Hi,
Breaking into the modeling industry often is very hard, especially if you don’t have a ton of money or a lot of connections. It seems like there’s more people trying to scam aspiring models than there are people trying to help them. Shady managers, dirty
photographers and poor advice is about as common as a Starbucks in New York City. However, modeling can be a very lucrative job with many benefits. Free clothing, travel and cash are just a few. And the good thing about our ever-changing society, is that now there’s a demand for models of all ages, shapes and sizes. This makes the industry a lot easier to get into since not all of us are six-foot-tall blondes!
So if you think you may have what it takes to survive in “the industry” here’s a few easy things you can do to get started:
1. You need a portfolio a.s.a.p. There’s thousands of companies in the phone book and on the internet that will tell you to purchase a “professional portfolio” from them. This is totally not necessary, unless you have a few hundred (or more) dollars to throw away. Instead find a local photographer who is willing to do a “TFP” shoot. TFP stand for Time For Prints. This means that both you and the photographer benefit from the shoot. You get your picture taken for free and the photographer get to use your pictures without paying you for your time. Big name photographers will not go for this but I promise any college level photography student will jump at the opportunity. Most of the time they have to find people to photograph. Check listings on Craigslist.com or campus postings. You could even contact a college teacher and relay the message to them. Just be careful, safety first! Try and set up the shoot for a public place, during the day. Invite a friend or parent to tag along.
2. Now that you have your pics you will want to assemble them in a scrapbook/photo album. Don’t make this fancy at all. You don’t want to distract from the actual photos. Include a page with your stats – measurement, phone number and email, etc.
Answered by
Senthilkumar
, an ibibo Citizen,
at
7:14 AM on April 03, 2009