FeelingGoodWithSofy

Hey everyone! Get ready for an article that is a little different from the rest!

I’ll be sharing my personal story about navigating the world of modeling agencies, giving you an insider’s look at the process, and offering some key advice I learned along the way.

It all started as a passion…

At 15 years old, I was deeply unhappy. I struggled hard academically and suffered a lot from being bullied in school. One afternoon, while scrolling through some You Tube videos, a fashion show popped up, and I’m glad to say it caught my interest 🙂 Over the following weeks, I started seeking out more and more catwalk videos. It was like I connected with the models—it made me feel so happy and alive 🙂 It became the escape I desperately needed.

I also loved staying in front of a mirror, practicing poses as if I was behind a camera and going with high-heels😊

When fantasy meets reality

I have to admit, as a 15-years-old, I wasn’t exacly thinking about all the steps it would take to actually walk a runway. And that’s okay! I was really young, naive and completely unfamiliar with the industry.

Secondly, I began dealing a lot with acne, which I quickly learned is a serious hurdle if you want to model professionally. I remember that as a 17-year-old, I contacted quite a few agencies and sent my photos and measurements. I was absolutely thrilled when two of them wanted to see me! If you are underage, like me, ask an adult to accompany you.

The first agency ultimately said no, citing my troubled skin and the fact that I needed to be more fit (I still had some baby fat) and that I had to become at least an inch taller— which I actually made happen!

The second agency was about to decline me as well, but then the agent saw me in front of the camera. That’s when everything changed—they immediately reconsidered and offered me a contract straight away! About one month later, I signed with them! 🙂

Some considerations regarding these two agencies…

To start, I should clarify: the two agencies that contacted me were both mother agencies. For those who don’t know, a mother agency can be crucial—they help and guide the model, assisting them in finding a direct booking agency with clients. If you run into any problems with a client or the booking agency, your mother agency is who you contact for support and advide.

You don’t have to have a mother agency; many models are signed directly to booking agencies. However, a mother agency offers a crucial layer of support. That said, it also has its negative sides. For example:

1. If your mother agency can’t afford to pay for test shoots (photoshoots to build your portfolio), you may have to cover all the photography costs yourself.
2. If they fail to find you a good booking agency, you won’t have much work and your career growth will stall.

Some tips along the way:

With all that said, don’t give up, especially if you truly have a passion for modeling. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend you seek treatment for acne if you have it.

Then, if an agency wants to see you, you need to give your absolute best. Be absolutely on time; this will also show your seriousness. Show them who you are! 🙂 Prepare beforehand by practicing your walk in high heels at home, rehearsing your facial expressions in front of the mirror, or even better, posing in front of the camera if you have a good photographer in the family😉!

The agencies would like to see your polas (polaroids), and they will most likely take new pictures of you. Arrive with no makeup and with clean hair. The agents probably want to see your personality besides being pretty. And most importantly, don’t get discouraged if the agency says no to you. There are many others; someone will click with you😉 Have patience and keep looking, just like I did!! 🙂

I’ll write more about my experience with agencies in one of my next articles— this is only the beginning of my modeling story! 🙂

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