Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

If you're a male model (agency represented or freelance), by now you've probably realized that you may be required to do certain things that regular guys don't have to. Being a model means looking like one and it isn't just your female counterparts that have to worry about maintaining their outer appearance. Men in general are known for being rugged and even a bit "dirty" but when you enter the male modeling world, this isn't entirely true. So what does this mean for you as a male model? It means learning how to get pedicures, manicures, and (gasp!) maybe even facials! When you go in for a casting, go-see, or photoshoot, you should be "perfect" from head to toe. That means no dirty fingernails, no unsightly blemishes on your complexion, no hangnails and no gnarly feet. If you're the type of guy that cringes at the word "salon," "pedicure/manicure," and especially "metrosexual" then you'll need to get ove...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi I have a question I have a scar on my back due to surgery when I was an infant how to I deal with that when entering into modeling and sending pictures. also is the scar a major set back that could cause me to not get representation as a commercial print model? Hello, and thanks for your question! Scars can be a hindrance on a modeling career but I find that it mainly depends on what type of modeling you want to do. Obviously if you wanted to be a swimsuit or lingerie model, having such scars would more than likely decrease your chances of getting work. However, you said that you are interested in getting agency representation as a commercial/print model. That changes things. While scars of any kind are generally not desired by a modeling agency, if it is something that can easily be hidden by clothing, then it should not pose a problem. Because it is on your back, I highly doubt that alone would set you back in your attempt to find a modeling agency, especially if ...

DO: Use magazines for inspiration when learning to pose. DON'T: Simply copy magazine poses for all your shoots. Originality is also important. DO: Refer to the right kind of publications that reflect the type of modeling you do (fashion magazines for fashion/runway poses: Elle, W, Glamour, Vogue. Catalogs for commercial/print poses: Macy's, Nordstroms, Target, JC Penny's. Teen publications: Teen Vogue, Limited Too, Teen People). DON'T: Feel like you need to master every single pose you've ever seen. DO: Practice posing in front of a mirror to be comfortable with your body and learn what feels natural. DON'T: Think that practicing in front of a mirror is lame, amateurish or unnecessary. Doing this simple exercise can help you greatly. DO: Learn how to experiment. Even if you think the pose won't look good, try it out anyway and find out for yourself. DON'T: Be rigid and uncomfortable--it will show on camera. DO: Learn how to be c...

Deneshia Wrote: Hi, I have photoshop cs2 and was wondering how do you make your own comp cards? Hey, Deneshia, and thanks for the question! Luckily, I created a blog post to address just that situation. You can find it at this link: How to Create Your Own Comp Card Using Photoshop I use Photoshop CS so the tools and steps shouldn't differ too much from your CS2. If you need more assistance, shoot me an email and I'll be happy to walk you through the process!

(This post will be more helpful for freelance models and even actors) The thing about working freelance is that you won't always be dealing with clients that have huge budgets and industry professionals handling their projects. Companies turn to freelance models for a number of reasons, including but not limited to: 1) Limited budget or lack of one. 2) Avoiding agency fees in addition to the high rates agency represented models command. 3) Saves time and money instead of going through casting agencies or paying people to find them talent for projects. If a company can save money when it comes to such projects, it will. Using freelance models means that most clients can pay a much lower rate for these type of models than agency models and have more control over their project. Some clients will have enough of a budget to use casting agencies or certain individuals that will handle the reviewing nx casting/auditioning process for them and then allow the client to choose the...

I've been consulting/mentoring aspiring models for almost two years now and the more I continue to research the industry and look up agencies for people, the more I learn about modeling--it's definitely not uncommon to learn about things you already have a fairly keen grasp on. It's led me to do this post to address the common questions and concerns I receive from the multitudes of emails I get. When I say that modeling isn't always black and white, I'm basically saying that the answers most of you seek aren't always going to be absolute law. Sure, there are the requirements to be a model and things like that (those will always stay pretty steadfast), but in terms of ways to approach the industry and how to establish your place in it, there really is no straight answer. There will always be changes and exceptions to the rules. I guess for many newbies the excitement and anticipation of embarking down the path towards becoming a model can make them overly an...

The great thing about modeling is that as long as consumers need products pushed to them, clients and companies will need models to sell them and reflect the tastes of the consumers. Maternity modeling allows female models to continue their modeling careers while showcasing their buns in the oven. The maternity modeling market isn't huge but there is a demand for them, from maternity clothing lines to baby products and items targeted towards new mothers, there will always be a need for pregnant female models. This is ideal for models that want to have children but still want to continue their modeling career or even for women with no modeling experience who happen to be pregnant and would like to take a shot at maternity modeling. There aren't many modeling agencies that have maternity divisions but there are some that specialize only in maternity models and work with them from the moment their baby bump starts to show all the way until it's time to deliver the baby...

Hey, all! Just a quick post to share my new comp/zed card with you. I did this one in Photoshop and just decided to have a good one handy now that I'm actively looking for agency representation. It may give you a few ideas on how you may want to do your comp/zed card...of course there are websites that will put the images together for you if you aren't familiar with Photoshop. Front: Back: ***UPDATE: I actually redid the back of my comp card, which can be seen below.*** My decisions for choosing the images I did were pretty simple. I wanted to make sure that I chose four pictures that didn't all look the same and showcased the different types of work I was interested in: 1) Swimwear 2) Jewelry/Beauty 3) Print 4) Commercial Fashion I made sure to include different angles of my body, including a full body shot, waist up, slight profile, and 3/4. It's important to choose photos that are different from each other but still allow you to be ident...

Taking photos as a model means not only dealing with the photographer and whoever else is on set, but with the photography equipment as well. Being familiar with how to work with such items can make all the difference in how your images come out. Posing in a studio can be an amazing experience for any model but because shooting indoors is very different from shooting outdoors, you'll need to learn to adjust, namely when it comes to dealing with the lighting equipment. To maintain good color balance and avoid any harsh shadows, photographers must use lights--flash photography is becoming more and more widely used to create images that are clean, crisp and capture the subject perfectly. However, having such high intensity light flashing in front of your eyes can wreak havoc on your vision and can also be distracting, especially if you're not used to it. The problem some models have deals with the issue of blinking. Of course you're going to have to blink and it isn...

Happy New Year's everybody (I know I'm a bit late on that but hey, I've been a busy gal!). Once again an entire year has passed us by and we're on a new slate and hopefully headed towards better times. I want to briefly thank all of you that are fans of my blog, my readers, my followers--basically anyone who has managed to come across A Model's Diary - Modeling 101--I really appreciate it. I am looking forward to continuing to offer my experience, advice, and resources to help guide you model hopefuls down the path towards becoming involved in the modeling industry. I haven't really had a chance to update as often as I would have liked the past month but don't worry, I plan on having new posts up as soon as possible! After leaving Ford Models in San Francisco, I didn't jump onto the agency hunt right away. For one thing, I left for two weeks to visit Sydney, Australia to see family for the Christmas and New Year's Eve holiday season. I didn't wan...