Modeling 101 - Answering Reader Questions

Anonymous Wrote: Dania, thank you for your cool blog. I am an experienced NYC male character print model with a good portfolio. I'm coming back to biz after two years away. There are a couple of layers to my situation. I attended an open call. They are not interested. How soon should I go back to that agency? I don't want to go back too soon or wait too long either. What do you suggest? That's one aspect. The other is, I used to be sent out by this agency and the same agent works there. I emailed him last week with no response and decided to attend the open call as a follow up. Even if I had no prior working relationship with this agency, I would still like to know a good time frame per my first question. Thank you.  Hi, Anonymous! Thank you for being a reader of my cool blog, lol, and welcome back to the industry after your 2-year hiatus! :-) The rule of thumb across the board is to wait a minimum of 6 months to 1 year from your previous submission/open call. Usu...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! I just recently signed with a really good plus size modeling agency. I'm not sure what happens next. I'm 19 years old and I'm a student. Because it's a pretty well-known agency, does this mean my career will be taking off soon? I'm trying to decide whether to stay enrolled in school or not. Hi, Anonymous! Congrats on signing with the plus size modeling agency...exciting! :-) First off, stay in school, lol. Getting signed to an agency is big but isn't a guarantee that you'll suddenly start booking gigs left and right. There is a bit of a process of getting a new model onto the roster so don't expect things to start happening overnight. While not all agencies operate the same way, in most cases the next step for you will be to set up the first test shoot, which will generate the photos needed to create your headshot, comp card and produce several photos that can be put into your portfolio. These are all materials that...

syed ali waris shah Wrote: I have this attractive face and unique looks. i think i can do modeling. my interest developed towards modeling last year. Though I am 17 and i stand 176 cm/ i am searching for ways to grow taller. i think i am 17 people grow till 20. i know a model who was 183 in her age of 19 then she became 20 and she is 185. i am so confused that i should give it a try or not. Hi there, Syed Ali Waris Shah! When it comes to height, it's all in the genetics. There is no way to "make" yourself grow taller. Some people swear by certain techniques and methods but to be honest, those would be a waste of your time. If there really was a way to force yourself to grow taller, everyone would be tall enough to be on the runway, lol. Look at your family to gain an idea as to how tall you could end up being. If your parents, aunties/aunties and grandparents are all fairly average in height, that could be a sign that you may not grow much more--at least not tal...

May D Wrote: Hi there. I'm 19, 6'2 and people tell me I should consider modeling but im thin. I want to get noticed, how do I get noticed and how old does one have to be to not be in the modeling world? Hi, May D! Believe it or not, not all male models are required to be super muscular and buff. There are different body types male models come in, including thin. You certainly have the height so that's an advantage for you. The best way to get noticed is to send in your snapshots to local agencies. With representation, you'll have a better shot at getting exposure and booking modeling assignments that could help you establish a solid modeling career. You can model at any age. Men are especially lucky when it comes to this, as they tend to be more marketable as they get older. Agency websites will state any age range requirements but usually for male models, it is ages 15 and older. Female fashion models are the ones that have to be concerned about age and g...

Rachel Wrote: Hi! I am a commercial model starting out, but a little confused. I am just under 5'8", I am very commercial looking, but I have done a LOT of photo shoots and runway and I look very high fashion in those cases. My agent says I look Commercial when I walk in the door, but my photos are very high fashion, so she is going to market me as Commercial. Would you agree with this angle? Thanks so much!!! (Sending this from my Mom's account, Ilona S.) Rachel S. Hey there, Rachel! Even though you appear high fashion in photos and have done runway, if the chances of clients not being able to hire you due to the height issue is going to be a concern, then your agent isn't going to waste anyone's time by submitting you for that type of work. So I can see why they choose that angle. I don't know if you have commercial/print images in your portfolio but I wouldn't be surprised if your agent required you to get these kinds of pictures done so they...

Anonymous Wrote: Hello Dania :) How are you going?  I was researching up some modelling agencies around my area and came across Mirror Mirror Agency (http://www.mmagencies.com/aboutmma). Do you think this is a legit agency? Firstly,in the 'About MMA' section, it doesn't really contain much info about when it was established or who the director is or anything like that :L That's what I've seen on legit, good websites....  Secondly, with some models, you click on them but their photos (or their works) don't come up.  Thirdly, when you type the agency into Google, you can see that there is a men section but on the actual website, you can't find it?  And lastly, is it normal for agencies to follow you up? I sent them an email asking if they have a specific category, they said that they did and I should send them some photos. I didn't get to see that email today and there was an another email saying that I should send them some photos. Is this normal...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi, do you know any agencies around Temecula ? (: Hey, Anonymous! There aren't any agencies right in Temecula but there is one in Murrieta, just a few minutes away: Willow Model Management http://www.willowmodelmanagement.com/v2013/ It is a new agency so I don't know anyone signed to them to be able to vouch for whether or not they are on the up and up but based on the website, they appear legit (i.e. they don't talk about taking classes or workshops). Check them out and see what happens. Other than that, you'll want to look at LA agencies.

Anonymous Wrote: Hey Dania! Looking good there! (But you always look good ;D) Dania, I was doing some research about fit models and I came across some websites which said some weird things about it. It said that there is a higher chance of getting hired or being signed to an agency if you received education about fashion and designing. Really? I thought agencies didn't look at that. Also, it said that fit models get paid only a little bit, like only $30 and that it was impossible to earn money with it. From your posts, I thought it could be a great side job and you can actually earn some money with it. Is $30 a lie? Hey there, Anonymous! Awww, you are so sweet, thank you! *blushing* I don't know what websites you found that info on but it is absolute crap! LOL. Everything you said they wrote about is so false and misleading, it's not even funny. Agencies don't care one way or another whether a person has an education in fashion and designing, nor is it a ...

Sharib Jawaid Wrote: hey its sharib i live in india i am 5'9'' i want to become a freelancer model so, what should i do? plzzz tell a suitable and comfortable method ..like tell me a website so i upload my pics and become a freenlancer model ..seriously i dont have enough money to pay.. so,plz thank you :) Hey there, Sharib! One of the most widely used online resources for freelance models is Model Mayhem (www.modelmayhem.com). There is also One Model Place (www.onemodelplace.com). It is free to set up a profile and upload your images on both sites. There is an option to pay a small fee if you want to upgrade your account/membership. There are many other online sites as well but these are the two that I have used over the years that got me favorable results, which is why I recommend them to others. I hope that helps!

Anonymous Wrote: Hi! I'm signed with a modeling agency in nyc for their commercial print division. I've been with them for a few months but they haven't listed my measurements on my online portfolio. I'm not the only person without their stats listed. In fact there's a group of us on one page who are without stats. Why would a agency list the stats of some models and not others?? Is this something I should be concerned with? They're updating my portfolio constantly so it's clear I probably not being ignored. Idk because my other agency which manages me strictly for acting has my measurements on their site. I just wanted to know why the agency in NYC doesn't list my stats but my Long Island agency does. Also does your place on the website indicate your status in the agency? Because on the city agency I'm on the second to last page. I'm wondering if they see me at a lower rank than their other talent. Thank you! Hey, Anonymous! To be hone...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi yes, i was curious i too just got offered a 1 year contract with DMG Management for the Men's division. They want me to pay for the portfolio shoot, makeup artist and what not. Is that ok? Or is this something that they should cover? I have seen alot on this agency and they seem to be very reputable but i dont want to get scammed. Hi, Anonymous! Because they gave you a contract first and then asked you to cover the expenses that come with setting up your portfolio shoot, it is entirely legal and common practice in the modeling industry. Had the agency tried to make you pay for these expenses before offering you the contract, that would be technically considered an "upfront fee," which is illegal for modeling agencies in the US to do. Below is a blog post I wrote that explains this concept in more detail but overall DMG is operating on the up and up since you have a contract offer on the table: http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/2008/07/deal...