What is a ZED or Comp Card?

It is a model business cards. Very important item for model. It contains photos of a model, either color or b/w, along with the model’s name, height, weight, measurements, and his/her agency’s name, phone number or other information.
In most cases, your comp card is your one and only opportunity to make a good first impression. It is important that the images on your comp card are your absolute best. Additionally, the printing and reproduction quality is extremely important. Poor reproduction makes your images look bad and as a result – makes you look bad. We recommend that your comp cards are being printed on a traditional printing press and a good quality card stock, as opposed to the less expensive method of printing the comp cards with a laser printer on lightweight stock.

How often should I update my portfolio?
Your portfolio needs to reflect your current look. Since hair styles and clothing styles change rapidly your portfolio needs to reflect not only your current look, but also the current look of Fashion.

Advice from Igor F. Malkov:
“Models – aspiring or experienced all the time asking me the same question: How many pictures suppose to be in a good modeling portfolio?
The answer is simple but listen carefully – it is very important: Never show your professional limit! What does it mean? Never include bad or not very good photographs in your portfolio. If you have only 2 good photographs you should include only 2. If you have 10 good – include 10.
You can find this advice:
“Keep your best picture at the end of your portfolio to leave a lasting impression.”
What do you think about this advice? Is it good? I do not think so!
Please understand one thing: If you have, for instance, 4 BEST photographs but included in your portfolio also several not so good – you show your professional limit.
Just read carefully: ONLY 4 PHOTOGRAPHS ARE GREAT!
But if you included just 4 EXCELLENT photographs – the result will be completely different – ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE EXCELLENT!
If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, go back and read again.
It is a best scenario if modeling portfolio included not only photographs but also many tear sheets showing your previous work. Each client want to hire experienced professional model. That is why tear sheets in portfolio so important for getting job. But please – not each tear sheet can be good for portfolio. Always consult with your agent or manager before you include any photograph or tear sheet in your portfolio.”
Recently many photographers use digital cameras for shootings modelling portfolios. In these cameras the film is not used. Selection of photos can be made immediately after shooting. The selected photos can be both are printed, and written down on CD for printing or viewing on the monitor of a computer. Always preliminary stipulate with photographer how many photos will be written down on a disk and how many will be printed.
Important point.
Never criticize your own pictures. If you think your photos are bad you shouldn’t be wasting time showing them. Let the agent give you his own professional opinion.

One interesting subject.
How good are photographers shooting for free?
Good question but there is no answer. Some of them are good and some of them are awful. Sometimes photographers shooting for free, if he shooting commercial job and doesn’t want to pay to models. If you are shooting a free test and photographer asking you to wear something what is not belongs to you – it may be a commercial shooting. Read very carefully modeling release.
Sometimes free shooting means that photographer is just a beginner and needs models to create a photographers portfolio. It’s OK for getting experience and photographs for your initial – I have to repeat – only initial portfolio.
Mandatory: Photographer must be familiar with the requirements of the industry.  Otherwise you can get a lot of bad and useless pictures, bad experience, wasted time and money.
All you have to do is practice! If you will practice how you should, you can become not only equal partner to photographer but even can guide some of them. But anyway, it is always a good idea to shoot with a good fashion photographer.

Don’t forget. Modeling is a serious business. There is always a competition. Your portfolio is critically important for your career because it’s competing first. Very often client doesn’t care how you look in reality. What important for them is how you look on photographs. You have to understand that photos in your portfolio will compete with other portfolios. If your portfolio is great – you can win, but if your photos are not good enough you will lose. It means that you never get a good job and probably no job at all. That is why you can’t afford to create your professional portfolio with a free photographer.

As any business modeling career required financial investment. And investment in your portfolio, created with a great fashion photographer, can be the best investment in your whole life.
I want to remind you. When you are shooting portfolio always pay attention to clothing. Do not forget that you are a model and any outfit must look perfectly on you. Many aspiring models don’t pay attention to outfits in time of shooting. Don’t let it happen to you. Remember that you are getting paid for promotion and selling.

Tip.
Do not dress anything that makes viewers to think that you have something to hide.
Never include nude photos in fashion portfolios!
We have received this question:
I was talking with several photographers here in Los Angeles. For three pictures they charge from $ 200.00 to $500.00. What is a fare price?
If you are serious about modeling career, your main concern suppose to be about quality. If photographer will shoot the great photos which will help you to start your career – consider your payment as a good investment. But if you got bad and useless photos and you paid only $5.00, you paid to much.
Photographers as a rule, are independent in business and can establish absolutely any prices for the work.
The prices are usually adjusted by many factors, including a competition between photographers and in what city they work. The bigger city – the higher the price. The prices also depend on experience. High professional level usually means the high price.
But some very good photographers who often works with agencies can have with them the arrangement on the certain price frameworks for models of these agencies.

You should know that very often prices established by the photographer means nothing. The price can be high, but the photographer – a zero. To put it briefly, cost of your portfolio can vary very strongly depending on a level of the photographer, city in which you live and from your skill to negotiate. Yes, yes negotiations. When you pay money, you are the client and can always discuss conditions. Especially when you have a choice.
Just remember: Professional photographer is a person who makes leaving by photo shooting. It doesn’t mean that he or she is a good photographer. Choose them wisely.
Attention: Some photographers can establish the certain restrictions on use of results of shooting. For example, in your shooting agreement can be a term, that you have the right to use the photos only for your portfolio. If you wish to use these photos somehow, you can not do it without written authorization from the photographer. All conditions should be precisely stated in the contract with the photographer and in both releases – the photographer and model.

Each client prefers to hire the professional models having necessary experience. Therefore the best scenario when your portfolio consists not only of photos, but also journal pages (tear sheets), showing your professional level and the previous work.
But not each photo and not each tear sheets from magazine or from the catalogue should be included in a portfolio. Always consult to the agent before including something in your portfolio.