Should i model

In order to get booked in a show, models have to go to many castings first — anywhere from five to 20 a day, depending on the agency and how experienced they are.

This consists of waiting in line with dozens of other models for goodness knows how long. Depending on how the casting director is feeling and how organized the event is which, in my experience, was usually not at all , models can end up waiting from just a minute to hours. All of this to do a short walk in front of the director and give them your business card, a total viewing time of about 20 seconds.

You arrive four hours before the show starts. That was the case with one fashion show. Why, they locked us up in the basement of course. High heels, bikinis and lingerie were the only things keeping us warm in the unheated basement in the middle of February.

About 30 models were huddled together around one light bulb hanging from the ceiling, surrounded by discarded construction materials like broken toilets, metal beams and probably asbestos. It was not the most pleasurable experience, but I find moments like these as an opportunity to bond with other models on how much of a mess modeling is.

I have to admit, the fashion world can be fun and I have learned some things. But in the end, you wait hours to be judged by a stranger and then thrown about like a ragdoll pre-show just to walk for 30 seconds on the runway.

Her job is to look good, so that means exercising on the daily and dieting. I love food. Noodles, bread, rice, ice cream, I want to be able to eat those without the fear that my agency will psychologically belittle me for gaining weight. I once posted a picture of a milkshake on my Instagram and ended up getting looks from my agent next time I visited them. Agencies have been known for putting girls on a 1,calorie-and-under diet.

I don't really know. If a modeling scout told you that you needed to lose some weight, what would you do? Exercise a ton and eat healthy foods.

No more chips, candy, junk food or fast food! Eat chocolate and chips. Who cares? It's my body! Lose the chips, but eat the chocolate. It's good for your heart, right? A modeling agency finds you and offers you a modeling job. The catch?

They're not just regular pictures - you have to have your "birthday suit" on. And nothing else. It's the only offer you've got. What do you do? Refuse and walk away, giving the scout a dirty look in the process. Take the offer, but if it gets too wild, politely ask to leave - but not before I leave my number.

Shout, "NO! Politely refuse, but leave my number for anything else that might arise. I want to be a model! Let's get started! Of course! I start all the trends, anyway! I like my style.

What do you mean by "style"? Veggies with ranch dressing. Veggies and fruits. No salad dressing. Granola bars. Most of the time! I think so. Of course - always! I don't know. Yes, a whole bunch. Oh, like one or two.

Reputable agencies will never have a cost. They make money if you book a job, and only if you book a job. The most essential photos for you to have are simple digitals. Try to get pictures of yourself with little or no makeup, a very basic outfit with minimal accessories, and shot using natural lighting. It is important for the agency to see both your face and body so make sure to include a wide angle shot that shows your body and a closer in shot of your face. Wear fitted clothes to allow the agency to see the basic shape of your body.

If you are hoping to land swimsuit or lingerie gigs, you should include those photos as well. Play around with angles and poses to find your most flattering look to send to agencies. Plan on a similar approach when attending open modeling calls; your clothes should be well-fitted and hair and makeup should be minimal. If you have prior modeling experience and have professional pictures from past jobs, those are great to include as well.

However, if you are just getting started, it will probably be well worth the investment to spend the money on a professional photographer for the purpose of getting high-quality photos to submit to agencies. From there, if you can afford to invest in quality, up-to-date photos each year it will be a huge benefit for you.

There is more to modeling than just looking pretty in front of the camera. It is a business first and foremost, so it is critical that aspiring models treat it as such and approach it as they would any other job, with professionalism, grace and resilience. There are many great benefits to being a model. It can truly be an amazing opportunity to do what you love, meet really great people — whether they are photographers, designers or fellow models — and explore cities all over the globe.

Modeling can be physically, mentally and emotionally taxing. There can be a lot of competition between models since there are often a number of models all vying for the same, small pool of jobs. This inevitably means a lot of rejection, which can be emotionally draining.

It is important to develop a thick skin to protect yourself from the rejection you will face. Try not to take the rejections personally. They will happen.