An experience photographer or someone proficient can make a mediocre models looks pretty or stunning. A so-so photographer can make a pretty model looks mediocre. Most photographer can take a pretty picture of a pretty model.
Another point to note, is that in a organised photoshoot, usually the models are "professionals", meaning modeling is their ricebowl. These models knows how to look their best, how to pose well, how to project a favorable angle, how to put up a good facial expression etc.. so it makes the photographers job much easier to produce a "good-looking" image.
Join a photoshoot, machine gun a few thousand pictures in full auto mode, surely there'll be 1 or 2 that is "good enough" post in CS. Somemore with the organiser assisting the shoot, positioning the model for suitable background, put up reflectors etc.. it's not that difficult.
So it's not only choosing "average" model, just choose any of your friends and try to make pictures like those posted and you can see the "challenge"
Guess you're only got part of it. In some cases, the member simply knows each other in personal (or some that joined the same shoot), and they'll "support" each other with "nice" "great" etc. comments. Also, you'll find that some organiser will praise those pictures from their shoots very much. Guess you can judge and already pointed out that not all comments actually reflects the standard of the pictures, and some are quite misleading to newbies (photographer or models) on what is a "good picture". Of course there are pictures that truly is good.. Guess these members are quite famous and consistently produced stunning results.
Concerning the first reply, it is not entirely correct. Well yes, granted that these models are "professionals", a lot are doing this as a sideline. Some are commendable as they are using this to see themselves through school. I know of a few and on is based on feedback, of which that said I am hoping to work with her going forward. Contrary to what some might think that they are doing this for the sake of buying stuff. But to say that these "professional" models know which angles to project to make themselves look good, to a certain degree, is overstating as a lot unfortunately do not know how to do so. They are just pretty.
Few I see, unfortunately, can only make it to that criteria where they know how to pose, know which angles look the best, and can communicate well with the photographer, and I am saying this is based on what I see on group shoots. In private shoots, it is a different ball game as the photographer is the art director himself, the creative director and the photographer all in. Ultimately the case here is how much of a rapport can be built up between model and photographer is a very big question which is evident in private shoots. Sometimes it can be built up in 15 mins. Sometimes over three or four sessions. Sometimes none at all. A lot of times the photographer has to be his own harshest critique and even critiquing the model for that matter.
A pretty model is certainly easy to take, no doubt about that. But to ascertain the fact that pretty model means 50% of the battle won is a serious flaw in logic. A pretty model, to take her picture is only 30% of the battle, the other 70% is to make the model stand out in the picture. That is the challenge. To envision, to capture and to produce an image that can wow everyone dead in their tracks...that is something that as a portrait shooter, I aspire to be.
A lot of grp shoots will have people ending up and friends and thereby praising the pictures as good, which a lot of it is happening. While there is nothing wrong, if an honest opinion is needed, this does not stand on its own. Very often, when pictures get slammed for reasons, people will take offense. That said, most of the time we as photographersa tend to forget two fundamentals: 1) the styling of the model is our call. When the model gets slammed. we have to undertake the responsibility and not the model. 2) Following from the first point, we as photographers have to undertake the stress of the model for a lot of things. Weather, her make up, her clothes, her poses, her hair, shoes, background, if she is feeeling comfortable, etc. Coupled with our own of exposure, metering , colour balance and the like. So one can imagine the immense stress faced on a private shoot.
But that is the beauty. And the beauty here lies not in the model alone. It also allows yourself to discover where the beauty of the model is. In a group shoot, you do not get that much chance. In a private shoot, try it once...you will see the difference.
Look at Will03, Kongo, Flipfreak, Ejun, Deadpoet, G-Khoo, Zeckson, Gatchaman, Virgo... . Look at these few people and compare. A vast world of difference and a very great one.