Modeling 101 - Answering Reader Questions

Cesar Wrote: Thanks for this awesome article, Dania! It really helped!  I'm a male model and submitted some photos to an agency. Long story short, I'm going to a scheduled interview on Tuesday. I feel pretty confident about most everything, but my teeth. They're pretty white, and definitely straight, but they are very gapped. Similar to Lindsey Wixson's. My teeth weren't shown in my photos so I'm not sure how the agent will take it. How do you think the agent will react? Is having imperfect teeth a deal breaker? Should I be nervous about this at all?  Thanks, Cesar Hi there, Cesar! Glad you found my post useful! I was just now able to respond to your question so I hope you get this in time if your interview is actually tomorrow and not next Tuesday. I doubt you'd be the first model with a less than perfect smile that an agency has seen and certainly not the last. The photos you sent were good enough to get you the interview so I would say stay ...

Anonymous Wrote: What are baby interviews like? And how should a baby dress?  Hi, Anonymous! Because babies are not able to speak for themselves (obviously, lol), the agency will basically be interviewing you, the parent. They'll want you to bring your baby of course but they'll be engaging in a very informal conversation with you to mainly ask about your baby's personality, temperament, and (most important) your availability to bring your baby to and from castings and shoots. They'll interact a bit with the baby to see how he/she responds to strangers but the majority of the interview will be between you and the agent. There isn't any strict kind of dress code for babies so unless the agency website mentions any specific tips or guidelines for what your baby should wear, you can opt for a cute, casual outfit. Try to stay away from big logos or brand names splashed all over the front if possible. You don't have to dress your baby from head to toe in ...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi, I have been invited by a modeling agency for a walk in after submitting photos of myself to them. However I have never modeled before or been to a modeling agency, is it expected to bring a portfolio? And if i haven't done anything professional before do i need to still take photos with me? Thanks! Hi, Anonymous! Congrats on the invite to the modeling agency! If you have no experience then you are not required to bring a portfolio, nor will the agency expect you to have one. And that's okay. You will need to bring digital snapshots with you. Did the agency give you instructions on what to bring, what to wear, etc? If not, reach out to whoever contacted you from the agency to ask those questions. It is okay to contact them in this kind of situation. Each agency has its own guidelines/instructions when it comes to that kind of thing so you want to make sure you bring what they ask for. The snapshots do not have to be professional. In fact, they s...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi! If I send my photos on one agency site and they contact me. Will i be given a choice of signing an exclusive or non- exclusive agreement? Hey, Anonymous! Many agencies only offer one or the other. There are those that have both but you won't know that until you actually get an offer for representation (agencies don't usually put this info on their websites). If you happen to get an offer and they tell you it's only exclusive or only non-exclusive then you won't have a choice. If they happen to have both, then you may be able to discuss your options with them but ultimately it is up to the agency to determine which one they feel you'd be better off working with. It's a good idea to ask in the interview which type of contract they offer and then proceed from there.

Anonymous Wrote:  Hi Dania! I am 17 years old and I have had no modeling experience. I plan to go to college in new York in a a few years and try to model once I'm there. I am 5'8 and my measurements are 32B/23/33. Would I even have a chance in new york?  Hi there, Anonymous! With your height, age and measurements, you definitely meet the basic requirements for modeling in a market like New York, specifically fashion, runway and editorial. The only footnote I would add in is that New York is one modeling market in particular where agencies have started raising the minimum height requirement to 5'9" instead of the traditional 5'8". But it's not very many of them doing this, 3-4 I believe and it's the high profile places like Elite. However, that doesn't mean you don't have a shot because you do. Just make sure when the time comes to start looking at agencies to submit to, that you pay close attention to the requirements listed on the...