Close your eyes.
Clear your mind.
Now, think about what you perceive a model to look like.
You may have more than one image in mind. One of them could be a handsome young man on the cover of a glossy magazine – maybe Men’s Health or Sports Illustrated. Another image might be a long-legged female wearing a garish dress strutting down a catwalk in unfeasibly high heels.
These two examples are perfectly understandable, because some models do indeed appear on magazine covers and on catwalks. They could come from a modelling background, or they could be famous people in their own right. These high fashion models all have their place in society, but there are many more models that some people don’t imagine are models. These are commercial models, and it’s something that’s our speciality.
- Tell us your skills!
- Challenging modelling stereotypes
- How do I get selected for modelling work?
- Being patient – sometimes it takes that little bit longer to be chosen
- Modelling as a couple
Stereotypes are prevalent almost everywhere – whether we think they do or not. That’s not say someone is malicious or racist because they are guilty of stereotyping. It happens more often than it should, but it’s simply a fact of human nature.
When it comes to stereotypes in modelling, it’s easy to be distracted with the preconception that all models are a certain height and weight, and that it’s a glamorous life, with extensive travelling and huge pay cheques. True, some professional models are certainly well paid, and they do travel around the world. These probably make up about 1% of models. We don’t know that this 1% is true, because it could even be much lower!
We like to challenge modelling stereotypes because we know from experience that most models seen by the public are normal people – just like you, who are reading this blog. That means that anyone can become a model, and it’s easier to become one than you’d think.
The first step begins with researching the industry, whether that’s looking up the types of brands who are always looking for commercial models, or whether it’s researching the agencies who represent talented individuals.
The next step is to register with a reputable agency. Sadly, there are agencies who promise instant success when all they do is take money for photos with no intention of ever using them. We never charge for photos, so the small admin fee is to be included in our representation so we can put models forward to clients whenever their look is asked for.
We cater for everyone, so there are no stereotypes or stigmas. We don’t just have males and females of a certain look on our books. As the UK’s largest commercial modelling employment agency, we have placed a wide range of models in top jobs across the country. These include models of diversity, hand / feet models and a fabulous range of pet models.
Almost all brands have a social media presence and a website. Some appear in national printed media and on TV. Some are branches of the government and local councils. Some are non-for-profits, and some are high street brands. But they all have one thing in common: they don’t stereotype, and they all look for commercial models just like you at some point.
Why join the thousands of like-minded models who we represent? You, too, could soon enjoy the delights of commercial modelling.
