What is a Modeling Portfolio
In short – a collection of photographs.
How important are these photographs?
Critically!!! The first step to getting noticed in the modeling industry is to produce a portfolio that will showcase your work as a model, and your portfolio is a resume and main promotional tool!
The first thing the modeling agencies and fashion industry clients want to see are your pictures. Many of them will not schedule an interview without seeing your photographs.
You can find so many advises regarding modeling portfolio and very often they are contradict to each other. Lets try to clear this subject.
Don’t get confused between two different types of model portfolios:
INITIAL and PROFESSIONAL.

Your first – the INITIAL PORTFOLIO is just for the agencies. Pictures must show your modeling potential. The best scenario if you shoot photo test with a good professional photographer.

Question: I was talking to photographer and he told me that I need to have 10 – 15 photographs to show to model agency. Is it true?
That is a CLEAR MISLEADING! The photographer is not your friend. His or her goal, stated in the simplest of terms, is to get you to order more photographs and spend more money.
3 – 5 photographs can work perfectly as initial portfolio for female and male models.
• Head shot;
• Full-length shot showing proportion of your body;
• Fashion
• Action.

Please follow these tips when shooting your initial portfolio and submitting your photos to modeling agencies.
• Submit clear photos that are in focus.
• Submit at least one headshot and a full length shot.
• Keep make-up to a minimum.
• Keep hairstyles simple and well groomed. Overly fancy hairstyles can result in your photos being rejected.
• Keep clothing simple and in good taste. Remove jewellery.
• Always include your name, age, height, measurements, phone number, email address and city you live in.
• Include any experience or training that you have.
• Write your name, stats and contact information on the back of each of your photos.
• Submit photos that are in good taste.
• Remember that first impressions are important.
• Pay attention to your grooming and overall appearance.
• Pay attention to the background in your photos. Try to shoot photos against a plain wall or outdoors.
• Female models should take photos in a two-piece swimsuit.
• Male models should take photos in shorts with no shirt.
YOU SHOULD AVOID THESE MISTAKES:
• Do not submit photos with anyone else in the photo but you (that includes your pet dog or cat).
• Do not wear hats, gloves, long gowns, sunglasses or prescription glasses.
• Do not submit grad, prom or wedding photos.
• Do not use make-up if you are male.
• Do not wear jewellery. Male models do not wear jewellery or earrings.
• Do not dress children up in fancy clothes, use make-up or make them look like beauty pageant contestants. Kids should be natural.
• DO NOT SEND NUDES! Modeling agencies DO NOT want to see you naked! Please put on a swimsuit.
• Do not submit photos that are “suggestive” in nature. There is a difference between being sexy and being trashy. Sexy is good, trashy is not.
• Do not submit photos that are taken with a WebCam. These photos are never good and are always rejected.
• Do not use “special effects” on your photos.
• Do not submit photos where you are so far away in the photo they need a magnifying glass to see you.
You should understand:
Model agencies receive a lot of photographs each day. Your pictures must get attention!
If you can’t afford professional photographs, you can use snapshots. What matters: they suppose to be GOOD. If they bad – your career may never get started. You must help agent to become interested in you. Pictures must show to agents that you are worth to invest in you time and energy.
What does it mean – good pictures?
Pictures which can show your great modeling potential.
If you are going to use several different styles outfits for portfolio shooting,
it will be very helpful to practice in front of mirror wearing those outfits before you go to a photographic studio.
Only when you were accepted by an agency your can begin to create your professional portfolio and ZED CARD. If you do it before you can just waste your money.
Once a modeling agency agrees to represent you, you will need photographs for your PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO.

The photographs typically are taken in separate photo sessions with different photographers, each using different clothes, makeup, and hair styles.
If for any reason all photographs must be shot in one session by one photographer, a model should look different in all photographs. Please be sure you come with a make-up kit: shades of lip gloss, powder, foundation, eye liner, mascara, lip liner, and lipstick is urgent. Please make sure your hair and nails are done. Manicure and pedicure are mandatory.
The usual practice for modeling agencies to send models for test shootings to different photographers. The normal agency always has the list of photographers which they can recommend to the models. Test shootings usually are the main source of filling of a modeling portfolio.

Test shootings for model pursue achievement of two purposes.
First: To receive good photos for the portfolio which help to start working as soon as possible.
Second: To get professional experience with the different photographers.
Test shootings can occur on a mutually advantageous basis, both for the photographer, and for model. It refers to “ time for photos ” (Time For Prints [TFP]) and occur usually when the photographer wishes to check up any creative ideas, to work with the new equipment or to update an own portfolio. It also happens when the photographer himself is insufficiently skilled and requires practice of work with models. In these cases both parties can reach the purposes without material inputs. The photographer should not pay models, and the model should not pay to the photographer.

As a rule the model receives free of charge some photos which quantity should be stipulated before shooting.
As you already know – modeling portfolio is not just a several photographs. It is your main promotional tool. It must do the same job for you what you are going to do for your clients: Promote and Sell! Your portfolio is often the only thing a prospective client sees before deciding whether or not to contact you for a job. That is why it must contain not just great photographs, but what is more important – RIGHT photographs. Even great pictures can’t work if they are wrong for particular market. Portfolio which is good for New York will not work in Paris or even in California. What is good for Milan – wrong for Tokyo.