If you’re interested in modeling but not sure where to begin here is the basic guideline to get you started on your new adventure. I will cover just the basics in this blog and branch out as I go. Modeling is a very difficult topic and has many different aspects that can’t be covered in a day or summarized so easily. So let’s get started! But before I do please note this information is based solely on my experiences in the industry for America and Japan. There is no strict guidebook to follow and in the modeling world it’s best to trust your instincts, do various research, and ask many questions if you’re unsure. So grab a note book and pen, laptop, or whatever people use these days and take some notes.
Agency or Freelance
First you need to decide who will represent you. An agency or yourself?
An Agency– They will take a certain percentage of the money earned (which shouldn’t be over 20% otherwise it’s a bad business, unless you’re in Japan like I am and all agencies even the “good ones” take 50%!). With an agent they will have many restrictions on your looks or ask you to change them sometimes including your weight. You must be very open minded to criticism because they see you as a business investment. They will find the auditions and jobs for you which can save you a lot of time and are guaranteed to never send you somewhere unsafe or with a photographer who isn’t professional. Just by being with an agent your credibility during auditions can get you the job before a freelance model because you are seen as more “professional”. Here’s what my agency asked me to change before I could work for them. Grow out my hair and not let it grow past a a certain point, grow out my eyebrows because thick brows were in high demand at market, get rid of acne, and straighten my teeth with braces. Most of these I planned to do anyways so I didn’t mind making the changes. Just be ready to make some sacrifices to get an agency.
Freelance Model– the job is up to you to create your own social media platforms, network with photographers and arrange your own photoshoots and test shoots while bartering to at least get paid for some of your work. You do get to keep 100% of the pay which is nice. If you try the freelance websites out there and aren’t getting any jobs, you can sign up with Freelance agencies which is very common in Japan and it’s run like a regular agency except they accept all sorts of models which can make it hard for yourself to be noticed by clients. You can also run the risk of working with photographers who are unprofessional or sometimes feel dangerous so please be careful! A lot of the times clients will try to get you to do the work unpaid. DO NOT DO IT! Unless they are professional and you are looking to boost your portfolio in a unique way with strong pictures don’t work for free. It drives down the demand for paid work for all models not just yourself. (I’ll write another article about Freelance and Agency modeling as well so please look forward to those too!)
Finding an agency can be very difficult as it requires certain looks and types or it can be a mush pot of not so professional models which makes getting a job even harder. The main difference between an agency and freelance model is that agencies will have access to castings for big brand names and higher paying job while freelance may only be able to find local work. I first suggest trying for all the agencies and never stop trying. Submit to the same ones once a year or every six months (with updated digitals) and branch out to as many as possible. This year they might not need your looks, but next year and with some built up experience you could get lucky. Keep trying is the key. Agencies first and then freelance in between until you can find which one works best for you.
Start up your social media accounts
Next is to establish your roots deep into the internet before you start and of course continue doing so once you’re a model. Be careful about this one because you need to protect your real identity. Create a profile only for modeling with no personal information (not a single piece or trail) cyber and real stalkers are a thing so keep it safe and professional. I don’t have a specific suggestions on which platform works best so I say develop and link them all together so that way you can reach out to many people who use different kinds. Just to list a few I use:
~ A model e-mail for jobs and daily communication (contact platforms)
~ Instagram, Facebook and Facebook Page, Twitter, a personal website (if you are professional freelance model), others such as blogs, freelance model sites, etc.
A top tip is to choose your information and usernames carefully and professionally. They will represent who you are so nothing strange, complicated, rude, or hard to remember. Using your model name is best and safest.
Set up your account with the best pictures of your work (between 5-10 photos to start and keep them organized and updated) being sure to give the right credit for them including all who were involved and links to their accounts. Save your personal photos for your personal accounts unless you think they are safe to post or will boost your professional appearance or reach your fans on a personal level (such as your art, makeup, animals, clothing style, music, etc…). If you don’t have any pictures yet that is ok! Have your friend take some digitals of you that are natural, expressive, and have good lighting and tasteful fashion.
Exercise and healthy diet ~ get ready to be the part
It’s important to prepare and take care of your body for the part of being a model. It’s not easy work and there is no cutting corners when it comes to staying fit. If you’re with an agency they will help you set your goals for weight, but if you’re freelance or perhaps in another category besides high fashion model they tend to be more lenient about your weight. Stay in shape with a firm toned body and you should be good! Even plus size models take care of their bodies to keep them in shape so it’s not just the high fashion ones too. Taking care of your overall health and appearance is part of modeling. You don’t need surgery or fake alterations to be accepted. The clients just want you to have a healthy glow and positive attitude when on the job.
Facing rejection with positivity
Prepared to hear some absolutely horrible things from agencies and clients as they reject you because of the strangest reasons or say it to your face because they can. Can’t walk in a pair of size 10 strapless heels when you’re a size 8 shoe and they use wadded up newspaper to keep you in them. Rejected. Too tall for the clothes they have. Rejected. Shoulders too wide and muscular to fit the dress. Rejected. Blonde hair when they want brown. Rejected. Can’t walk fast enough in 5” heels. Rejected. White skin when they want golden tan. Rejected. You get the point. It’s not about you but the business so don’t worry too much about rejection. I’m not going to lie, every rejection will sting and take a chip off your confidence so find things to bring it back up again. Treat yourself to a favorite snack. Have a friend take some new digitals of you. Practice posing in the mirror. Give yourself a manicure and at home spa. Do something in modeling to make it fun again. For every 100 rejections there will be 1 success or maybe none. That’s just how things work in the industry. If you love modeling like I do then you’ll shrug off rejection as a learning experience rather than something personal. And never ever let a client or photographer pressure you into doing something you don’t want to do! You are responsible for protecting yourself and sometimes clients and photographers can be downright nasty with their words when you say no, but of course not all!
Practice your walk and poses, don’t be camera shy (study!Study!STUDY!)
Study, study, study modeling and fashion! Not only is it fun to flip through (or scroll) a magazine and say you are “studying” it’s time to put those pretty pictures to use. See a pose you like? Keep it, practice it, make it yours and make it special. Learn to create different expressions on your face instead of one for every camera angle and remember the faces that don’t look good either. Photographers like a model who is interesting and willing to try strange poses or different things so just try them and fail or succeed. A picture will show everything including when you are not comfortable so the more you practice and do some test shoots the more likely you will be ready for a real shoot when the time comes. Not only poses but a walk is very important even if you aren’t going to be a runway model it’s good to prepare your body to walk elegantly in heels for commercials, photoshoots, and even auditions. A photographer will take well over 1,000 photos per photoshoot and even as a professional model only about 50 will be good enough to pass the first selection process. Models are not perfect at every angle we have ugly ones and its our job to find the right ones that work oh so well on camera. Know your body and how it looks best. Have strict criticism for yourself and you’ll start to improve very quickly.
Prepare for auditions ~ a lot of them
Once you’ve signed with an agency or established yourself as a freelance model it’s time to hit the streets for auditions and test shoots. Big cities will offer more auditions but there’ll also be a long line of those waiting for the same success. With a portfolio in hand, comp cards, a demo reel, and well dressed be prepared to expect anything and everything from an audition. None are the same so be flexible in what they ask you to do and learn from each experience as you go. You won’t be able to tell if you got the job on the spot because they’ll never say and never ask. Make sure your other work is flexible in giving you time off to make it to auditions. You’ll have to set aside time when you can because you only get the job if you go out there and try. Luckily more and more auditions are happening through video which can save you from the stress of traveling and trying to locate the place.
As you can see the world of modeling is quite complicated even just at first glance and each type of modeling is so different from the next. I can’t give a straight answer as to what to expect by making a simple list as there is no definite answer and the modeling world is filled with unpredictability. I can only provide you with my experiences and the basic knowledge to get you started. So here is your next step. If you want to be a model just do it. Let no one stop you from trying and succeeding. Set this goal for yourself. Being a model isn’t about becoming famous or thinking you’re beautiful it’s about loving what you do and finding the reason you love modeling. If your passion for modeling is strong enough it will come true it’ll just take some time and a lot of hard work.
And just as I thought this blog won’t be enough for all the in depth details you’ll need for your adventure and perhaps an easy guideline to follow would be most helpful. Keeping checking back for more nuggets of wisdom about the modeling world and I truly hope they will be able to keep you safe and knowledgeable about modeling.
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