Model: Justine Soranzo.
JUSTINE SORANZO, 24 years old. Paris. Model.
Personal branding in Modeling is as essential as Social Media today. Justine is a French model based in Paris. With her own style, she has shown the world her sophisticated and elegant personal branding, she is a very active model on social networks and has over a hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Justine delights her audience by showing her lifestyle and work without filters, and she believes that the way she communicates, so close and real, is the key to her success.
Who is Justine?
I am a model, I am 24 years old and I have been living in Paris for almost 5 years. I love to read, I read a lot and above all I love strolling through bookshops. I also did a lot of dancing, for 13 years (jazz, classical, and tap).
How did you start your modeling career? Has it always been your dream since you were a child?
I started taking pictures at the age of 15 as an amateur model, for fun. I would shoot with different photographers around my parents’ house (near Grenoble), and I would publish these photos on my Facebook page. Then at the age of 19, a scout noticed me thanks to the photos I published every week on my social networks. He wrote to me saying that he had sent my photos to a big modeling agency in Paris and that they were interested in my profile and wanted to see me.
So I went to Paris and met them. They took my measurements, took polas and looked at my professional photos. They told me that everything was ok, that they were very interested in my profile and wanted me in their agency on the condition that I came to live in Paris.
It wasn’t necessarily a childhood dream to become a model. I loved to pose in front of the lenses of some photographers but I never thought I would be scouted.
How did you become a professional model?
I stopped my studies along the way to start modeling 100%, but I don’t regret it at all. I had started studying in the commercial field, but I didn’t really know what I wanted to do yet.
My family has always supported me and never told me that I absolutely had to continue my studies, on the contrary, they told me that I had to try my luck in Paris!
“It is thanks to publishing again and again on the networks that you will be spotted one day”
What advice can you give to an aspiring model?
Simply to believe in yourself and to shoot with different photographers. You have to shoot as much as possible to become more and more comfortable in front of the camera. Then share your photos on the networks in order to create contacts in the field (new photographers will then start to contact you to collaborate with them) and it is thanks to publishing again and again on the networks that you will be spotted one day. If not, don’t give up. Keep shooting, and once you have a good “book” with different photographers (3-4 different shoots minimum) you can start sending your application to modeling agencies around the world. Don’t forget also to make nice polas, these are essential photos that will capture your natural beauty for the agency.
“Don’t be afraid of the lens and don’t be afraid of giving yourself a role. Knowing how to pose can of course be learned over time, and with experience”
How do you feel in front of a camera? Knowing how to pose and how to be a model is learned over time and experience… Do you improve and become more self-confident over time?
In front of a camera, I feel very comfortable, in front of people too. This is the number one rule. Don’t be afraid of the lens and don’t be afraid of giving yourself a role. Knowing how to pose can of course be learned over time, and with experience. The more you shoot, the simpler it becomes for you. After almost 5 years as a model, nothing frightens me anymore. Shooting outside often means that many people will stop to look at you, but don’t let yourself be distracted, don’t be shy, you have to ignore it. For my part, it doesn’t bother me at all, because I stay focused on my job.
“The more you work, the more you earn and that’s something extremely motivating in this field”
What is the best and worst thing about your profession?
The best thing as a model is to be free, if tomorrow I don’t want to work, I tell my agencies and I don’t work. If I am offered a job that I don’t want to do I tell them and I don’t do it. We make our own choices. Well, at least for me. But of course, the aim is not to refuse jobs, it’s just to explain a little bit the choice we have, the fact that we are quite free and don’t have fixed working hours or days.
Sometimes I can work 20 days in a month, sometimes only 4 or 5 days. So yes the gap is big but you get used to it over time and that’s what’s nice about it.
Perhaps the worst thing in this environment would be not knowing how much we’re going to earn each month? But for me it’s not negative. With time we know which months work best in modeling and we know that some months will be lower than others. I like the fact that I can earn different amounts each month. The more you work, the more you earn and that’s something extremely motivating in this field.
You have a beautiful and sophisticated style. What inspires you or what inspires you to create your style?
The Parisian style of course! Paris has brought me a certain fashion style, that’s for sure. As a model, I have become much more assertive in my style. I like simple things, but when added together they give a sophisticated look. Colors that are generally quite neutral, giving this ever-chic side.
I get a lot of inspiration on social media, both from modern pieces as well as from more vintage pieces and through the style of some people who are sometimes opposed to each other such as Jeanne Damas, Kendall Jenner or Brigitte Bardot.
How do you make yourself visible on social media? What is your trick or your way to get more visibility?
Publishing often on your networks is extremely important. It’s like when I often published my photos on Facebook back then. Today it’s important to share your content on Instagram (professional and personal) or TikTok in order to interest new clients. But I don’t force myself at all because I always liked to share my life with people on the networks, I share my real life and maybe that’s what people like.
How to achieve permanence and constant growth on social networks (how to keep your followers interested and attract the attention of others)?
Publish every two days on social networks or at least 3/4 times a week. Never publish to publish, always publish quality content. Posting to post will make you lose commitment and your followers will feel it and no longer come to like/comment your posts.
Being too present by publishing every day will ” burn out ” your followers because by publishing every day your photos can’t be all qualitative and you will lose commitment.
How important are social networks for a model’s career today?
For me, social media is essential. The more you show yourself on the different networks, the more you will be contacted.
“I don’t condone unnecessary malice”
Being exposed to such an audience means that a lot of people express opinions and judgments. How do you deal with this exposure and the compliments or criticism you may receive from your followers?
For my part, I am lucky because I am surrounded by a caring community. The people who follow me are people who love my work, my world, so there are no problems with them. As for critics, I very rarely have any. If I do, they are usually about looks and I don’t condone unnecessary malice, so I automatically block the person. People who don’t like my profile just have to go their way.
Throughout your modeling career, have you traveled a lot for your work? If so, what do you think about the inclusion of the Internet in the new way of doing (online) castings?
No, I traveled a little for fashion week (catwalks) when I started out, in Milan and London but I have a profile that works very well in Paris. Being very homy, I like to stay in one place. So staying in Paris suits me very well. Traveling from time to time for pleasure is much better! After a while, I traveled within France or outside of France for certain jobs if brands wanted to shoot their collection in another country, and I love it because it feels like I’m going on holiday.
Casting online is modern. I’m not in favor of casting by zoom or FaceTime, but online casting on platforms allows the client to have all our information at their disposal to make the final choice, which is much simpler.
You, who know the world of fashion and casting inside out, what do you think of a platform like ModelManagement.com?
I think it’s a great concept. The client has access to our portfolio, our measurements, our polas, he has everything he needs to select the model he needs for a shoot. This is easy to use and makes it easier to book a model.
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