So You Want to Become a Model? (PLEASE READ POST #1 BEFORE POSTING)

[AlmostFamous]

The only people who can give an opinion on your body are agents.

 

[P Louie V]

Do agencies ever measure you? The reason i ask is because when i went for an open call, the front desk lady asked me my measurements and for height i told her 6'1", but im more like 6ft even (exactly). If the agency were to say yea and sign me/take me in (even though they didnt, and turned me away), would they eventually measure me

 

[BetteT]

Yes, they do.

 

[cold_sun]

^like every time actually

 

[P Louie V]

^^Wow thats good to know. thanks everyone. maybe i should just start telling the truth...but i just like saying 6'1"

 

[fritmayo]

Do agencies ever measure you? The reason i ask is because when i went for an open call, the front desk lady asked me my measurements and for height i told her 6'1", but im more like 6ft even (exactly). If the agency were to say yea and sign me/take me in (even though they didnt, and turned me away), would they eventually measure me

Keep in mind something...an agency will never waste 3 minutes to measure somebody that at first sight has no chance to be model.
so, take it as a positiv sign when you are measured, and take that it is a big "no" when they dont measure you

 

[Blunier]

I get told loooads by people that I ought to model. One thing is my skin isn't too great. It's nothing that concealer + foundation won't cover, but I hear that perfect skin is a MUST for all sorts of modelling. Should I just... wait and keep trying to get my skin better (I'm 17 now, I don't want to leave it too long!) or is it worth looking into modelling, even if my skin isn't perfect?

You should give it a try especially if your skin problems are just temporary. You've both the height and body (it happens that I saw your pics and stats "elsewhere" but we aren't allowed to discuss such details here).

Blunier

 

[Blunier]

Of course it would be more difficult as a new face, but saying 21 is too old for a girl to start modeling is nonsense. No one is saying that the 21 year old girl (or her potential agency) is trying to make her into an overnight success but you can still get signed.

Once again there are no absolute rules written in stone. Each case is individual but obviously for serious fashion it's much harder to start at 21 than 16 or maybe 18. The later a girl wants to start in fashion the more immediately useable potential will be required as there's far less time left for development (if any). An "older" girl with a great look and talent can still make it, especially if she's able to show a good book but that's unusual because you don't develop a strong book overnight or just with a few tests.

In the modeling world it's often more about probabilities rather than strict possibilities or impossibilities.

Blunier

 

[fotogenic models]

whats the situation like for potential models who live nowhere NEAR LA/NY (or even smaller markets like chicago, miami, texas...) and are then whisked off to a major market, especially if the model is underage? like are they just told to drop everything going on in their lives to move to NY and model or does someone come and get them/reassures them that they will start modeling. idk if this makes sense lol!

 

[samanthay]

^I think I kind of get what you're saying
For me when I used to model and I went to New York, I was only 14. My mom came with me, stayed with me, went everywhere with me which was nice. I live nowhere near NY so I only went for a week or two at a time. I know for some other models here though they put school on hold for a semester or do it by correspondance and go for a little bit at a time. Hope that helps a little bit?

 

[BetteT]

There are some interesting insights about underage models travelling in this thread: So ... Your Child is A Model ... Now What? Model Mom Support Thread

And another one, written by ModelMom about the experience she had with her own daughter, Aly: One Model's Story

 

[Lorenzopierre87]

Hello everyone! I'm a newbie who has been reading through this looooong and VERY resourceful thread. I thought I would shoot out a question or two!

Last week I went to NY to attend a week of open calls...unfortunately the weather became very crappy towards the middle of the week and things didn't go as planned. I was only able to make 6 open calls and out of those 6 two of them might have some promise (BOSS/Adam). My questions are...

Usually how long does it take for an agent to make a decision about someone?

What settings should you digital camera have to get the best quality shots?

If an agency looks through your photos and decides to have you put contact info/measurements on the back of the one that they would like to keep...does that mean there is potential there?

LAST but not least (hope I'm not driving anyone crazy already lol :-))

Is it rude to ask an agent for advice and why you were rejected?

thanx in advance!

 

[BetteT]

Welcome to the Fashion Spot!

1. Usually, right away. If they talk to you and take polaroids, they have an interest. After they do that but you leave without any instructions for followup, then they may have decided that you don't have the right look on film, so they lost interest.

2. It's not settings on your camera that matter. Try this: photograph yourself in soft indirect light either near a window or outside in open shade. Do not stand in sunlight ... it's too harsh and the shadows are too dark. No flash either ... not flattering. Make sure that you have a light colored and plain background ... the focus must be on you.

3. Probably. But you should already have that info on the back of all pics you bring in.

4. No, it's not rude to ask ... it's good information for you to know. If you are pleasant when you ask, they will usually give you some idea. That is the advantage of going to open calls ... you get feedback. If you just send in pictures, you will never know what they think.

 

[Lorenzopierre87]

Welcome to the Fashion Spot!

1. Usually, right away. If they talk to you and take polaroids, they have an interest. After they do that but you leave without any instructions for followup, then they may have decided that you don't have the right look on film, so they lost interest.

2. It's not settings on your camera that matter. Try this: photograph yourself in soft indirect light either near a window or outside in open shade. Do not stand in sunlight ... it's too harsh and the shadows are too dark. No flash either ... not flattering. Make sure that you have a light colored and plain background ... the focus must be on you.

3. Probably. But you should already have that info on the back of all pics you bring in.

4. No, it's not rude to ask ... it's good information for you to know. If you are pleasant when you ask, they will usually give you some idea. That is the advantage of going to open calls ... you get feedback. If you just send in pictures, you will never know what they think.

Thanx a lot for the advice/responses! I went to and the agent looked at my photos for a second and said i'll pass and walked away. Now being my first time I felt a little discouraged about asking and questions...I didn't get a have a nice day or anything! lol I know that rejection is apart of the journey...just didn't expect the rejection to come across kinda rude...but from now on I will definitely ask. Thanx again!

 

[fritmayo]

4. No, it's not rude to ask ... it's good information for you to know. If you are pleasant when you ask, they will usually give you some idea. That is the advantage of going to open calls ... you get feedback. If you just send in pictures, you will never know what they think.

I must say that personaly, it anoys me a lot
Because there is usually 2 cases, some girls try modeling even if well...they are obviously very very far from any chance
in this case you wonder why it is not just obvious for herself that she can not be model. But of course to tell her, that she is just a very ugly thing 15 kilos overweight, u can't...so what to say her? or ur honnest and it is very rude, or you have to lie to be fakely nice, so in this case...she should better not to ask (to me at least...).

The other case is somehow even more complicated, the girl is actualy pretty, i mean in a way that probably all her friends tell her she is pretty and in a way she is pretty enough for guys to look at her.
but...she does not have that little thing in addition which can turn a pretty girl into a model. To put words on that little thing is difficult, as it can not really defined (if not agency job would be easy...) so an answer dont help much i think.

So, me, I m VERY anoyed when a girl ask, and i must say that actualy, nowadays, i give the same answer to everybody who ask

 

[cologne_rocks]

haha and her parents would probably attend the agency in ordner to threaten this agent with doing a complaint against him/her because of saying "you are neither pretty nor have the measurements!", this happened at a small agency with high potential in Holland some days ago. I personally think it's right to be brutally honest and to be "plain in your face", but being like this makes just further problems i guess.... I think most agents say just:" Thanks for your application, you are petty but do not match our established clientele." Pretty boring, but better for time and nerves, though

 

[BetteT]

Yeah ... I understand that it's something an agent hears time and again. And many do have a canned answer because it gets old in a hurry ... something like what cologne says.

I would say if someone just turns away and doesn't express any interest at all ... then it probably would not be a good person to ask. You have to judge thier tolerance by how interested they are in you.

But ... if someone shows some interest, but then nothing happens ... that might just be the right person to ask why they changed their mind ... since you already have a dialog going with them.

Looking at it from the models' viewpoint: if they aren't going to rep you anyway ... what difference does it make if they don't want to hear the question? It wont impact your career if they think "Oh no ... here's that question, again!". Information is important and you will never get any answers if you don't ask. Keep that in mind.

Every now and then an agent will take just a moment to give you a little gem and tells you the truth ... which can be very hard to hear. But you need to hear it ... so you know how to proceed. It can help you decide if you are really model material or not. If you are almost there, but need to take care of something, like your skin, wouldn't if be helpful if you knew?

Also, this sort of information might help you understand your market (the types of clients who would even use you) and maybe you are just at the wrong agency. Maybe you are a bit more "commercial" and not suited to fashion ... but do have the right "type" to model in commercial agencies. Or maybe they will tell you have a great look for fashion, but they have another model with your type, so the timing is just bad. So you know that you can check back with them every 3 to 6 months just in case their book changes. Or ... if they all just keep saying the same thing, time after time "You are not what we are looking for" ... they you can eventually understand that you don't have a stong modeling look.

Good or bad ... you need to learn about your potential ... if any.

 

[P Louie V]

I have a concern, can braces hinder your chances of getting work and/or getting signed to an agency? I just got back from the dentist and i was informed that i might need some for my bottom teeth (Ugh, due to my wisdom teeth) and i'm worried that i wont be able to get an agency with them in .

 

[cologne_rocks]

that bad for a female model, but extremely worse for a male model, i think male model + branches does not work.

 

[P Louie V]

^^...., ohh ok. I thought it would be pretty bad too but wasnt too sure