Modeling
A Detailed Guide to Create a Modeling Portfolio
By Sachin Krishna
August 20, 2021
What Is A Modeling Portfolio
A modeling portfolio is a series of professional photographs taken to showcase one’s ability to perform as a model. It can be considered as a resume to promote a model’s talents and ability in front of the camera.
Key highlights of a spectacular modeling portfolio are
- Precise measurements of your body’s physical characteristics
- Images depicting a range of favorable model poses.
- Photos highlighting various gestures and body language.
- Series of photos representing the types of modeling you are fit in
A modeling portfolio is never repeatable or reproducible. Each model has distinct physical characteristics and persona that they want to exhibit through their modeling portfolio. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and conceive the kind of modeling that best suits you before you actually begin setting up a portfolio.
Read also: Modeling in Cochin
What does a modeling portfolio include?
Once you have chosen one or more types of modeling to kickstart your career, it’s time to compile the best portfolio for the same.
A modeling portfolio consists of two Parts that portray a Model: Information & Demonstration. Both Explain Who are you as a model
Both Explain Who are you as a model!
Information Part of a Modeling Portfolio
The information part of the portfolio is where we share our personal information like biodata, physical characteristics, personal info, etc. These are clearly pointed out mostly in the beginning sections of the portfolio so that agents or potential clients are able to gauge your characteristics and see if you are fit for the role.
The more information you can provide here the better.
These are the bio information frequently seen in a modeling portfolio:
- Name and bio
- Career objective (optional)
- Personal information
- Physical characteristics
- Previous experience
- Comfortable shoots
- Social media profiles
- Contact details
There are no established criteria for creating a modeling portfolio. Each portfolio is unique from the next. It’s all about how you want to showcase your portfolio creatively so that it garners attention.
Read more: Tips to Become a Model in Pune
Name and bio
It’s important to make your bio as accurate and clear as possible. This way casting directors and agents would be able to better evaluate your characteristics to fit in with varying kinds of modeling.
Career Objective
Here, you can write your career objective so that others can understand what you are trying to become in modeling.
Learn the Tips for Actor Cover Letter
Physical characteristics
This is all about describing yourself in terms of physical characteristics. These can vary from person to person. Each casting director has different expectations for each requirement.
The physical features should be consistent throughout portfolios. Sometimes agencies may require specific requirements like blonde, blue-eyed, or white. Make sure you mention those in your portfolio.
Personal information
This section includes details about your personality, hobbies, and interests. It’s always best to add here what makes you interesting and unique as a person.
Experience
Here you can describe all about your previous experiences related to modeling. You can mention the kind of modeling jobs you were engaged in and the people or brands you’ve worked for.
Comfortable shoots
You need to mention here the kinds of photoshoots that you are comfortable with in this part of the portfolio. It’s crucial to let the casting agency/director know the areas where you can work comfortably because they may want to capture something specifically for their project/ product that you may find uncomfortable to work with.
Most of the time this little piece of information plays a vital role in winning and losing a modeling project or contract.
Read also: Casting calls in Kerala
Social media and contact details
Mention your social media profiles in this part as most people look through them before hiring a model or making any decision related to that. Yes, your social media presence could play a vital role in helping you get hired into modeling.
Demonstration Part of a Modeling Portfolio
In this part, we actually demonstrate the pieces of information that we provided earlier using a combination of different images.
Images in a demonstration section of a modeling portfolio contain
- Photos showing different kinds of clothing.
- Images portraying various facial gestures and feelings.
- Photos showcasing all types of modeling you are fit in.
Photoshoots in different clothing
One must model for different brands and products based on the requirement. He/She must be dressed in a wide variety of professional and non-professional attire.
The apparel worn for a shoot depends entirely upon the modeling genre that you have chosen. A fashion model should present herself in the most trendy costume whereas a glamor model mainly poses in innerwear like lingerie.
Make your modeling portfolio less about you and more about your abilities to support a brand and market their product or service. This offers you a greater chance of getting hired by an agency and modeling company.
Images portraying different facial gestures and feelings.
Don’t be a one-trick pony by wearing the same expression in every shot. If you’re scared to smile because you happen to dislike your teeth, have them looked into and treated before you make an attempt at modeling.
Otherwise, your chances of success are slim to none. If you glance at magazine adverts, you’ll notice that models in the pictures don’t usually smile or appear intense. They generally attempt to express a feeling, ranging from ecstatic to depressed, goofy to the grave.
Read Also: Fashion Modeling
Photos showcasing all types of modeling you are fit in
Let’s say Ann and Lisa are two models. Ann is a fashion model whereas Lisa is into glamour model. Ann would showcase how she can fit into the fashion industry.
Lisa, who is a glamour model will be more open to appealing poses and photoshoots, which she has to reflect on her portfolio to stand out in glamour modeling.
For a glamour shoot, a casting director can easily hire Lisa, as she already showcased her ability as a glamour model and has proven experience in the field. So it is critical to understand your physical characteristics and profile clearly before attempting to create an equally compelling demonstration section in your portfolio.
If you are looking forward to venturing into modeling, having a professional portfolio acts as a springboard for your career.
A well-crafted portfolio can land you opportunities to work with agencies or brands to represent products. By showcasing your talents in modeling through an assortment of photographs, you are essentially handing out your calling card when approaching agencies. With a strong portfolio at the forefront, agencies will be able to make a clear judgment of your potential in modeling and how capable you are for this field, which if favorable can very well define the trajectory afterward.
Here, we will delve into the basics of creating a professional modeling portfolio from scratch and explore the different types of portfolios available.
Read also: Casting calls in Kerala
Professionals needed for a modeling portfolio
But if you want to get things done right and create a strong portfolio, it’s probably better to hire an experienced professional like:
- A photographer or videographer.
- A stylist to select clothes that will emphasize your figure.
- A trained makeup artist.
Building a Modeling Portfolio
You can find a collection of some of the best portfolios built by self-taught models who started their careers through social media platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Doing so helps you identify the emerging trends in modeling and design your portfolio accordingly.
Here are the 6 essential steps for creating a modeling portfolio:
- Decide the photoshoot, based on the type of modeling you are a fit for.
- Settle the type of images to include in your model portfolio.
- Learn different modeling poses to recreate in the images.
- Utilize the services of a makeup artist before and during the shoot.
- Select the photographer for your chosen shoot.
Fully Focus on Being the Kind of Model You Want to Become
You must be rational and mindful of the misconceptions that exist in the modeling industry when chasing your dream of being a professional model. Many aspiring models have a preconceived idea about what they believe suits them best, but their body shape can most likely determine the types of assignments they get.
Shorter or petite women, for example, have a difficult time breaking into the fashion industry. Although assumptions are continually being smashed, and you can surely crack them on your journey, being truthful and transparent about your strengths can be of enormous help. Besides, this would boost the odds of putting on better performance, thus lowering your chances of rejection.
You Might also like – How to Prepare for Your Photoshoot
Deciding on the Type of Images You Need
It’s essential to know just what kind of images you want from your model portfolio to plan the shoot well ahead of time. Make a list of the images you’ll need for building a well-balanced portfolio based on the kinds of modeling you’re ideally fit for.
Ensure that you have excellent portraits, close-ups, and full-body images. Plan the outfit adjustments to demonstrate your flexibility (swimsuits for great body shots and evening dresses for those advertising clients).
Posing is Something You Should Practice
Posing as a model for a camera is an art form in and of itself. The goal may seem straightforward, but it is more complicated than you may know. You must translate a three-dimensional object, your body, into a flat image’s two-dimensional space in model photography. Poses for photography must be mastered, and they improve with practice and research.
Assemble an inspiration board of tear sheets of your favorite model poses. You should even do a good amount of practice in front of the mirror.
Here’s an article on the best Model Poses that includes helpful advice on what to include in a well-made modeling portfolio.
Moreover, don’t forget to choose your outfits carefully. Clothing is an essential aspect of every brand campaign’s storyline. Your poses should always highlight the best features of the garments that you are wearing.
Hire an Expert Hair and Make-up Artist
It is advised but not necessary that you hire a talented hair and make-up artist for your portfolio shoot. With the correct hair and making-up styling, a specialist will be able to bring a lot of value to your model profile and make you appear much better.
Remember that the model portfolio is a significant move forward, so doing it correctly the first time is vital. A decent make-up artist should be willing to be recommended by the photographer (any good photographer should make excellent recommendations on this).
Take a peek at the make-up artist’s portfolio page to get a taste of their abilities. If your makeup artist fails to turn up, have a contingency strategy (carry your makeup or enlist a friend’s assistance).
Select the Best Photographer
If you are working with a modeling agency, they will organize your shoot with a pre-approved photographer and charge you for it. Likely, the photographer they’d hire wouldn’t be a true specialist in the area of fashion and modeling photography that you’d like to entrust with your model portfolio book.
To be honest, you shouldn’t even be approaching modeling agencies until you have a professional-looking portfolio in place.
Consider having one of your friends take photographs for your portfolio. However, we recommend that you avoid it unless you have no choice. Avoid taking the first or most convenient solution that comes to mind. As a model, you’d need to build up the courage to take on new projects and collaborate with new people daily. It’s time to put some talents to the test.
Read also: Modeling in Chennai
Bottom Line
In the end, you must set high expectations for yourself. You just get one chance to make an excellent first impression on modeling agencies and customers, so don’t squander it! When selecting photographs for your modeling portfolio, be highly selective and critical. Make sure the photos impress agencies or clients by the sheer creative angle you have taken to showcase your modeling abilities.
To put it another way, don’t take selfies or take several pictures of the same outfit in the same place. Make sure your photos are authentically you – they can’t be over-retouched and heavily edited.
You are just as good as your portfolio’s worst picture. Photographers, agents, and companies can recall your bad shot in your portfolio rather than your perfect picture. It’s guaranteed. Only because you had a lot of fun shooting something and think it’s pretty cool doesn’t mean it should be in your portfolio. Think twice before putting up a photo in your portfolio.
Read also: Modeling in Hyderabad
Register as a Photowant Model For FREE
Register NowGet Insights!
Get Your Dose of Modeling & Photography Insights
Stay informed about the latest trends, professional advice, and captivating images.