Model Help If you're new to modelling there are going to be a number of questions you want to find answers to. Hopefully we can help ... Castings A Casting (or 'Go See') is where you the model, get the chance to show your work to a photographer, art director, or magazine editor who is looking for a model for a specific job. It's pretty much like an interview for any job. Normally you will be asked to go to the client's office or photographer's studio for a casting. It's important that you keep to an appointment you've been given - if you get held up, telephone the agency or the client to let them know you've been delayed. Often a Polaroid photograph, or a video, or a couple of digital photographs will be taken of you, so that at the end of the casting the photographer or art director will have a record of all the models who attended the casting. If you find you can't keep to an appointment, telephone the agency or client to cancel the appointment. If you don't turn up to a casting, it makes you, and the agency, look unreliable and unprofessional. For safety's sake - be aware, castings are not usually held in hotel rooms or private houses. Portfolios Every model needs a portfolio. It's how models show everyone else how they photograph, what work they've done, and how experienced they are. When you're seeing photographers or editors at a casting, you only have one chance to make an impression. You need good quality photographic prints in a zip-up portfolio case. Think about it, if you turned up to see a photographer, and he showed you some tatty photos in a tatty envelope - you wouldn't be too impressed - would you ? CDs and Websites are absolutely useless at a casting. If you take a CD, you're relying on the photographer having time to load your pictures on his computer to look at them. If the next model waiting has prints to look at, and you don't - you stand a good chance of loosing the job. An A4 portfolio case only costs about £15 from a stationery shop, but can make your photographs 'look' like a million dollars ! Remember - Good quality prints are a must. Poor quality computer prints or photocopies don't present you in a professional way. Portfolio Shots It's quite common on the Internet for new models to be contacted by photographers and offered Time for Prints (TPF) or Prints for Time (PFT). The idea is, you do a modelling session for a photographer without getting paid and in return, you get some prints. In theory this sound like a good idea if you're trying to get a portfolio together. However - in our experience the quality of the photographs you are likely to get from such a session are not at all suitable to get you professional modelling work. Photographers who specialise in professional fashion and glamour photography are used to working with experienced professional models. They already know models and agencies and rarely have to go looking for models to test. The people you're most likely to meet via the Internet are basically amateur or hobby photographers looking for a FREE modelling session. YOU should be charging at least £25 per hour for this type of assignment. Be Aware ! You should not be asked to to pose nude for a portfolio session. So called 'fine- art-nudes' are completely unsuitable for a professional portfolio ! Test Shots Professional model agencies will usually know a few professional photographers who will sometimes agree to take 'test shots' of a new model who the agency thinks has potential. Although you will usually be asked to attend a casting with the photographer to see if you are suitable, you should not be asked to pay for a 'test' session. Paid-For Portfolio Sessions There are a number of very well respected professional photographers who shoot professional portfolio sessions where the model pays for the photographer's time, materials and prints. This type of work is very specialised and these photographers are in great demand from professional models and agencies. They do not run competitions, or advertise in newspapers, or on the Internet ! Most professional model agents will be able to put you in touch with a reputable 'test shot' photographer. Expect to pay £80-£100 for a session.