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

In the first entry of this mini blog post, "Modeling in 2020 Pt. I: What to Keep & What to Leave Behind" , I talked about modeling portfolios. In this second installment, let's talk about modeling comp/zed cards. For a crash course on what this tool is, check out the blog post I wrote on the topic: Comp/Zed Cards WHAT IS A COMP/ZED CARD? Think of this as a model's business card but larger and with more information on it. Agencies use them to conveniently promote their models to current and potential clients. Freelance models also use it as a networking tool. Because it has photos, contact info and the model's statistics (height, weight, clothing sizes, etc.), it quickly tells the person looking at it what they need to know. KEEP IT OR TOSS IT: KEEP IT! When it comes to modeling agencies, the use of comp/zed cards is still a common occurrence, especially in larger markets and at agencies specializing in fashion, runway and editorial work. New mod...

Since I just posted my own updated modeling comp/zed card, I figured it would be beneficial for my male readers to see what a comp card for a male model would look like. I found these images through a regular Google Images search--hopefully I won't get in trouble for posting these, since these are agency represented male models. However, if I get told to take them down, I'll try to replace them with different ones that are okay to share on my blog:

The front of my modeling business card. I can't tell you how invaluable it has been for me to know how to do graphic design. Using my Photoshop savvy, I've been able to design and print my own business cards and modeling comp cards, which has not only been convenient but definitely much more cost effective. Since I've recently updated my portfolio with one test shoot so far, I've found a new headshot and other images that I wanted to revamp my comp cards with. Since I freelance in addition to having an agent, I created two comp cards: one for commercial/print and lifestyle projects an another for more fashion oriented work. Here they are (the black rectangle on both are covering up my phone number...can't just put that info out on the Internet for everyone to see!): My commercial/print comp card. My fashion comp card. I'm not doing new shoots for this category so I just used existing fashion/editorial images I'd already had in my portfolio...

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...

This is an added post to the topic I wrote about dealing with creating your own comp cards in Photoshop. After creating them, the next step obviously is to print them! Of course you don’t want to just go to anyone and since you’ll be paying out of pocket for it, you’ll want to make sure to find a printing company that offers affordable services without compromising the quality. Not lucky enough to own a printer that can easily spit out clear and top quality digital images? Then I suggest researching various printing places. You could go with FedEx Kinko’s since they are the most conveniently located company but because they don’t technically specialize in comp card printing, you may not be happy with the results and personally and professionally, I wouldn’t recommend using them for this particular project. Of course if you have successfully had Kinko’s print out your comp cards with no issue, then by all means stick to it. Or if you want to have them print out a test copy to see...

I'm sure you're wondering what happened to the content that used to be on this blog post related to creating your own comp card. As some of you may or may not know, I am a writer for the website eHow.com. I took this particular blog post and formatted it for eHow, where it has continued to receive a lot of hits from readers. Unfortunately, eHow has discontinued its writing program since merging with a larger company. I have agreed to sell the rights to my articles published on eHow, which now become property of the new company. As part of the agreement, I have to remove any content that currently appears as an article on eHow.com since I no longer own that content. Rest assured, everything else on my blog will stay as is since I own the rights to this blog content. But never fear, there is still a way to find out the information needed to create your own comp card in Photoshop. Instead of reading it here on my blog, simply click on the link below, which will take yo...

In addition to a portfolio , many models also have comp cards, also known as zed cards. These act as your business or calling card and are widely used by all aspects of the modeling industry, especially high fashion models. In a nutshell, a comp card consists of: - headshot and - 3 to 4 of your best shots from your portfolio - name -  basic stats : height, weight, age (sometimes), and your measurements - website (if you're a freelance model) - email/phone number Comp cards serve as excellent marketing tools to get models noticed and booked for jobs. They are normally printed on card stock or other high grade paper so that they aren't flimsy or bend easily. Agencies tend to display their models' comp cards in the office for easy access to potential clients to see the various people the agency represents. These cards can also be sent out to photographers, casting directors, and anyone else in the industry who may be in need of models. The type of photos ...