The Latest on Me and FORD

It didn't really hit me that I was a FORD model for a while. Because FORD decided to include a commercial/print division in its company, they went to San Francisco to tap into that market. Instead of taking the time to establish its own office, FORD decided to merge with an existing agency that was doing well. Lucky me, they picked my agent, Generations Model & Talent. So I technically have two agents--Generations for television, commercial and film work and FORD for commercial/print work.

I actually signed with FORD last year but because of all the paperwork and things involved, they're just now getting things together so I, along with the other models and talent, were in limbo. I was finally able to get some feedback and instruction on my modeling career from my agent sometime last week.

Of course with me being 5'4", FORD cannot submit me for fashion/runway print work so I've been instructed to update my portfolio (which I've been needing to do desperately) to reflect commercial/print because FORD really wants to sell me to those types of bookings. So for the next month or so, I'll be networking with various photographers doing TFCDs (remember those?) to include shots dealing with corporate/formal, business casual, healthcare and college student themes.

This is why updating and building your portfolio is so important. There will be changes in the industry and you will need to produce images that will keep up with the demand. I've never done a lot of the themes that my agent mentioned so it'll be an exciting new challenge for me to do. I look forward to my shoots and will continue to post my experiences, both good and bad, in my attempt to get my portfolio up to par so FORD can do its job of getting me work. I'll also be sharing my latest photos with you so you can see the way my portfolio develops and I'll be including any tips or further advice that I feel you all need to be aware of.

As a model, keep tabs on your career and the direction you want it to go in. Do as your agent says, but also look out for yourself and developing yourself outside of what your agency requires. It would be hard for me to submit myself to a gigs looking for fashion models if I didn't have any of those shots to show. Regardless of height, there may be an opportunity for me to be involved in a fashion shoot and I want to be able to show the client that even though I'm short, I still have everything else that a fashion model would require. Let your agent look out for you, but also keep in mind the bigger picture.

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