I noticed a HUGE jump in my site traffic yesterday, so I decided to give you all something new to look at. Introducing Model of the Month, Jamie Mann (aka my oldest child and not really a model, so let’s see how long it takes him to notice this is here and yell at me to take it down).

Name: Jamie Mann

Height: 6’1″
Suit: 38L (I’m making this up. I really have no idea. Guys out there, does this sound about right?)
Shoe: 11 1/2
Base: New York

Jamie Mann, by Curtis & Cort

Jamie Mann, by Curtis & Cort

I call this Jamie Mann, surfer boy. By Curtis & Cort.

I call this Jamie Mann, surfer boy tough guy. By Curtis & Cort. (He is going to tell my how cringe-y this is.)

Obviously this is Jamie Mann, pretty boy. By Curtis & Cort.

This is one Mom doesn’t really want to label. We will call it: Where did my little boy go?

Jamie is an actor/singer/dancer. If you want to learn more, check out Jamiemartinmann.com
Jamie is repped by Edge Entertainment Management and Innovative Artists. 

Or just stay here and browse around my site and keep my traffic on the uptick!

Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search

Male Model of the Month: William Sellars 

I’ve been stalking this guy for months now. He was actually scouted by my very first agent, Nicole (Novitsky) Schulte. She has a good eye, as you can see. Look out fashion world!

William Sellars headshot

Age: 22
Height: 6’4″
Shirt size L
Pants 32/34
Jacket 42
Shoe 13
Waist 32
Inseam 32
Neck 15 1/4
Hometown: Austin
Seeking Representation

William Sellars, full-length shot

Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search

Baby Models of the Month

There has been a cuteness explosion in my inbox, and who can pick between these adorable babies?

Aksel Leder

Age: 9 months
Weight: 20 lbs
Size: 9-12 mo.
Closest city: Manhattan, NY

Aksel Leder

Aksel Leder’s contagious smile

Joseph Venturino

Age: 12 months
Size: 12 mo.
Based in: Staten Island, NY

Joseph Venturino

Joseph Venturino’s contagious smile

Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search 

February Child Model of the Month – Spencer Courtney Smalls

I can’t get enough of this adorable, stylish bundle of cuteness!

Clothing: 4–5T
Height: 3’3
Weight: 41 lbs
Shoe: 10
Based in NYC
Seeking Representation

Spencer Courtney Smalls posing like a pro

Spencer Courtney Smalls struts her stuff

Awesome ‘do!

Davi Carneiro
Height: 36.5″
Weight: 36 lbs.
Based in: CT
Seeking Representation

How irresistible is this kid?!

Child model Davi Carneiro

Davi Carneiro

Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search

Greyson and Olivia Grace

November Models of the Month!

Cuties from the Big Apple are filling my inbox…

Greyson: 4 years old in December, 38 inches tall, lives in Manhattan, has an irresistibly adorable ‘do

Manhattanite model Greyson

Olivia Grace Lukens: age 5, 46″ tall, size 7, based in NYC, princess-like 

Princess Olivia Grace Lukens, shot by Lisa Petz 

Keep smiling on my favorite city, kids! The modeling industry is gradually kicking back into gear. Hope to see these faces in a catalog or store window soon!

ENTER THE MODELING MENTOR MODEL SEARCH

Congrats, Model of the Month Reilly Austin!

Some people have to create a catchy model name, and some people are just born with super cool monikers like “Reilly Austin.” With that face, those legs, that name, and a photographer friend snapping cool pics like these of her, Reilly is ready for the modeling world! Now we just need the modeling world to be ready, i.e. free to focus on glossy magazines instead of PPE!

Reilly Austin

Height: 5’8 1/2″
Measurements: 30-23.5-33
Based in: Portland, OR
Seeking Representation

Reilly Austin, shot by Stella Favaro

I see a movie star. Reilly Austin, shot by Stella Favaro.

A walk in the park with Reilly Austin

If you entered my model search in the past year+, please re-submit to: modelsearch@modelingmentor.com  I’ve just learned that I lost some beauties out in cyberspace and I can’t have them floating out there without giving them a chance to be featured here and seen by agents! I always reply to everyone who submits, so if you did not hear from me, I did not receive your email. I’m so sorry about this tech glitch!

Good luck, all, and stay safe!

How to Enter the Modeling Mentor Model Search

At Six Feet Tall, This Model Is a Lovely Mid-Pandemic Discovery!

I say “mid” pandemic —let’s hope we aren’t actually early pandemic… But onto brighter topics: Madeline. She is Irish and Black, with a model bod that goes on forever.

Madeline

Height: 6′
Bust: 34A
Waist: 26
Hips: 33.5
Shoe: 8.5
From: Fairfield, CT

All Photos by Jerri Graham

Madeline, and her very long legs, shot by Jerri Graham

Madeline, pure joy, shot by Jerri Graham

Madeline, by Jerri Graham

Madeline—limbs forever. Shot by Jerri Graham.

Madeline—beauty. By Jerri Graham.

Enter my Modeling Mentor Model Search and get discovered!
Past winners are represented by top agencies in NYC, L.A., Atlanta, Paris, London, and all the major markets in Asia.

With COVID-19 still looming, many photo studios remain dark and no one is prowling the catwalks. What is an aspiring model to do?

Stay healthy, eat right, exercise, and educate yourself! Learn everything you can about the business so you are ready to take action once the industry is buzzing again. Expectations of instant gratification will get you nowhere these days. Select the “Modeling” category on my blog and read all the posts (keep arrowing back for more). For bonus points, read all of the Modeling Articles on my site.

Here is a cheat sheet of terms every model needs to know…

Agency – The middle man between the client and the model. They take a percent of what the model makes for each booking (usually 20%). A legitimate agency will not charge anything when they sign you; they only make money if you work.
(Best Modeling Agencies in NYC for Women) (Top Kid Model Agencies in NYC)
(Modeling Agency Appointment: What to Expect and When to Beware)

Book – The more common term for “portfolio.”

Booking – A confirmed modeling job.

Call-Time – The time the model needs to arrive at the job. Never be late. If you hold up a shoot, it can cost a client thousands of dollars (studio rental, crew, equipment rental, the photographer and other models’ time).

Casting – An “audition” for a specific job. Usually a model isn’t requested to do anything beyond show their portfolio, possibly have some digital photos taken, and occasionally try on clothing. If it’s a runway casting, models will walk for the client. For commercials, models will be put on camera, sometimes with dialogue, or they may just slate their name and agency and show their profiles or do a 360-degree turn.
(The Casting Couch: How Big a Role Does It Play in the Modeling World)

Catalog – This term can refer to a job, model, or market. A catalog job is a shoot for a store’s catalog, e.g. JCPenney. A catalog model usually has conventional American-as-apple-pie good looks, unlike the more unusual creatures populating high-fashion magazine spreads and catwalks. A catalog market is a city that has more catalog-type clients than editorial/high-fashion clients. Miami, Dallas, and Munich are examples of catalog markets.

Cattle-Call – A casting characterized by masses of models. Lists can go beyond 200 and involve hours of waiting.

Chart – A model’s work calendar on which an agent types in a model’s upcoming options, bookings, and any days she may have “booked out” for personal reasons or vacation. With the advent of model-agency software, charts became computerized. In the 90s, they used to hang from a circular frame above the bookers’ table and the bookers would spin them around to find the chart they needed.

Comp Card – Common term for composite card. This is a model’s key selling tool—her business card—which usually features a color headshot on the front and several shots on the back. The agency mails out packages of comp cards to clients constantly and the model must always have comps to leave at castings and go-sees.

Digitals – Your agency will periodically take digital photos of you at the agency, which are no-nonsense snapshots of you: headshot, profiles, and non-posey full-lengths so clients can see what you look like, sans makeup and elaborate styling.

Modeling Mentor Model of the Year Alexa Kissling – digital profile shot

Direct Booking – A job in which an out-of-town model is booked by a client who usually pays for the model to come in from another market. The client books the model from a comp card or portfolio, without seeing the model in person (or the client may know him/her from a previous booking).

Editorial – As opposed to catalog, an editorial job is for a magazine and editorial models can be more edgy than pretty. Editorial work pays much less than catalog but is essential to building a strong book of tear sheets and getting the exposure needed to climb the supermodel ladder. Top editorial models usually do the top shows and vice versa; the top editors who book them are sitting in the front rows at the shows. Paris, Milan, and New York are editorial markets.

Go-See – An appointment to go and see a client or photographer. A new model or a model new to a market will do days of pavement-pounding go-sees. Many agents use “go-see” and “casting” interchangeably, but originally a go-see meant a model was making the rounds and seeing the clients so they knew him or her for future reference; a casting was for a specific job.

Mother Agent – Your first agency or the agency that guides your career and places you with agents in different markets. Your mother agent generally retains 10% of your earnings, while the agency where they place you gets the other 10%. So having a mother agents does not affect the model’s net profits, since the total agency cut remains 20%.
(The Ins and Outs of Agency Contracts)

Option – A client has put a hold (“first option”) on a model, and that client will be given first dibs on booking the model should a “second option” or booking come in from another client.

Request Casting – A casting in which the model has been specifically requested by the client.

Tear Sheet – Any page from a magazine or publication that the featured model can “tear” out and put in her book. Tear sheets, especially good ones from top magazines, are like gold. They prove a model is in demand, and, since people are sheep, that leads to more demand. A great tear sheet trumps good catalog cash.

Modeling Mentor Model of the Year Em Marie has built a book of fabulous tear sheets while modeling in Asia over the past two years.

Test – A shoot that is done specifically to build a book—the model’s and/or the photographer’s—not for a job. New models need to test as much as possible. Experienced models will replace test shots with tear sheets, but most models—except the top echelon—will continue to do some testing throughout their careers to keep their books updated.

Voucher – This is the form, provided by your agency in your voucher book, that you and the client fill out at the end of each booking. One copy goes to the client, one to the agency (these days generally you can take a photo and email it to them at the end of the booking), and one for your records.

Blast from the Past: Check out My Favorite Modeling Articles from Tear Sheet magazine

This is a follow-up to my previous Slim vs. Sick post, so read that first!

That article sparked a lively Facebook conversation with my model friends from back in the day and from today. I’m sharing their comments here so you can take more than my word for it: Models eat!

Lovely Leslie! My close friend’s comp card from the 90s.

90s Models on What Living Large and Staying Trim Meant Then

RICKY: I loved my food and wine/beer. Maybe my downfall at times was that I never really cared about weight. I didn’t care. I lived a life full of friends, culture, travel, adventures, smokes, booze (but not too extreme), and never let the business get the best of me. I didn’t do the job for the financial aspect but for the opportunity to travel and see the world, and that I did. I saw so many incredible countries, so many adventures—enough to last a lifetime! I’m sorry for those girls who struggled with eating disorders; the business never meant that much to me to sacrifice food and fun!

A page from my model scrapbooks, with Sophie Patitz and Ricky Haas. I met them in Munich in the 90s and we are still close friends.

LESLIE: I’ve always loved food and never personally understand eating issues. I never had that issue but I completely enjoyed cigs—every single one of them. That habit was acceptable in the 90s in Europe, but unfortunately it’s very addicting. It took years to quit and I finally did it. I was always healthy other than that and never had to diet.

We had no idea how fortunate we were and no touching up anything—just Polaroids to check lighting. We truly were the last generation before full-on technology. We were lucky, saw the world, had a blast, and made lots of memories together ❤️

JILL: And no cell phones. We actually had to read maps! And I’m sure we learned the cities much more thoroughly that way ;) GPS – nah, too easy!

Shows in Dusseldorf, road trip to Salamanca, model pension in Madrid (I was the only girl among all these male models!)

RICKY: My geography is so fine tuned due to the good ol’ days. The way I entered the modeling days in 1988 would be shocking to current models…”Here is a map of our city and here is a list of 10 clients you must see in a 9-hour period. Good luck! And P.S. sorry you don’t speak the language!”

The Model Diet in 2020

ALEXA: I’ve definitely had trouble with the measurements and how to enjoy healthy eating, until you took me in and taught me the heathy food ways I wasn’t introduced to before(: I was very naturally skinny no matter what I ate, until I hit the time where my metabolism slowed down. There was a time where I was desperate and too focused on the weight, and how to lose it and tried to do special “diets” that weren’t necessarily healthy but that never helped. Eating healthy and working out is definitely what is needed—good for you and your body. I am super thankful for you and taking me in and teaching me ❤ I’ve definitely heard a lot about models only drinking coffee and smoking.

Gorgeous Alexa Kissling, summer 2020

JILL: Awww, it’s a true honor to steer the next generation down a healthy path—mind and body—so you too can have the time of your life in the modeling world. When you look back years later, you’ll remember the friends you made, the places you went, the adventures you had. The tear sheets won’t matter as much—they’re the bonus. I saved all my portfolios. Half contain my modeling tear sheets and photos. The other half I made into scrapbooks of photos, notes, and keepsakes from my decade in the biz—those are the ones I look at all the time.

BIG CONGRATS TO ALEXA KISSLING, DISCOVERED THROUGH MY MODEL SEARCH, ON RECENTLY SIGNING WITH RED MODEL MANAGEMENT IN NYC! (Check out all of her amazing pics at the link!)

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