If you are an aspiring model it really would pay you to read this. Its good advice, but we are human and one of our characteristics is that we tend only to take the advice we like the sound off. You probably wont like the sound of this advice, but I still hope you take it on board.

Some general information first. If you are reading this you probably found it on the internet, so you are probably thinking of being an "Internet model". Here are some important things you should know. There are 3 types of model on the internet:

1. Hobbyist/Amateur models who model for fun and don’t make any money, 90% of internet models come into this category, bare this in mind.
2. Part-time semi-pro models who are often students or girls with a career, their modelling is a sideline, but they tend to be good enough to make enough to help them through their studies/make some extra cash.
3. Full time professional models - a very rare breed on the internet. Very few models can make a proper living from internet modelling and those that do are extremely committed, hard-working and almost invariably do some form of nude/adult work.

THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE.. Professional internet modelling is nude/adult based! Don’t think you can make a living as a professional internet fashion/lingerie model. You can't! It simply doesn’t happen.

OK, since we have now got this out of the way.. if you are not interested in becoming a professional internet model - what options are there and what pointers should you consider?

First, be sensible about your aspirations and be honest with yourself. If you are 5' 5" and size 12, you are not going to be a fashion model...no matter how much you want it, its not going to happen.

If you want to be a fashion/lingerie model, the internet is not the place for you! You need an agency. You can not be a professional fashion model without an agency to find you work, and if you don't manage to join an agency, you may have to face the reality that you are not suitable for this line of modelling.

If you want to be a glamour model, then please consider that "Glamour" means lots of things to lots of people, but to you it probably means being on page 3 or being a "lads mag" pin-up. These aspirations are fair enough, but the chances of you realising these aspirations are very slim. The competition is fierce! The internet can help you, but again you need a professional modelling agency to promote you and get you these jobs. Magazines recruit almost exclusively from agencies like www.samanthabond.net Again, almost the same rule applies here as it does to fashion. If you can't get agency representation, then its unlikely that you are going to get into these types of publications.

Please understand that almost any girl can get her picture published in the weekly/monthly 'lads mags'. Its like the x-factor culture - they invite loads of no-hopers to pad out their content and give people a laugh. But that’s all it is! If you send your images to a lads mag and allow them to publish for free, not only are you allowing them to make a fool of you, you are in effect helping to ruin the industry you are hoping to find work in. These mags rely on free content, but use paid, professional models to "headline" and attract readers. Whilst it may seem attractive, allowing yourself to be published for free in these mags is more likely to have a negative effect rather than a positive one on your career. We sincerely recommend that you don’t do it. If you are good enough, they will pay you. Another point to consider is that when you give them an image, you sign away all rights, they can and do use these images as they please. You would not be the first girl who gets a shock when she finds out she is the "face" of an anal sex phone sex line....

 

Ok, so that deals with non-internet modelling. So, you can't be a fashion model, and you have not found a glamour agency yet. What options do you have left? Can you still model? Yes, here are your options:

• If you are happy with modelling as a hobby, then you share common ground with 90% of internet models and 90% of internet photographers. You set the terms. You can do fashion/lingerie/nude, whatever takes your fancy. You may pick up the occasional paid job, but don’t expect to make any money in the long term. The majority of internet photographers are hobbyists and there are some very competent hobby photographers out there who's work is of a professional standard. They are always looking for models to work with on a *TFCD basis. So if this is for you, then treat your modelling as an enjoyable hobby and confidence booster; select your photographers carefully and you should get some great images without having to pay for them and have a lot of fun along the way.

  How do I get started? Search the internet for suitable photographers offering TFCD* in your area. Make sure you like their work, ask them to shoot you, if they say yes, ask for references and arrange a shoot. After you have got some decent portfolio images register on some models sites such as www.purestorm.com or in the Scotland www.photo-models.co.uk

  *TFCD..Time for CD/prints. You swap your time for the photographers. You get images for your portfolio, so does he or she.

   

• You can be a semi-pro/part-time model. How successful you are depends on how good a model you are, what level you are prepared to model to and how well you promote yourself. Don’t kid yourself though, the majority of work available will involve nudity of some form or another and the more naked you get, the more bookings you will get. If you prove yourself professional and reliable, you can pick up some good quality work at various levels. Most of the models we work with are part-time internet models. One such area of modelling which falls into this category is 'alt' style topless/nude category. It is possible to get paid work for various websites which fall into this category, such as:

  PunkGrl www.punkgrl.com - for which we are official photographers
  Suicide Girls www.suicidegirls.com

How do I get started? Start as a hobbyist and build up your experience/portfolio. Also make sure you register on a good variety of model sites. For punkgrl.com please check out our Modelling Opportunities page and follow instructions on how to apply.

 

• So you think you can be a professional internet model and make a full time wage? Ok, maybe you can, but this puts you in a very small club. The one area where the internet is King, and is the most effective form of marketing, is in nude and particularly adult modelling. Let's start with the different levels of nudity. There are two areas here:

Non-explicit adult - This is a far smaller niche which basically encompasses the genre of art-nude which can be further sub-divided into:

classic figure nude - traditionally a non-suggestive form of nudity

glamour style nude - found in Playboy and the UK edition of Penthouse.

To confuse things further - there is now a genre of art-explicit nude which is found on European sites such as Femjoy and domai.

A further style - Mild bondage, is a popular niche market which also fits nicely into the non-explicit adult category.

Explicit adult - This accounts for the work of the majority of professional Internet models. This means top-shelf magazines such as USA Penthouse, Mayfair, Club International and related websites.

How do I get started? read to the bottom of the page, check out our Modelling Opportunities page (see the menu above for a link), to see what work we presently have on offer. If you still want to do it, then that page also tells you how to apply for the work being offered. The details and images in your application will allow us firstly to assess you to determine if we think you are suitable for our client's websites. We know what our clients are looking for in a model, so please be prepared for a straight answer. We are not going to be rude to you, but we will be honest! If we think you are wasting your time, then we will tell you. Please be prepared for that. You don’t have to take our word though - other photographers may have a different opinion, so seek a second or even third opinion, but if they are all negative, please don’t kid yourself, this simply means its not going to happen for you.

A bit about your work options and some links. If you are thinking about nude modelling, you really need to know where your work is and what you are getting into:

Classic art nude - Your work will mainly be private commissions for specialist websites/print etc. It is very difficult, if not impossible to make a living working exclusively in this genre.

Glamour nude - This covers anything from page 3 up to explicit adult levels, but we will leave out explicit adult at present. If you don’t have agency work and you don’t want to do full blown adult work, your options here are very limited, but...if you are very attractive, slim, natural and relatively free of tattoos, then you could be offered some Glamour nude work. In this genre Playboy USA www.playboy.com is the top of the tree, but its unlikely you are going to get there, very, very few British models do... there's no reason why you shouldn’t aspire to it though! This should not be confused with Playboy UK! www.playboy.co.uk If you are going to be successful, then this is not particularly exclusive and is well within your grasp. Some advice though - Do not give Playboy UK free images under any circumstances! Its no big deal being published there and if they want you, the they'll pay. A very good site in the Playboy genre is www.macandbumble.com - very difficult to get on, but in this genre, it is second only to Playboy USA in prestige. Another website, Femjoy is an art nude site rather than a glamour site, but in terms of explicitness it fits better here - the same can be said for met-art and MPL. Below is a list of International sites in this genre, roughly in order of prestige and potential pay. We have not listed Penthouse USA, although prestigious it is very explicit and listed under adult.

Playboy USA www.playboy.com
MacandBumble www.macandbumble.com
Femjoy www.femjoy.com
Met-art www.met-art.com
Onlytease www.onlytease.com
MPL studios www.mplstudios.com
Playboy UK www.playboy.co.uk

There are quite a few lesser known sites in this genre and there are a couple of very classy mild bondage sites with great photography which are worth a look.

Restrained Elegance www.restrainedelegance.com
Shackled Maidens www.shackledmaidens.com

We must emphasise though, it is pretty difficult to make a full-time living sticking to these levels, but it is possible if you have what it takes.

Explicit adult nude - This is the type of nudity found in the magazines on the top shelf of your newsagents and all over the internet. This is explicit, open-leg nude modelling from solo USA Magazine levels upward. For information on the different level definitions, please check out the Definitions of Modelling Styles link (accessible from the side menu in our Modelling Opportunities page). This makes up the bulk of the available professional work on the internet. Its a huge industry and the one form of modelling that is almost exclusively internet based. This is how the majority of professional internet models make their living either openly or without openly advertising the fact.

It is an internet myth that any model can do adult work if she is naughty enough. This is not true at all! For most publications and quality internet work, the standard is very high, and the competition for work is fierce. In general to be successful you must be young, pretty, slim, toned, and all natural. There are a few exceptions to these rules I.e. models with a unique selling point, such as: unusually large natural breasts, very voluptuous models, or more mature models with good figures.

At its worst this type of work can be tacky, seedy and downright dangerous but at its best it can be glamorous, professional, safe and high class. Our advice is to try and stick to well known professionals with established reputations. Do your homework before working for a photographer for the first time - get references etc and look at previous work online.

The most prestigious and best paid work here is undoubtedly Penthouse USA. followed by Hustler, Mayfair, Club International, Men Only, Knave. All these titles are dominated by Eastern European girls and in general the standard of model required is exceptionally high. It is very difficult for British girls to get published in these titles and most work available is for lesser titles or various websites.

Information reproduced with the kind permission of the original writer Iain Thomson www.iainthomson.com

The next piece of advice is fundamentally important! How you conduct yourself is even more important than how you look, if you want to be a successful model. Its no coincidence that the most successful models are the most organised, reliable and professional models. Always communicate properly and by that I mean use proper English, be polite and respond quickly to enquiries. Be professional and reliable in your approach to shoots and be organised. Pay attention to detail and make sure you understand what the photographer expects. Pay attention to things like nails, hair etc (obvious, but its surprising how many models neglect their nails!)

SAFETY

As a new model.. well, as a model full stop - your safety is paramount. Take a few simple precautions to ensure your safety. In general if your shoot is at a reputable studio or with an established photographer with checkable references, you should not encounter any problems. Always let a third party know where you are and that you have arrived safely and also that you have departed safely. Things become more risky when you have location shoots or you are shooting at your own or the photographers home. If you cannot obtain suitable references which satisfy you of the photographers reputation and your safety, you should really consider taking along a chaperone or failing that decline the shoot. Don’t take any risks, most photographers are respectable honest individuals, but its like any other field, there are bad apples about.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographers can be either Professional, semi-pro or amateur. This description only refers to their work status as a photographer and not to their ability. It is worth remembering that because an individual describes him or herself as an amateur, this doesn't necessarily mean their photographic abilities will be less than a professional. There are some brilliant amateur photographers out there and some poor professionals, judge a photographer by their ability not their status as amateur or professional.

A good photographer has the same qualities as a good model, they should be professional, polite organised and reliable, whether amateur or professional. The levels of the shoot should have been discussed beforehand and you should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Also, in general there should be no physical contact between model and photographer, I.e. if a photographer comes out with a bottle of baby oil and asks you to stand still while he applies it, then alarm bells should start ringing. It is acceptable for a photographer to adjust your hair or clothing (in non intimate areas)to save you moving from a pose, AFTER he has asked your permission, but this is generally as far as physical contact should go.

Whilst some models are uninhibited and are happy just to change clothing or underwear in front of photographers to save time, this is their choice, however there should always be a separate, private area for you to use for changing if you so wish.

PAYMENT

Unless agreed otherwise prior to the shoot, you can reasonably expect to be paid your agreed fee in cash immediately after the shoot. One of the most frequent questions asked by models is what should I charge.

Below is a suggested list of fees for various levels which are basically industry standard, however these are not set in stone and in quieter times models often offer substantial discounts from these fees, particularly for longer bookings, just to keep the work coming in. Also, professional photographers often have a budget for a particular shoot and you may be offered a fixed fee which may be less than you normally charge or occasionally may even be more. Obviously its your choice whether to accept or decline the job.

HOURLY RATES

Fashion/Lingerie £25
Topless/Implied nude £35
Artistic/Classic nude £40
Playboy nude £45

Generally full or half day bookings will be at a discounted rate, for instance a reasonable daily rate for art/playboy nude would be £250

Top shelf style nudity is normally paid depending on the level of explicitness and the publication. The minimum rate is usually in the region of £50 hourly or £300 daily.

Traveling expenses where appropriate, would normally be paid by the photographer over and above these fees.

MODEL RELEASE/COPYRIGHT

As a general rule the photographer owns copyright of all images and can do exactly what he likes with them. Please be aware of this fact. The only way for a model to have any control over images is to have a specific contract regarding their usage. It is vitally important to understand this...IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DOCUMENT TO THE CONTRARY, THE PHOTOGRAPHER CAN DO WHAT HE LIKES WITH THE IMAGES AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT!

In practice, you will normally be asked to sign a release of some kind. Please read it, because in effect you are putting your name to a legal document which stipulates the usage of the images (and/or video) from the shoot. If you wish to restrict use of particular images, then you may wish to style your own model release to reflect this, but remember, this will have to be agreed with the photographer beforehand and he will have to sign it.

Information reproduced with the kind permission of the original writer Iain Thomson www.iainthomson.com

There are many different internet based model/photographer profile and social networking sites, and new sites are launched month by month. It can be a little confusing as a new model, to decide what to put in your modelling profile. If you want to be taken seriously by photographers on these sites, to ensure that you give yourself the best chance, then it is essential that you plan your profile before entering it on-line. This advice will hopefully help you do that.

Your modelling profile is your means of representing yourself. What it says in your profile is how you are portrayed by those who could shape your future success. Think of it therefore as your CV - it is that important that you give it as much consideration and careful thought.

Please ensure:

1. you information is accurate, complete, and up to date - don't lie about your age for instance or your sizes. If you don't know what your sizes are, then get measured. There is a size guide on this site which will help you out. A professional photographer may have chosen you specifically based upon the details in your profile for a client who's requirements are very specific - if your details are not accurate then he has every right turn you away when you reach the shoot location.
2. be honest about your modelling levels - E.g. if you do nude levels, then say so - otherwise you will lose out on modelling opportunities which won't be offered to you as no one realises you are interested in working to these levels.
3. Provide reasonable quality images - photographers realise that when you are starting out you are in a catch-21 situation, as you won't have done any proper shoots yet to obtain good quality images, but never the less, do not upload self-taken, mobile phone camera images - you will not be taken seriously by anyone viewing your profile! Instead, get a friend to take some basic shots with a compact camera. One image should show you standing without anything chopped off (a head-toe image), and the other a head-shot (head and shoulders). If you are planning on becoming a glamour or nude model, then wear something which allows you to demonstrate your figure. You only need a couple of images initially, then if you get some shoots under your belt, replace these initial images with the better ones later on.
4. Always - I can not stress this strongly enough! - where you are given the opportunity to add your own text description to your profile - do it! This is the place where you can elevate your profile above all the others. By reading this section, people will form an opinion about how ambitious, driven, experienced, and committed you are, plus many other things about you which may set you aside from the other models you are competing with! Yes, you read correctly - Getting paid modelling work is a competition! When a paying photographer is looking for a model, he/she has lots of models to choose from, and even if he/she has narrowed down a shortlist of models based on their size, location, levels etc, the deciding factor on whether you get chosen for the job could be your freeform text and what it says about you. There are several things which you could add to your freeform text which could easily set you aside from other models including:
   • Do you have your own transport? If you do, then say so, as shoots are not always accessible by public transport, so this may give you the edge.
   • Say what your ambitions are. Its nice to read that a model is ambitious - but be sensible and realistic.
   • Tell them if you believe you are reliable, that you will turn up for shoots on-time - and if you say this then mean it!
   • Say that you have great communication skills and will always respond to messages - if you can only get to your e-mail/internet every few days, then say so - I.e. set expectations, and deliver on them. Always be polite in message responses even if you find the work offer unsuitable/undesirable - never be rude! You never know if the next job this person offers you could be your lucky break, so never burn your bridges!
   • be polite and professional in whatever text you write, and always sound positive. So avoid negative comments such as: "no offers above my stated levels - you will be ignored" - this sounds very negative and makes you sound highly strung. Instead put something like "I am happy to work up to <xyz levels>, so I would be grateful if you would consider me for any upcoming work to these levels or below."
   • Write about any previous modelling experience, any magazines, media, or websites which you have been featured in, or even mention some projects you have worked on even if they weren't for publication. If you have no experience then say so - this sets an expectation so is important. Never say you have more experience than you have - or you will surely be found out when on set.
   • Tell them you are willing to offer references if you do have some experience and if the previous photographers are willing to give such references to someone who asks.

   There are so many other things which you could also include in the freeform text, but whatever you do enter, make sure it is relevant to your modelling, I.e. if you are into yoga, then this is relevant as it tells a photographer that you exercise, that you are flexible and probably in great shape - the same goes for horse riding or other physical activity. The same can't be said for "going out with ma pals at the weekend and having a right gd time" - that is not relevant and gives the impression that you are are likely to not take weekend modelling bookings seriously. Keep it relevant and make sure it sounds professional!

   One thing you should always avoid - "text speak"! Never type in abbreviations - it looks immature, and extremely un-professional, and you will likely be ignored by someone reading your profile thinking that you are not serious about modelling.

   Once again - Remember that what you put in your text could quite easily give you an advantage over the next model - so please give this a lot of consideration and - always add this text.

5. Finally, before you create a profile, make sure that you have decided in advance what you are going to write - make sure that your profile is complete, right from the start. If you don't have some of the information, then get it before you create your profile - remember, first impressions count! Bear in mind that when a new profile goes on line members are often notified by e-mail. This means that they check out new profiles, sometimes as soon as they are live - so your profile needs to be impressive from the very start!

If anyone reading this thinks I have missed anything important, please e-mail me via the contact page and I will gladly update it to include your points.