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

It goes without saying that modeling is a harsh business. Models are in a profession where being judged and evaluated is just another day at the office. Those who've been in the industry for a long time certainly have the thick skin needed to get through but it's only natural that newbies may have a tougher time getting used to such an uncommon learning curve. I think what is important for newer models starting out to keep in mind is to put everything in perspective. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, any feedback--positive or negative--isn't a direct reflection of who the model is as a person. It's just business. Piggybacking off that concept, it is vital for new female and male models alike to understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. CRITICISM: Pointing out certain faults, flaws, mistakes or shortcomings in a disapproving manner. Example: "Your runway walk is sloppy and your posture is terrible." CONST...

A lot of people do modeling just for the fun of it and/or for the perks (free clothes/products, store credit, etc.) but another upside to this career choice is getting paid. But not everyone understands or knows the process of how models get paid for their time...well, that's what this post is all about! There are several different methods of payment for modeling. The method used all depends on the situation. For example, freelance models won't necessarily get their money the same way an agency represented model would. Here's more info on common methods of payment most models can expect to deal with: Agency Represented Models Modeling agencies are in charge of a number of things related to a model's career and development. That includes getting paid. Not only do agencies have the power to negotiate pay rates, they also deal with the payroll process (for you younger newbies that aren't familiar with this term, it's basically the business way of handling...

Imagine my surprise when I noticed that I had reached 500 subscribers today! It seems like just yesterday I was celebrating 400 subscribers. Man, do I love you guys!!! Of course I also love my readers who aren't subscribers and I'm sure there are plenty of you...regardless of whether you subscribe or not, your participation in reading my posts, leaving comments and asking questions has all served to continually motivate me to make this blog all it can be. Over time I've had people make suggestions about how to improve it, such as placing ads to generate revenue, adding a donation button, offering services and materials via my blog for a fee, etc, etc, etc. I've never taken anyone up on those suggestions because, frankly, I love my blog as it is ( don't get me wrong--I truly appreciate the business savvy advice received from my colleagues over the years and don't want them to think my rebuffs are anything personal because they're not. I just have a habi...

(Please note, this post is not in reference to baby modeling. I do plan on doing a specific post just for baby modeling in the near future. For starter info, though, you can check out this link to a blog post I did about Baby Modeling in general: Baby Modeling Tips ). A lot of parents have cute kids. Like, really cute kids. It's natural for them to get told by everybody under the sun that their child should be a model. Sounds simple enough, right? Yet so many parents don't even know where to begin, which I'm not surprised about. I mean, it's hard enough for adult models to find their way in the industry, no less parents who are responsible for making well informed choices for their children. There are plenty of child models actively working in the modeling industry. If you think your kid has a shot, hopefully this post will help guide you in the right direction and avoid a negative experience: Go for Agency Representation I generally advise people to seek a...

(This post will be mainly beneficial to male and female freelance models. This post is in regards to castings for modeling jobs, not open calls for modeling agencies). I'm a pretty easy going person but nothing grinds my gears (Family Guy reference for those of you who didn't know) more than people who don't follow directions. This is especially true for castings where models are submitting themselves for jobs. Long-time readers likely already know I'm a HUGE stickler for professionalism, including following instructions. What do I always say: a good model follows directions! This goes for applying to modeling jobs, not just agencies. When submitting directly, you as the model are representing yourself to the client. If you've ever been on the receiving end of a casting call, you already know how hectic it can be. Even the smallest, low budget project could easily get as many as 25-50 or more replies from models hoping to get hired. Going through all those ...

This is probably the first year in Modeling 101 - A Model's Diary's history that I haven't contributed as many blog posts as I normally do. On the one hand, that's a good thing--after all, what kind of a model would I be if the majority of my time was spent blogging? LOL. On the other hand, my absence for too long does make me feel like I'm neglecting my readers and fans of the information I know they oftentimes rely on to help with the choices they make for their own modeling careers. Rest assured, this blog will continue to provide you all with the ins and outs of the industry. I have a running list of topics I constantly add to anytime a subject related to modeling pops into my head that I feel my readers would enjoy reading about (the list is currently at 72 topics and counting!). Just wanted to do a post to let you all know what I've been up to and why my time hasn't always been my own lately: Castings, Shoots and Shows I'm far from r...

Male models are known for being gorgeous, hunky and rugged, with their "come hither" bedroom eyes and sly smile, any woman (and guys, too!) could easily fall for them. But when it comes to modeling, the fellas aren't always required to smile slyly or not at all. In fact, male models who aren't afraid to show off a megawatt smile could actually be doing a lot for their own careers. All too often male models think that being serious and sexy is the way to go. And in a sense, they are right. This is especially true for those in high fashion, editorial and runway work. However, these aren't the only categories of modeling for men to get into. In the world of commercial/print, there are both female and male models who stay actively in demand and appear in all types of publications (i.e. billboards, magazine advertisements, catalogs, product packaging, fliers, etc., etc.). Many fashion height male models transition over into print work from time to time and thos...

In case you haven't noticed yet, I've created a "Labels" section on my blog, which is a nifty feature that allows me to put my posts into special categories according to topic. It's located on the right-hand side of this blog. Simply scroll down past the Popular Post section, About Me section and the Blog Archive section and you'll see it right there: "Labels." I don't know how many of you guys have been using it to locate posts on different subjects but I figured to help encourage more people to do so, I've included a list of the labels and a brief description of what blog posts you'll find under each category: Addressing a Reader Comment Sometimes people post their thoughts and opinions in the comments section of my blog posts, not just questions. This category contains my responses to those posts. Answering a Reader Question #1-362 Anyone familiar with Modeling 101 already knows about my "Answering a Reade...

(Thanks to Christie T. for sharing this link and wanting to ensure I pass it on to all my readers...Christie, you rock!) Modeling scams have been around as long as the industry itself--and it won't go away anytime soon. I've said a lot of the same things on this blog over and over and over about things like knowing what red flags to be on the lookout for, that new models don't need professional photos or a portfolio to get an agent, that you should never pay upfront fees, etc, etc. Because it never hurts to reinforce the information I've been providing to readers for years, below is a link to the ModelingScams.Org website. The specific link will take you to the part of the site that talks about Modeling Photography Scams, which are the biggest ripoff that continues to go strong to this day. You'll see many direct quotes from reputable people within the industry, including established models (Cindy Crawford has a quote on one of the other pages on the site...

I'm a huge believer of calling things like they are so I can't help but be super aggravated at how carelessly people toss the word "supermodel" around these days. It's like a model gets discovered, appears in a few campaigns and runways and suddenly she's dubbed a "supermodel." Pfffft. Not even close! The fashion and modeling world has a rich history behind it and only those who have studied it--or are somewhat familiar with it--will likely agree with my POV on this subject or at least understand where I'm coming from on this subject. It's not about "hating" on certain models, it's simply about setting the record straight and if there's anything we should strive for within the modeling industry, is accuracy of some kind, lol. In a 2007 magazine interview, Claudia Schiffer was quoted as saying, "The supermodel is dead." And you know what? I believe her. But I'm not saying that to be dramatic. It...

I could've sworn I've done a post about modeling agency interviews but I searched and searched throughout my blog and couldn't find it so I figured why not cover all my bases and do one just in case? You can never have too much info about modeling agencies, right? :-) If you read my post, "The Difference Between Casting Calls & Agency Interviews," then you already know what makes the interview a whole 'nother ballgame. Interviews are more important than casting calls because this is a special one-on-one between a model and the agency that is arranged by appointment. Before I go into further detail, it is important to point out that any questions about what to wear and bring should be directed to whoever contacted you from the agency to set up the interview. Sometimes models will receive an email with basic instructions on how to prepare and what to expect, while others may simply state the day, time and address of the interview in the email. If ...

Thanks to all who voted on the latest poll I posted to find out which date would work best for setting up my webinar event! The voting has closed and based on the results, the Dania Denise webinar will be set for Saturday, August 31st at 5:00pm PST. I've decided to use GoToMeeting's regular platform instead of their GoToWebinar product, which apparently is more geared towards hosting a huge audience (like 100+ people). But the traditional GoToMeeting platform will still allow you to see me via webcam, ask questions in real time, as well as follow along with what's happening on my screen. The only downside is that the regular GoToMeeting platform doesn't have a registration process like the GoToWebinar does. Apparently with this platform I have to "invite" people to join the meeting. I'll work out the final details soon to find out exactly what that process involves and if it requires any action on your end as attendees. So be on the lookout for...

Getting booked for a lot of modeling work is fantastic but it can also do a number on the skin, namely the face. Maintaining a healthy complexion is one of the biggest priorities for female and male models. After all, it's the money maker! From time to time, I'll come across certain products that I really like...so much so, that I want to share it with my blog readers. So here is another post about one of my "Favorite Finds." I love the beauty section of Target, there's so many different types of skin care and beauty items of all brands and types. One day while randomly browsing through this part of the store, I came across the Que Bella line of face masks. Aside from the colorful and visually appealing packaging, I saw that this brand contains all natural ingredients, which are always a plus when it comes to skin care. Although I have a pretty solid skin care routine, all of the makeup that gets caked onto my face from doing lots of modeling eventually m...

Me and my modeling student/protege, Jennifer. Hello, my beloved readers! This blog has grown by leaps and bounds over the years and I've been so fortunate to be contacted by so many aspiring and working models from around the globe. From helping people find agencies to submit to, giving pep talks and advice to debunking myths and keeping people from falling for scams, I'm humbled each and every day by the fact that you all trust me with your personal stories, experiences and dreams. While I'm known "online" other than that, I'm a virtual stranger to almost all of you...so for my readers (and those who have stumbled upon my blog randomly) to reach out to me for assistance with breaking into modeling has been one of the greatest experiences in my career. That being said, I wanted to give you guys an opportunity to share in what ways my Modeling 101 - "A Model's Diary" blog has helped you reach your modeling goals. Were you able to get sig...

Remember a few posts back when I shared a photo of a cosmetics ad I did for a company called Jira Couture? Well, I kinda faked you out, lol. I thought that was the version that would be used by the company for their New York marketing materials but come to find out via Facebook that they changed it and now have a new and improved version that has received the green light for use (not sure where or how it will appear but highly likely on the website and maybe advertisement banners?). Anywho, here it is!

So you know that webinar I've been updating you about forever? Well, we're one step closer to making it a reality! Right above my blog posts you'll see a new poll, asking people to choose which Saturday in August they'd be available to attend my online event. I want to give as much time as possible to vote, not to mention I would need enough time to send out the invitations for people to register, which is why I did not include the first Saturday in August on the list (August 17th I won't be available either). Please take a quick moment to answer my poll and the date with the most votes is the one I will formally announce as the day my webinar event will take place. If there are any further instructions I need to give to you I'll update my blog with that info as well but for now all you need to do is vote! Thanks in advance!

There are so many females in the world competing to be models that it seems they would be the ones with all the insecurity and self confidence issues, right? Wrong. Having trouble with self confidence is something that affects both men and women. When it comes to pursuing a career as a male model, there are certainly more things to be concerned about than the average fella. However, only by learning how to be truly self confident can any future male model find a measure of success in such a superficial and hectic industry. You Don't Have to Be Beefcake/Chippendale Status It can be easy to assume that male models are all rippling muscles and six-pack abs. Quite the contrary. Yes, there are buff, beefcake male model types out there but that is not a mainstay requirement to make it in the industry. Fashion agencies like their men tall and lean or toned, not necessarily super muscular. In fact, having bulging muscles everywhere is actually a hindrance for high fashion and runwa...

(This applies to both female and male models) Easy to Spot You can always tell which people walk around with confidence versus those that don't. It's the way they carry themselves, the body language used and the way they interact with others. Confident models walk with heads held high, maintain eye contact with others and stand tall instead of slouching. There is an air about them that can't quite be explained or expressed except to say that they walk with confidence--whether it's into a casting call, modeling assignment or just running errands on an ordinary day. Not Deterred by Rejection Confident models aren't immune to rejection. What makes them truly confident is still possessing the same amount of confidence in themselves even after they've been rejected for an opportunity. Instead of breaking down and feeling sorry for themselves, they know it is only a temporary setback and are further motivated to do better next time. Because they understand...

For little girls today, it is normal to grow up being surrounded by a media that is bombarded by images of beautiful, amazing, stunning and exotic faces and bodies. When such imagery is thrown in your face 24/7, it's easy to see why so many young girls strive to one day be among the chosen few to become successful in the modeling industry. On the flip side, it's also easy to see how feelings of insecurity, low self esteem and lack of confidence end up becoming a regular part of these young ladies' lives. As much as the truth about airbrushed images and not-so-glamorous side of the modeling industry has been brought to light over the years, it hasn't stopped aspiring female models from feeling like they have to transform themselves completely in order to have a shot. I get countless emails from young girls not just asking for advice about becoming a model but asking for my opinion and--in many instances--validation that they are pretty. It breaks my heart. I can ...