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

Meet Jackson: an up-and-coming male model that I know is going to do very well in the industry! Jackson's mom emailed me to ask for help with finding agencies for her son, as well as for my general feedback as to whether or not he had potential. She sent me some snapshots and I liked what I saw and told her so. After giving her the names and websites of agencies for Jackson to check out, she mentioned that if I happened to be in the Sacramento area they would love to meet me in person to thank me for the assistance. Little did she know that I am based out of Northern California and not far from Sacramento at all! So we quickly set up a mini meet and greet at a local Panera Bread. I had a great time with Jackson and his mom...we talked about any and everything related to the modeling industry and it felt good to be able to answer all of their questions and concerns face-to-face. I made sure to get a flick of myself with Jackson so that when he hits it big, I'll be able t...

Contrary to popular belief, getting into the modeling industry isn't free. When the proper channels are followed, it is possible to become a model without going broke. I've discussed this topic a lot on my blog so I won't go into a lot of detail at this moment and instead stick to the topic at hand: when agencies cover a model's costs. In some instances, a modeling agency will take on a new model and pay for the expenses related to his/her first test shoot to create a portfolio, headshot and comp cards. Obviously, this is great because it means the model doesn't have to come out of pocket for it. But that doesn't technically mean it's a free ride the whole way. Whenever an agency foots the bill for things like setting up a newly signed model's career, they're not doing it because they enjoy it--it's because they feel confident that the model will book work. That means they'll get paid and receive a good return on their "investmen...

...According to a recent study done by The Model Alliance, an outfit that agitates for higher wages, estimates that the average regularly-employed model makes $27,000 a year. Part-timers and men make less.

(This post will be mainly beneficial for freelance female and male models.) You know what's really cool? This is my 1,000th post!!!!!!! Thanks to all my readers and subscribers for their support, questions, compliments and love...here's to another 1,000 posts in the future!!! Okay, now let's get down to business. :-) Now that you've read my post before this one, titled "The Importance of Watermarking Modeling Photos," it's time to get to the info about how to use this tool properly. As I stated in the other post, freelance models can find a lot of comfort in using watermarks on their photos because it discourages people from ripping off the images and/or abusing them. Below are some tips and things to keep in mind when it comes to using watermarks for the purpose of protecting modeling images: Use Watermarks When Submitting to Modeling Gigs You don't have to use watermarks on every single photo you've ever taken. The most important ...

(This post will be mainly beneficial to freelance female and male models.) Have you ever looked at photos and noticed an annoying, kinda faded image or text on it? That's what's known as a "watermark." Trust me, it's not there for the purpose of annoying you--it's to protect the ownership and intellectual property of the photo's creator. I'm sure you all know that folks do crazy things like steal other people's images from the Internet to pass off  as their own or (even worse) manipulate the pictures. Because of such bad intentions, the use of watermarks has become very commonplace in the modeling industry, especially on the photographer side of things. So how does this subject apply to models? Well, for one thing, freelance models in particular should care that they are taking the proper steps to make sure their photos are safe and difficult for someone else to rip off or misuse. Unlike represented models, there is no agency acting as the...

You know how adamant I am about browsing through modeling agency websites? There's a reason. The main ones are to find out what an agency's requirements are for its models, the types of models it represents and locating information related to open calls and/or submission instructions and guidelines. But that's not the only reason why thoroughly going through agency websites is so beneficial for models seeking agency representation. Oftentimes, new models wonder if they have what it takes or if their look is one that would interest agencies. Other models--typically the ones with experience--worry that their look might not be in demand or may have even been told by agencies before that they already have too many model with their look currently on the roster. To alleviate these types of concerns, it's helpful to actually look at the photo galleries of the models an agency is currently representing. In a few cases, you could be asked to "login" to view the pi...

(This post is intended for models seeking agency representation, not freelance models). Of the many concerns that comes with wanting to pursue modeling, cost tends to play a major factor and rightfully so. With so many scams and shady people out there, new and aspiring models often wonder just what amount is legit and what is okay to pay for and not pay for. Seeking an agent to represent you? The good news is that getting signed to an agency almost all but removes a model from the potential of getting scammed or taken advantage of. The most legit and reputable agencies only deal with other legit and reputable professionals and assume responsibility for protecting their models. However, there are fake agencies out there, too, whose purpose is to get as much money from people as possible. So how does that help newbies figure things out? Below are the types of modeling fees that are okay to pay for if you're dealing with an agency that you know to be legit and reputab...

Category: Modeling Agencies For: Male Models While male and female models aren't exactly the same, when it comes to seeking agency representation, sometimes they tend to get lumped in together. Tired of competing against female models? Look into modeling agencies that only represent men. Obviously, there's still going to be competition but at least it'll be against other men. Note: Men only agencies are mainly found in larger markets like New York, Miami and Los Angeles. Small to medium-sized markets don't typically have agencies that just represent men but it doesn't hurt to do research to find out for sure.

When it comes to retouching and modeling photos, it's easy for retouchers to get carried away. We've all seen examples of extreme results where the model doesn't even look real. The role of retouching is a big one in the modeling industry and while appearing flawless is the goal, you don't want to go overboard. Magazines, ads, catalogs and other publications do call for a high level of retouching most times. But for those of you getting photos done for things like your headshot, comp/zed card and general modeling portfolio, you don't want to appear like an airbrushed creation. Not all photographers stick to the minimum when touching up photos for models. The best headshots and comp cards are those where you can't really tell any extensive retouching has been done. For those of you that have modeling images that are in need of subtle retouching that gets the job done and still keeps you looking picture-perfect, I wanted to post about an opportunity to ha...

Category: Photographers & Modeling Photos For: Male & Female Models When receiving final images from a shoot, give credit where credit is due! Plan on using your modeling images online? List the photographer's name, company name, website--whatever information there is that lets people know who took the picture. That includes tagging on Facebook, writing this info in the photo description box, etc. It's not that hard and doesn't take away from the picture at all. Does the photographer have a logo they've included on some of the images? Then those are probably the versions you should upload to the Internet. Having the logo on the picture serves as credit by itself and means you don't have to take the extra step of providing credit in another form. I always let any photographer I work with know that I provide proper credit on any and all of the images I use for online purposes. You'd be surprised how elated they get when they hear this. But their...

(This post will be mainly beneficial to freelance models searching for photographers to either create or update their modeling portfolios.) No model wants to shoot with a photographer for crappy images or pictures they can't (or don't want) to use in their portfolios. I've heard many unpleasant stories--and have a few of my own--as far as being super disappointed when working with a photographer and the end results that were generated. However, such a process is one easily learned, since photoshoots are a huge part of a model's career and a task that is done over and over. What that means is while not all of your shoots are going to be amazing, the bad experiences are ones you must learn from. I don't know of any model that hasn't had at least one bad shoot. So don't get discouraged or allow one unpleasant experience to cause you to give up on modeling or feel that every photographer is a jerk, creeper, unprofessional, etc. Hopefully the informatio...

I'm so glad to have come across this link that was posted by a local photographer on one of the Facebook modeling groups I'm a member of. It's an exclusive look at photos of Doutzen Kroes's shoot for Victoria's Secret. We've all see this supermodel grace the pages of the VS catalog for quite some time now but I guarantee that you haven't seen her like this: unretouched . VS apparently accidentally released the unretouched pictures and while they did damage control, once it was on the Internet, there was no way to completely remove them afterwards. She still looks amazing--don't expect for her to look unbelievably unattractive or anything but when you see the side-by-side comparison of the original photos--known in the industry as the "RAW" image--next to the professionally retouched, end result, you'll easily see how even the smallest of photo manipulation makes a big difference. I doubt this will change many aspiring models' be...

(Sometimes it gets tiresome to type out "makeup artist" a lot so I'll shorthand it to MUA interchangeably throughout this post, which is the industry's way of abbreviating this title.) Needless to say, I've worked with a ton of makeup artists over the course of my career. I enjoy talking shop with them, finding out what got them into the makeup industry, etc. One of my favorite subjects to talk about are their pet peeves, aka things models do that they can't stand. My favorite saying is that my job as a model is to "make the client's job easier." That includes others in the crew, such as makeup artists. Anytime I ask a makeup artist about what their pet peeves are or negative experiences they've had with models, it's for the main purpose of making sure I'm not guilty of any of those things--and if I am, learning what I need to change. Trust me, the last thing you want is to make your MUA unhappy...they're responsible for mak...

I enjoy posting behind the scenes photos from my shoots...this one is from earlier today. It was a bridal themed shoot (in case you couldn't tell, lol). The images will be used by the photographer, Marilee Caruso, on her business cards, fliers, website, etc. in order to promote her wedding photography services. The dress I'm wearing actually belongs to the makeup artist, Randee Ratchet . Thankfully it fit me pretty well!

Category: Posing For: Male & Female Models Your eyes don't always have to be looking directly at the camera during shoots. However, when attempting to do this, prevent "demon eyes" where only the whites are showing by making sure your eyes/focal point is in line with your nose--not looking way off to the side. This will guarantee that enough of your irises appear in the photos and not just the whites of the eyes with only a little bit of the irises being visible.

(This post is mainly beneficial for freelance models.) It's no secret that social media has its advantages, especially when it comes to business and networking opportunities. Facebook has become one of the latest resources that models can tap into in order to find work and other professionals to connect with. Although it's not set up to find castings like Model Mayhem and One Model Place, there are ways for models to stay on top of things in this category. Do a Search for Industry Professionals The great thing about social media is that everybody knows the importance of having profiles on sites like Facebook. From designers and photographers, to makeup artists, wardrobe stylists, modeling agencies and fashion publications, it isn't hard to find out who has a Facebook account and who doesn't. Is there a local company/brand/designer you want to try and work with? See if you can do a FB search by typing their name into the search bar and seeing what results pop u...

I had the great fortune to shoot with San Francisco photographer, Gerry Gatchalian of G2 proImages. We networked on Facebook and--like Ming in the blog post I did before this one--I messaged him after seeing his casting call posted on one of the FB modeling groups I'm a member of. Gerry was excited to work with me and we began planning our shoot together a few weeks ago. I'd never worked with Gerry before but know a male model colleague of mine who shoots with him a lot. He vouched for Gerry so I felt good about the upcoming shoot. We both knew we wanted to shoot evening gowns...something elegant, feminine and sexy but classy. The location for the shoot was going to take place in the evening (8pm to be exact) on San Francisco's Embarcadero Street. The only concern was that I didn't own any gowns that really fit the look we were going for, which was bright colors that would pop in contrast with the nighttime setting. Thankfully, I utilized my resources and decide...

Remember how I raved about working with student photographers? That opinion hasn't changed. Via Facebook I networked with a young lady named Ming, who had posted on one of the FB modeling groups I belong to about needing models to shoot a concept with. I checked out her profile, liked what I saw and shot her a message with my interest after sending a friend request. Prior to shooting, we messaged each other religiously about the look we were going for, what I needed to bring, what she was bringing, location, date, time, etc. Even in her writing I could tell she was professional and was very excited about working with her. It was a TFP shoot so in exchange I would get copies of the best images for my portfolio, which was fine with me. The only time I do free shoots these days if is I really like a photographers work and/or they want to shoot a concept/look I need in my portfolio. Both of which applied to Ming. We met up in San Francisco at the de Young Museum. I brought a garm...

New and aspiring models have quite a learning curve to tackle when getting into the modeling industry. While there are plenty of resources and information available, it's normal to still have a fear of the unknown, especially since you don't know what to expect until you're actually doing it. When it comes to what models do, how they interact with agencies and clients it can be a bit confusing for those that are new to the whole thing. While not every model leads the same exact career, there are some processes that are commonplace. So if you're wondering how things work, who deals with who and what's next, allow me to break it down...at least in the most basic aspects (there are more details that can be included but for now let's keep it simple): The Model Gets Signed to An Agency You can't be an agency represented model without an agent! Once the contract is signed, the agency's next step is to guide the model through setting up their first te...

Category: Photoshoots For: Male & Female Models When doing a shoot with more than one outfit/look, always wear your least favorite outfit first. It takes some time to "warm up" in a shoot, which means the poses and expressions aren't always on-point right away. This is normal so don't panic if you don't like what you see when previewing the images on the photographer's camera. The more comfortable a model gets as the shoot progresses, the better the poses and expressions will be. So remember, put your least favorite outfit on first and save the best for last. By the time you get to your #1 pick, you'll have adjusted completely and feel right at home in front of the camera, guaranteeing amazing results you'll be proud to showcase in your portfolio.

...Even if an agency expresses interest in a model, it isn't 100% guaranteed they'll get signed. When agencies choose who to bring onto their rosters, it's not just one person making a decision--it's usually more. When a person from an agency states they're "interested" in a model that has submitted to them for possible representation, the process doesn't end there. The agency staff member that expressed initial interest has to take the model's photos, info and other materials to their higher-ups and discuss things in greater detail. This could mean having a panel of the agency's decision makers talking about a model's chances at being successful with their agency, pros and cons, etc. The final decision could be up to one head honcho, such as the agency's President, Owner, CEO, etc. or it may require a vote from a handful of agency staff. So if you've gotten initial interest from an agency but are wondering why it's takin...

From time to time I come across products that I just love so much I have to share them with anyone who cares to listen, lol. I think this could be one of my latest blog post series: "Dania Denise's Favorite Finds." Whaddaya think? :-) Anywho, being in the entertainment industry, I deal with situations where I'm always on the lookout for products that will make my life a lot easier. Needless to say, being a model/actor means dealing with experiences that the every day person wouldn't typically have to worry about. Like hair and makeup and doing damage control. It's common knowledge that modeling tends to involve a lot of makeup and tons of product in your hair--even for male models, although of course not as much as their female counterparts in most cases. When it comes to makeup in particular, I'm always working to keep my complexion healthy. I have ezcema and a combination skin type, which means I'm cautious about what goes on my face. Thankfull...

Mistakes, large or small, can make or break the chances new models have when trying to gain agency representation. Too often I get emails from aspiring models, wondering why they haven't heard back from the agencies they've submitted to. While I can't say they all make the same mistakes (or any mistakes at all in some cases), a good number tend to be guilty (usually unaware) of any or all of the following 4 situations... Mistake #1: Sending Blind Submissions Guess what? Sending random pictures to a slew of agencies isn't how you get into the industry. There is more to seeking representation than submitting pictures that you think are pretty cool. There are rules and guidelines to follow. This is important to keep in mind because agencies get flooded with submissions every day. Without those rules and guidelines, there would be no organization and these businesses wouldn't be able to run smoothly. If your attempt at looking for agencies consists of sending ca...