Reputable and Professional Modeling Agencies
How to spot a reputable and professional modeling agency?
Many models in the early stages of their careers tend to face the same question: How do they know if they can trust a modeling agency that they're in contact with? While many models have and continue to be scammed by professional scam artists, who falsely impersonate themselves as reputable and professional modeling agencies or agents, we believe that with the right advice you can avoid being fooled and ripped off.
Signs of reputable and professional modeling agencies:
1. Reputable modeling agencies or agents will never ask you for a payment or fee in advance. If they do, then it's probable that you are dealing with an agency or agent who is not legitimate.
2. Reputable and professional model agencies will never ask you to pose nude for photographs. There have been many cases where scammers have told models that in order to become famous and successful they need to be ready and willing to be photographed without any clothes on. This is wrong. You will never need to pose nude for a photo in order to advance your career, and you should not let anybody tell you otherwise. A professional modeling agency might ask you to pose in a swimming suit or lingerie in order to see your body type. This is a normal request.
3. Professional model agencies will evaluate your talent based on the type of work you are looking to do. If you are an aspiring model who wants to do high-fashion modeling, then you will most likely be evaluated on walking down the catwalk. On the other hand, if you are looking to become a hair, face or body-part model, you should not expect to be tested in any other ways than those needed for that particular work. Should the agency ask you to pose in any other types of photographs, then it is your choice whether to accept it or not, keeping in mind that it is not required in terms of the work you would be doing.
4. While working with a modeling agency or an agent, you will see how the agency conducts its business. Reputable and professional modeling agencies will send you to casting calls or make the bookings for modeling jobs for you. You should not be asked to search for modeling jobs on your own. After you have signed with a modeling agency, you thereby become their 'employee' of whom the agency needs to take care of. At no point should you be paying the agency for the work they are doing. A clear sign of reputable and professional modeling agencies is a work contract. As an agency they need to make sure that you sign a clear and specified contract that sets all the requirements from the get-go for you and for them. So do make sure you sign a legitimate contract.
