How To Get Discovered By A Modeling Agency – Much photography is built on social relationships. Models, makeup artists, hair stylists, designers, and assistants all play an important role in contributing to the creation of the image. At the center of a photographer’s work is the model, but it can be difficult for photographers to reach out to modeling agencies for help. This article will describe some best practices for starting and maintaining relationships with modeling agencies and their models that can enable you to further develop your portfolio.
It can be intimidating for new photographers to look to models for help, but there are plenty of online resources to help with that initial nudge. Before you feel comfortable approaching modeling agencies, it makes sense to use sites like Model Mayhem, Facebook and Instagram to start finding models who want to build their portfolios. When you’re ready to start building a professional portfolio, you’ll want to start working with professional models, which can usually be accessed through modeling agencies.
How To Get Discovered By A Modeling Agency
Models sections will be located in different areas of modeling agency websites. You’ll usually find a “New Faces” tab on these sites, describing new models looking to expand and update their portfolios. In some ways, they may be in the same boat as you. These models will be most accessible for test photoshoots (unpaid shoots for portfolio building purposes). On the other hand, models on the main pages of an agency site, who have developed portfolios and probably already booked paid work, will find it more difficult to book for test shoots.
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When approaching agencies, it’s best to start with an email that clearly, concisely states your intentions. Keep in mind that photographers are looking to test email agencies all the time. Remember to be detailed, concise and polite. Let’s take a look at some well-written emails from professional photographers to modeling agencies to see what we can learn.
From these two examples written by professional photographers we can begin to put together a list of the important elements of a well-written email.
Before contacting, you should know why you are contacting a particular agency. That is to say, are you going to engage in a relationship that is mutually beneficial for you and the agency? Make sure your photography matches the agency’s aesthetic. Photographer and Assistant Booker at Found Model Management, Gail Shamon, took some time to talk to me about her experience reaching out to agencies to test photographs, “As a booker, I always appreciate good shooters who make it a point to specifically address the agency’s needs and the needs of new models whose Books need further development.”
Once you find the right agency, and the agency agrees to do a test shoot, they will send you a PDF package, which usually includes six models. When you have selected the model that best fits your vision, ask if they are available.
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Once you have a model you want to work with, it’s a good idea to start with a model release form, which ensures you’re able to legally publish images of your model for your website, blog, or any marketing material. It is good practice to always carry release forms in a folder in the bag you take to the photoshoot. You can find many free model release templates online to download and print. Once signed, for added security, you can scan the form and save it to the cloud (Google Docs, Dropbox, etc.). Or, if you’re looking to save paper, free apps offer model releases with e-signature options.
Your relationship with the modeling agency does not end after the shoot. If you want to continue the relationship, make sure to deliver the final edited images (or images to select edits) to your original contact at the agency. Remember the best practices here: Show your appreciation; Be grateful. As your relationship with the agency grows, you’ll be able to access more experienced models, who will help you develop your vision and your portfolio. Practicing with these tips in mind will help you do just that.
If you want to learn more tips on lighting and shooting, check out our Fundamentals of Fashion Photography course with Shavonne Wong or our more in-depth fashion and editorial portrait photography tutorial with Clay Cook. If you buy it now, or any of our other tutorials, you can save 15% by using “article” at checkout.
Emily Teague is an editorial and commercial photographer working out of Los Angeles and New York. Her style is heavily influenced by her love of photojournalism, world travel, color, and creating visual stories. How to get scouted by Fashion IMG Models An industry leader shares tips for getting hired by top modeling agencies even during quarantine.
How To Get Into A Modeling Agency
From Kate Moss to Alec Wake to Gisele Bündchen, the industry’s most in-demand supermodels were scouted on the streets. An often told fashion story, these chance encounters have launched the careers of many catwalkers. However, amid a pandemic that has halted travel and limited face-to-face interactions for months, scouting is taking on a different form in IMG models.
A digital initiative first launched in 2014, IMG’s We Love Your Genes is a social media-based program that makes it easy for aspiring models to be noticed or discovered by the agency’s global development scouts. By using the hashtag #WLYG, which has been tagged millions of times on Instagram to date, anyone can have a chance to be recruited by top modeling and talent agencies, home to the Hadid sisters, Halima Aden, Hyunji Shin and more. Faces on runways and magazine covers. New-gen models, such as Lameka Fox and Inka Williams, are among the IMG talent discovered through WLYG.
Although it was introduced pre-quarantine, the WLYG strategy has proven particularly fruitful for the agency in recent months, according to Jenny Rose, senior vice president of IMG. “We usually have nine scouts traveling the world. If this pandemic had happened 15 years ago, things would have been very different,” Rose said. “We are busier than ever with our scouting. People all over the world are creating content in minutes and we’re spending hours and hours going through it all, finding new faces and interesting personalities. “
In our conversation below, Rose talks more in-depth about WLYG and its expansion into TikTok, as well as tips for getting scouted by IMG Models — even in the age of social distancing.
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Between 2013 and 2014, I spent about four months in Australia opening an office with the team. At the time, everything was about Instagram in Australia – more so than in New York, LA or Europe. The Australians were really immersed in the platform. So I decided to create my own Instagram to promote some new models. What I immediately realized was that there were a lot of young girls [on the platform]. With Instagram, you can see people’s photos and if they are right, you can contact them. And if they weren’t, you can just move on.
After reaching out to many accounts, I finally thought it would be much easier if we could figure out a way to contact people in a more legitimate way. Our colleagues in the digital department gave some great tips, including creating an Instagram account separate from the official IMG Models account and creating a clean hashtag. We finally came up with the name We Love Your Genes with the hashtag #WLYG. We started the account and immediately we got a lot of press organically. Finding new faces for us has been very successful, and it’s easy to put yourself out there with minimal commitment to the younger demographic.
There are many models in the business now, more than ever before. It’s even more difficult to get an original look and be able to stand out as a model. For us, it’s really important that a model has a story and something to say – she’s curious, interesting, well-read and passionate about what she’s doing. A model that constantly evolves that keeps customers coming back.
In addition to Instagram, IMG also started scouting TikTok earlier this year. What would you say is the main difference between finding new faces on Instagram and TikTok?
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TikTok-scouting was Instagram-scouting five years ago now, that’s probably the biggest difference. Five years ago, when you looked at Instagram, it was really organic and it wasn’t a way to promote your business or your brand. There were a bunch of people having fun and posting pictures. Now, it has become something else than before. Even for little girls, their pictures look like they all already look like celebrities. Everyone has a handle that’s “original” and “real” and you realize it’s not what it used to be—it’s not [just] a photo-sharing platform anymore.
But, TikTok is really that. It’s too much
