The goal is that some of these tips may help you try to find your niche as a model on a realistic level, or if you even want to be one! Expanding your view of what modeling really is, what's expected from you, and finding where the "open doors" may be for you are a great start! The opportunities are out there, and not everyone knows about them, so use this to your advantage. Getting signed with a reputable modeling agency is the goal, but it's not the final step in your success, so you need to look at all of the potential options.
Many female and male models start out in their career knowing absolutely nothing about the "business" of being a model. It was very confusing for them, and most made some simple, common mistakes right in the very beginning. Some mistakes were just embarrassing, but not career threatening, while other mistakes were avoidable and inexcusable. Don't ever forget that you will be depended upon to do your job and many people will be counting on you whether you are doing a promotional modeling assignment or a photo shoot for a magazine. Show up late, not ready, or no-show for that assignment and see how happy they'll all be. Time is money and people get cranky. You'll be lucky to even get another job if you show your agency that you're unreliable. The agencies do hold a lot of power, and it's best if you respect their work in promoting you.
Go above and beyond what is basically required of you even if you are not getting compensated such as volunteering for charity events, etc. Some will call it "brown-nosing", but it's a win-win situation for everyone. You never know who you'll meet and it could somehow open another door in your career. Think of yourself as always having someone watching you, too, because you never know sometimes how things can get back to your agencygood and bad.
Some new models think they'll have on the job training as their primary source of education. They heard that if a modeling agency "wants" you that they will just help you learn as you go. It can happen. To a very "small" degree of the model population that may be just like winning the lottery, though! If they are discovered by the "right" person, at the "right" time, and by the "right" agency that has the resources for such a discoverythat's an initial success!
There's a chance for learning as you go, but be a quick learner because there's not much time before you're faced with situations where there will be few excuses that even the most patient agents will just write you off. Most people don't just "wake up" and become successful models overnight, so take this time before you jump in to this industry to familiarize yourself with at least the basics. As you discover where your niche may be, then you can do all you can to polish yourself up on the necessary skills and contacts.
It can be overwhelming to be just tossed into an industry that shows little to no mercy. Investment of time and money is a "risky" business for the model and their agent, and ultimately it comes out of the model's earnings for expenses that their agent "may" cover for them initially. A model's career is relatively short lived compared to other occupations, but time is money, and ultimately you must work on refining your "runway" walk, poise, presentation in front of others, and photographic posing techniques. It never hurts to familiarize yourself with the important names of the industry (a.k.a. homeworknames of current & past models, designers, photographers, agencies, magazines, etc.) because it can help you connect to what they may be looking for!
Some approaches in reaching your success we will discuss are just simple, "common sense" ways of developing the basic knowledge of promoting yourself as a model. Depending on where you live, your height, your size, your age, and if you have a commercial or high fashion look will be one of the biggest factors of what level you are realistically at. Some agencies want an established "working" model with a developed portfolio of pictures and tear sheets to add to their roster, especially if they are attractive to the client's needs that they work with. Everyone is looking for the new talent, too, but the less work on preparing that model to work is very appealing!
Some agencies who are looking for new models without experience may refer to non-professional, basic camera (digital or Polaroid) pictures to evaluate new models. They like seeing little-to-no make-up to evaluate skin and features without distractions of lines and color. They prefer appropriate, fitted clothes that show the shape and lines of the body versus clothes with too many distractions and layers that hide the models true form. Professionals are trained to scout through those raw, new faces, and mold them into how they want them to look and market them. Be prepared to remember which agencies who just need simple photographs with "little-to-no make-up" versus an actual "beginner's" portfolio taken from your hometown portrait photographer. (We'll later discuss the different types of photographers and what kinds of pictures that your agency may want (or NOT want) in your model's portfolio.)
It doesn't hurt to arm yourself with some facts, tips, and honest "opinions" of the modeling industry if it can give you a head start against some stiff competition! It is really a hugely, competitive industry that changes season to season, so with some basic information you can stay on top of what the trends are (homework), who are the people promoting those trends (homework), and how you can be involved (more homework). Don't mistaken the word "competition" as meaning that you have to be "bitchy" to "compete". Leave anger, insecurities, and personal issues at home and away from clients, other models, and industry professionals. Everyone has their own issues and there is a time and a place for venting about your bad day or complaints.
Same goes for low self-esteems and insecurity issues. If your self-esteem and body image are lacking confidence, you need to look at the "pros and cons" of this business of modeling because many models are prone to face rejection, feeling imperfect, and even face depression. Both the top models and newer models are exposed to unrealistic standards, and the means of attaining the "imagery of perfection" by this industry can lead to restrictive diets and even cosmetic/corrective surgeries.
Do we wonder why girls (and boys) start "dieting" at a very young age when they are already at a healthy weight? What will you do if and when you're told you need to lose weight? It's very stressful to hear, but when modeling is your career, it can happen. My opinion is that you should begin BEFORE you start modeling. Work out a plan that is best for your health by considering a diet that allows your body and brain to have "energy", and consider how to reach your goals with exercise (flexibility, endurance, and a tone physique in all the right places are a good start). You'll hear from other models what they do to shed pounds, but I recommend using a doctor or nutritionist's advice to what they feel you should do to stay healthy if you want to try to lower an existing healthy weight.
It may be a different scenario dependent upon the "type" of model that you are because the industry standards vary. You may not be too far off from being one type of model, but feel worlds away from another. This is the time for self-critique and soul-searching to find where you fit in as a model and if it's truly what you want as a career or just as a hobby. Either way, it's a big business that is full of diverse opportunities for all types of models.
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