A Career in Modeling - Fashion

By Dr. Mary E. Waters

Do you dream about a career in modeling? Don’t give up! Your dream can come true, and you too can become a professional fashion model. The lessons learned as a professional model are invaluable. Why is it, you may ask? “Being a model is not just something you do on the runway, but it is a personality that you carry throughout your life.”

No matter what age you enter into this career, you will be able to walk away learning something new that can help you for the rest of your life. If you are a young unmarried person looking for a mate, you will have a good idea of how the right person should treat you. If you are a married person, you will learn how to better take care of yourself and your mate. Someone once said, “You cannot make someone happy unless you are happy yourself.” People need to know that happiness starts from within and extends outward. If you are fulfilled in all areas of your life, you will be happy.

The charm and poise section of the modeling training will give you the confidence you need to make life complete. It will also help you to overcome low self-esteem, if you are struggling with this problem. You will be able to see yourself as a special person. More important, you will begin to feel good about yourself.

A career in modeling takes hard work, dedication and commitment to succeed in the business. The categories you have to choose from are in runway, print and catalog, commercial, petite or plus size. Let’s say, they did not choose you as one of the high fashion models for an assignment in Europe or for the cover of a top magazine, it does not mean that you failed. If this happens, you should move on to the next assignment in life because you are still successful in your own unique way. To build your career, you should start off small then move up to bigger and better things. Through a modeling career, you will learn many lessons that can help you in life.

In the world of high fashion the pay is high. It is usual for a single modeling campaign to pay a million dollars or more. There is a huge amount of money at stake in high fashion modeling and if someone has to get paid, then why not YOU.

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Dr. Mary E. Waters is an author, speaker, business consultant. She is the author of “Easy Business for Women with Little or No Money.” She strives on helping people to start their own business with little or no money. For many years, she has been helping people make their dreams of becoming a successful business owner come true!

The Use of the Fashion Model's Zed Card

By Jason Ramirez

A Zed Card (Comp Card, Zed Card, or Model Card) is the number one marketing tool for a model. They serve as a model's portfolio, business card and interview. A comp card typically contains a collection of 2 or more pictures and the models basic stats - height, eye color, etc. - printed on 2 sides of an 8.5" x 5.5" piece of card stock (12 pt stock.) Comp cards have been around for many years as the essential marketing tool for a model and they will retain this standing because they are an inexpensive way to effectively and professionally showcase a model’s ability. Composite cards are used on three major levels - they are used at first by models, then by agents and lastly by the agent’s clients.

Level 1 - Models use composite cards to promote themselves to modeling agents. When a model attends an open call they will typically meet with the agent, have their portfolio reviewed and briefly be interviewed. Open calls are mostly busy, so not a lot of time can be dedicated to each person trying out. When the interview is over, the model leaves their composite card behind - never their portfolio. When the open call is over the agents will gather to discuss the turn out. This is where the composite card comes in to play. When the agents are discussing who they liked and didn't, they can refer to the composite cards. This card is the only reference that the agents have to your portfolio and ability. A good card is going to leave a much better impression of professionalism, experience, ability and expertise than a snap shot or nothing at all.

Level 2 - After a model has been contracted with an agency, it becomes the agents responsibility to market the model (that doesn't mean the model should stop promoting themselves.) You will notice that agencies usually displayed their comp cards in racks on their walls. This is done for the same purpose that an art gallery displays art work. The intention of displaying the composite cards is to give any visiting client a visual catalog of the talent that are available, and in turn making the modeling agents task of finding materials and promoting their models easier. Although this aesthetic pleasing display is this an effective method to boost bookings, it is not the primary marketing method. Agents primarily send composite cards via mail to photographers, producers, art directors, magazine editors, other modeling agents, and many other potential clients.

Level 3 - This stage is for the ones who pay the bills - commonly referred to as the "clients." Once the comps have been sent to the clients, it is entirely in their hands to decide who they want to use. Yes your agent should put some good words in for you, but ultimately it is the clients decision. From this point the client may choose you directly, or they may want to meet you. But either way they are going to pursue you further only because they have seen your look - and this is almost always first seen on your composite card. Clients usually retain an index of all of the cards that they have received so they can refer to a visual guide when selecting models. Some clients may have anywhere from 100 - 1000 models indexed in their company. This is why you need a good, professional comp card that makes a great first impression.

The ultimate success of a comp card is going to come down to the quality of the photography that appears on it. The quality of the photography stems from the quality and talent of the model along with the professionalism and creativity of the photographer and his or her team. The better your photography is, the better your zed card will be. On the front of your card you will want an eye-catching shot that sets the stage for the type of model you are. For markets like Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Kansas City a smiling shot works great since these are commercial markets. However, markets like New York, Los Angeles and Paris will be best approached with a high fashion photo on the front.

Most importantly good production is key. Good production will make your photos look better, and bad production will bring the quality way down. Bad production makes you look as unprofessional as bad photography.

Top Models

By Ross Bainbridge

Models are people, either male or female, who act as props for the display of items like dresses, jewelry, accessories and the like. Modeling is basically of two types fashion modeling and commercial modeling.

Fashion modeling is an intrinsic part of the clothing industry. Leading designers rely on fashion models to walk the ramp in fashion shows to display their collections. Fashion models are used for photo shoots also. Such assignments require them to show particular emotions and feelings on their faces. So fashion models need to have a certain amount of acting skills too. Also, it is not unusual for fashion models to use their modeling career as a stepping stone for an acting career.

Fashion models may be either high fashion models or commercial models. Both types churn out a regular crop of top models from time to time. Several top models specialize in high fashion modeling. Artistic themes are used as backdrops for such assignments. These kinds of assignments pay very well and add a lot of value to a model's portfolio. In fact, a few high fashion assignments done with leading photographers is enough to turn a model into a top model.

Commercial models model for assignments like catalogues, cosmetics, various print magazines and the like. Several commercial models also go on to become famous top models with their names being recognized in every household. Top models are often sought after for product endorsements.

Naomi Campbell, Tyra Banks, Twiggy, Gisele Bundchen, Christie Brinkley, Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Petra Nemcova, Beverly Johnson, Elle Macpherson, and Janice Dickinson are a few popular top models who are recognized in all households all over America. Daria Werbowy, Gemma Ward, Lily Cole, Natalia Vodianova, and Karolina Kurkova are a few of the notable top models of today.

Though photographs of top models with their smiling faces may suggest a luxurious life, it is luxury that is hard earned after hundreds of shows, shoots and the like which would have taken a lot of time and effort.