Of course the real question is “how do I make a living as a full time Model”? As with any job there is going to be competition. However with a really cool job like Modeling the competition is fierce to say the least. I have no idea of how many professional models are the world but I do know that just about every decent looking person wonders if they could be a “Model” and maybe even be a supermodel.
For the past 25 plus years I’ve been a full time professional Photographer and I’ve worked with professional models throughout my entire career. It is a joy and a privilege to work with really experienced professional models
Rest assured there are models posing for cameras every minute of every day somewhere on the planet. Spend a few moments at the magazine section at Barnes & Noble and you will see countless photos of people posing for advertisements and editorials. Many of those people are professional models making tens of thousands of dollars (and some making hundreds of thousands of $$$). How’d they get into such a fun and exciting career?
Using common sense you know that many of them were “discovered”. In other words they were in the right place at the right time. Someone with influence brought them into the world of modeling. Obviously this is akin to winning a lottery. However even if you are “discovered” it doesn’t mean you have the drive, the personality, and the passion to be a professional model. The “discovery” is your foot in the door. In this case a rather lucky rabbit’s foot in the door.
For the rest of the world the path to becoming a professional model is much more work and usually takes a number of years. With few exceptions every aspiring model is going to start at the bottom and must invest time & money. Modeling is a collection of learned skills and also some necessary God given physical qualities. To be successful you need the brains AND the beauty.
There was a time when a tall, thin & gorgeous man or woman could walk into a Modeling Agency with a few portraits in hand and a few weeks later walk out with a lucrative career as a Model. These days there are still plenty of solid Modeling Agencies and many do accept new faces. Most Modeling Agencies have a regular day that they interview model hopefuls. From experience I know most Agencies want very tall (over 5’10”), slender, very good looking men and woman. Although you need to know that Modeling Agencies also represent children, teens, pets, make-up artists, stylists, character models and more. For example there are models who only model their very lovely hands, feet, eyes, profiles, hair ,etc.
You don’t even have to be pretty to model. Many people make a nice living as “character” models. If I need a tough muscular bald guy for one of my automobile parts maker clients I can call a Modeling Agency to get just what I need. If I need a newborn baby for a babyfood package it just takes one call and I’m set.
Continued in Part 2 coming very soon…
Visit me at www.studiosparks.com and www.donsparksphotography.com
