The Modeling Photos That Will Score You an Agency Interview

1. Au Natural

Agents want to see what you really look like. Generally they will request photos with a clean face, i.e. no makeup. (Cheat a little if you have a major blemish and want to cover it, but make sure you appear to have no makeup on!)

Model of the Month Taylor Rae, au natural (mostly)

2. Good Lighting

If you are shooting outdoors (often the best light), aim for a sunny day at dawn or at sunset. That’s when natural light yields glowingly gorgeous results. If you are shooting indoors, play around with turning lights on and off in a room, posing across from a window, aiming a lamp toward you face to wash out dark circles. Take some trial shots in various locales and find where you look best, then use that spot to shoot all of your photos.

3. An Uncluttered Background

Don’t have a mailbox, toilet, dirty laundry, or anything busy or unsightly in the background. A bush or attractive fence, if you are outside, will do just fine. Inside, try to find a plain wall.

4. Just YOU!

Don’t send in snapshots with friends and make agents play “Where’s Waldo” to find you!

5. These Photos…

If the agency’s website gives you specifics, read carefully and send exactly what they ask for. Most likely they will want:

-A headshot (this is a shot of your face straight on, just to about your shoulders)

-Your profiles (both, as they won’t be the same. Read up on Showing Your Best Side!)

Taylor Rae’s lovely profile

-A full-length shot that shows your body (in a bikini ideally, but not anything that will look like a submission for Playboy! Risque does not work, unless you are looking for a sleazy agent). Several full-length shots from different angles can’t hurt (unless those angles are less attractive!).

Taylor Rae’s full-length in                            body-hugging clothing 

-Optional: if you have great professional modeling shots, by all means send them in addition to those listed above. Not all agents have the eye to recognize potential without the handiwork of a professional team (photographer, makeup artist, hairdresser, and stylist) working their magic. BUT don’t go out and spend a ton of money on professional shots without getting some expert opinions first (feel free to send your snapshots to me; I’ll be gently honest. And Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search while you are at it!).

Remember to “Like” your favorite Model of the Month 2014 to get in on the voting for the People’s Choice Award. Please “like” by the end of January (as many models as you like—pun intended . Be sure to sign in to Facebook so the ‘like’ icons appear.

Top Model Devon Aoki

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Modeling Schools and Scouting Conventions—Scams or Not?

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Modeling Tip: What’s the Difference Between an Agent and a Manager?

My Favorite Modeling Articles

If you are seeking advice for kids, reference these links also:

Child Models

Child Actors

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Kristen McMenamy at age 46

Because models are an investment. If an agent is going to put time, effort, and money into promoting a model, they want the highest return on investment possible, i.e. many prime working years ahead before wrinkles appear and marketability declines.

Christy Turlington at age 42

The supermodels who have managed to stretch their careers into the decades (five of them in Lauren Hutton‘s case) made names for themselves back when they were fresh-faced teens.

Lauren Hutton at age 67

There are exceptions, of course. Anna Nicole Smith was discovered at age 25. Isabella Rossellini began a modeling career at age 28 (her pedigree—she’s the daughter of Ingrid Bergman—gave her a leg-up). Some models have resumed their careers after two decades off (see Karen Bjornson‘s story).

I headed to Europe to model after college at age 22. I felt ancient. Even though I was starting my career later than most models, I looked young and I wish I hadn’t worried so much about being old. Looking back at photos of myself, with my baby fat chipmunk cheeks, it makes me chuckle to think how over the hill I felt at the time.

So, yes, youth counts in the model success quotient. Agencies like to start girls as teens (men have more leeway as age = distinction with them; our society still needs to work on that with women, but the clients booking beauties like Lauren Hutton help. Thanks Alexis Bittar!). However, 22 is not old. I made a lot more money modeling at 30 than at 22, so it’s not all over at 25. And, I didn’t miss out on college. That counts for a lot in my life success quotient, which always counts more than a mere model success quotient.

Enter the Modelingmentor Model Contest—there’s no age limit!

After the eight-hour drive from Munich to Hamburg with two strangers who jabbered in German and ignored me (I found them through a service that elevated hitchhiking to a more organized level and required a contribution of gas money), I was thrilled to see my old roommate. Sophie gave me a huge hug and helped me lug my bags inside our Hamburg hovel. “I have a great deal. A friend of Jorg’s lives in one bedroom. We’re in the other, for 400 deutsche marks ($300)! Just one catch.” Sophie led me through the tiny kitchen—the only common room—to the bedroom. “No electricity.”

I laughed. If only people knew the truth about the model life. We lived by candlelight, with the requisite futon mattress on the floor floating in a sea of Sophie’s rumpled clothes, aside ash and candle wax archipelagos and under clouds of hand-washed clothes that hung from twine tied between the window and the doorknob. 

Just how you imagine models live?

As pleasing as candlelight can be, I’m really hoping I don’t have to hand wash clothes for six people in my family now. Crossing fingers for power and hoping everyone out there is safe and warm!

Tune in next week for the Tuesday Tip!

Sandy’s Aftermath, Tuesday morning, across the street from my house. (Only our garage flooded. Thankful to be so fortunate.)

Enter the MODELING MENTOR MODEL SEARCH!