Working with other Modeling Industry Professionals

Working with other people is a big part of the modeling arena and you are very unlikely to come across a job where you will not have to rely on and work with other people. The best thing is to get along with them. The last thing you want to do is annoy the people that can very likely end your career before it has even begun.

Using the modeling etiquette techniques that you learn in your course, you should always make sure you do everything properly and conduct yourself professionally. This is not to say that you cannot stand up for yourself if you are being treated badly by a photographer or hair stylist, but always be careful of what you say and how you act. Instead of confronting anyone on your job, rather inform your agent of their disrespectful behavior and have them deal with it.

Working in the modeling industry you can easily come across very highly strung people who might not have the best social skills. If you are new to the modeling scene you can also get treated as a newbie in any industry would. Try not to take offense too easily. You need to have a hard skin for this business and acting with dignity and professionalism will see that you go much further in your career path.

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Working with the Photographer

The photographer on any shoot will have a lot of stress to deal with. They are responsible for the account and if they fail, everyone else does too. They are working against time to get as many good shots as possible into one day.

If you have an outdoor shoot, he or she will also have the light against them and your day will be shorter and therefore more stressful. To make the photographers life easier, always be ready to give your utmost to the camera, take direction properly and easily, don’t talk back or argue unless very urgent, and don’t complain. Getting on the good side of the photographer is your number one priority and will help you get more work in the future. Photographers will ask for you again if they enjoyed working with you.

Working with the Make-up Artist and Hair Stylist

These are the people in charge of your look for the shoot. They have been given instructions on how to make your hair, how dark your make up should be and what your overall image must portray. Don’t assume that they are going to make you look like a princess. Your shoot might require you to have a gothic style with dark lips and eye, and wildly streaked hair. It is not your place to argue about your look, so don’t. If you don’t like what they have done it is not really important. What the client wants is the important thing, so as harsh as it seems, just live with anything the make up and hair stylists do unless it is something drastic like wanting to cut your hair. You must be asked before the time if you object to having your hair cut or dyed.

Working with Fashion Designers

On a fashion shoot or range showing, you will need to be the designers display. He or she will want to fit the clothing on you until it is draped and hangs perfectly. This may take some patience on your part, so be prepared to stand around and have people measure, tug and pin outfits on you. Designers are quite renowned for their melodramatic behavior, so you need to learn to take it with a pinch of salt. You must not be disrespectful, but at the same time learn to demand respect in a nice way. Making a friend or forming some kind of connection with a designer can help to ease the stress and give you a more relaxed working relationship, but if it is your first time with a designer, just do what they ask you to do and try your best to impress them.

Working with other Models

Working with other models in the industry can be a tough business as there is competition and cat fighting that does occur. When you are new you might find that some models are of great help and show you the ropes, while some are bitchy and make snide comments to you. You should not make a scene under any circumstances, as this might lead to you getting fired, but rather ignore the comments and get on with your work. You will find that outperforming the other models and getting more jobs than they do will be the best way of getting to them.

Working with Directors

If you are on a film or television set for a part you must know how to work with all of the crew members there too. The director will be the main person you need to worry about and impressing him or her is all the matters if you want to remain in that field of modeling. You should do everything that he or she wants and do it really well to first or second time around. With some directors you can discuss certain aspects of the shoot, and if you are uncomfortable with a certain gesture or movement they have asked you to do, you can respectfully mention that you feel awkward with it. Before saying anything though, be sure to judge the demeanor of the director. Many of them go for days without proper sleep and can be very short tempered, stressed out and just want it done without question.

When you have to work with all of the other modeling industry professionals you will soon see that the modeling arena is not all about the models. You have to be professional and do your job just like everyone else. This said, you must also demand respect from the photographers, make up artists, designers and directors. They are using your services to their benefit, so don’t let anyone walk all over you. You will not get anywhere in the modeling world if you do that. Having a professional, clean, and well rounded portfolio will soon catch the attention of the international modeling circuit where you can eventually be seen as a super model and work for the biggest fashion houses and name brands in the world.