Keep It Simple

Starting a modeling career is exciting—and it’s very easy to overthink your first professional photos.

I’ve had quite a few aspiring models come to me who aren't represented by an agency yet and want to build some images to start approaching agencies, casting directors, or potential clients. And very often, their first instinct is to make the session bigger than it needs to be.

They want full hair and makeup. They bring elaborate outfits, dramatic styling, and fashion-forward looks. They want to create something that feels like a finished editorial.

I completely understand the impulse. But if you're just beginning, that's usually not where you should start.

Your First Photos Should Look Like YOU

The first thing an agency or casting professional needs to see is you.

Not a heavily styled version of you. Not a character. Not someone whose face has been dramatically altered with makeup and Photoshop.

They need to see your features, your proportions, your hair, your skin, and your natural presence.

In fact, modern cell phones have made getting basic modeling digitals easier than ever. A person with a relatively recent phone can often take surprisingly good, clean photographs in natural window light against a simple background—and those images may be perfectly adequate for an initial submission.

So when you reach the point where you want to invest in a professional photographer, your photos shouldn't look radically different from what you could create yourself.

They should simply be better executed.

That's where a professional photographer can make a real difference: good, even lighting; a clean environment; professional image quality; thoughtful composition; and guidance for posing and expression.

What Should You Wear?

Keep it simple.

Think clean, fitted, neutral clothing that allows someone to actually see you.

A simple tank or fitted T-shirt with jeans or leggings can be far more useful for a beginning model than an elaborate outfit that overwhelms the person wearing it.

You can always build a more creative portfolio later.

Your first photographs are about establishing a baseline.

Think versatile, natural and believable.

And What About Hair and Makeup?

For your first digitals, I generally recommend keeping both very minimal.

Your hair should look like your hair.

Your makeup should look like your face.

That doesn't mean you have to show up looking like you just rolled out of bed. Professional photographs still benefit from polished grooming. But there's a big difference between looking polished and looking transformed.

If an agency is considering you for a job, they need to know what you actually look like.

That's particularly important when you're new and don't yet have professional representation.

You Don't Need a Giant Portfolio to Begin

Another common mistake is thinking you need dozens of different looks before you can start contacting agencies.

You don't.

A small collection of strong, clean images is much more useful than a huge gallery of heavily styled photographs that doesn't give anyone a clear idea of who they're looking at.

Your beginning portfolio should establish the basics:

• A clean headshot
• A natural expression
• A few simple poses
• A full-length image
• A variety of straightforward expressions and angles
• Images that accurately represent your current appearance

From there, you can start developing the more creative side of your portfolio.

Choose Your Photographer Carefully

Not every photographer is the right photographer for a beginning model.

Portrait photography, fashion photography, editorial photography and modeling digitals all have different goals. A photographer can be exceptionally talented at creating beautiful portraits and still not understand what an agency or casting professional needs to see from a new model.

When you're choosing a photographer, look carefully at their portfolio.

Ideally, you want a photographer who has at least one foot in the modeling or fashion industry and demonstrates an understanding of what agencies and casting professionals are looking for. Look for images that show models naturally, with clean composition, appropriate posing and an understanding of how the body and face need to be presented.

There is one tricky part, though: when you're looking at a photographer's portfolio, it's almost impossible to know exactly how much of what you're seeing came from the photographer's direction and how much came from the model's own experience and ability.

Was that incredible pose something the photographer directed? Did the photographer coach the expression and body position? Or was that model already experienced and simply knew exactly what to do?

Usually, it's a combination of both.

A strong model can make almost any photographer look brilliant!

That's why I'd look for a photographer who demonstrates both good technical and creative skills and an understanding of how to photograph someone who is building a modeling portfolio.

You shouldn't have to walk into the studio already knowing every pose.

But you also shouldn't expect your photographer to teach you how to become a professional model in one afternoon.

If an agency is interested in representing you, learning how to move, pose and work in front of the camera is something you'll continue to develop through the agency and through experience.

What you want from your photographer is someone who can help you produce photographs that accurately represent you, recognize what is working, and give you useful direction during the session.

The photographer and the model have different jobs. The best results happen when both understand what they're trying to accomplish.

Start Simple. Build From There.

If you're an aspiring model without agency representation, don't feel like you need to arrive with a suitcase full of crazy outfits and a Pinterest board of elaborate concepts.

Start with the basics.

Get clean, honest photographs of yourself. Learn how to present yourself in front of a camera. Find out which expressions and poses work for you. Then, as your career develops, you can begin building the more creative, fashion-forward and editorial images that show what else you can do.

Your first professional modeling session shouldn't hide you behind styling.

It should introduce you.

And that's exactly what a good set of modeling digitals is supposed to do.