Getting Signed To A Model Agency
Model Digitals + Agency Submissions
A career in the modeling and entertainment industry are dreams for so many people! These industries bring millions of people to them every year, and the competition can be fierce, especially in big markets like NYC, LA, Paris, etc. The wonderful thing to know is that there are modeling opportunities in medium and small markets too. Many of these markets have great opportunities for lifestyle & commercial modeling. One big question that new models have is “how do I get started?” Since 2015, I’ve worked with numerous fashion & lifestyle modeling agencies in NYC and LA and have helped develop the careers and portfolios of many models. I often get inquiries asking about model digitals and how to get signed by an agency. I wanted to share what I know about the industry, model digitals, and getting signed to an agency.
A natural light, outdoor digital for a client casting a direct booking.
Model is Kris. Los Angeles 2017
What Are Model Digitals?
Mainly known as Digitals; a set of simple images that are taken with a digital camera that show off a model’s look and natural features. Back in the day, digitals were called polaroids because they were taken on polaroid cameras. Since we have digital cameras and smartphones with cameras, digitals are used in their place. Agencies send digitals to clients during castings and also require these for submissions. Your digital will help get you in the door. Digitals usually include a headshot, body photo, and two profile shots showing each side of your body.
Digitals are primarily used in the modeling industry as a casting tool. Actors, dancers, and singers mainly only use their professional headshots for casting submissions and auditions. It’s not uncommon for performers to also be models and vice-versa. There are some instances where clients and productions may ask a performer to submit digitals. Digitals and model portfolios are two key tools used by agencies to submit their models to client castings.
Getting Signed to a Model Agency
The first step to getting signed by an agency is to submit your digitals to agencies. You can do this right from your home and this blog will help get you started. Many top agencies do not want you to submit professional photos — they want to see the natural you, unretouched! Agencies will post their guidelines for submissions on their website. While digitals are mostly universal, be sure to double-check the agencies you’re submitting to so that you’re submitting the right kind of digitals to them.
You can be scouted by a model scout, agent, or mother agent. Mother agents help with your development and placement to multiple agencies. A good mother agency has relationships with many agencies and will work to get you placed into these markets. Mother agents help guide models throughout their careers. You do not need a mother agent to get signed to a top agency or have a successful career in modeling.
Model agencies get hundreds and thousands of model submissions every day. It can be a numbers game and timing. They can’t always respond back to every submission. If you don’t hear back from an agency, don’t get discouraged. Give it some time (6 months) and resubmit again with new digitals. You don’t want to be pestering agents about signing you, it won’t do you any favors. Keep working on yourself and your craft. There are so many reasons an agency may pass on a model and that does not reflect your beauty or self worth, just remember that.
Beware of Scams: There are scams out there and people prey on aspiring models and performers. Many reputable agencies will have these warnings posted on their website. If you’re scouted, whether online or in person—do your due diligence to look up that agent, make sure they’re contacting you from an official agency email address and that the agency is affiliated with real models, agencies, and clients.
From a Model Posing Workshop I held. Model is Fran. NYC 2023
What Agencies Actually Want
Most modeling agencies want clean digitals with soft, flattering light with your natural hair and no makeup. Agencies want to see you with your natural beauty and features. Clients and agencies want to see models as a blank canvas, so they can have a solid and real image of your look.
You should wear neutral clothes that fit your body well. The clothes should show off your figure, so they should be form-fitting: not too tight and not too baggy. The “model outfit” is typically a pair of fitted black jeans and a fitted shirt (tank top or t-shirt). As you go to castings and go-sees, you’ll see that many models wear variations of this outfit to the casting.
Agencies are looking for straight on headshots, as well as both sides of your body/face and a full body shot.
What “Good Digitals” Look Like
A good digital is well lit, on a clean neutral background. It can be as simple as standing in front of a white or light gray wall in your home. For your submissions, you should use soft, natural light—no ring lights or direct flash, please!. The best way to get this light is to stand facing a window in the morning hours when the light is soft and bright. If you have a neutral background outside, make sure you’re placed in open shade so that the light is not directly overhead, too bright or causing you to squint.
Your expression should be neutral for a digital, the key is to focus on natural movement and poses so you look at ease and confident. Good posture also helps to make a great digital.
Studio Model Digitals: A model agency client of mine requested me to take studio digitals of their models. This model is wearing some makeup for lighting purposes and requested by the agency/client. For agency submissions, try for a bare face, simple hair and soft, natural light. Model is Vernice. NYC 2022.
How To Take Your Model Digitals at Home
It’s important to learn how to take your model digitals at home. Once you’re signed to an agency, the agency may take digitals for you at their office. However, there are many times during castings where you will need to submit your own digitals. Clients are now opting for casting submissions over traditional in-person castings and you’ll have to create self-tapes and send in updated digitals. If you’re an actor, you may already be familiar with self tapes. Here’s a few tips on taking your digitals at home:
Using your phone is fine - you do not need to invest in a professional digital camera.
Stand facing a window in your home.
Use a plain wall as your backdrop. If you do not have any plain walls, there are backdrop systems you can invest in that are pretty affordable.
If you don’t have a friend or family member to take your photos, a tripod and your phone’s camera timer are all you need!
Avoid retouching, filters, or any AI retouching. You can add some brightness and constrast to the photo if needed, but keep the editing to a bare minimum.
Digitals shot on iPhone in 2018. I was on set for a shoot and was asked to submit digitals to a commercial print casting. I asked a model I was working with that day to take digitals of me on my phone. These aren’t perfect digitals, but we took them on a break from shooting in front of a big window. NYC.
When To Invest in a Photographer
If you’re early on in your career, you may not be at the stage to invest in multiple portfolio shoots, and you can certainly take digitals on your own. In fact, it’s important to learn how to take digitals on your own, as you will be asked for digitals throughout your modeling career and often won’t have the luxury of having a photographer at hand to take those for you.
Your modeling portfolio is an investment in your career and at some point, you will need to invest in photoshoots. While digitals and self tape submissions are very important in this day and age, your modeling portfolio gives clients a look into how you photograph and how you can take direction and move on camera. Your agency will curate a portfolio to showcase you to prospective clients and they often use your shoots to promote you to clients throughout the year. If you’re a freelance model, you will need to curate a portfolio that attracts the right clients for you.
Commercial Model Portfolio Shoot – multiple looks, different backgrounds, pro hair + makeup onset. Model is Marissa. Brooklyn, NY 2024.
Working with a professional photographer who’s got experience working with models, agencies, and fashion/beauty clients is key. If you’re just starting out, investing in a photoshoot with a photographer who offers guided posing and more instructional photoshoots can be very helpful with your model development. Not all photographers offer the same type of experience, so if you want the guidance on posing, shoot prep, and selecting images, make sure you hire a photographer that offers this type of model portfolio development session.
When you sign with an agency, they will send you out on test shoots to build your portfolio and experience in front of the camera. Some of these may be complimentary, while others you’re responsible for paying. If you change your look (dying or cutting hair for example), you will need to shoot new images and digitals. Model agencies have built relationships with photographers and often will vet them before sending their models to work with them. When you’re developing your portfolio through an agency, you’ll work with many different photographers. This experience will help you learn how to work with different clients and teams, as no two shoots are the same, and you’ll be working with different clients and teams throughout your modeling career.
Another time to invest in photography is if you need consistent branding or editorial-level images to be used for personal branding and your model portfolio.
If you’re an actor, singer, dancer, or performer of any kind, you will need to invest in quality professional headshots. There are also modeling opportunities for performers, which often involves commercial print and lifestyle modeling jobs, so you may also need to invest in building a model portfolio.
Professional portrait sessions are ideal for clients looking for a guided, high-touch experience that goes beyond basic submission images.
Brian’s first Fashion & Lifestyle Model Portfolio Session - Brooklyn, NY 2024