Well ok; the gloves are off and I’m going to give it to you straight. I am not one of those iPhotographers who’s going to pump liquid sunshine up your ass. MANY of you will not like what I’m going to say here, or you’re going to argue with and reject it; and frankly that’s probably because I’m talking about YOU!
As it seems that most of you either didn’t read or didn’t get the information in part 1 of this article so some of these things I’m going to touch on again.
Plus it’s been a while, and I am going to try and make it more simple than I thought I had last time. That being said let me break it down into various catagories.
These are not in any particular order. Just as I think of the subject.
MODELING WEBSITES And ONLINE PROFILES/SOCIAL Media –
You actually think that these are the end all be all of modeling. Just because you have a profile on ModelWTFever.Com does NOT make you model. In fact at best it makes you yet another person with some online profile. Don’t misunderstand and think that I’m saying that you shouldn’t have one because that couldn’t be further than the truth.
I am however saying that your use of your online profile is most likely hurting you in getting opportunities. Not everyone is a member to these online websites for whatever reason so they are unable to see all the images you have available on your profiles. In many cases they have no way of contacting you to give you opportunity to do anything meaningful.
The reason for this is that you don’t have any alternate contact information by way of email address or website for them to contact you.
While on the subject of websites – Why don’t you have one? Why would you rely on modelWTFever.Com, MySpace, Facebook to be the main means for you to showcase your work? Did you ever stop to think how ridiculous that actually is? Nevermind the answer to that is obvious.
With your own website you can post whatever and however many photos you want without fear of someone reporting them or getting your profile removed. If you’re really smart you can figure out how to generate additional revenue for yourself from your website.
On your social networking profile if you’re fortunate enough to have gotten tear sheets then THOSE are what should take dominant position in your social networking profiles. Once you have tear sheets anything that is not a tear sheet is pretty much useless to showcase as a main image.
You have your profile set to private, or with incomplete information. When those who have opportunity are looking for a model the important things that are considered are –
- Does this person have the look we need for our project
- Where is the person as in Location
- How do we contact this person – Is direct contact information readily accessible?
If those things aren’t immediately available to us then we move on to the person smart enough to include their information.
SUBMITTING FOR BOOKINGS –
You either don’t or you submit the wrong types of images. I know this is going to go against everything you’re told on the numerous modeling websites but this is the fact. All your “professional” images ultimately do not count for much to booking agents unless they are tear sheets. Or shot by famous photographers.
Booking agents really don’t care about 90% of the images you post online. They want to see you raw. We ALL know what can be done with Photoshop. So we want to see you as you are directly, without all the heavy make-up and photoshop.
Another thing that iModels do that is useless and ultimately ridiculous is submit a resume of their work. Why do that? You’re not applying for a 9 – 5 job where any of that is of any real relevance.
Here’s a hint, no one is taking the time to read through your list of accolades because in reality no one cares. Refer to the list of things that booking agents DO care about in the previous section about social networking profiles. Cliff notes your images tell us everything we need to know.
If you have tear sheets then include those along with your candid shots. TEAR SHEETS are most important. Tear sheets are like your credit score. The more of them that you have the more valuable you are!
Another thing I often see is iModels listing all the convention and promotional work they’ve done. Stop that nonsense IMMEDIATELY! Working a convention floor is NOT modeling I don’t care how much the idiots on modelWTFever.Com tell you that it is. It no more exists as does “Import” modeling. To those with real opportunity listing those things makes you look silly.
YOU SHOOT WITHOUT PURPOSE –
How much updating as a model do you really think your “Portfolio” needs? Unless you’ve gotten tear sheets, cut your hair or let it grow long gain/lose weight or make some other immediately noticible change to yourself like getting a tattoo your “Portfolio” doesn’t need any updating, so stop it. Only photographers need to constantly keep their work fresh. Photography unlike modeling is a SKILL, and ability changes with time in!
If you’re not shooting for a specific purpose you need to be submitting images to agencies, booking agents, publications, etc to get published or other opportunities. Models do not need practice or to hone any particular skills.
What you DO need to be doing is building your brand, fanbase and visibility. A company will book a model with 100,000 fans/followers who promote whatever projects they’re working on long before they will a model with 100 followers.
And no your little fanbase on modelWTFever.Com does NOT count as a fan base.
WHAT YOU SHOOT –
You’re shooting the SAME thing today you were shooting 6 years ago. It still isn’t working for you now, which is to say you’re not really making any money from it. You need to change what you shoot. You need to step up your game.
So many models have this aversion to shooting topless or in the nude, well the truth is that is what can get you paid and paid well. If you’re not doing it then you’re not really that interested really in earning a living from modeling.
You shoot for projects that really have no merit and are most certainly not going to propel your career or brand forward. You need to be selective about what you shoot and who you shoot for.
TATTOOS –
If you can’t resist the urge to get them then you need to seek something other than modeling to do. While you may think they’re hot, cute, fun whatever, those at the levels of the industry you aspire to however do not find tattoos any of those things. they find them a problem.
I can already hear it now. “But DJ tattoos are a form of self expression and they can be covered up with make-up and photoshop.”
While this may be true with iPhotographers it is NOT the case when it comes to the REAL industry. In the real industry they will by pass a model with tattoos for a model without them every time. And even in many cases where tattoos would be a major part of the shoot.
Booking agents and art directors have the same mentality about models with tattoos as the military has about its personnel having families. ‘If they want you to have them they’ll issue them to you.’ Plain and simple.
Your need to get tattoos costs publications and companies probably more than you’re worth to shoot. So they will simply pass you over for the model who was smart enough to keep her skin untouched.
Wait for it… “But DJ *INSERT CELEBRITY OR ESTABLISHED MODELS NAME HERE* has tattoos.” You’re not them are you? In fact you don’t have even 10% of the following and fan base as they do.
When just by your affiliation with a brand you can sell that product of increase it’s recognition then you can pretty much do whatever you want. Kim Kardashian gets paid in some cases $25,000.00 to tweet the name of a product. Ask yourself WHY. And then ask yourself if you are anywhere near that.
Tattoos will hurt your opportunities! Artists buy BLANK canvases no matter what all the iPhotographers and iModels on your little model site tell you tattoos WILL limit your modeling options!
I say it one more time for the slow people in the class. TATTOOS HURT YOUR MODELING OPPORTUNITIES! PERIOD END NO FURTHER DISCUSSION!
YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS –
So many iModels insist on being involved in romantic relationships. That is fine for regular people, but you’re a model on the rise aren’t you? Romantic entanglements are often exactly that; entanglements.
Many times I’ve seen and heard of iModels showing up on a set devastated because their significant other and them had an argument/fight prior to the shoot. Which is to say she showed up with bags under her bloodshot eyes from crying all night. Or worse cancels the shoot the day of because of being a wreck. That is useless and ends up screwing up a lot more people than just YOU.
If for whatever reason you feel the need to be in a relationship with someone perhaps it’s wise to consider a relationship with someone in the same if not related industry as the one you’re trying to be in.
AGENTS AND/OR MANAGERS –
You’re not popular or good enough to need either right now. Do you realize how busy someone needs to be before they actually need a manager? And MOST of you have “agents” and or “managers” who have no idea what is really going on in the industry.
Chances are your boyfriend/husband a.k.a ‘Suitcase Pimp’ family member isn’t going to make a good manager yet you continue thinking they are, and instead are killing your chances for success.
Another thing that I keep seeing and it both gives me pause and makes me laugh AT you is when I see these models state that they somehow have NON EXCLUSIVE representation. Ummmm there is NO SUCH THING as non exclusive agency representation.
However it is possibly to have regional representation. Meaning that you might have an agent booking you work in Los Angeles, and one in Chicago, and one in New York and one in Paris, and that makes sense.
Or perhaps you’d have an agent for print work, one for acting, and one for appearances or something like that. But even at that; each one of those agents is an EXCLUSIVE agent for that particular field.
I must say this yet again because people don’t seem to actually learn or maybe they’re just not listening. If an agency asks for money up front to represent you RUN AWAY! NO agency that is reputable will charge you any up front fees. EVER!
Another thing I must say is that modeling is an EXCLUSIVE industry. It is in no way a feel good industry. ANY agency which selects and represents pretty much anyone off the street is an “Agency” that you should really be cautious of.
No reputable agency is going to agree to represent clients they can’t immediately find work for. It’s just not going to happen in the real world. It DOES however happen with agencies who take fees up front for services they haven’t rendered. They get all your money often $1,000.00 or more upfront. So ask yourself, what motivation do they have to find you work? NONE!
YOUR NAME –
This is some silly stuff I see all too often. iModels using the most ridiculous stuff for their names.
If your name is Jessica Schmidt your name is Jessica Schmidt. NOT Jessica Rabbit! Knock it off. Stop calling your self things like Ms. Supermodel or Whatever. Are you a rap artist? Is that the way you’d want your name to appear in print?
QUEEN is not even Latifah’s given name it’s Dana. She began using QUEEN back in the 80’s when she began her rap career and that is the name which she was branded under. YOU however are not her. However unusual Queen might be for a first name it’s a lot more reasonable than Mrs. Precious or any other ridiculousness you might come up with.
If you don’t want your job googling you and seeing your nude photos (You ARE doing nude photos right?) then create a stage name. But again make it something that is reasonable, easy to remember and spell. Yes spelling is important. If you choose the name Kimberly then spell it as Kimberly. Trying to be clever in an attempt to stand out and spell it Kymberlie will have the opposite effect.
I sincerely hope that you will see the value in what I am saying because it is 100% correct. From the perspective of someone who has been shooting for magazines and movies and hundreds of websites in many cases long before many if not most of the iModels have been alive, let alone how long they’ve been modeling.
I can say with certainty that if you keep these thoughts in mind and apply them you will see success.
DISCIPLINE –
Or lack there of. Discipline plays a major part in the success of anything and anyone. Kobe Bryant didn’t wake up with the ability to play basket ball the way he does today. He practiced day in and out! As a model your discipline must equal if not rival that of an Olympic athlete!
For a model there is NO partying the night before a shoot. There is no indulging in foods that are fattening. In fact most models who shoot on location have a call time of around 0500 in the morning. Often time 0400 for hair and make-up. That doesn’t leave much time to be out all night partying, and drinking.
Your ass needs to be in bed to get a full nights sleep and rest to show up for set call the next morning rested and ready to sit in a hair and make-up chair for an hour or two at least. Imagine canceling a shoot the next day because you felt the need to party.
Spending every waking moment on the internet networking is a must for any serious model. You must spend lots of time developing and maintaining a fan base. No one got 100,000 friends just because they were pretty, or “talented”. They worked for it. Trust me when I say that you’re nothing special and can be replaced in an instant.
Discipline often requires sacrifice and that sacrifice is tough. But getting success is also tough. So if you’re not willing to give up whatever you have to or do whatever you have to in order to achieve success in a particular field then that is not something you’re serious about.
For more me follow me on Twitter @deaqonjamesphotography
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