How to Begin a Modeling Career

Modeling is almost every woman's dream, but not everyone can do it. You must have the drive for it and passion if you really want to pursue it as a career. There are many ways of getting into modeling, but first you must start by taking pictures of yourself.

Don't pay any photographer for expensive pictures, instead take them with a digital camera and dress nice as if you were doing a photoshoot. These pictures will be your start-up pictures, now you can post them online.

Model Mayhem is a website where you can find photographers,models,photoshop wizards and more! Here you have to make a profile and post your pictures, enter some basic information about yourself and make sure to add why you want to be a model and that you need some good pictures to update your portfolio.

Once you have made the profile you have to wait for it to be approved. If you do get approved then celebrate! this means you get to browse through castings for promotional work and more. Now that you have your profile many photographers in your area will look at it and if they like your look they will offer you a free photoshoot. This is called a TFP or TFCD, trade for pictures or trade for cd, meaning they will give you a cd of all the pictures they took of you in exchange for your time.

Please kep in mind that you MUST be careful, don't believe everyone on Model Mayhem is a good person, there are those that might take advantage of you. Make sure you bring a chaperone with you if it's your first time, this way you feel more comfortable. Don't forget to add that info on your profile so that photographers know what to expect on the photoshoot. Now you can go on your photoshoot take amazing pictures and add them to your portfolio.

Then you can apply for castings in your area or anywhere if you are willing to travel. These gigs can be TF or free, depends on assignment. Browse other portfolios so you can get an idea of what models expect of photographers and once you get a great portfolio you can start charging photographers to take your pictures.

There are many websites you can post your pictures and get more work, here is a list of some of them:

www.onemodelplace.com
www.exploretalent.com
www.newfaces.com
www.savvy.com

You can even make a myspace profile dedicated only to your modeling and add it to your sites so that photographers and casting directors can add you and offer you work. I have had a great experience doing modeling and have done many promotional gigs that have paid well, the only thing is that some might take awhile to actually send you the payment, but you still get paid well.

Have fun and be careful, don't go to meet anyone alone and make sure you don't do anything you don't want to. Do not let any photographer push you into doing nude or partial nude if you don't feel comfortable, it's your body and your time. I hope this article was useful in some way and I wish you the best in your quest.