Im 19 soon to be 20 and I have been told that i could start modeling. I have a baby face but I think I might be to old to start. I dont have any professional pictures or anything. What should I do?
Why would anyone wonder if they are too old to start modeling? It is not difficult to pick up some magazines and look through them at the ads. Do you only see young people in the ads? I don't. I see everything from babies to senior citizens. I know a woman who is in her 60's and just started modeling... and she's been booking ads and commercials non stop.
Your first step should be to take some basic auditioning training. Think commercial. Then, you'll need a decent professional headshot. Seek out too photographers who shoot commercial and lifestyle -- less likely to find these on Internet sites that are primarily glamour and guys who shoot pretty girls for their "portfolio." You can look for stock photographers and gain some experience while building a marketable portfolio.
Next, you'll need to shop for an agent. Having some experience, a decent headshot, and some training (and I do NOT mean "model school") will help open up that door.
You know... Jeff, I think I need to create a tutorial on the different genres of modeling. People seem to think fashion is all there is...
Without doubt, that would be beneficial to a lot of readers and I know you can cover it all pretty well. One of the things we do in our agency orientation for our new faces is discuss the different types of modeling and "understanding your type." We represent all ages from 5 years old and up into seniors, all who work... but even dogs! One of our little dogs just finished a commercial for the TX Lottery, and has done some print in the past as well. The point being, of course, that really anyone can model as long as they know where they fit in and then work toward that as a goal. Portfolios should fit the type of work you can go after, so knowing what's out there is a great benefit.
One of our young men did a national SAG commercial for AT&T and was submitted with just a photo of his hands! The ad agency was looking to shoot the commercial from his POV and so all that you see in the commercial is his arms and hands walking around holding a laptop.
HAND MODEL!
I don't think he ever considered anything like that before being cast, but it was by coincidence that he had a shot of his hands in his portfolio - which is what landed him the SAG job.
So... my vote is to go for it! Such a tutorial can only serve to help.
04-24-2009, 12:59 AM
Re: IS it too late to start? 
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