DO YOU SHOOT TFP/TFCD?
Technically, no, not if you just need some nice photos for your portfolio or you’re starting out and need practice. If you cannot to hire me, however, but you fit some specific physical characteristics (see below), I might be able to plug you into one of my self-assigned projects which I do on a regular basis. Please email me your headshot, body shot, front & back, as well as vital measurements and the best way to contact you and I will add you to my model database.
Here are some specific, concrete measurements to help you determine if you are a good candidate:
Height: Women at least 5″6 bare footed; Men at least 5″11 (I may make an exception for a shorter woman who has an exquisite face and would make a great beauty model)
Dress size: 0-4; if you are 6″ tall or taller, size 6 would be acceptable as well
Jacket/pant size for men: 38-44 in jackets and 28-34 pant waist
I’D LIKE TO PURSUE MODELING AS A CAREER, CAN YOU RECOMMEND A MODELING AGENCY HERE IN INDIANAPOLIS WHERE I COULD START?
I have worked with two agencies that I feel are reputable and will not take advantage of someone starting out in the business. The two agencies are Lmodelz and The Helen Wells Agency. Please keep in mind that should an agency sign you, you will be expected to pay for your own headshots/comp card as well as possibly going through some “basic training”. Also, being signed with an agency does not guarantee jobs. It will be up to you to seek out assignments, many of them potentially unpaid, to continue building your portfolio until you finally get “out there”.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK FOR IN A MODEL?
A model’s most important skill is to be able to pose…seems kind of obvious, but it’s amazing how many girls who “model”, don’t know the first thing about posing. Having worked with dozens of girls and guys, I can safely say that posing is a talent, but it is also a skill that can be learned. If you are not a great poser by nature, the only way you will get better is by practicing, a lot! So get in front of a mirror and strike a pose! When I work with a designer and we look for models to use on a shoot, I will always go with a girl who is a better poser, even if she’s not as beautiful as another girl who can’t pose. And let me just clarify that there is posing and then there’s Posing with a capital P. To see the distinction, compare models in Vogue with models in a JC Penney catalog. Unless, in fact, we are shooting a catalog together, I will want you to work it like a high fashion model. Specifically that means that you will be unafraid to look awkward or experiment with different poses/expressions and also that you change something about your pose every time that strobe pops. Don’t just stand there! Work it! I promise you, I will give you ample feedback, but it’s your job to get in front of the camera and pose. If you can’t naturally flow through 200 different poses in 10 minutes, you need to practice, practice, practice until you literally have a routine and be able to do it in your sleep.
The second most important skill is to be able to keep your opinions to yourself and maintain a good attitude. You may not like the outfit, you may not be thrilled with the make-up or hair. The location may be too hot or too cold. The shoes may be too tight and the lights too bright, but your only job is to wear the clothes and pose your heart out. The stylist, the make-up and hair artists and myself have a vision for the shoot that you may not necessarily understand or like, but if you’ve agreed to shoot, then you just have to roll with the punches and trust us! Also, wait for me to offer to show you what the images are looking like (I might not); asking to “take a peek” is not appropriate. I understand that you may feel left out while the myself, the stylist, the make-up and hair people are all either studying the monitor or the back of the camera, while you just stand there, but you just have to let it be.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING WITH ME TO A SHOOT?
As a model, you need to have your “modeling kit” ready to go for each and every shoot (this is primarily for the ladies).
SHOES: Unless, you’ve been specifically told not to bring anything, always bring at least 3-5 different pairs of your highest heels, in neutral colors like black, gray, silver, bronze and brown.
UNDERWEAR: Always have variety of thongs , including a skin-colored one and also black boyshorts. A variety of bras including one that’s strapless, ideally skin-colored. Pasties should be in your kit as well, for those braless shots where you don’t want the world to see your nipples.
LOTION: If the shoot requires for you to show any amount of skin, have lotion on hand. Nothing worse than ashy, dry-looking, flaky body parts.
FOOD/WATER: Unless we’re shooting a premium gig with craft services, assume that you are not going to be fed/watered, so bring something to snack on and drink while on set. (If you like to chew gum, remember to spit it out before going before the camera.)
WHAT DO I NEED TO DO A DAY BEFORE THE SHOOT?
The day before a shoot is a good time to attend to personal grooming. Wash your hair, so it’s a day old and easier to style the following day. Remove old nail polish and clip your nails (hands and feet) – if you can get in a professional mani/pedi with natural looking hands and toes, that’s even better. Clean up your brows and any other places that have hair and may be exposed during the shoot. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Please don’t go partying the night before. It’s really unprofessional to show up to a shoot hungover, with black circles under your eyes and bloodshot.
Also, whatever you do, do not tan!! I would like to say do not EVER, EVER tan. It’s the most awful, short-sighted thing that you can do to yourself, aside from smoking. Personally, the paler you are, the more likely am I to put you in front of the camera. (PLEASE NOTE: I am of course directing my anti-tan thoughts to girls who want to pursue high fashion modeling. If you are glamor model, or a fitness model or even a commercial model, I understand that you may need to look tanned and I only hope that you are faking it, 
but because my own focus is high-fashion, I always look for pale, white-as-snow girls and they are my preference, unless of course you are not of Caucasian descent in which case this whole rant doesn’t apply to you anyway.)
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT BEING A MODEL?
Even if you are just starting out, you want the people you work with to remember you as punctual, polite, well-groomed, and professional. In this industry, appearance is really important and it’s vital to understand the difference between dressing comfortably and looking unkempt and scuzzy when you arrive for a shoot. I have a deep respect for women who take pride in their appearance and know how to dress to highlight their best parts and minimize their flaws.
CAN I BRING AN ESCORT TO THE SHOOT?
As long as they stay quiet and out of the way, I don’t have a problem with it. If you bring your parent, I am happy to meet them, answer any questions, then I’ll ask them to return at the end of our session. I’ve found that most models do a MUCH better job when their parents aren’t watching. Performance anxiety perhaps?