Wednesday, July 23, 2008

What type of model are you trying to be?

Recently a girl told me she wanted to be many types she wanted to be a goth model, a fetish model, a plus size model,-the works!-and it is a good idea to be diverse but it is a bad idea to do something in one area that will limit you in another. For example:

If you are a glamour, goth, or fetish model, you will have a hard time with images like that to work in the commercial print modeling world. As a print model, whether you are petite or plus size, you need natural girl next door look, with smiles, energy and personality. Also you should stick to making two compcards that can market you in different ways. I would suggest skipping the goth, fetish and glamour stuff and focusing more on the commercial or editorial worlds. If you have a nice body, look at Shape, Allure, Fitness, and magazines that are more lifestyle that still need body models. Last week I was at Woman’s Health, and you can get really great castings and opportunities by just using what you have and thinking like a marketer. Apply a marketing aspect to your modeling. You can model in a thong, and also a sweater, but if you want to put both photos on your compcard for commercial print modeling then you need to tame down the thong and make it look more like a catalog.

I have sexier photos, commercial photos, and body part photos. I have photos that look more editorial, I have beauty shots, I have photos with me with makeup and photos that are just me being me without a lot of makeup.

If you have nice breasts you can use them to do parts modeling, lingerie modeling, and swimwear, but it doesn’t mean that they have to be C Cups, you can be a body part model and be an A or B Cup. It is preferred. Natural breasts are best for parts modeling. The other day I had a call for a topless shot for a fashion magazine.

Although you have to be careful how you represent yourself and reveal yourself. When approaching commercial print modeling agencies, print modeling agencies, you need to make a compcard that shows your range, but doesn’t put you too sexy, or too boring. I suggest looking at ads and editorials. The Commercial print modeling world wants to see the real you. You could make dinner or do a normal fitness routine on the treadmill, bring your photographer and that could be a shoot for your commercial compcard if it is shot in a commercial or editorial way.

Think about the work you want to get as a model and the photos you need to get there. Most print agencies won’t baby you and give you the compcard but they might suggest photographers you can work with, but they will not pay for it. A model is expected to make her own compcards. I use www.compcard.com to make my commercial and parts cards.

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