Model Tips

What does it take to
be a Professional Model

To be a professional model basically comes down to three things:

1) Having the look and talent that someone needs bad enough for the project they are working on at that time that they will pay you for your time.

2) Making sure the client, photographer, and art director know you exist and want to work.

3) Making life easier for the art director and the photographer so they will want to work with you, and not though you out of their studio.
Professional modelling starts with the client's need and their willingness to pay. Modelling with out paying clients is just a hobby or someone trying to rip you off. Having the right look and talent is what you inherited genetically and there is not much you can do to change that. The rest is where being a professional model comes in - knowing what to do and how to market yourself. When a project calls for someone attractive to stand next to a new product, the person who can constantly look good in front of the camera, show the emotional expression that is needed on cue, show up on time and leave on time and in so many other ways make the shoot go quickly, efficiently, and successfully, is the person who will get the job. That is also the person who gets asked back the next time. The part after the genetics is what makes a professional model and leads to a career in modelling. This is also the person who will deliver what the client needs and is why we use them and not just pull someone off the street.

Guide lines for what it takes to be a model.

Well, all the above is fine but does not give much to go on, so do you have what it takes to be a model? The first thing you have to consider is what type of model do you want be? If you are trying for high fashion modelling, the runways of Paris, the cover of Vogue, etc., the requirements are very strict. If you are hoping to do commercial modelling (such as product or lifestyle) the requirements are much broader. If you want to be a glamour, or pin-up model, this area has its own set of requirements.

First Thing to Understand

All modelling, except for some glamour, is client driven. There is no need for a model (or for that matter, a photographer) until a client has something to sell (a product, service, or idea) or in the case of editorial an idea to convey. At this point, the client becomes willing to part with the Euros to accomplish his/her sales or editorial goals and a model is hired. It is the size of the potential sales' goals and the model's importance in those goals that determines how much a model is paid (hourly fees. usage, etc.). Some types of glamour and stock lifestyle modelling can work differently as the photo itself has a value and the buyer can be found later. So, when we look at different types of modelling we are looking at different classes of clients. As an example, the Fashion Industry is dependent on using models in its advertising, promotion, and sales material. In certain top fashion market cities this can lead to many job possibilities and high fees. So when considering a modelling career you must start by looking at the different types of modelling being demanded by clients, the requirements for a given type of modelling and if you’re physical, talent and personality are right for that type of mode ling.

Types of Modelling

The market determines what models are needed. These needs tend to cluster into market segments and allow us to look at types of models. It is important to understand the type of model you want to be. By understanding the type of modeling you are interested in you can learn what the requirements are and if you can meet them. This also helps in avoiding getting ripped off.

I have seen the greatest number of rip-offs and bad business decision happen when a wannabe model is thinking of one type of modeling (usually high fashion) and a scout, agent, photographer, etc. is recruiting for another (life style, Playboy glamour). So it is very important you understand what type of modeling you are interested in.

So what are some of the major markets and types of modelling?

Fashion Modeling

The Garment and Beauty product industries are large users of models. People want to see what clothes or beauty products look like on somebody. Your high-fashion, designer-label garments, are designed for what fashion designers view as the "ideal woman." This is someone tall and slender, somewhat leggy, with a swan like neck and very young. In major markets like New York, this is someone who is 5'9" to 6' tall and from a size 6-10 depending on what is in. (How Rare) For men it is at least 6 foot tall and a 40 regular - of course, you have to have that "look" to go with the clothes. In secondary markets we would like to have this but often work with fashion models that don't meet these measurements. It is more important you just have a look of being tall and slender and that the sample clothes will fit you. The "look" can run from classic beauty to some extreme looks for fashion magazine editorial.
If you are going to work in front of the camera you need to be photogenic, and this you won't know until you do a test shoot. Usually the face is oval shape, with symmetry to the facial features. Eyes are almond shape. The cheekbones should be strong and nose straight and proportioned. Lips should be full.

All of this just puts you in the general category; from there it is a matter of what the market demands are.

On the money - Top High Fashion models (there are just a handful of these folks) make more money then any other models (I have seen incomes as high as eight million a year). By contrast a model doing a fashion show at a local mall may get paid nothing. This shows the wide range of income one might expect in fashion mode ling. Most folks who try to make it as fashion models will earn almost nothing so don't quit your day job.

Types of Fashion modeling:

FASHION EDITORIAL MODELING - Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Cosmo, etc. - these and many other magazines today that focus on fashion have lots of editorial pages they must fill each month. Many of these editorial pages feature models wearing what the magazine thinks will be the next trend in fashion. Editorial work does not pay as well as other types of high fashion modeling but it is great for building a model's reputation and getting tear sheets for one's portfolio. Also, because fashion magazines are not as constrained as advertising work, they can use more 'extreme' and 'special beauty' models in their pages.

FASHION RUNWAY MODELING - Clothing designers traditionally show their new collections twice a year (Autumn and Spring) to perspective (store) buyers. (buyers is a key word here, if some one is putting on a fashion show without buyer then it is entertainment)

Designers present these collections to a gathering of buyers by sending models down a walkway or runway. How well a model brings the clothes to life and shows important features of the garments can determine how well they sell. So it is worth it to a designer to have the most ideal models show these collections. This leads to why models have to meet very strict requirements and why they get such high fees for this type of work (modeling agencies have also forced up fees). These young models tend to be very tall, slender and move very well in clothes.

FASHION CATALOG MODELING - There are a lot of clothing catalogs produced. (I know because my Wife gets most of them and tries to keep them all in business by constantly buying from them.) These catalogs, whether business-to-business, store, or direct marketing, require models to pose in the clothes they are trying to sell.

Generally, catalog models are picked for a project because they represent the ideal of the market segment for which that catalog is

Often times this is the classic beauty - tall, slender, healthy, and beautiful. The marketing idea is for transference, i.e. if you buy these clothes you will look as nice as the person pictured in the catalogue. Catalogue modelling usually pays well because of the volume of photos that must be taken. When I was sharing space with a couple of photographers who shot for a department store chain they could be shooting for weeks with models to produce one catalogue. That is a lot of billable hours.

FASHION PRINT MODELING - This is fashion and beauty for print advertising. It can be display ads or collateral print materials. This is the most demanding work to get but pays the best because of usage and exclusives. These are the ads that can make or break a designer's reputation. With these ads it is very important that the concept, photo, and model work perfectly to convey the 'image' that is wanted.

FASHION SHOW ROOM MODELING - Modeling for buyers in the designer's show room.

FASHION LINGERIE MODELING - Because this type of modeling may be more revealing it requires very good body tone and proportions.

FASHION BATHING SUIT MODELING - Again, more revealing requires excellent body tone and a healthy look.

FASHION FITNESS MODELING - As health and fitness has moved more into the public consciousness a greater demand has grown in this type of modeling.

Where once everyone exercised in baggy gray sweats, fitness attire continues to evolve and become more everyday wear. Add to this all of the fitness, health, and outdoor lifestyle magazines that are on the newsstands and you have a fast growing category for modeling.

FASHION FIT MODELING - Fit models have the perfect proportions for a given clothing size. Garment manufactures and designers hire fit models to use to piece together new creations, see how they move, and develop their patterns. The key for a fit model is to never gain or loose an inch. A clothing manufacturer may hire a fit model as a permanent salary position. It is one type of legitimate modeling that you can see advertised in the classified section of the newspaper.

FASHION TEAROOM MODELING - This once was very popular in smaller markets. Usually it would be at ladies' luncheons where models would wander between tables wearing designer clothes from local fashion boutiques. The models would describe the outfit they wore and where to buy it. Not big bucks, but a place to start and gain confidence in a small market.

FURTHER DIVISIONS - These categories can have further sub-categories for size - petite and plus, and for age - children, preteen, and mature. Petite size models usually are 5'2" to 5'6". Plus size is the same height as standard size models but size 14 -16. Main stream models usually start in around 14 years of age and go to their early twenties. Obviously pre-teen is before this age and mature is everything after it.
A category of modeling will only be found where there are clients to support it. Since almost all of the fashion magazines are based in New York, that is where you will find work in the fashion editorial modeling category.

A category of modelling will only be found where there are clients to support it. Since almost all of the fashion magazines are based in New York, that is where you will find work in the fashion editorial modelling category.

Body Part Modeling

Body part modeling is a special category that belongs in both fashion and commercial modeling. This is the use of just part of the body in a photograph. Often standard models that look great in full-length shots or headshots don't look so good close up. Their hands or feet may look horrible. This is where the body parts model comes in. We will set up a shoot using the standard model's face but the body part model's hands and it looks like it is just one person. Usually body part models will specialize in just one part of the body like hands, feet, legs, ears, or neck.

Hand models are one type of body part model that I have had more call for. With hand models we look for long slender graceful hand and fingers. We also look for smooth (no wrinkles, hair or large pours), clear (no blemishes or irregular color) skin, and very good nails. The ability to pose the hand in a relaxed graceful fashion is very important. This is like a hula dancer that can tell a story with their hands and avoid what I call "the claw" that most folks produce when put in front of the camera.

Body parts model follow a similar path as regular models with finding modelling agencies, building portfolios and having comp cards. They simply pursue a very special niche market.

Commercial Modeling
Commercial modeling is sort of the catch all for everything that isn't fashion and isn't glamour. It is vast and diverse. The physical requirements can vary greatly. The 'look' can be mom, business executive, scientist, glamorous beauty, etc. The pay can be good but not to the level of the top fashion model and commercial models tend to find work less often. But it can be an area on can work part time at their whole life. Again, the purpose is to sell something - a product, service, or idea.

Some Categories of Commercial Modeling are:

COMMERCIAL PRODUCT MODELING - Generally we are generating a photo to sell a product and the model is used to show how the product is used. Also, model may be used to convey an image about a product. An example would be a model dressed like a doctor holding a blood pressure device. This gives an image of medical authority being behind the product.

There is also the old technique of selling a product by putting someone attractive by it. Although it may not be politically correct to do this, it still is done and it works. People stop to look at a pretty face, not at another vanilla computer box. The physical requirements and look for commercial product modeling can vary a great deal. It all depends on the image or story you are trying to tell. This is where character models are used.

COMMERCIAL LIFESTYLE MODELING - Models are used in photos showing a period of life or doing something in life. The photo might be an older couple walking on the beach and the photo is used in the advertising materials for a new retirement resort. Or a photo of a young couple playing in a park with their children and the photo is used in an ad for a life insurance company. The models are used to act out some concept or idea of life. The physical requirements, age, size, etc. can vary greatly. But most often they use the "beautiful people" in these photos rather then real folks off the street.

COMMERCIAL CORPORATE MODELING - Corporate modeling is like Lifestyle but it always has a business theme. Again physical requirements can vary greatly, but usually attractive people are used - although sometimes character models are used.

PRODUCT DEMO - In smaller markets this seems to be a favorite area to start models. Models stand in front of, or in a store or mall, and hand out free samples of something. The idea is they want someone attractive that people will be drawn to and will work for just a few hours or a few days. When you are young and starting out this pays better then any regular job

and it can really build your confidence around people.

TRADE SHOW MODE LING - Once again attractive people are attention getters. When a trade show comes to town some exhibitors may hire models to hand out literature at their booths. One of the classics examples of this is the auto show. Again, it gives some income when you are starting out and gets you in front of the public.

SPORTS/ATHETICALLY PROFICIENT/FITNESS - This is kind of lumping a lot together but this has been a growing area in modeling. With sport attire companies like to increase a number of personal sports, fitness and outdoor magazines the need for models that look like they actually know what they are doing has grown. The idea is to look good and actual be proficient at the activity being photographed.

HOBBY MODELING - This is modeling for the fun of it, to help out a cause or a place to get started. Some folks may never make a living at modeling but enjoy being in front of the camera or being on the runway. It also ties in with organization that might put on a fashion show as a fundraiser. There have also been cases where some one may start modeling just for fun and this may some day lead to a career.

ALTERNATIVE MODELING - This term has been coined for the whole gothic/punk modeling. This is a very specialize niche

WARM BODY MODE LING - This is may own term (unflattering as it is). This is where you just need someone to put in a photo. When doing an outdoor tourist bureau type photos you often find you need someone hiking a trail or standing at an overlook, this is where you need a warm body to help animate the photo. This type of modelling does not pay much and may even be done on spec, but if you like doing outdoors or tourist activities it is a chance to make a dollar while having fun. This type of modelling can be open to all ages and sizes.

Glamour Modeling.

Glamour modeling is modeling for photos with a sexual theme. I also see where some are now calling this body modeling, These could be simple photos. They can include bikini, sexy outfits and lingerie modeling. On the level, photos can be used for calendars, posters, and other pin-up girl products. You can't pick up a car magazine without seeing a babe by the car or truck. As one moves to greater states of undress you move to the adult entertainment industry with high-end men's magazines like Playboy and then on down to the low-end back-ally magazines. And let's not forget the Internet that is now loaded with all levels of sexual photos. When consider all of the parts of this side of modeling it is a very big industry and top glamour models can make very good money (€200,000 a year). There are no height or size requirements as in fashion modeling. Where fashion modeling wants you to look like a beanstalk, glamour modeling wants you to have curves like Pamela Anderson. Where fashion may want a 'special beauty look', glamour modeling wants traditional drop dead gorgeous glamour can happen anywhere and does.

As far as I am concerned you need to be over 18 to do glamour modeling. With the way the laws are today a photographer runs a real risk doing any kind of sexy photo with someone under 18. If mothers are being thrown in jail for photographing their own children taking a bath and putting the photo in a family album, I think the risk is too great and the return too small to do any glamour work with someone under 18. But this certainly opens up the field for women in their 20's, 30's, 40's and we are even seeing more good looking grandmothers in their 50's showing up.

This field is easy to get started in, as there are a lot of photographers who would love to do test shoots and photo assignments on spec. with glamour models. Getting into the high paying work can take as much effort as becoming a high fashion model. I will leave details and how this is all done to some other web sites.

A model personality

Besides needing the physical requirement to be a model you also need a personality for it. Professional modeling is a tough business. Only certain people can stand up to the hard work schedule and stress that modeling demands. So what are some good traits for a model?

1) Love the Show - When you hear, 'It's show time' or 'Time for magic' do you come alive? If you love performing and being in front of an audience, whether it's a room full of people or the eye of the camera, you will enjoy modeling. If it is something you enjoy you are more apt to work hard at it, take greater risk, and work through the hardships that come along. If you love the work, you will love your life. If you hate the work, you'll be miserable.
2) Hard Working - Modeling takes a lot of hard work and stamina. A photo shoot can run as long as 16 hours and at all times of the day & night. Just getting a job can have you running all over town. And at the end of the day you still have to do all the stuff needed to keep you in shape and looking beautiful.
3) Projection - You need to be able to project your personality, your charisma, your charm, and your sex appeal. You need to be able to sell yourself to be able to sell the product.
4) Intelligent - There is a lot to learn about modeling, being an independent business person, about yourself and about surviving in a big world of sharks. If you can't learn it fast you could get eaten alive.
5) Extrovert - You will be constantly meeting new people and walking into new situations. You will be performing before strangers every day. You need to like new experiences, challenges, and meeting new people. If you are shy and reserved you will forever be uncomfortable modeling.
6) Good Self Esteem - Ok, so it doesn't hurt to be a little bit of an egomaniac. This industry is a real ego bruiser. Good self-esteem can help pick you up and get you through those tough times.
7) Ambition - For most, careers in modeling won't come easy. You will have to go through trials and tribulations before you achieve success. The ambition and desire to succeed and achieve your goals in modeling will help you over the temporary set backs that come along.
8) Self-Starter - As a model you are an independent businessperson in charge of your own career. You must be able to take charge of you. This includes your training, your physical upkeep, your professional practices, your finances, and your life.
9) In Control - You need to be able to control your health (size and fitness), your body for posing, your emotions for acting them out, and your life so you show up on time.
10) Organized - You have to keep track of your schedule, your finances, your modeling materials, and your body's up keep.

OK, so you have to be a bubbly Mary-Ann that everyone loves, Is this a problem?

Stage Mom

One thing that can be a great help for one's modeling career is a good stage

mom. This can actually be a mom, dad or grandparent. Agent. I lump them all together as ‘stage mom’ and as far as I am concerned if you have a good one they are worth their weight in gold. One of the best things a young wannabe model can have is a parent who can help you develop your career. A good stage mom learns the business, helps keep things organized, watches out for scams, helps avoid dangerous situations, provides transportation, helps with training, encourages practice, provides emotional support, and at the start of a career provides the financing. And for all of this, stage moms get to melt into the background and let their son or daughter move into center stage and become a star.

Of course you always hear about the bad stage moms – the bossy, interfering, and overbearing stage moms – the ones trying to live the life they never had through their children. You never hear about the good stage moms – the ones the photographer turns to when the model has forgotten something and mom is right there with it: the stage mom, who works tirelessly in the background so her daughter or son, the model, is on time and ready for the task at hand. Well, let me say I appreciate a good stage mom as the professional she is.

What Next

So you know what kind of modeling you want to do and you’re the right height and size, but you may not be sure if you have the “look” or are beautiful enough or are photogenic enough. What is the next step? That is what is covered in the next section –

How do you find work as a model?
There are two approaches:

1) You work with an individual or organization that finds you work
2) You put together your own marketing plan and go out and find the work yourself.

With the first approach, you work with a modelling agent or agency. There is more information about Modelling Agencies under the "The Agency" section. With the second approach you work as an independent or 'freelance' model. As a freelance model you track down your own jobs and may sign non-exclusive contracts with several agencies. In both cases you must put together your marketing tools - a composite card, a portfolio, and a web presence .All of these marketing tools require photographs and you get these photos by tracking down test shoots.

Composite

After you have some photographs in hand you can begin to put together your marketing tools. The first of these tools is a composite. This is a single sheet of paper that has a head shot printed on one side and more photos and your vital statistics on the back. Many years ago the basic marketing tool was an 8x10 inch Black & White glossy photo of your head and shoulders and stats typed up and pasted on the back. This later evolved into a printed front and back '8X11' B&W sheet, then to 5X7 printed or photocopied card, to today where, with computers and on-demand printing, you can produce your own sales brochure. At any rate, this is your basic marketing tool. You give it to photographers, art directors, casting agents and others. This gives them something they can put in their files and refer to when looking for talent. It is your sales brochure and business card all in one and it is hard to get far without it. It cost some to put together but that's the cost of being in business for yourself.

Portfolio

Your second marketing tool is the portfolio. After someone shows interest in you, they are going to want to see more photos of you. This is where your portfolio or book comes in. Your portfolio contains an assortment of photos and tear sheets showing what you have done and your "look". They all, of course, must be of excellent quality. When you're starting out you won't have any tear sheets as you haven't done any jobs yet. As you do get work, you will add tear sheets to show you have done actual jobs.

How many photos and tear sheets do you need? Enough to show what you are about, but not so many as to overwhelm and bore someone. It is a tricky balance and takes a lot of scrutiny and evaluation to get a balanced book. What size and format? I think that is open. You need to be able to leave it behind, messenger it over, mail it out, and carry it in. It doesn't hurt to be distinctive, but it needs to be easy to look through rugged but fashionable - sounds like a Professional Model.

So what types of photos should be in your book? First, you need a good clean head shot. This goes for your composite card as well. This head shot needs to show you - both your physical appearance and personality. This gives a photographer clear idea of your "look". In addition have a couple of full length shots that show your body shape. The head shot and body shots might be more technical kind of shots. The rest of the portfolio should be filled with WOW! Shots. Just as in any kind of advertising (which is what a portfolio is), you need to sell the client. That is what the bulk of the photos in your portfolio should do.

Photos for a portfolio should usually not be done by just one photographer this is because many photographers develop their own style. If your portfolio were to be shot by just one photographer, it would only show that one style, that one way of looking at you. Although one photographer can shoot your initial composite, a portfolio needs variety. It needs to show how several different photographers see you and how they capture your look. Remember, for print models the portfolio is your major marketing tool and can often close the deal. Also, having said all that, there are exceptions and exceptional photographers who can produce enough variety images to fill your portfolio, but it's rare to find one.

Web Presence

[This is a rapidly changing topic. The following material I wrote two years ago and it maybe out of date. I still believe in much of this material so I will leave it for you read. The two trends I am seeing that bring this material into question is modeling agencies' web sites and if anyone will ever find you on the web. I am currently seeing, to my dismay, modeling agencies dropping their web sites. It appears the idea of an agency putting all of their talent on line for clients to see has not worked out for agencies. Two things agencies have going for them is personal contact with clients and filtering which models a client sees. Both of these are loss on the web. So far no one has come up with a dominant model web listing site. Instead I am find hundreds of listing sites all of which are hard to navigate or with pass word protection that make them a bother to deal with. It maybe the case that you either put up a professional web site and promote it or don't bother with the web. All of this is still changing as the web changes so we will see where it goes.]

Since you are reading this you already know how important the Internet has become. Like other small businesses it has become important for a model to have a web presence. Almost all photographers and art directors have computers now and most are either on line or soon will be. This gives you a large potential web audience. For photographers and art directors searching for talent, on line offers speed, greater selection, 24 hour a day search possibilities, and ultimately cost savings. This certainly is not perfected yet but, like digital photography, you can see its day is coming.

Most modeling agencies have web sites .like other activities a modeling agency does, helps to screen out problem clients. If you sign with an agency, they will have some means to get your portfolio on line at the agency's web site. Though this system has some good points, it does block the photographer who may just occasionally need a model - especially if it is a last minute idea.

If you are with an agency you still may want to have a web presence that is accessible to everyone. This gives you a place to which you can direct friends, reach clients who don't work with modeling agencies, and for that one-in-a-million chance that a major modeling agency scout or that big-time Hollywood casting director might just come surfing by and spot you. For a freelance model, setting up an independent web presence is the only option and essential.

Currently I see three possible options for setting up a web presence:
1) A free model listing site,
2) Your own web site, and
3) An online virtual modelling agency or model listing site. Be aware that with any independent web posting you have to exercise caution. You are putting material out there for everyone to see, both the good and the bad.

Personal Appearance

The final marketing tool is the personal appearance. In its different forms it can be the "go see", the "cattle call", or "doing the rounds". If a photographer or art director has worked his or her way from your composite to your portfolio, then they will probably want to take a look at you. They may meet with you individually or they may look and interview several models at one time (the cattle call). This is the moment when a photographer has a chance to see you and evaluate you in person. You will be evaluated on your physical features, your professional appearance, and your working relationship. From here you get the job - or not!

Doing the rounds is at the beginning rather than the end of the marketing cycle. After identifying businesses that might employ models you get to do cold calls; that is, you drop in and see if the business uses models and you drop off your composite. This cold call can be done by phone, also. What is most effective will vary among photographers, art directors, and casting agents. This is why you sign with an agency as this is what they are supposed to do - market you.
So, how do you find who is using models and who to cold call or to whom to send your composite? The first place to start is with the professionals who traditionally work with models. This would include photographers, advertising agencies, graphic design firms, some public relation firms, and casting companies. Most of these can be found in the yellow pages for your city or a local business directory (available in some libraries). Then you must call, mail, e-mail or walk in the front door to see if they use models. Be prepared for a lot of rejection!

You should evaluate your Town or County to see if there are businesses that are major users of models. A business directory can help locate these businesses. as well as manufacturers. All are heavy users of models and at times have hired freelance models to fill their needs. You will have to research your own community to see what your local opportunities are.. You may have to turn over some stones to see if there are any hidden opportunities in your town
The Agency

You hear that all the top models have great agencies, and you think, "If I can only sign with a modeling agency I will be set." But what exactly is a modeling agency and what does it do? This is not an easy question to answer. Modeling agencies operate as small independent business with no two agencies working the same. A lot depends on the market in which an agency operates and the owner(s) and agency's personnel. The other problem with describing a modeling agency is that there are a lot of rip-off and scam agencies out there. Because most wannabe models know little about how the modeling business works, they are easy prey for these vultures. We can look at what an agency might be at its best and worst and what they can do for your career as a model.

A modelling agency's number one purpose is to find the model work. They work as the model's representative or agent. As an agent they seek and negotiate contracts of employment for the model or talent who is an independent business. For finding the model work, they take a percent of what the model makes (10% to 33 That sounds fairly simple and straightforward, but it is amazing how it can vary.

Elsewhere

Within a secondary market, the modeling agencies are not working with big budget clients. In some cities there may be enough work that an agency can be a full time operation - perhaps even supporting a few people on staff but there is not enough work to pay for the development of new talent. For this type of agency you must provide the marketing tools and training. The agency may help you with where to go to get photos, composites and training, but they can't afford to pay for it or loan you money. There just isn't enough budget for them to guess wrong even once. So it is up to you to foot the bill. This is fine if the agency is really out there looking for work for its models and there is enough of a market to make a living. The problem I have found with some of these agencies is that they have no idea what they are doing. They are having a great time playing at being a modeling agency, but you could do better marketing yourself.

What if you do find a good agency, what will they do for you? A good agency will help manage your career and find you work. In big cities this can be split into two parts, managers and bookers. The manager will help you develop your "look", your modeling skills, and develop your natural talents. They will help in preparing your marketing materials for the market in which they think you will be most successful. They should have knowledge of the market place and will honestly evaluate your potential for that market. They should have contacts so they can send you to photographers, graphic designers and printers to prepare your marketing materials. They should have the means to prepare you to be a model. The booking side is where the agency tracks down who uses models. The agency has a phone that is manned and an office that a client can visit. They make the rounds to keep in touch with those who use models and provide them with composites and head sheets of their talent. They advertise, do lunches, do cold calls and turn over stones to find who is hiring models. They book time for models to work, give direction to get there and make sure models show up. They handle billing, collections, and complaints. A good agency finds you work and earns every cent of their commission (usually 15% to 33%). But, in smaller markets, they are a rarity.

Further on down the ladder you find agencies in markets that are too small to support a full time modelling agency. In these markets the modelling school is usually the full time moneymaker and the agency is just a hook. If you finish the school you get to be in the agency. This can be fine if you like to play at modelling and have the money to do so. In most cases if your city has a population of less then a million it will not be able to support a full time agency. Even in a city of a million you may be better off marketing yourself than working with a so-so agency. When you get to a city with a population of a couple million or more there may be just too much ground to cover and an agency can be very helpful.
to them.

Checking out a Modeling Agency

A certain mystery surrounds the modeling industry. How does one become a top model? There is no clear cut answer to that question. Because of this mystery and uncertainty, a great deal of room exists in which a scam artist can work. Since a modeling agency is often the key to becoming a successful model, this is where many scams take place. How do you find a legitimate modeling agency? There is no easy answer.

First, there is no rating service for modelling agencies; there is no governmental authority; there is no licensing organization to tell you which agency is legitimate and which are not. Most agencies are small, independent businesses working in a very competitive market place. These seem to be in constant flux with new ones starting, old ones merging, and some closing up shop. This makes it a real challenge to find just a legitimate agency, let alone a good agency.

Modeling Agency Contracts

There are three styles of contracts that you typically will run across. Some modeling agencies will work with exclusive contracts. This means that they are your exclusive representatives and they get a commission on any work you do. They get this commission whether they find the work or you find it on your own. If you sign this kind of contract, be sure the agency is really going to be working for you. If they are providing a lot of guidance getting your career started and are out there beating the bushes to find work for you, this type of contract is fine. If the agency signs you just to fill space in their roster and then leaves you hanging in limbo for the length of your contract (usually one to two years) it can be a bad way to try and start a career. Another type of contract is a non-exclusive modeling contract. In this case if the modeling agency finds you work, they get paid their commission. If you find work on your own you pay them nothing. You are free to sign non-exclusive contracts with other modeling agencies. This way you might have several agencies representing you at once. Now don't expect the same service and help from a non-exclusive agency as with an exclusive agency. In smaller markets, where you are expected to provide all of your training, portfolios, composites and other marketing materials before an agency will work with you, signing an exclusive contract is a kind of a rip-off.

The final contract is a Mother Agency Agreement. I have not seen one of these so I am not sure how they make it legally binding but you do hear about them. In this case the modelling agency knows there is not enough work locally to support any one over the long term. Their position then is to move you on to a major market and get you signed with a major modelling agency. They may get you work locally but it is more with the idea of getting you ready for the major market. For helping prepare you and helping to place you with a top modelling agency, they get a percent of your earnings for a long time to come. You, in essence, never leave the mother agency - you are just loaned out to the top agencies. This can be an attractive arrangement if the mother agency invests time and money in your career and gets you on with top money making agencies. The trouble comes when this gets attached to a modelling school. You not only have to pay for all of the classes, the photo shoots, the career guidance session, you then must keep paying these people again for doing nothing. You need to examine these agreements very carefully before you sign.
Test Shoots - You Need Photos

Whether you are working with a modeling agency or working freelance you will need photos - photos for your composite, portfolio, and web presence. With a modeling agency, they may try to help you find test shoots. Working independently, you will have to track down your own test shoots.

Test shoots or testing has become a generic term for photographic shoots where a model acquires photographs to use for the model's promotional materials. I will elaborate on this further on.

You have two basic goals when doing test shoots. One is to get good quality photos as fast as you can to start getting work. The better quality (more professional and creative) photos you have in your portfolio the better paying jobs you will get. The second is to get experience in front of the camera and learning how to find your way around a studio or location shoot.

Test Shoots - Advice for Models

My definition of a Test Shoot (also refereed to as a photographer's test shoot and Time For Prints [TFP] shoot) is when a photographer wants to try out a new creative idea, test some new equipment or film, wants to build the photographer's portfolio, or just wants to practice and figure out how to take pictures, he sets up a photo session. In the case of a fashion or people photographer he needs a warm body to put in front of the lens. This is where the volunteer model comes in. This can work out well for both parties. The photographer does not want to pay for a model and the model does not want to pay for a photographer, so by trading services both get images for their portfolio and gain experience. In some cases the photographer might give you a couple of prints for your services, in other cases you may have to pay for prints. In all cases you will not get the original and don't even ask to borrow them.

There are several problems you will find with this arrangement. A beginning photographer may be eager to do test shoots, but he or she is still learning, so the quality of work may not be that good. You may end up with just so-so prints in your portfolio. In some cases they may forget to take the lens cap off or some other technical problem so you may end up with nothing (of course that can happen to a pro pushing the limits also). In the case of seasoned professional photographers, they are often too busy with paying jobs or burned-out on doing new-model tests to do any test shoots. Thus it might be hard to find someone who is capable of producing good work and wants to do a test shoot with a new model. On the occasion when a seasoned photographer has a burning desire to do something new and creative, he usually turns to a model he already knows and with whom he enjoys working. So for your first goal of getting quality photos fast, free test shoots is not be the best route.

Is it bad or a total waste to do a test shoot with a beginning photographer? No. When you are starting out any chance you have to get in front of the camera and see some results is valuable. It is a chance to gain some experience, try new make-up, poses, expression, wardrobe, and see how the photographer sees you. And once in while you and the beginning photographer may even hit upon something that will produce an outstanding photograph. It seems to happen more by accident then design, but sometimes neat things can happen. For a model this 'learning by doing' is the best teacher. So you can build a portfolio by this approach but it can take a long time. But it does help to accomplish your second goal of gaining experience.

If you are lucky, you may be able to find an advance amateur photographer or a pro that is getting back into model shooting. In either of these cases you have a shooter who has the ability to produce good work but may not hit it on the first try. The photos they produce may not always be top tier shots but would give you good photos to start your career. This situation gives you good quality photos, very fast, for little money, and the experience of working with someone who knows something about the business. These types of shoots can also be the hardest to find.

This information applies to fashion models, life style models, and commercial models. If you are seeking adult glamour modeling, you it will be no problem finding free test shoot once you learn where to look for them.

Warning

This is where the warning should come in when looking for test shoots. There always seems to be these "semi-pro" photographers out there. These guys are more then willing to do test shoots with new young models. These guys are more interested in hanky-panky than in producing a great photograph. At some point they want to get your clothes off or they are all over you like an octopus, saying they are trying to show you how to pose. Now this is different from very young, starting photographers who just have raging hormones. They are most likely just looking for a date rather than anything lecherous. In either case you will not end up with any usable photos for your portfolio. This is where professionalism on both the model's and photographer's part is needed.

Finding Free Test Shoots

If you sign with a modeling agency they may already have a list of photographers that need that warm body to put in front of the camera. The agency may have checked out these photographers and feel they are of a professional quality that the agency can recommend. In some cases, even with an agency, you may be on your own to track down test shoots.

What are some strategies for tracking down photographers for free test shoots? One way might be to check photographers' web sites. Find ones in your area and see if any of them are doing model photography. The links to directories and photographers on the page might help locate some. If you find some photographers in your area, email them and ask if they do any free photographer test shoots (TFP). They may say no, but you don't know until you ask. You can also try calling around or visiting photographers' studios but that will take more work. The yellow pages might be helpful for this approach.

If all of the current professional photographers in your area turn you down for free test shoots you may want to try the wannabe photographers. These are the student photographers. You can check to see if your local community college or university has a photography program. If they do you may find you can tell the instructor or place a notice on a bulletin board in the photography department that you are looking for test shoots. As a professional photographer I know we all had to get started somewhere and for many of us it was at college. As a beginning photographer if we wanted to learn any type of people photography we had to try and find a subject to photograph. This could be your place to connect with a student photographer. Keep in mind that the photographer is as new to photography as you are to modeling so you will both be trying to learn the business.

Some other fringe spots where you might make contact with a photographer for test shoots are camera stores and camera clubs. Sometimes the clerks at a photography store or photo lab might know of someone who is doing fashion or people photos. They may be able to keep an eye out for a photographer once you let them know you are looking for test shoots. Also, some camera clubs may have members who do people photos. Letting the head of the club know you are looking for test shoots may lead to something. With both of these you run a greater risk of running into the "semi-pro" photographer/lecher. Be extremely cautious about any leads you get this way, but you may find an amateur photographer who does good work.

Those who post usually have email address and web sites. You can study the postings and hopefully find some photographers to contact about doing test shoots. You can also posts a notice on the forum saying you are looking for test shoots. If you are just starting, you can post without a picture but most of those postings get ignored. The forums work better if you can get some photos up on the web and be able to link to these photos when you post your message. Most photographers would like to see what you look like before committing to a shoot. This makes the forums a tough spot to get that first all important test shoot but they can be good for finding shoots to build your portfolio, gain experience and all for free. Forum photographers can be spread all over a region so you may need to be ready to do some travelling to get to shoots.

Warning - Making Internet Contacts
Warning when looking for test shoots on the web use caution. You do not know who is really who from postings, chats or websites on the internet.
Models Under 18 Years Old - Please Read

Model Commissioned Test Shoots

You may find that you are unable to track down any free test shoots; or, after you have done a number of test shoots with beginning photographers and have your act together, you now need some outstanding professional photos for your portfolio; or, perhaps you don't have time to track down a photographer for a free test shoot and you need a professional portfolio now. In these cases you are in the market for what some call a Model Test Shoot or what photographers call real work with a paying customer. You are going to hire a photographer to take pictures of you for your portfolio and comp card.

Unlike a photographer's test shoot you are now the boss. You will need to shop around and check photographers' portfolios to find the one that is doing the type and quality of work you would like in your portfolio. Again checking photographers' web sites can help with this. You also may need to find a make-up artist and hair stylist, if you are not fully experienced at doing your make-up and hair. You will want to plan out with the photographer what type of looks you want, what your wardrobe will be, and the costs. In this case, since you are the paying client, you should expect to receive all original film or transparencies. Be sure to work this out before the shoot and be sure what rights will transfer.

Model Test Shoot Cost

OK, what does a photo shoot cost? Photographers are generally independent business people. They are free to charge whatever they want for their services. However, competitive market forces tend to keep their prices down, just as the cost of doing business tends to force their fees up. The more senior and talented a shooter is the more he or she tends to charge. A good, well-run business tends to be busier and able to charge more then a poorly run business. Photography charges will vary in different parts of the nation. Generally, photographers in the largest cities are able to command the highest fees.

With that said, what do the numbers look like? Many commercial photographers charge for time plus materials and expenses. The guide for comparison is usually the day rate. This is what a photographer will charge for a full day of shooting. To give an example an average low-end day rate of €500 and an average top end of €1500. I personally use an hourly fee so this would make the low end at around €75 per hour and the high end €160. I know of some very junior photographers who charge as little as €25/hr and some top shooters who will get €250/hour or more. On top of these time charges will be the expense for film and processing. A role of 36-exposure slide film and processing can run anywhere from €12.50 up to €35.00, depending on brand and markup. In addition some photographers may have a usage fee that will either restrict how you can use the photos or make additional charges for other types of use. Usage gets to be a real tricky topic of negotiations so I won't delve into it here. So what does this mean? It can cost you a lot or it can cost you a little depending on the photographer. [Big Help]

This is the commercial photographers' pricing scenario. The portrait photographer uses a little different scenario. They usually charge a sitting fee, which is just enough to cover the cost of film and little overhead. This could be from €25 to €125 depending on how complex the shoot. The difference is that they retain all ownership of the negatives. You must order all your prints through them and they usually charge a higher mark up on them than commercial photographers. I put this in for information, not that you would want a portrait photographer to shoot your portfolio.

Another scenario I have seen is the package deal. This is from a photographer that specializes in shooting models' portfolios. The shoot is usually based on a given number of rolls of film, how many outfit changes, how many light or location changes, promising a head shot and given number of other shots. They usually deliver 5 - 10 prints to you and costs run from €300 to €1000. The biggest problem with this is that most of these photographers are pretty mediocre - so you end up with a mediocre portfolio

Another variation on this is by-the-roll pricing - the photographer charges so much for each roll of film shot. This seems to run between €100 to €125 per roll of film. If the photographer is using a motor drive on the camera and has you be-bop to music you can burn up a lot of film fast.

A Need for Photos

Whether you are able to track down free test shoots or have to pay for photo shoots as a wannabe model you will have to have photos. You also have to have experience working in front of the camera. The photos are needed for your marketing materials - portfolio, comp card, and web site. The experience in front of the camera is how you truly learn to be a model. During your first few photo shoots you may be just trying to get comfortable in front of the camera. As you do more shoots you will pickup how to move, how to work in the light, how to hit your mark, and the routine of a studio. After you have 30 to 50 shoots you will have a handle on working in front of a camera. At this point you become a valuable asset to a shoot and no longer a wannabe. It always amazes me how modelling schools offer to train you to be a model but either never or maybe one time put you in front of a camera. New York modelling agencies send models out on test shoots to gain experience and build a portfolio. That is how they start and train the top professional models. Tracking down test shoots is essential for a beginning model.
A Photo Shoot

OK, if you are going to be a professional model and work in front of a camera, what goes on when you are working? Here is a photographer's perspective on how a model should handle a photo shoot. This is still leading to what you should know to be a photo model, but maybe seeing the end result will help the training process. I must apologize if I sound a little gruff on this but a photographer can get a bit demanding on the job. Also, keep in mind if a photographer has hired you for a shoot and things go wrong, it is the photographer who is held responsible, not you. The photographer has to make sure everything goes right. It sounds a little dramatic, but if you heed these points now it makes everything more fun later. Again, when you're a famous super model you can forget all about this and let every one wait on you hand and foot.

The first rule is to make the photographer's life easy. The reason you are being hired as a professional model and we are not pulling someone off the street is that you are going to do things that will allow the shoot to go quickly, easily, and more successfully. I can take anyone off the street and make him or her look good (that is what glamour portraiture is all about) but a model who knows what she or he is doing will allow me to get the job done in less time and with a lot less hassle. That's why we pay you the big bucks.

Before the Shoot

Get a good night's sleep and stay healthy. If you are tired it will show both on your face and in your attitude. Please do not party the night before a shoot. The photographer, ad agency, and client will have invested a lot of time and money in a shoot and will depend on you to arrive ready to do the job. It is part of being a professional. In Milan or New York they may put up with partied out super models but in a secondary market, if you arrive for a shoot only half-there, you will not be there again.

Get your items ready and packed up. Unlike the big fashion scene you may need to provide items of wardrobe and props for a shoot. This should all be discussed and worked out before the shoot. If you have talked about bringing certain items please be sure they are packed and ready to go the night before. This avoids last minute running around and forgetting. Reliability again is part of being a professional.

You may need to put on a base make-up before leaving for a shoot. In a secondary market you may need to do your own make-up as there usually isn't a budget for a make-up artist or there isn't one available. By taking care of your contouring and base items before the shoot it helps speed matters along. This is not meant to cheat you out of billing time at the studio, I would expect to pay more per hour for someone who can do their own make-up and who comes prepared.

You may need to have no make-up on at all before you arrive for a shoot. Confusing isn't it? There may be times when the make-up has to be done at the shoot and not having any make-up on speeds the process. This is why a photographer appreciates a model he can communicate with so that all these things can be worked out ahead of time.

At the Shoot

Arrive on time. Studio time is often based on an hourly fee. If time is being wasted waiting for a model to arrive it either costs the photographer in time that can't be billed or it costs the client in time they are paying for nothing. In either case you just made the photographer's life less easy and you may not be asked back.

After your arrival and pleasantries are done, you will review with the photographer how to proceed with the shoot. Next it is off to finish your make-up and change clothes. This part may vary a lot depending on budget and purpose of the shoot. You may be left to schlep in your own make-up case and wardrobe and get prepared in some corner of the studio or you could be whisked away by a make-up artist and hair stylist while the caterer brings you delicacies. In the meantime the photographer will be making last minute lighting and set adjustments, schmoozing the art director, making sure the client is happy, trying to find out why something that was promised hasn't arrived yet, rechecking the cameras, directing the photo assistant, checking on how things are going with the model, and, oh yeah, trying to have fun. Now you see why rule number one is 'make life easy for the photographer'.

Ok, now it's show time! You are ready to get in front of the camera. Communication is very important at this point. You need to follow the verbal instructions of the photographer and give feed back. As a model and a photographer work together more, this give and take becomes easier, but the first time out it can take a while to develop a rapport. Also, it is important to establish a touch-or-don't-touch understanding up front. When working with large format cameras the posing can be very slow and precise. It may be quicker and easier for me to physically move you and your arms, head and legs where I want them. If you are uncomfortable with that or other posing issues, please state it up front. This is one time it is better not to make the photographer's life easier if it is going to make your life miserable. All of this should get worked out and become part of the professional working relationship.

Another challenging part of the photo shoot process is trying to stay relaxed and comfortable. I may be telling you where your main light is, where your posing spot is, the expression I want, having your arms and legs going in different directions while you're trying to hold the product so you don't cover the label, while a crowd of folks look on, and through this all you have to stay relaxed so the tension doesn't show on your face. If only it was all rock music playing and dancing around in front of the camera like they show on TV. In secondary markets it is a lot of product, illustrative, and catalogue. But in spite of it all this you can still get a lot of excitement and electricity going.
I still find it strange, how this electricity and excitement can build between a photographer and a model. And it is even stranger when it suddenly stops during a shoot. Its like a switch is turned off or you run out of gas. One minute everything is really happening and you are doing great work and the next minute, for no reason, the energy drops. I used to try to work through that energy drop and keep going but it just doesn't work. If it happens in the middle of a shoot, it means, "It's break time". Time to recharge, brake for lunch, socialize, change sets, change wardrobe, or something. This part is always hard to explain to a client though sometimes they can feel it as well. If it happens close to the end of a shoot you may as well just call it a day. You hope you have all of the primary shooting done and you are just working on the extras so it is a good time to wrap up.

After the shoot

When the shoot is over it is time to clean up, pack up and go. When you're starting out you may want to stay and ask questions about modeling or if there is more work, or where else you can find work. A little of this is fine, but remember time is money and the photographer may need to move on to another project, so don't stay too long and wear out your welcome. Also, don't be too quick to dash off. The photographer may indeed have another project coming up, but does not want to talk about it until the client and art director have left. More confusion! Also, try not to leave things behind again part of being professional is being organized.

Lastly, the inevitable question, when will the pictures be ready? You know you want to see them. Try to work out a time when you might be able to return to look at them. What is excellent, is when you are starting out and the photographer can take time to review the photographs with you and not just leave something at the front counter. A critique of what the photographer saw and how you might do better can be a real ego bruiser, but can also help you learn and improve.

Post Shoot Stress

Some people will end up very excited after a shoot. Some will be burnt out. Whatever your reaction, you need to find a way to regain your normalcy quickly. Staying up or down can lead to more stress and that starts to take its toll on the body. You need to be able to unwind or rewind in a few hours as you will need to get your rest. You have a shoot tomorrow.....!
Pointers on working in front of the camera

There are several points that I think a model should be aware of and cultivate when in front of the camera. Again, this is from the photographer's perspective and has to do with a technical part of photography.

Stay in your Light

Of foremost importance - knowing where the main light is coming from. It seems that more and more of the lighting I see used in fashion magazines is an over-under-soft box set up. This creates a soft butterfly light, a term from classic portrait photography. It is also an idiot-proof lighting. For a model, all you have to do is stand and look at the camera. It is also a very flat, uninteresting light. If you have seen the photos of the Hollywood stars from the 30's and 40's you might remember how dramatic and glamorous they looked. A lot of that is from the dramatic lighting. For dramatic lighting to work, the person in front of the camera must position herself just right. With all of these light setups there is a single main light coming from one direction and you must learn how to use it. If the light is coming from the right you need to work to that direction. You may also find that a certain type or direction of light may make you look better. This is a difficult idea to grasp until you have done a few shoots - but it is best to be aware of it right from the start.

Hitting your Mark

Many product and dramatic lighting setups are designed for the model to be at a particular spot in the set up. It is important to be aware of how much you can move from that spot; how far forward, back, side to side and up and down from that mark you can move. If it is a very tight set up and requires you to say very close to your mark, then be-bopping and twirling around destroys the whole set up. When you move from your mark you throw off camera focus, move out of the light, destroy the alignment of the shot, and distort perspective. If you have a tight mark you must learn to do all of your action and poses within that tight space.

Camera Format

The tightness of your mark, how the lighting is set up and how you might be able to move is often affected by the type of camera and film format that is being shot. A popular view of fashion modeling is being in front of the camera and dancing around seeing how many expressions you can come up with. You hear the camera click, the motor drive whir, and light flash. But what happens when you're expected to hold a box of corn flakes in one hand, a spoon with milk and cereal in the other, while sitting at a table, trying to look like this is the greatest stuff you ever ate? Add on top of that a camera that not only has no motor drive but one that takes a single large piece of film that costs a small fortune and takes several minutes to reload after each shot. This is the type of modeling that they don't show on TV but can make up a lot of the secondary market. What makes a big difference between these two shoots is the type of camera that is used.

The 35 mm camera is often used for a fashion shoot. It is easy to hold and to move with. It can shoot lots of frames per second, and each frame of film is fairly cheap. This allows the model and the photographer to move freely and shoot a lot of frames of film. You don't worry if many of the frames are no good as you can edit out later. But 35mm film is just too small for certain printing projects. The camera also lacks perspective and plane-of-focus controls. This means that if you're modelling sitting on a new automobile and the photo is going to be used for a billboard you won't get to twirl in front of a 35 mm camera. There are three formats of cameras: small - 35 mm, medium - 120 (70mm), and large - 4X5 to 8X10. As you move from small to large the cameras get larger, harder to hand-hold, harder to move with, slower to operate and more costly per frame to shoot with. This means that how you work in front of the camera has to change. With a 35mm camera you may move around and do different expressions as the photographer snaps away, with a 4x5 you may have to hold still and work to achieve the expression that is needed for several minutes before the shutter clicks. All of this becomes very clear when you get in front of these cameras for various types of shoots. Some of the wonderful work that was done by Penn for Vogue was done with the large format camera.

Framing

Another point that is important to understand is how much of you will show in the picture. Working full length is quite different from doing a tight head shot. With full length body posture, arm placement and leg position are very important. With a head shot, who cares what your body is doing, it's the face and expression that is everything. Knowing how much of you is going to show allows you to concentrate on just the part that is showing.

What is the Photo Saying

All of the previous is dictated by one thing, what is the purpose of the shoot? Selection of lighting, focus, camera format, framing and you are determined by the purpose of the shoot. It is important for you to have some idea what the final photo is to convey. This will help you to understand your motivation and purpose in the photo. This helps you to know what sort of expressions, gestures, and poses you should do. If the photo is to sell grave-side services for a funeral home, then your winning smile that sells tooth paste just won't do. I think a lot of photographers would rather view you as a collaborator in a photo rather than another prop to move around.
What You Need to Work On
If I am doing a shoot for a client I can choose to pull someone off the street who looks right for the job and normally not pay much money or I can hire a skilled professional model and pay a lot more money. The reason I would op for paying more for a professional model is that a shoot will go quicker and have a better chance for success with a pro then someone off the street. So a professional model can actually save client money by shortening a shoot and the quality of the images will be better (better usually meaning more sales). So what does a professional model bring to a shoot that some one off the street does not, professional attitude and the "model's tool kit." The "model's tool kit" is the ability to express and pose and knowledge of make-up, hairstyling and wardrobe. This package of skill is what makes a model worth their fees.

Working on Expression and Pose

In the old days of melodrama and vaudeville they made a science out of communicating with facial expression or body position. They exaggerated and standardized every emotion that one might want to express. They produced books showing these standard expressions and poses and when you studied theatrics this was part of what you learned. All of this early work was a bit over exaggerated and through the years has gone through a lot of refinement. When photographs began replacing drawings in fashion magazines the photo fashion industry came up with their own set of expressions and poses. These expressions and poses usually communicated beauty and grace. A model would learn a standard set of poses that told where the feet, hands, torso, and head would be positioned. One would work on one's cheery smile or surprise facial expression. By the early sixties it had become pretty regimented. But just as all the rules for being a model were set, along came the late sixties and a time for breaking all of the rules. It has been a muddled mess since. Today there are no set rules for models except all of the old rules still can apply except we want to break them all the time. The modeling schools say they will teach you the standard modeling poses but the agencies and fashion industry say that there are no standard poses; everything is creative and you either have it or you don't and we decide who has it.

As a working photographer I think it is great to have both. I like it when I can tell a model to look sad and she has practiced that look in the mirror and can do it on cue. I also like when we can play sad music or tell a side story and get an honest sad expression. I like when shooting a simple fashion shot and I ask the model to go through her short or long group of poses and she has a set routine that we can shoot through. I like it when we need something very different for a shot and I can tell the model how to stretch, twist, and reach and she is aware of her/his body and can do it. I think you should know the rules so you can break them. You should know your body so you are aware of how it moves, what lines it forms, and how it can be coached into different positions. I think you should know yourself and your emotions so you can show these to the camera and feel confident in what you are showing.
So how do you work on expressions and posing? One good way to start is doing activities that teach you how to move you body gracefully. For this I like dance and rhythmic gymnastics. Dancers and gymnasts move great in front of the camera. They know how to create a long sweeping line with their bodies. Other sports can help with kinaesthetic knowledge and are good for conditioning but I favour dance to teach how to move and communicate with you body. Of course for expression theatre is a great teacher. That is part of what an actor must do at times - communicate without words. If you have an opportunity take a class or participate in these activities, I encourage you to do so.
You can work on facial expressions by practicing them in a mirror. What do I mean by facial expressions? We are all capable of showing various emotions on our face. Most emotions that you can think of can show on your face. Hate, love, sadness, longing, happy, and more can be expressed on your face. What you should do is make a list of all key emotional words you can think of (run through the dictionary) and practice those expressions in front of a mirror. After you have practiced for a while, try them on a friend and see if they can tell what emotion you are conveying. The idea is that when you are in front of the camera and the photographer wants you to look longingly into the distance you know how to do that.