Models Beware....

I get a lot of questions from younger models about how to get started, how to pose, what they should wear, etc.  I also get questions about offers they receive and whether they are legitimate or not.  This happened yesterday.  


A 17 year old contacted me on Facebook.  She was really excited because she had just gotten an email from a photographer, Michael Johnson about a very high paying job that she was offered, but she wanted me to look at it and let her know if I thought it was a legitimate job.  The email read as follows:


Good day,

My name is Michael Johnson. A professional photographer/Manager. I got your profile on model Mayhem and I've a client who wants to update her Catalog with her new year Fashion outfits release & I'm interested in you for the shooting,your pay for the job will be $2,750.Here are the details for the job. Also, all make up will be taken care of in the studio.

You will have 10 different Fashion outfits to cover,which would be provided by my client on the day of the shooting.
Dressing outfit is Jeans and Jackets.

Name of client; Michelle Keller and Company Name; Fashion.Bg

Your total pay for the job is $2,750 and you will receive $500 upfront as your part payment. The shoot will take place around your city, so no traveling

The date for the shooting is not fix yet,I will have to make arrangement for that ahead from now and I will email you the exact date for the shooting a week before as soon as the arrangement is completed with my client.

Your must possesses the following qualities to qualify for the shooting which are : Very Attractive,Classy,In Great Shape,Extremely Outgoing & Personable,out spoken,Must be Reliable.

I will keep you updated as to when my client wants to make upfront payments.

Let me know if you are interested in the job to commence with next arrangement and please I will urge you to check your email on a regular bases,I might have updates for you.

Regards

Michael


The first thing I did was "google" the client and company name.  What was the first thing that popped up?  Models!!! Beware of these email scams. I wrote her back to tell her not to do anything with the email that it was in fact a scam.  


Please be aware that this scam is floating around.  I've read that once you reply back, they send you another email asking for your name, address, etc and a promise to mail you a check for the $2,700.  The catch is, when you get the check, you are supposed to cash it and only keep $500, then send the rest to some photographer.  Other girls that have gotten to this step, have already contacted the FBI.


ALWAYS do your research.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  There are exceptions, but most jobs that pay this high will go through an agency.  


Many young girls look at emails like this and don't read into it.  They are probably thinking, "Oh my gosh!  That's a lot of money!"  It is a really good thing that this girl messaged me about this, so now she's not involved in this crazy scam.


How do you recognize scams?


1.  You might notice that some scams have different names, email addresses, or company names.  That doesn't matter. They are basic templates, but they are same procedure. They ask you to email them. They then ask you for your full contact information, so they could mail you a check prior to a promise they mentioned in the scams such as catalog, runway, and magazine.


2.  Poor grammar


3.  No sincere / personal / individualized message 
If they send out enough messages, a certain number of uninformed people will respond. 


4. Asking for a full contact address to mail you a check beforehand.
Why would someone hire you sight unseen and offer to pay you up front?


5.  Location status 
Why would someone in England contact someone in Atlanta, GA for a shoot?  There are plenty of models in England.

6.   Using non-legitimate email address such as Yahoo and Gmail 

Most legitimate company representatives have legitimate email addresses. An agent at Ford Models, for instance, will have tomjones@fordmodels.com. He will not ask you to send mail to tomjones@yahoo.com or tom5876@gmail.com.

7.  Scammers browse the default profile search on MM. MODEL, US, NEW TO MM.  Models are not the only ones affected by scams like these.  Photographers, MUA's, and stylists also get these emails.  The best way to avoid these scams is to be well informed about how they work.

8.  They want to sell you on their scheme.  You want to be on the runway, in a catalog or published in a magazine and be flown all over the world? Who doesn't?  But most offers like this will not come through an email.  Scammers can make you believe that they are legit. They have fake websites and phone numbers. Scammers can make websites look like official websites. They may give you an official number to call, so you could verify them, and the person answering your call will sound quite convincing, but remember, they are part of the scam. 

9.  Don't post your personal email address to your Model Mayhem profile.  If they want to contact you regarding a job, they can do so on MM.

Just remember to be careful.  If you don't know if it's legitimate or not, ask someone.  There are plenty of people in this industry that are willing to help.  Look on the Model Mayhem forums to see if others have gotten the same email.  There is a lot of information out there, but you just have to know where to look.   

   

A little rest goes a long way...

Rehearsals, fashion shows, pose coaching, photoshoots... this weekend seemed like it was never ending.  Kansas City Fashion Week Kick-off was a BLAST, but I think I went to bed at 8:30 on Sunday night because I was so exhausted.  Was it fun?  Absolutely!!!  I love modeling and everything that goes with it...the parties, the fittings, meeting new stylists, making new friends...everything!  And this past weekend was no different.  But when I had to get up and go to my full-time interior design job on Monday morning...that was rough!  It's times like this when I think, that maybe I shouldn't schedule so many things for the same weekend.  Especially since I work 40 hours a week, Monday-Friday in addition to all the modeling.


Do I ever learn?  I think I'm starting to.  I've cut back on scheduling so many modeling opportunities back to back to back.  It's definitely difficult, because there are only so many days a month that I can shoot or do shows, but the end result of the photoshoots are so much better if I'm not rushing around like a crazy woman trying to fit 10 different things into 2 days. 


I've learned throughout the last year, that getting a good nights sleep is so important when I have so many things going on at once. If I don't, then I start getting worn down.  Who has time for that??? Not me!


Going out the night before an all day photoshoot...not for me.  There are some people that can do it, and more power to them, but personally I don't think I'd do my best at the photoshoot, runway show, or work even, if I'm falling asleep while standing.


I also feel bad for weekends like this past one, where I'm only home for like 2 hours a day, besides sleeping.  I feel like I'm neglecting Jeremy, Bailey, and Baxter by not being home more.  Even though I know Jeremy misses me when I'm gone that much, he's very supportive and is happy that I'm doing something that I love.  Bailey and Baxter are soooo excited to see me when I get home and I'm so lucky to have a wonderful little family to come home to after a long day.


I only have one casting call this week and no modeling going on this weekend, so it will be nice to be able to relax a little before getting ready for the next big round of events coming up!  


When you feel yourself getting overworked...take a breather.  It's not worth making yourself sick over.  You'll do your best work when you're not exhausted.    Now if only you could be laying at the beach every time you need to relax...Maybe someday :)  

So You Want to Become a Model? Tips on Finding an Agency.

After doing a little research and trying to decide what I wanted to write about next, I came across this article from Marie Clair magazine written by Diana Vilibert.  


Aaron Newbill, Director of Scouting for Ford Models, gives his tips for aspiring models trying to find an agency and I just had to share what he has to say!  I've summarized the article below:


1.  DO YOUR RESEARCH-  A little research goes a long way!  Aaron says, "The biggest mistake that aspiring models make is not doing the research beforehand."  Having trouble knowing where to start?  Aaron says, "One should check to see who is reputable first, length in the business, and who an agency represents."  


You can do this by simply searching on the internet.  Also, asking around at various shoots or fashion shows helps.  I've found a lot of people willing to help out with information in this industry.  Don't be afraid to ask someone for their opinion.


2.  BE PREPARED-  Let me start this one out by pointing out that CLASSES ARE NOT MANDATORY, but they can be helpful if you get involved with the right ones.  "Classes can be helpful to individuals in terms of self confidence and comfort with aspects of the business," says Aaron, though he emphasizes that classes are by no means a prerequisite. 


If you feel like your lack of knowledge of the industry or your confidence is holding you back, then you may want to consider taking so modeling or even acting classes.  Some agencies will even offer to train you once you're signed, or have classes that you can take if you'd like offered through the agency.


3.  MAKE YOUR PORTFOLIO PICTURE-PERFECT-  The agency will help you decide which final pictures to put in your portfolio once you are signed, but Aaron .  Make sure that your book has enough variation that an agency can see your potential. Aaron says, "The basis of a good book should show a model who is comfortable in front of the camera, one who has a range of expression and movement.  As to length, a few great pictures can look better than a long book of fluff.  A flow to the book is important — after all you want to get and keep the client's attention," Aaron says.


4.  BE YOURSELF-  What do you do once you've booked a meeting with an agent?  You don't have to feel the need to go out and by a new wardrobe or have a professional make-up artist and hairstylist pamper you right before you head off for the meeting.  Aaron says, "I always say 'come as you are.' If you have a quirky look or style naturally, work that! Don't be concerned about changing who you are to impress an agency. When meeting prospective models we prefer to see them as they are: no makeup, natural hair, and their personality."


Think about wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a fitted tank top, so the agent can clearly see your body type.


5.  SMILE FOR THE CAMERA-  "When we meet with prospective models we ask to see a couple of snapshots or Polaroids," Aaron says. "A simple headshot, bodyshot, profile, and a smile is good."


This will help the agent see your range and what you look like in a normal setting.  It will help the agent see your true personality, especially if you're a little nervous at the interview.


6.  SPEAK UP-  Personality is really important, so make sure you sit up straight and don't chew gum! Aaron says, "An outgoing personality is always a standout."  He says that "the models that do well are confident, ambitious, and have a certain humbleness about the fact that being genetically gifted is what got them in the business," says Aaron. "In the end this is a business and respect and professionalism is really important."  


Make sure you always arrive early to an interview and RELAX!


7.  READ BEFORE SIGNING ON THE DOTTED LINE-  If you end up getting an offer from an agency, read the entire contract before you sign.  Don't be afraid to take it with you and take a few days to look it over.  Aaron can not stress enough, "Do not sign anything without reading first!  Do your research and go with what your gut tells you."  


Always make sure all your questions are answered before signing anything.  If you're unsure how something in the industry works, like payment, commissions to the agency, etc. always ask.  No question is stupid.




Remember too, that you are also interviewing the agency.  They may want to sign you, but you don't have to sign with them.  You can interview with several agencies and pick which one feels right for you.


Looking for an agency can be a frustrating and scary task if you don't know what to look for.  Hopefully some of this information is helpful for those of you who are contemplating being represented by an agency and don't know how to get started.


You can find the full article at: http://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/trends/articles/how-to-model?click=main_sr
 

A Guide to Photoshoot Preparation

Here is a little guide that I've come up with on how to prepare for a photoshoot.  These are just things that I've learned over the last year from working with various photographers and being involved with House of Style Productions: www.houseofstylekc.com.  

They have helped me make every photoshoot I do, a successful one.

2-3 weeks before:

• Stay in contact with the photographer before the shoot-
• Whether they have asked you to shoot with them or you have asked them, someone has to have ideas on what you will be shooting.  You will need to find out if you have to provide your own wardrobe, hairstyling, and make-up.  Speaking with the photographer several times before hand about what look you want in your photos or what look they want, will tremendously help the day of the actual shoot.  Each of you will know what is expected to happen at the shoot. You will each come in with ideas and be ready to go.  
• Safety- 
• Discuss with the photographer, at this time, if you would like to bring someone with you to a photoshoot, as a chaperone.  If I have not worked with a photographer before and the photoshoot was not set up through my agency, I always ask that I am allowed to bring a friend along with me.  You can never be too careful, if you don’t know the photographer.  
• DO NOT TAKE A HUSBAND OR BOYFRIEND, unless the photographer invites them to come!  Many times this can be very distracting and you will not get your best work from the photoshoot.  
• If you are not taking anyone with you, make sure to let someone know where you will be.
• Find Inspiration- 
• Look through magazines or online to find inspiration photos.  If I see an ad in a magazine and would like to do a shoot similar to it, I tear it out and put it in a folder of ideas.  Many times photographers will ask you what you would like to do at the shoot...this will help in that instance.  Send the photographer a copy of a couple photos you have found, and they can try to figure out how to make it happen.
• TF- 
• Stands for "time for..." this describes a common arrangement between photographers and models. TFP stands for "time for prints" and TFCD stands for "time for CD of images." TF* projects allow models and photographers to work together and exchange services without having to pay money. It is a popular way to get new images without having to pay a lot of money. 
• Hairstylists and make-up artists may offer to work TF as well, if the look you are going for is something that they don't have in their portfolio already.  
• While I have had several TF shoots throughout the last year, don't automatically assume that the photoshoot will be TF. Make sure that everyone involved is on the same page before you show up for the actual shoot.
• Money- 
• Discuss all payment before the shoot, so you are prepared the day of.  
• If the shoot is TF for all parties involved, plan on tipping your hairstylist and make-up artist.  They have to buy a lot of products for photoshoots. Even tipping them $5 for each look you have them do, will help them replenish their product inventory.
• Release forms- 
• There should always be a signed release at every photo shoot.  This should specify where and how your images might be used.  
• You will also need a release form from the photographer, if you plan on getting any of their photos printed at a place like FedEx/Kinkos.
• Beauty Tips- 
• Any facial waxing needed should be done at least 2 weeks before.  If a few stubborn eyebrow hairs start to come back before the shoot, they can always be plucked with tweezers.
• Talk to the hairstylist and find out how they would like for you to have your hair when you show up for the shoot.  Some like it if your hair is one day dirty.  Some prefer it is clean and slightly damp.  It just depends on the hairstylist and their particular preference. 

1 week before:

• Start to prepare your modeling bag- 
• I typically start thinking about what my wardrobe for the shoot will be a week in advance, just in case I need to run to the store and pick something up for a particular outfit.
• If wardrobe is NOT offered at a shoot, bring enough outfits for at least 5 outfit changes.  If a shoot calls for 4 changes, then bring 6-8 just in case.  This goes for shoes as well.  5-6 pairs is a good number.

• Beauty tips-  
• Exfoliate your skin at least one week before the shoot.
• If needed, this is the time to color/cut your hair.  You don't want to wait until the last minute, and then decide you wish your hair looked different.

72 hours before the photoshoot:

• Avoid-  Try to avoid the following items.  They are known to cause oily skin and sometimes swelling.
• Red meat
• Alcohol
• Heavy amounts of caffeine
• Alpha Hydroxy Creams(cause peeling and will really show with make-up)
• Retin A
• Spicy Foods
• Oily Foods

48 hours before the photoshoot:

• Healthy Eating-
• You should always be eating healthy and drinking plenty of water anyway, but make sure to do this at least 48 hours before your shoot.  
• Carry water with you everywhere you go for about 2 days before the shoot.  This will help your complexion and skin tone look it's best for the shoot
• Sleep-
• Make sure to get a full 7-8 hours of sleep the two nights before a photoshoot.  You don't want dark circles or puffiness around your eyes in your photos.
• Beauty Tips-
• Make sure your nails are well groomed.  Finger nails and toe nails should all be one length.  Polish should be colorless or a French manicure, unless you are looking for a specific color scheme for your shoot.

Night before the photoshoot:

• Pack-
• Make sure you pack your modeling bag the night before.  I always do this to make sure that I'm not missing anything if I happen to be running late the next morning.
•  Girls- make sure your bag contains smooth strapless bras in black and nude, nude and black hosiery, a variety of shoes, black and nude smooth line thong underwear, all of your makeup and hair accessories, plus your clothing if you are providing your own wardrobe.  Make sure you are prepared for anything.  Pack a razor and shaving cream, just in case you missed a spot.  I typically pack the bottle of nail polish that I'm wearing, for last minute touch-ups. 
• Guys- make sure your bag contains a shave kit, white and black underwear/boxers, black and brown, belt-shoes-dress socks, athletic shoes, a manicure kit, skin and hair products, and a toothbrush.

o       Make-up-

§   Always pack your own make-up and bring it with you to a shoot.  There have been a couple times where there has been an emergency and the make-up artist couldn’t get there.  Be prepared to do your own make-up if you absolutely have to.

§        Bring false eyelashes and any extras you might want applied.  Make-up artists typically do not provide these for you.

§        Bring your own foundation, eyeliner, and mascara. Although make-up artists bring eyeliner and mascara, sometimes they use the same wand on multiple models.  You want to bring your own foundation, just in case they do not have an exact match for your skin tone.

o       Hair accessories-

• Bring with you any hair accessories that you would like to use.  Extensions, hair clips, head bands, barrettes, etc.  The hairstylist will most likely only have the essential bobby pins and hair ties with them.
• Beauty Tip-
• Lip care
• You can exfoliate your lips by softly brusing them with a soft head toothbrush before bed every night.  After exfoliating, apply a small amount of Vaseline on your lips before going to bed and then again in the morning.  This will help lipstick go on smoothly at your photoshoot.

Photoshoot Day!-

• Make-up-
• All traces of make-up should be gone from your face when you check in at the shoot, unless you are providing your own makeup. 
• Some models wash with toner 30 minutes before the shoot, but do not add any make-up at all, unless you plan to do your own make-up.  
• All eyeliner and mascara should also be gone from your face.
• Snacks- 
• If you're attending an all-day shoot, you are going to want snacks to have with you.  Try to pick something healthy, but not messy.  I always like to take a box of wheat thins with me to snack on.  
• Take a bottle of water with you.  A bottle of water, NOT SODA!  
• If you decide to eat at a shoot, DO NOT eat in the wardrobe if it's borrowed from the client, a designer, or a boutique. You wouldn't want to spill anything on the garment and then have to buy it, would you?
•  Be On-time-
• Punctuality is always important at every photoshoot.  15 minutes early is on-time.
• Be Professional- 
• Always present yourself in a very professional manner, whether it’s your first or 200^th photoshoot.  Everyone in this industry knows everyone.  Your reputation, as a professional, is important when other photographers and clients are looking for models.

Please feel free to comment or email me with any specific questions!

Kansas City Fashion Week

Yes, another busy weekend ahead for me.  It's Kansas City Fashion Week!!!  


A Kick-off party, Magazine launch party, fashion shows, Model workshops, Photographer workshops, and Photoshoots, Oh my!


FRIDAY:
The weekend starts off with a Kick-off party and House of Style Magazine launch party at Martini Corner's Club Monaco on Friday, April 1st at 9pm.  Not only will this be a huge party, but a mini-fashion show as well.  Anyone and everyone should come out to support 2011 Kansas City Fashion Week.


SATURDAY:
Saturday is full of fun...beginning at 8am with a very informative Model Expo and a Photography Workshop by Marc Grant.  The Model Expo will have panels on topics such as:

• Being Informed- Learn about all the different kinds of modeling opportunities out there.
• Being Creative- Workshops by Make-up artists and hairstylist
• Being Ready- Talent Agencies tell secrets on how to get jobs
• Being Careful- Panel Discussion titled, "When Photographers Attack."  Talking about being careful with who shoot with and what types of modeling you do.

Saturday night...The huge, highly anticipated, "Leather and Lace Flair Fashion Show."  Doors open at 7pm, show starts 8pm.  Tickets are $20 at the door.  You won't want to miss this!  Over 80 models showcasing amazing fashion.

SUNDAY:


House of Style Productions presents the latest and greatest Portfolio building photoshoot: Hint, Hint...I'm House of Style's newest Posing Coach, and I will be at this shoot to help any models who are unsure in how to get started with posing!

Kansas City Fashion Week may not have been HUGE in the past, but with the team working on the new KCFW, I have no doubt it will be phenomenal for years to come! Come check it out for yourself!!

What are Comp Cards?

You may or may not know, but I design them!  


What are they?
Composite cards...z cards....sed cards...they're all the same.  These are a great marketing strategy for models and actors.  They are used to show the latest and best of a model's portfolio and basically used as a large business card.  Comp cards should be taken with you to hand out at casting calls and auditions.  Models who are with an agency or doing freelance modeling can benefit greatly from Comp Cards.


A comp card typically has a cover with a full size portrait and a back with a selection of shots from your portfolio, your stats (height, weight or size, bust measurement, waist measurement, hip measurement, shoe size, hair color and eye color), and your contact information.  The industry standard size for a comp card is 8.5" x 5.5" and is traditionally printed on a heavy card stock

Typical Cost:

With modeling, everything can get so expensive to get your portfolio started.  Setting up portfolio building photoshoots, the clothes to wear in your photos, ways to market yourself...When I started with the agency and seriously needed to get a comp card made, I looked at several options.  Some designs were pretty plain and the website wanted to charge me upwards of $150 for 100 cards.  I knew that I could design something myself that looked better and was significantly cheaper.

Need Comp Cards?

Please let me know if you are interested in having a custom comp card designed for you.  Pricing depends on assignment and how intricate/time consuming the design is.  Pricing starts at just $25 per front/back design.

**Note:  I do not do printing.  There are many places to get your comp cards printed.  If you choose to have me do a design for you, I will give you the high resolution jpeg files and the photoshop files if you need them.    




There are many ways you can design your comp card, but here are a few examples of a couple that I've done:


I designed these two options for my friend, Grace:

Photo: Dan-Irabor Photography

Photo: (Clockwise from top left) Dan-Irabor Photography, Anntastic2 Photography, JRP Photography, Mike Oliva, Ryan Heffron Photography

Napa/San Francisco Trip 2011

I love to travel!  It lets you see how other people live in other areas, try new and unique foods that you normally wouldn't get to try, and see amazing sights that you wouldn't see by just sitting at home.  Traveling is a big part of my life.  Jeremy and I take a week long vacation and then a couple small trips every year.  This year we're going to Napa and San Francisco in late May!   


How I start planning:
Planning the trip to Napa/San Francisco has been significantly easier than most of the trips I plan, because I have already been once before, back in college.  Jeremy has never been, so we decided that this was one more city that he needed to add to his list of visited ones and I loved it so much that I don't care about going back again.


I always start looking at hotel and airfare options at least 6 months before the date of the trip.  I think for this trip, I actually booked the Napa B&B and the hotel in SF about 7 months in advance because we had already decided where we wanted to go and I got a good deal at the B&B for a promotion they were doing.  


I always make sure to check out www.tripadvisor.com and read reviews on the hotels we find that we like.  It's such a helpful website, because travelers, like myself, rate their experiences and write reviews in the forums for each city.  


It's very rare that we don't fly Southwest Airlines, if we're traveling to a city that they travel to.  I've found that, on most flights, I can usually get a better deal through Southwest and I love their rewards program.  Everyone always asks me how I can take so many vacations every year.  It's easy, when I use Southwest and can earn enough points to earn free flights.


Napa/San Francisco 2011:
When planning this trip, I had to decide how to split up our time between Napa and San Francisco.  Jeremy has never been to either place, so I want to make sure that he gets to see the best things both areas have to offer.  We tend to go through museums and sight-seeing activities pretty quickly, so we always have a little extra time throughout each day to just hang out, or just in case something unexpected happens where we are running a little late to a different activity.  


I ultimately decided that we would schedule our trip this way:


Saturday- Fly into San Francisco and rent a car. Drive up through Sonoma County and stay there overnight.


Sunday-Wednesday- Drive to Napa, visit wineries, stay at a bed and breakfast, eat some amazing food, and leave Napa Wednesday morning to drive back to the city.


Wednesday- Saturday- Drive back to San Francisco, stay in a hotel in Union Square, do some sightseeing and leave to come home late Saturday morning.


Now, it doesn't always work out this way, but for this trip we were able to leave on a Saturday and come home on a Saturday, so we will have an extra day off of work when we get back to relax before having to start work again on Monday morning.


I'm still working on exact plans for the trip, like making restaurant reservations (where needed) and getting tickets to events and shows that we will be seeing.  Watch for more posts on interesting things I've found to do and an actual trip report when we get back, with photos!