blacks, whites or otherwise. But I do think that most of the models who collaborate with us have a refinement unseen anywhere else. It’s not a job, or a label. It’s just something people tend to remember the model by. We guess it’s a thing now. 

For example, I did a follow-up with a model two weeks ago. This follow-up was long after my initial shoot with her. We met just to discuss future ideas and just to see how her shoots with other photographers have gone since our first shoot together. She is having a blast. However, it was the recent photographers she had worked with that also gave her the label as a Helios Model which in essence meant, she was in a different and more elite class than normal. Hey, we’ll take that. Again, it is not our saying, this seems to be public opinion. We’re not an agency but we do often brag about finding the absolute best people to photograph. To be honest, even the paid assignments are exceptional in our opinion. I believe good people are simply attracted to good things. You want the best then you should always strive to be the best. If I want the best models I try not to beg for them, pay them extraneous amounts of money. I put my time and effort in honing, improving and perfecting my skill as a designer and photographer. In time, if it is meant to be we will simply cross paths; if not, we will not. We certainly don’t have a monopoly on premium people. In fact, we would say that there have many more people we would like to work with; all of which are well-suited to the ideas we have planned. Are they “Helios Models” before we even work with them? We can’t answer that if we don’t know why the label exist.

We don’t happen upon active photo shoots from other photographers very often so we don’t see their process with how they select, engage and direct models but I can’t imagine it would be that different. You select, research, schedule and shoot or you reply to a message or an email, agree on a rate, schedule and shoot. Simple right? Or so we thought. Apparently, somewhere along the line we seem to develop these new classifications and what some are designating as a higher echelon of talent than what is normally found. 

We honestly don’t know what is going on. But what we do know is that we are eternally grateful for every single paid assignment and collaboration that comes our way and we have fun doing them. As you might also be aware, we often credit the talent and clients themselves with how well the images manifest. We couldn’t be who we are without their skill, vision and talent. 

So what is a Helios Model? I still don’t really know. Perhaps someone else can define why people we photograph just seem so categorically premium and elite. If I had to guess we believe people decide to become a Helios Model when they make that first email, send that first message or make the initial phone call to setup a shoot. It’s a mindset not a look. They’ve decided to take a leap and see what happens and that within itself suggest a creative and more open minded way of approaching art and photographically specific. If the label derives from the results then that is most certainly our theory. Full trust in the process is over half of our successes. 

Our final theory on what constitutes a Helios Model is a person that constantly strives to improve their craft. They encourage others to be the best they can be while they themselves work hard to expand their creative opportunities. They want to forge productive relationships and work with other people like themselves that respect style, taste and refinement above all else and they would much rather have quality above quantity. If that is a Helios Model then I believe nearly everyone we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with suits that label.