Here's how it starts: She comes home from the mall all excited.
"I met an agent! He wants to help me get into modeling."
She hands you a professional-looking business card. When you call the number, you may be invited to an audition or told you need to submit a portfolio of professional photography, which the agent will provide for a fee.
Your daughter is bouncing up and down with excitement, but you're about to be scammed. If you go to the audition, your daughter will be told she has the potential to be a star, but she'll need modeling lessons and photographs that could add up to thousands of dollars.
In fact, these companies make their money from selling to you — not promoting your child to fashion companies.
Reputable modeling agencies charge you nothing upfront. They typically take 15 to 20 percent of modeling fees, so they only make money if your daughter gets a job. Most, like Wilhemina emphasize that you don't need a portfolio of studio portraits. In fact, they prefer snapshots with little or no makeup and styling, so they can see what your child really looks like. You can usually mail or email the photos to the agency. Some, such as Stars Model Management and Look Modeling Agency in San Francisco, hold weekly, two-hour open calls.
If you and your tween are serious about going down this path, here's what you need to know:
Call reputable agencies. Look for ones that do not include the word "school."
Location, location, location. Your kid has the best chance to get jobs if you live near Los Angeles or New York. She can also find gigs modeling for catalogs and local newspapers in major metro areas. The farther away you live from a big city, the harder everything will be.
You're the chauffeur. You or another trusted adult will need to be available at short notice to accompany your tween to shoots. Often, you'll get only a day's notice for a job or an audition (called a go-see in the modeling business).
Poised for action. While a responsible adult is expected to accompany tweens and young teens, the photographer and stylist won't want you hovering. Your kid has to be comfortable in a roomful of strangers without you holding her hand.
Exotic dilemma. Unfortunately, the world of fashion is still predominantly Caucasian. Models of all races have become stars, but for every Tyra Banks, there are hundreds of Caucasian models. Girls of other ethnicities will be competing for far fewer jobs.
Fashions in face: Trends in facial features may be subtle, but they're definitely a big factor in modeling. Sometimes photographers want big, lush lips, then fashion turns and they want a smaller, defined lip line. Now it's wild curly hair, then it's a sleek topknot. Your daughter's looks may be stunning, but they may not be in style right now.
Thick skin. How well does your daughter handle disappointment and rejection? Even a girl with the longest legs and shiniest hair in her school may not make it as a model. Modeling is a tough racket, and hundreds of girls may vie for a few jobs. Your daughter will need high self-esteem and plenty of perseverance. Can she understand that whether she's chosen has nothing to do with how good or pretty she is?
See also A Model's Body or the Real Thing?
Has your tween or teen-ager modeled? What was the experience like? If you paid for professional photography or lessons, did they lead to jobs? Let us know.