We had Neiko Roman, chief photographer of Titanium Girlz Magazine, on the show last week, giving some real advice for all those aspiring models out there...
1) Don't put too much into your MySpace and official site as a new model...casting directors and producers look at hundreds of submissions a day...they don't have the time to waste, waiting for your page to load...keep it straight forward and simple...remember, less is more!
2) When going to a shoot, come completely clean...it's less restrictive when a photographer has a blank canvas to work with
3) Handle your personal grooming at least 48 hrs ahead of your shoot date...for example, don't shave the day of...photo-shopping out razor bumps isn't always easy...if you can, go at least 2 days ahead of time to get waxed, clipped, and everything else
Some more pertinent advice to consider
* Study the different genres of modeling and know what type of modeling you want to pursue...knowing the different types of modeling there are will help you pick the right photographers and do the appropriate type of photo shoots (for example, a photo of you bent over the hood of a car isn't going to appeal to high fashion designers)
* Study the names in the business...every model should at least be able to name 5 working photographers, designers, and magazines in the specific brand of modeling they wanna pursue
* Develop a healthy lifestyle...remember, photo-shopping can only do but so much...casting directors look at photos, they shouldn't meet you in person and feel like "wait, there's no way that's the same person!"...work out regularly, eat healthy, drink plenty of water
* Spend your time and $ wisely...it's ok to do TFP shoots, but don't do it too much...the inexperience of a photographer will show very obviously to trained agents and casting directors
* Remain encouraged! The modeling industry is over-saturated and you'll get plenty doors slammed in your face...but have dreams for yourself that extend beyond just being in magazines and doing videos...at the end of the day, it's a business...and the models who really make big stacks do things that will keep them getting booked (for example, take an acting class, voice lessons, network w/ club owners and promoters, etc)
* Have a set plan or get in the habit of setting short term goals...you can't succeed at anything in life if you have no set path on which to pursue...so rather than just submitting yourself to 50 jobs and hoping 1 bites, pick something specific and focus on it...for example, say you wanna be on the cover of Show Magazine...do your research about the magazine, the girls they consistently put in the magazine, take the time to put together shoots that have a keen sense of originality, show them something they've never seen before...that's what will get you the job!
The 1 mistake aspiring models always make is submitting for jobs and doing shoots just for the sake of doing it...every shoot you do, every job you book, every move you make should have a stated purpose...otherwise, you'll find yourself in a revolving door of nowhere
