AGENCIES AND ASPIRING MODELS

                   For new, inexperienced and upcoming models who are new into the modelling industry, though many things might look unfamiliar and scary to you, like you being indecisive about joining an agency or not, how to go about being picked for a casting or when your photos are submitted, the self esteem that comes when you go to castings and you see bigger and better models than you, getting to a point when you start thinking if you can  fit into being in the modelling world or you just wasting your time, people telling you they dont think you can make it as a model because you are too thin, too fat, short you don't have the face, the carriage, blah blah blah. But hold on a second, take a chill pill, those are what I call challenges and obstacles, so it's normal, OK. Good.  
              But first as an upcoming model, there are things you need to do, to know and take care of. First you have to be confident and be comfortable in your own skin, try to be happy with yourself and be confident, don't ever look down on yourself. Secondly, you should make sure you meet the average or basic requirements. In Nigeria, the average height requirement for a model is 5'7 and above for females and for males 5'11 and above.  5'7 above and below in some cases for commercial modelling, 5'8 or 5'9(in some cases) and above for runway and glamour modelling and males too. You should have and maintain a healthy weight, that is you shouldn't try to be too thin, because of what you see on TV except if that is how you are naturally. The average statistic requirement is 34' 24'34, That is your bust, waist and hips measurement, please make sure you know your statistics, so you won't go for a casting, they ask and you become lost. Being in the modelling industry is not about reading, writing exams and passing, it is about satisfying the requirement, what you can't make up in requirement, make up in something else which will make you stand out, that is your selling point.   So for an upcoming model who is seriously considering to whether or not to join an agency, I seriously recommend you join a good agency, emphasis on good, not all these quack agencies who want to make money out of unsuspecting models. Please be wise. Any upcoming model who wants to be a freelance model should seriously have a rethink, because you don't have any experience, no training, no knowledge of what is going on in the industry, so it's better you join an agency for starters, so join a good agency that has your interest at heart. Make sure you have a mutual relationship and understanding with your agent, make sure you trust the agent enough to be able to get you good jobs, because joining an agency is like a business partnership, the agency gets you the job, he gets his own commission and you get paid, so make sure the agent is someone you can trust. 
                Another  important thing is to ask for the agencies website name to see and know more about the agency, visit their office, ask questions to know if it is really a good agency to start a business relationship with and will represent you well, and also it's not all about asking questions, be an FBI agent, make your own findings. Don't just join an agency because you want to make it as a model very fast and start making money, take things easy, being a model is not a pot of beans, make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before it's too late.   
               When you decide to join an agency and they then decide to sign you, the first thing is to take free training classes or catwalk lessons depending on the type of modelling you are into, then your portfolio comes in. When joining an agency, having a portfolio is very important.  It is however pertinent to note that you dont have to have a portfolio to join an agency. They need snapshots from you to see you in your natural state. Snapshots, i mean like studio photos. Some agencies may or may not ask you to pay for a portfolio, it varies on each agency, but that will be another tip for another day. A (good) portfolio is a like a folder or group of pictures telling a story which agencies mostly use to get jobs for their models by presenting to clients who need these models to work for them. So when you want to take pictures for your portfolio, you have to be as natural and as free as possible. Try to learn and practise poses in front of the mirror to look good in the pictures, because it is not your agent who will bring you jobs, it's your portfolio. When creating a portfolio, the agency provides you with your hair stylist, your wardrobe stylist, your make up artist and a good photographer, to make you look good. Also before you get the portfolio, if the agency is not one of these big agencies, please ask for a copy of your portfolio because it's not free, you are paying for it, so such agency does not have a right to deny you of your portfolio because it is paid for, and if you are told you won't be given a copy of the portfolio, please don't sign with the agency, because agencies, not only can they make you, they can make you and destroy your career.                Another point, when joining an agency, some tell you to pay registration fees, which includes fee for photoshoot, some ask you to pay portfolio fees while registration is free, please before you pay the fees, ask these agencies if you will get a copy of your portfolio or pictures, if they tell you NO please leave, don't let them destroy your career before it has started.  Please be wise and very smart. And when the portfolio is given to you, make sure the portfolio is worth your money, and make sure the agencies name or logo is not written boldly on the pictures, it's okay if the photographers name is on the pictures to protect copyright. Next time, we are going to talk more on agencies, modelling contracts and portfolio fees. See ya. By Ifeling