model agencies.

OP

Corkeys_queen

Well, i remember watching something on This morning that said, anyone that makes you pay up front for pictures is not necessarily interested, if they were interested then they would get someone to take yor pics then take the money out of the pay you get from shoots or whatever..hope that helps!!

Well they havnt said anything about paying for anything yet. Like I said, Im just being paranoid. They are a London agency, so hopefully they are legit. I suppose Ill find out when I get these 'Details' through the post..

Reply 4

Lush Law

I got asked randomly by a woman when shopping if I'd be interested in doing some facial modelling for Gap. I said no because I'd previously applied to do facial modelling with Gap and they charged me a £75.00 photoshoot fee and then told me I was "nice looking but not quite unusual enough". That's fine, but they shouldn't have charged me £75.00 - I would know better now but I was only 17 at the time and very naive.

Just be careful not to get caught out, and this was by Gap!

Reply 5

Hana_1987

1

if you want to do modelling/are serious about it, try more well known/reputable agencies such as:
models 1
storm
select
(i cant think of more off the top of my head!)
i think i saw that thing on this morning too a few years ago.

Reply 6

beach surf babe

They should be part of a professional board of agencies too. As I've said before there are plenty of sharks around waiting to take your money.

Reply 7

daisychain6

Hello!!
My sister has just got on to the books of a modelling agency, she pays a £500upfront fee, but this involves an initial 2 hour photoshoot after which the photographer chooses her best 50 picture which are then put into the portfolio and up on to their website. They regularly have events coming up, and quite a few of the models they have have been in adverts on television and my sister has already been signed up for a wedding catwalk. Each job pays at least £350, so if you think about it, the agency has to get money somehow, and at the worst you will get a collection of really nice photos and at the worst you will make back the money you pay and get a good portfolio together!
Hope this helps somehow! xx

Reply 8

OP

Is it common to have to pay money upfront? Hell, I couldnt afford an upfront fee like that. I thought they just decided if you were good looking enough after a few *free* shots, and then just take a % of the money you earn from jobs. The agency I applied for says nothing about an upfront fee, they just take 33% of you job earnings. If they want an upfront fee, screw that. Not worth the hassle.

Reply 9

Lush Law

RogueTrader

Is it common to have to pay money upfront? Hell, I couldnt afford an upfront fee like that. I thought they just decided if you were good looking enough after a few *free* shots, and then just take a % of the money you earn from jobs. The agency I applied for says nothing about an upfront fee, they just take 33% of you job earnings. If they want an upfront fee, screw that. Not worth the hassle.

If you're good and striking looking enough and they see a real potential they probably won't make you pay. If you don't wow them you'll have to prove yourself.

Reply 10

*titanium*

12

I applied once, i sent photos, they sent me a letter saying they liked me and will refer my entry to the 'national selection panle' then i get a letter saying i have been accpeted and that it will cost me £50, i decided against it so never got back to them, eventualy i get a phone call from them, a women asking me if i am sitll interested, when i said no she got really rude and started saying i could have at least let them no i was no longer interested.

My cousin applied years ago, im quite sure she had to pay as well, she actualy ended up getting a fair amount of work from it, must have earned over £1000.

Reply 11

OP

No way am I payin for photos to be done. Ill tell them to leave it if I have to pay anything. Infact, Im going to email them now to find out.

Reply 12

Bluelight

13

I heard if they ask you for money they're not legit or lucrative ,professional modelling agencies only take money from you when you make it, end of.

Reply 13

jointhedots

16

daisychain6

Hello!!
My sister has just got on to the books of a modelling agency, she pays a £500upfront fee, but this involves an initial 2 hour photoshoot after which the photographer chooses her best 50 picture which are then put into the portfolio and up on to their website. They regularly have events coming up, and quite a few of the models they have have been in adverts on television and my sister has already been signed up for a wedding catwalk. Each job pays at least £350, so if you think about it, the agency has to get money somehow, and at the worst you will get a collection of really nice photos and at the worst you will make back the money you pay and get a good portfolio together!
Hope this helps somehow! xx

No offence meant to your sister, but paying that much to get onto an agency's books seems ridiculous .More like paying to join a club, if you ask me. You really think that photographers skills are worth £250/hour?

The agency presumably take a percentage of the model's fee from his/her work - that's how they should be making money. If they only sign up people who they think will get a lot of bookings, they shouldn't need to worry about the initial cost of the portfolio, as the model will make the money back if s/he is good enough.

Reply 14

beach surf babe

And where's the work they promise eh? Time and time again, its in the magazines, on tv. YOU SHOULD NOT PAY ANY MONEY UPFRONT. PROPER MODEL AGENCIES DON'T DO THAT. ITS A SCAM.

Reply 15

*titanium*

12

beach_surf_babe

And where's the work they promise eh? Time and time again, its in the magazines, on tv. YOU SHOULD NOT PAY ANY MONEY UPFRONT. PROPER MODEL AGENCIES DON'T DO THAT. ITS A SCAM.

Its not a scam, i know people that have payed upfront and got lots of work, my dad is a freelance photographer and takes photos for a small theartical agency about once a month which is prety simular except its models do tv adverts.

It charges an upfront free and is no scam!

Reply 16

beach surf babe

Even so...you should still be cautious.

Reply 17

*titanium*

12

beach_surf_babe

Even so...you should still be cautious.

well if you get them form yell.com they are lamsot certainly legit, obviously if some guy emails oyu and does not even have a website then its not legit.

One thing to take in to account is that "if something is to good to be true, it ussualy isnt"

If you look alright you should get work as a lot of advertisers are looking for normal people to model for them. But just because the agenct makes claims about how much money you can get, i wouldnt take notice dont expect to get rich off of it, you would make more money working, its just that modeling is easy money since you get £75 an hour.

Reply 18

bedbug

I've always read in magazines that if you're asked to pay an upfront fee then the agency isn't worth bothering with. As people have said, if you're good enough to be getting jobs they won't need you to pay upfront as the agency knows they will make money through you getting work.

I'd check out Models One or Select if you've got a commercial look or Storm if you're more edgy and high fashion. Go to them in London with a couple of family style snapshots of you and go wearing as little make up as possible so they can see you properly. They might take a few polaroids to see how you photograph but won't ask for any money from you if they do decide to take you on.

Reply 19

OP