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How to get started on the Internet by promoting your Portfolio
- Think about the kind of modelling you want to do. For
example, some models may not be prepared to model lingerie,
so be honest in your Oz Model portfolio. If you advertise work
you are unwilling to accept, this wastes your time and the time
of the person inquiring - word travels fast!
- Frequently, models are asked if they are interested in
work when they have stated they are not interested in it.
Try to handle such inquiries with tact - if you're frightend
off by such an inquiry, then perhaps Internet-based promotion
is not for you, as email tends to make people blunt and tactless.
Be prepaired.
- Find some books on modelling and read about the industry and the
way it works. Some photography books may also be of help. Also,
visit as many of the model message boards (web boards) that are on
the Internet as you can - you can learn a lot of behind-the-scenes
stuff from message boards like these.
- Get some photos taken that you will be proud of. Budding local
photographers normally will trade time for prints. That is, they
will take some portfolio shots of you, in return for your time
on one of their projects. Or, you can pay a professional to do
it for you.
- Choose your photos very carefully! Select only the ones that
show you at your best and do not include similar photos from the
same shoot. Show photos from different photographers, different
hair styles, clothes, colours, locations, lighting. Show a different
character! Less can often be more for a model starting out - keep
your selected photos to a small handful of the very best.
- Scan your new photos into the computer. If you don't have
a scanner, try some computer friends or use your work's scanner.
Always scan images at a reasonable size (ensure they are less
than 100K in size). Use JPG (J-Peg) for all images. With digital
cameras becoming popular, the "print and scan" aspect of a portfolio
is not needed.
- Create a web site. You can begin easily and cheaply by using
one of the many free web hosting services. Oz Model suggests
Yahoo Groups or Tripod as they are model-friendly
places that do not normally interfere with a model's web site
if the images are in good taste. Geocities is too strict in this
regard. Think carefully about what you put on your site, and
try to make the images load as quickly as possible (ie: use
thumbnails for a general gallery, leaving the user to click
on an image if they want to see a larger version). Be aware that a lot of the
free hosts do not permit you to use them as a webserver for loading
images on to other web services (such as the Oz Model forum) - they
will deliberately break the image when it is loaded. Finally, see
our notes about safety on this site - never leave your address or
phone number on your website!
- Once your site is up, advertise its URL (address) by posting
messages to the modelling message boards I mentioned earlier. Ensure
you include appropriate information, including statistics, your
location and the kind of work you are looking for. Most message
boards will also allow you to post an image from your web site - take
advantage of this where ever it is offered.
- Add yourself to Internet modelling databases, such as the one
here at Oz Model.
- When e-mailing photographers or writing to message boards,
always include your web site's address (URL) somewhere - even if
you think they know you. People will forget who you are. Remind
them by allowing them to see your site!
- Be reliable and do not mislead those who inquire about you.
Always answer email, professionally and promptly.
Always turn up for your shoots, professionally and promptly.
If there is a problem, let the shoot booker known as soon as
possible! Above all else, enjoy your work and you will be
rewarded with more job offers.
- After your first modelling session, ask if you can use the
photographer as a referee! Sometimes a referee is useful for
a new model.
Good luck!
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