Sexy Model Photos but no real modeling jobs

A mother recently contacted me about her daughter, her daughter wants to model, she wants her daughter to do print work-it could help pay for her college maybe, but is concerned because is short and was leaning towards HOOTER, she wanted some advice:


Here are parts of my reply to her:

Many girls who are short feet there is nothing out there for them because of their lack of height, many of these girls tend to want to used their assets for more of a glamour modeling presentation and in my opinion I think it is the wrong way to go. Yet fashion is not all these is either. Modeling is more than Vogue and Playboy. My first advice is: She has to accept what she isn't and be realistic about what she is. Showing off, flaunting the body, being in men's magazines, is fine if that is what she want to do, but that is not modeling. Modeling is when you model something, work with a brand, or shoot an editorial in a magazine. Because advertising is targeted for the average person in America, models are ALL types, old, young, pregnant, babies, teens, young professionals and young adults. And modeling can mean modeling a computer, a shoe, even tampons, or cooking appliances. Models are not just tall, and naked.

To work as a model if you are short, really it comes down to your realistic marketing and the mentality of the girl.

The agents should not be a scary intimitating thing, is it about the aspiring model finding the RIGHT agency and accepting she might not ever be famous, on a billboard, but she can find opportunities if she works hard. Working hard is so important, many girls think "being hot or showing off your hot body is enough, it isn't.)... modeling is not just being attractive it is about working with brands and products. If your photos and resume only looks sexy then you will not be considered for beauty work, and product ad campaigns with brands (that is where the money is)....because all you are showing is that you have you nice body you are not showing you can in deed model something.

Here is a little modeling lesson. I am writing my third book right now so sorry if this email is all over. Her goals should be:

1. Get a good looking smiling headshot. (This shot will book her more work as a print model than any bikini shot) Commercial print modeling is what she shoudl pursue and this type of modeling is where a shorter girl can find opportunities using her personality to work with brands. This is a video on what commercial print modeling is, she should watch it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnQyyBSyNXY

2. Find a commercial print modeling agency, NOT fashion and send over photos that look like the photos I have attached. Modeling is not just about a girls body or face, actually that is a SMALL percent and it doesn't mean you will find success at all, what matters isA. what the client is looking for, if you watch commercials and look at print ads, not every girl is drop dead hot, and also the commercial print area of modeling is the largest from babies, or grandparents. Whether you take the photos or work with a professional photographer, the shots SHOULD NOT be all bikini and SHOULD show her modeling a product and the shots she uses to market herself SHOULD look like mock ads. So look at ads in Marie Claire Glamour, TeenVogue etc, and produce shots that involve a product, a hanbag, shoes, walking a dog, laughing, in a sweet black dress. And considering her age she could even put her Prom dress on again and take some lifestyle shots for a sweet look. I work with the top modeling agencies for commercial print in NYC, and I recently mailed one of them my new compcard and I asked one of them if beyond the card there was anything I could provide for their marketing needs and he wrote and said,"Actually, close up parts shots would be great. We've gotten calls for specific parts...you should have some of just your eyes, butt (not necessarily nude/boy shorts are fine), legs (w/wo heels on) and feet (all angles, top/side/bottom singles and pair shots) and yes definitely smiling shots."So remember SHE as the model for PRINT should expect to make her marketing material and I would NOT do it through the agency. I would make them herself, so she can market herself to many agencies. She should also visit the websites of commercial print modeling agencies such as www.fftmodels.com and notice the compcard the girls have of her age group and how they are about personality. There is ALOT more to share about that but I suggest visiting my blog and this post about working with many agencies and NOT signing with an agency:

http://petitemodelingtips.blogspot.com/2008/12/whats-modeling-contract-do-you-need-it.html

3. Market herself with snapshot mailings in the postal mail to these agences or make a compcard at www.compcard.com If she does not know what commercial print is I would watch this video I made: When it comes to paying the bills:I suggest if she wants to get a job to pay the bill she should look for a part time job writing for a teen magazine, she could write an article, mail her photo in and get a tear sheet in a magazine and writing credit! Magazine like Teen Vogue, Seventeen, do look for writing, send photos and articles to the article editorial editors or photo editors. Actually I am also a writer, and I have three books coming out within the next 2 years! (very exciting! I have also written for Backstage, Media Bistro, Main Street, Discovery, and many others. I think she should use her other skills to pay the bills, trust me, I have worked with top brands from Victroria's Secret and Marshalls and Nine West Group and many more world wide but paychecks are not stable, you get paid about 6-8 weeks AFTER the job and it can take forever. You can have a great agency working with you but that doesn't mean you will be jetset and famous and set. It is a steady growth experience and modeling opportunities only happen if you are persistance, a hard worker and realistic.

If you do not market yourself in the right ways, and if glamour modeling is all she is leaning to then all you have in the end are a bunch of sexy photos but no real modeling jobs. You have to market yourself properly. And be realistic.

Learning about what modeling really is: Modeling is working with products, modeling something. So her mentality and goal should revolve around that.

Goodluck!