Variety, variety, variety!!!
The more "looks" you have in your book, the better your chances for getting work! Can you look 18 yrs. old, and also 28? Can you look great as a businessperson and a Rollerblade? Every GOOD look you can come up with for your book improves your marketability.
You will get the types of work you show in your portfolio! If you have nothing but swimwear and lingerie in your portfolio, then those are the types of work you are going to get offers for 99% of the time.
Multiple Books
If you want to market yourself in several areas of the business, have separate books for each of those market-segments. A lifestyle agency is not going to be able to get you work (or even want to deal with you) if you have all lingerie in your book.
Keep that as a second (or third) book, and have a book that specifically targets the work you are going after.
DON'T let just one photographer shoot your entire portfolio: Different photographers will look at you in different ways, and again; the key to a good portfolio is VARIETY!!
ALWAYS get a stylist to do your makeup/hair! Find several that you trust to make you look great, and start a relationship with them. and as with photographers, make sure you use a number of different ones for the images you show in your book; Good Make Up Artists are essential to a successful book! - This is the #1 error most beginning models and photographers make! yes, it usually costs money; but it is WORTH the investment.
Presentation is important
Yes, you can sometimes get away with using colour copies. HOWEVER, I'm a lot more impressed by a model who has made the investment in herself to have actual PRINTS, or at very least HIGH QUALITY Ink Jet Prints. Put them in a nice presentation binder or portfolio. If you have a "box" type portfolio, make sure your prints are laminated or mounted on boards. This is your resume; you wouldn't hand in a work resume typed on toilet paper; why would you do the equivalent with your VISUAL resume??
Image and Eye offer a variety of portfolio packages ranging from a starter portfolio all the way through to a professional package. Don't just think on saving money but think for every £1 spent is a possible job.
I can not stress how important it is too get the best you can afford when it comes to the prints and the actual portfolio its self.
Portfolio standards in the industry
Portfolio's vary greatly and there is no actual set rule on how they should be, but there are certain standards you should consider.
Always have at least one shot in a 11x14 format that is not in your actual book to give to agencies who are willing to take you on there books. This gives them what they need to advertise you, after which they will normally request your portfolio if the client has short listed you.
Your portfolio should consist of 20 to 30 excellent shots but they must be your best. If you only have 20 excellent shots but another 10 'good' shots don't put them in to make numbers up! Stick with your 20 excellent shots.
Most photographers give portfolio's as 9x12, this again is industry standard, Image and Eye we only give 11x14. Our portfolio's are 11x14 because its the size we fell has the most impact when presenting to a client. If we use 11x14 to promote our services to clients then why should we ask any different from you? At the end of the day it goes back to if that is what works for us then we will not give you anything less.
So that's just a short bit about models portfolio's and I'm sure we will hit this subject again and again over time.
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