First, a Dose of Harsh Reality.

 

Let me burst your bubble right now: Most models do not make a decent living at it. There are many reasons for this but let me say it is all on you whether or not you succeed. Feel free to ignore this page if you are not serious about modeling.

Most often, your success or failure depends more on how you promote yourself and how you behave rather than on how good you look. Having clear skin and a bangin’ bod is not a requirement for being a successful model. Having all your friends tell you “Oh you should be a model! You are so pretty!”  means nothing. It means less than nothing if you can’t follow instructions or you are a little drama queen.

New Models that succeed put great amounts of effort into booking shoots, learning and growning in their new carreer. New Models that are not ultimately successful blow off opportunities, don’t learn and have an attitude.

Like I said, it is all on you whether you succeed as a new model or not. No one is going to think “Oh Wow! She’s cute so I am going to put up with her unprofessional behavior!” Your co-workers will say however that they will work with you if you learn, try, are easy to work with and follow direction.

As an aside, most successful models are not dumb, that is a myth. Many have college degrees. Having the right measurements means nothing if you aren’t smart enough to understand then do what you are told. If you have poor grades, are always in trouble, getting in conflicts with people, then you will probably not be successful. You will not have the right personality and necessary brains.

One more common misconception needs to be discussed. Runway modeling. It is not glamourous. It is hard work. It is not fun, usually. People expect you to be a certain height (5′8″ or more) and be skinny. The reason for this is that clothing designers make clothes for the shows that are a certain “industry standard” size. If you do not fit that size, you will not wear the clothes.  All you are is a walking clothes hanger. The star of the show is the clothes, not you. If you can’t make the clothes look good, you will not be employed in runway modeling.

So then, what do you need to be a successful model?

 

Second, the Genre and Requirements.

 

Some of the more typical modeling genre are (briefly) as follows:

Runway- You are generally required to be a specific height and shape.  You must be graceful, be willing to change clothes in front of total strangers and have a very thick skin. Runway is a specific form of fashion modeling.

Fashion-  Many times a little more lax on body type but you need to be able to pose. You can be in the studio or on location and might be posing with clothing or accessories or other people. Again, the goal is to make the item you are wearing or showing look great. More expressions and some acting skills come into play here. The main skill here is to be a professional mannequin.

Glamour- This one is about you.  Bold makeup, sexy poses and smokey looks. Many times glamour is swim suit, lingerie, nude, semi-nude or implied nude. Pin-up, retro and other types of modeling including Playboy fit into Glamour. This is definitely one form of modeling that requires the good looks and bangin’ bod. You need to be able to pose in a sexy way and make the viewer drool. FWIW, good looks in the form of great makeup is fine. As long as the final result is what the client is looking for, then you are good to go.

Promo- Promo or promotions modeling involves doing things like trade show or information booth work. It can be passing out flyers at events or signing people up for magazine subscriptions. It is about talking to people to get them interested in the product or idea you are repping. Your attire can be anything  from a bikini to a business suit. You can be in a parking lot or a convention hall. You must be reasonably good looking, fit and have a dynamic personality. You must be able to learn the basic product literature and be able to engage people in conversation about it.

Fitness- Like the name suggests, it is about the in-shape form. Many bikini contests and covers or ad shots dealing with the fitness industry fit into this category. If you are not sculpted, your options are limited here.

Alt- Goth, Punk, any non-mainstream look fits here. The look is more important than the body type. Having pink and green hair or interesting piercings  might be enough to get you work.

Body Part- Having great hands or legs might land you work as a body part model. You just need to have the right requirements for that particular part. Make sure if you sign with an agency that you let them know you can model which part.

Art modeling- Many times you are posing nude. This type of modeling is the most accessible to models with non-standard body types. You need to be comfortable with your body and be able to hold poses as directed. Whether you model for an art class, sculptor or a photographer, you are figure modeling. It is about you, your form and how interesting your pose looks.

 

Third, How to Succeed.

 

In order to succeed, you need to have what others want. If you are 5′ 3″ you will not be a runway model. If you will not be seen in a bikini or skimpy sleepwear then you will not be a glamour model. You need to look at yourself, determine what genera you fit then go after work in that genera. Go to go-see’s, do TFCD work, email photographers asking them to shoot you for free, do whatever it takes to work, even if it is unpaid. If necessary, find a good photographer that will work for cheap. One of the first things you need to do is get comp cards and a book. As you get more experienced, as you get a reputation for being on time, easy to work with, fun, professional, creative and talented, people will start to want to pay you.

If you haven’t been to modeling school, hit the internet. Go to You-Tube, do Google Searches, anything, to learn about modeling.  You-Tube in particular has hundreds of videos about posing and other aspects of modeling. Practice practice practice.

 

Fourth, Model Ethics.

 

Your reputation is everything.  If you are unwilling to put time and effort into your job, then you will have a bad reputation. If you do not show up on time then you will have a bad reputation. If you were a secretary in an office and showed up late or not at all, you would be fired. What makes you think you can do that as a model?

There are more ways to fail as a model than there are ways to succeed.

To succeed, do these things, always:

Communicate. If you are not interested in a job or can’t find the time in your schedule, say so. Do not ever ignore emails from someone.  Call the day before the shoot and say you are looking forward to working with them and you are going to be there. On the day of the shoot, call and say you are on the way.

Show up on time. Early is better. Late or not at all is never allowed. Ever. If you get sick, have car trouble or any other thing that will keep you from being on time, call immediately and make alternate plans. Do not flake out on the shoot.

Plan on giving more than what is expected. Try harder, Listen better. Do everything you can to make the people you are working with love you and make them glad they are working with you.

Leave the drama at home. Leave the boyfriend at home too. You are there to work, not drag everyone down into your pit of despair. Be happy, be upbeat and be easy to get along with. Keep your opinions to yourself.

Be a part of the creative process. Try to get a sense of what the client wants then take the direction and make it happen.

 

So There You Have It.

 

This is not complete by any means. It is just a few things I thought of  that might make a difference in you being a success or not. The comments are turned on for this page so leave your comments, additions or other relevant thoughts.