HOW TO BOOK MORE MODELING GIGS IN 2025
Booking gigs as a model can be hard.
Over the last few years I’ve looked at hundreds of applications from models I have hired.
I see a lot of the same mistakes that can be easily fixed to help improve your chances of booking your next gig.
So, I decided to write it down all here and share with you.
I will sum up the entire article right here if you don’t feel like reading it: Make the casting director’s decision easy.
Let’s get into it.
TIP #1 - THE EASIEST AND FASTEST WAY TO STAND OUT IN YOUR APPLICATIONS
Take a look at these 2 applications I received for a job listing where I needed someone to make recipes and be comfortable on camera.
Now put yourself in the casting director’s shoes.
I need to…
Quickly make a decision about who to reach out to. Because you and I both know the hiring process isn’t done simply when I click the “hire” button.
Confirm that they can do what we are asking in the application. Can they make the shoot date? Are they comfortable making recipes? Do we need to negotiate rights and usage? And so on.
On top of that, sometimes models won’t reply that have applied to the gigs I’ve posted (ghosting happens both ways. It’s very unfortunate) So, it can very quickly feel chaotic for you and me both when deciding who to book.
All things being equal, who would you reach out to?
Yes, option B is a safer bet.
Here’s why option B stood out.
She acknowledged what she was applying for (making my decision making easier to reach out to her)
She showed interest.
She wrote with confidence.
And here’s the thing, this was her SECOND gig ever! There were about 70 applicants to this job all varying in experience.
She didn’t have a crazy portfolio with tons of big names. But she did have a few GOOD photos (which I’ll get to later)
Yes, this will slow down your application process by taking a few extra minutes to customize your message. But it doesn’t have to be long or complex. Simply acknowledge the criteria being asked and you’ve immediately separated yourself.
Major bonus points if you use the name of the casting director in your cover letter.
TIP #2 - SHOW YOUR RANGE
I do a lot of shoots with food that we want the model to make a range of facial expressions: happy, shocked, sad, amazed, etc.
So, one thing I look for in applications is if the model is showing their range. This means posing, facial expressions, wardrobe style(s).
This is what a typical conversation looks like with my creative director and I when we hire.
Me: Here are 15 models who I think would be a good fit. Who do you think we should pick?
Creative Director: Ohhh, these 5 are all good… but.. Do you think they will show the expressions we need? They all look so serious! I’m nervous that they won’t feel comfortable making the expressions we need when we shoot.
Let me pause here.
The point I am trying to make is to show your range that YOU ARE COMFORTABLE with.
If you don’t like making big expressions or crazy poses then there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
But, showing your range helps separate you from a sea of models that are all making the “serious model face”.
This isn’t limited to facial expressions. If you have a dance background, showing that is a huge bonus. Or, if you are comfortable cooking, showing some kind of recipe video or a photo of you cooking will help you stand out.
This goes for wardrobe. If you like fitness and are very fit, show that off! If you are very into high fashion and know how to put together looks, let it be known!
The good news is this is a super easy fix for your portfolio if you don’t have this already. You can do a simple studio shoot with a very basic wardrobe where you focus simply on expressions and poses.
Again, this all goes back to making the decision easy for the casting director. The more you show that you can do upfront without having a conversation the higher your chances of getting hired are.
This exact frame was enough for me to hire Jetta for a video shoot. It also turned into many months of consistent work with her.
TIP #3 HAVE THE TYPE OF WORK YOU WANT ALREADY IN YOUR PORTFOLIO
I know.
This is a catch 22.
How do you get more fitness shoots if you haven’t done a fitness shoot?
Here’s how my friend Shulin did it.
Shulin hit me up and wanted to shoot some new looks for her agency. She had everything prepped and knew exactly what she was looking for.
We booked the studio and got to it. Here are a few examples of what we shot.
We booked a studio and shot exactly what she was looking for.
We were both very happy with what we shot.
And the best part?
She landed more gigs from our shoot!
There are 2 ways you can approach this as a model:
Keep an eye out for TFP (time for prints) or Test shoots on casting websites. This is a way for you to get the type of work you’re looking for either free or at a very low cost.
Reach out to a photographer who shoots exactly what you want. They may want to charge you for it. But if it’s something you know you want to do it will be worth it. You get what you pay for.
Also a tip from my perspective as a photographer when it comes to test shoots. The more proactive you are about pursuing the photographer the more likely you will shoot.
When a photographer posts a TFP or test shoot they usually get hundreds of applicants. You can easily stand out by mentioning you already have the wardrobe they are looking for, or are comfortable with the type of work they are looking to shoot.
It all goes back to helping each other out and making the decision an easy yes for both people.
If you’d like to shoot with me I’m currently open to paid shoots. Shoot me a message and we can set something up!