Want to become a model? We've crafted an in-depth guide on how to break into all types of modeling: fashion modeling, runway modeling, commercial modeling, fitness modeling—even hand modeling!
What to know:
- Do I have what it takes to be a model?
- What are the different kinds of modeling?
- What modeling terms should I know before getting started?
What to have:
- What tools or training do I need as a model?
What to do:
- How do I find work as a model?
- How do I book work as a model?
- How do I find representation?
- What diet and fitness regimen should I adhere to as a model?
- How do I make a living as a model?
Do I have what it takes to be a model?
You wanna be on top? All right, all right—this isn’t “America’s Next Top Model,” but in order to succeed in the modeling industry, you do have to have a sense of perseverance, dedication, and passion just like the novice guys and gals on reality TV. It’s not all about standing still and looking gorgeous (though there’s likely some of that, too)!
One of the first things to ask yourself as an aspiring model is why you want to get into modeling in the first place. It may seem a natural choice if you’re the kind of girl who’s been asked since middle school, “Have you thought about modeling?” But you should really only consider it seriously if you have a genuine interest in the profession.
Modeling is an industry about beauty in all shapes, shades, and sizes, and it’s about representing (and, in many cases, selling) a product. You should feel excited by the prospect of being the face of a new fashion line, makeup brand, or hot tech gadget. You should have a natural ease and confidence in front of the camera (photography and film alike), and you should, without a doubt, be proud of and own the things that make you singular.
Just like any career in the arts, it’s a competitive road, and you’ll inevitably be tempted by pangs of jealousy when you don’t get the gig. You’ll also likely compare yourself to others’ successes. Don’t give in to that nonsense! Follow your path and your individual identity, and that sort of easy, breezy poise is sure to get your further than insecurity and self-doubt.
MSA Models’ Los Angeles agency director Francis Arden goes one step further; he’s actually on the lookout for distinct personalities beyond the beauty when signing a new client. Of course, the modeling industry is based on a certain standard of beauty, but that doesn’t mean personality should be checked at the door. “If you have a quirky personality, we want to know that,” he says. “You’re not just a pretty face. We want to know who this person that we’re sitting in front of is. Yes, she’s got the right measurements, but what’s in there? What’s her purpose? What drives her?”
Maintaining a healthy perspective and self-confidence as an early career model is just the beginning. You also have to be prepared to maintain a healthy lifestyle of eating well, exercising regularly, and generally meeting the physical demands of your line of modeling. First and foremost, it’s all a matter of simply adhering to a self-care and health regimen. (More on that later.)
You should also be willing to become an early riser with patience and stamina to last through either a long day of go-sees (aka modeling auditions) or of video or photo shoots. Models do not keep regular 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours; you may be called into work at all hours of the day. A client needs a night shot for their product? Expect to be shooting at midnight. He or she needs a sunrise? Sunset? High noon? It’s exciting because no day’s work will look the same as the one before it, but living without a routine can also be a physically draining prospect. Be prepared to roll with the punches. Better yet, be prepared to roll with the punches while wearing heels!
In the end, your passion to succeed should be at the forefront. That means being realistic about the different forms success can take. Just like acting, a modeling career isn’t something that comes overnight. “Passion is definitely one of the key deciding factors because that motivates the individual to want to do what it takes to pursue it,” says Jack Maiden, director of Mavrick Models at Mavrick Artists Agency. “If they want to pursue it, they’ve gotta get out there and find out if there’s an agency that suits them. They’ve gotta go for it.”
Before you get started, though, you should know what you’re in for. “Educate yourself. Try to speak to as many people who are in the field [as] you can to get advice. There’s a lot to learn,” Arden insists. “You wouldn’t go to a volleyball tryout without having any kind of training.”
What are the different kinds of modeling?
You may be surprised by how many different options you can have as a career model. There’s, of course, the supermodels of the world walking the Paris and New York Fashion Week runways, but there are also the commercial models you’ll find in video and print ads for major retail brands—everything from Target to T.J. Maxx to Macy’s. And that’s not to mention specialty consumer products like the latest Apple gadget and more.
Though many dream of walking the spring collection for Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs, it’s the ultimate destination of very few. It’s not the easiest pill to swallow, but it should be said: You’re either born to be a fashion model or you’re not. While many aspects of the profession can be fine-tuned and trained, your actual physical features and standard of traditional beauty inevitably come into play. Traditionally (and we hate to say it!), models who are signed by major agencies and jetted to fashion weeks around the world are a size six or smaller, between 14 and 20 years old, and between 5’9” and 6’ tall. Just as Arden says above, a personality is key, too, but those are the fashion industry’s by-the-numbers expectations.
Now that the nasty part is out of the way, let us be clear: You can still make a living as a model even if you don’t fit the physical template above. Commercial models, in particular, are meant to reflect the everyman and everywoman. Booking gigs here is more about your megawatt smile than it is the size of your jeans.
Commercial and print modeling offer opportunities for “people in different shapes, sizes, and colors,” Joe Thompson of Abrams Artists Agency explains. While fashion is very regimented for the body types that fit its designer clothing, commercial casting directors are a little looser: “On the commercial side, it’s more like, ‘We want brunette hair and great smiles,’ ” Thompson says.
Or let’s say your slender fingers and immaculate nailbeds are your calling card: Have you considered hand modeling? (That career path wasn’t just good for a punchline on “Seinfeld,” we promise!) The same can be said for foot models—if you’ve got the ankles, might as well put them to use!
Then there’s the option of fitness modeling, which is an entire other world in itself. While other sectors of the profession may call for a naturally healthy, slender figure, you’ll want to bulk up and hit the gym more regularly than the average person if you’re pursuing a career in fitness modeling. The hard work can certainly pay off and prove lucrative across commercial modeling gigs for sportswear ad campaigns, fitness videos, underwear and lingerie gigs—the list goes on.
Determining which path is best for you doesn’t have to be a decision made on your own. You can always turn to friends and family for their take, but don’t shy away from reaching out to other models for their insight and advice, as well as prospective collaborators, agents, casting directors—anyone working in the industry that may have a keen, developed eye built from hands-on experience.
To this end, Cheyenne Brink, a print agent at Bella Agency, a boutique, Los Angeles-based modeling agency, advises to study up on your own, too. Research what kind of projects you truly think you’d best fit. “You have to know the market,” she says. “Are you in the right market, submitting yourself to the right stuff? How is a company going to envision you in their ads?”
And a particularly good way to network as a novice model is surprisingly right at your fingertips: Instagram. “Instagram is such a huge factor now,” Brink says. “It’s an extension of your portfolio.” Aspiring models often use the app to meet new and emerging photographers, for one. “It might be good for them to start together. No one has to pay anything, [so it’s] beneficial to both parties. Just keep taking photos, and keep meeting people, and getting feedback.”
RELATED:
- How to Become a Hand Model
- How to Become a Foot Model
- How to Become a Plus-Size Model
- Chloe Marshall’s 7 Tips for Modeling Career Success
What modeling terms should I know before getting started?
Are you a new model who’s confused by some of the jargon thrown around online or in the studio? Never fear! Below, acting and modeling career coach and Backstage Expert Aaron Marcus defines vocabulary terms all models should know.
Body parts:Some models are hired not for their face, but instead for their special features, such as great legs, hair, hands, etc.
Bonus:Models are generally paid an additional fee above their hourly or day rate if the ad is running in a “high-exposure format,” such as a poster, billboard, point of purchase, or on the internet. Models can also receive bonuses if the ad will run for a long period of time, or if the clients request exclusivity.
Book:Another term used for a model’s portfolio.
Buy out:Models are normally given additional money if the client wants to use the ad in perpetuity.
Cheating to the camera:When the model slightly turns his or her head and eyesight away from an object or the other model and closer to the camera. This gives the illusion that the model is looking straight at the other person or object but also allows the camera to see more of the model’s face.
Composite sheet (comp card or zed card):The model’s business card. Unlike an actor’s headshot and résumé, a composite sheet shows a variety of the model’s photos along with his or her stats (height, eye color, hair color, etc.).
Editorial shot:A photograph that’s used alongside an article in a newspaper or magazine.
Fit modeling:Models are hired to help designers test wardrobe for sizing.
Go-see:A model’s audition. When a model is contacted to attend a go-see, he or she goes to a photographer’s studio or a casting facility and is seen.
Layout:Typically, the art director from an ad agency will create a sample concept of an ad. This guide is shown to the photographer shooting the ad as well as to the client for approval.
Model form:A model form is filled out by models when they attend a go-see. Basic contact info and sizes are normally requested on the form.
Model release form:A legal document giving a photographer or advertising agency the rights to use the model’s image in an ad.
One-plus-one:When a model is booked for a one-hour modeling job with the possibility of working an additional hour. Models must hold the additional hour in case the shoot runs longer than expected.
Photo credit:This is optional in case the model wants to place the photographer’s name next to his or her photo on a composite sheet
Print:The term used for any still picture that’s used in a printed format, such as newspapers, posters, magazines, etc.
Request go-see:When a model is specifically asked to attend a casting for a print job.
Sign-in sheet:A plain paper that models use to write down their names. The sheet allows the photographer to know who’s next in line to have his or her photo taken.
Square to the camera:The photographer will make this request when he or she wants the model’s face and body positioned straight into the lens.
Stock photography:Generic photographs rented to companies or organizations in order for them to save money by not hiring models and photographers when creating ads. These photos can also be used for editorial purposes. Some websites include Getty Images and Shutterstock.
Tear sheet:A copy of a commercial modeling ad. This proves the ad was published.
Test shot:A photo that’s not being used as an ad, but instead for a photographer’s or model’s portfolio.
Transit:The term used for posters on vehicles, such as buses, trucks, or subways.
Transparent apparel:Clothing worn by a model that’s considered see through.
Usage:How and where the ad will run, such as in newspapers, magazines, or on a poster or billboard, which are considered high-exposure formats.
Voucher:The bill/invoice used by models for all commercial modeling jobs. The agent and whoever is invoiced for the job both get a copy, and the model should always hold onto the invoice itself.
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