With hundreds of thousands of members and tens of thousands of active casting calls at any given time, Model Mayhem is the largest casting network on the planet today. We’re proud of this incredible opportunity for our members.
With this in mind, we’re excited to announce a significant upgrade to our casting platform: Sponsored Casting Calls.
Sponsored Casting Calls provide two major benefits to our members. First, it allows non-member entities to cast directly to the Model Mayhem community. Previously we prohibited non-members (agencies, casting directors, publications, etc.) from posting casting calls, which inhibited the number of opportunities for our members. With Sponsored Casting Calls, our members will gain access to a wider variety of paying opportunities.
Secondly, with so many casting calls live at any given moment, it was very difficult for calls to remain visible to those searching out opportunities. Now Sponsored Casting Calls sit at the top of casting search results for relevant search results.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Sponsored Casting Calls do require payment, and we think the value for money is undeniable. However, we also wanted to reward all of our members. We’ve done so by giving sizable discounts to Sponsored Casting Calls for all members:
Basic/Legacy – 10%
Premium – 15%
VIP – 20%
We hope you all enjoy the upgraded system. Tell your friends!
Now here’s how Sponsored Casting Calls work…
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
How to create Sponsored Casting Calls
Register a Guest Account. First-time users who are non-members will need to create a Guest Account. Members can bypass this step simply by logging into Model Mayhem.
Create your casting. Here’s where you state your casting call details. The more accurate and detailed your description, the more people will trust you and respond.
Pay and activate casting. Here’s where you confirm and pay for your casting. After you’ve paid, you’ll see another confirmation page (“Casting Call Posted!”) with links to view your casting call and manage all your casting calls.
3 tips for successful Sponsored Casting Calls
Social media buttons on casting calls allow anyone to share them through Facebook, Twitter, and email.
If you place a Sponsored Casting Call, you can change its start/end and run times while it’s active. If the new run time is in a higher payment tier than the original one (e.g., 2 weeks instead of 1), you’ll pay the difference.
If your Sponsored Casting Call gets taken down, feel free to work with us through customer service about the issue. If you broke the casting call or site rules, we won’t refund you for taken down casting calls. However, we will provide refunds for casting calls taken down in error.
That’s it! Please also check our FAQ (“Casting Calls/Travel Notices/Availability Notices” section) for answers to frequently asked questions about this feature.
As we’ve just passed our 8th anniversary, we wanted to thank you all for creating and supporting the greatest community of artists anywhere in the world. Model Mayhem is a unique and incredible place and we’re honored every day to be a part of it.
We also thought it would be worthwhile to give you a little update on the site and where we’re heading with it.
From your fantastic feedback and through a series of recent member surveys, we’ve identified three areas that consistently came up when asked “how can we make Model Mayhem better?” For each of these areas we’ve instituted immediate changes as well as ongoing projects for us to focus on.
Here they are:
Improved member quality
Predominantly, the feedback in this area has been around improving your ability to network with people who take their profession or hobby seriously. As such we have implemented the following changes to our member policies:
New member applicants cannot have low-quality, self-taken images (aka “No Crappy Cell Phone Pics”). We implemented this with the Gatekeeper team back in March and have seen a strong rise in the overall quality of new profiles coming onto the site. We will not be enforcing this policy on already approved profiles. This is just for those people seeking to become a new Model Mayhem member.
Zero tolerance on adult networking. Historically we gave members a warning if caught soliciting others for adult work.However, with the implementation of our PM flagging capability and based on your feedback, we have moved to a zero tolerance stance. Model Mayhem is not to be used to solicit adult industry work.
There were a number of other excellent suggestions that will help us improve the overall quality of the community and we are actively working on ways to implement them.
Improved photo capabilities
Most of the discussion revolved around your ability to upload better (and more) photos and videos to your portfolio. We’re excited to announce the following updates:
Higher res photos allowed. We have expanded the photo size allowance from 800Kb to 1500Kb.
Updated image processing. We’ve also recently updated our image processing software, enabling us to retain EXIF data when it is included in the image being uploaded.
More images! For VIP members we are expanding the number of available photo slots from 200 to 500.
We also have plans to continue to improve the portfolio viewing and managing capability as well as add the ability to link videos into your profile.These improvements will take some time to implement so expect them in future.
Improved look and feel
By far the biggest “look and feel” wish amongst members was to create a mobile-friendly version of the site. We are excited to have launched a true mobile version of Model Mayhem last month. If you haven’t played with it yet, please do check it out.
In addition to mobile, we’re currently working through how to improve the usability of the My Stuff and Portfolio areas and have some great new designs as well as features that we aim to introduce through the course of the year.
We will continue to apply new designs to the various areas of the site with the ultimate aim to make Model Mayhem a highly functional application to help everyone in the community network, learn and collaborate.
The Model Mayhem community continues to thrive. We fully believe that Model Mayhem represents the most robust, dynamic and valuable community of artists in the modeling and photography industries. We greatly appreciate the feedback and suggestions we get on a daily basis and hope to be able to continue to provide you features and services that you can’t find anywhere else.
Thanks for all of your support,
The Model Mayhem Team
Throughout my time as an active member on Model Mayhem, I have seen many questions in the MM forums about how to properly use the casting and availability notice section. People are always wondering what the difference is, who is being paid and how to effectively use that section of the site in order to receive the most value out of their membership. Posting an availability notice, a travel notice or a casting call is a great way to get noticed by other members and find people to work with. However, it must be done correctly in order to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts which may arise.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Model: Aviva; Photographer: Philipe
Casting call
First, let’s talk about casting calls. A member can post a Basic Casting Call at no cost if he or she is looking for someone to work with. If you want to have a higher response rate for your casting call, give as much detail about the gig as possible. Definitely tell members the tentative date when you are planning to shoot, where the shoot takes place, who else could be involved in the shoot (makeup artists and hair stylists, wardrobe stylists, other models, etc), how long the shoot will be and whether the people that you’re looking to work with will be paid or if it is a trade shoot.
If it’s a casting call that’s labeled “paid” then that means that you are looking to hire someone and pay them money for their services. If you post a “negotiable” or a “TF” casting call and ask for payment from the members responding to you, then your casting call will get flagged for removal. Please do not post your request for jobs for which you want to get paid in the casting section and instead use the availability notices or travel notices (whichever applies) sections.
Sponsored Casting Calls appear at the top of search results but require a payment. Members receive discounts; Basic/Legacy 10%, Premium 15% and VIP members get 20% off. Sponsored Casting Calls also allow non-members to cast for MM talent.
Availability notice
If you are available for gigs in your local area, then it is best that you post an Availability Notice. Your availability notice is a way for you to let other members know that you are available for projects being done locally, which means that you should not have to travel far to get to the location of the shoot. You must indicate if you are a model, photographer, hair stylist, makeup artist, etc. Indicate the date/time that you are available, as well as what type of shoots you are willing to do (fashion, nude, etc). Also, if you mark the availability notice as “paid”, it means that you are looking to get paid for your work and you should also let people know how much you charge per shoot/hour, etc. So, if you are looking for paid work, meaning you want to be paid, then this is the section to post in. If you post a TF availability notice, then that means you are accepting shoots where money is not exchanged.
Lastly, if you are traveling to an area outside of where you live, you should post a Travel Notice letting members know that. Just like with an availability notice, indicate whether you are a photographer, model, makeup artist, etc. Then, let members know your travel dates and the location where you are traveling. Additionally, your travel notice should indicate what types of projects you are looking to do and what your limitations are. Finally, if you post a “paid” travel notice then that means you are looking to get hired and would like to be paid for your service (modeling, photography, etc). You are permitted to ask for transportation and accommodation in exchange for shoot time or for reduced rates when you post a travel notice.
To summarize, when you post a paid casting call that means you are looking to hire talent and pay them. If you post a paid availability notice or travel notice then this means that you are looking for work and would like to get paid. I hope this article was helpful in clarifying the difference between castings calls, availability notices and travel notices. When used correctly, this section of the site is a great way to find people to work with and even get some paid work.
Wishing you all the best!
P.S. If you have any other questions about the use of the site or some of the features, please feel free to post them in the comments section below.
We’re constantly amazed by the talent and creativity on Model Mayhem and always trying to find ways of helping members reach a wider audience. And, it’s not just established members but also the influx of new members that bring fresh ideas and expertise to MM. This new weekly column is here to highlight some of the latest talent to join MM that caught our eye.
We encourage you to visit their profiles, check out their portfolios and welcome them to MM.
Mira Bell is an experienced photographer hailing from Dortmund, Germany. She is looking for adventurous types of models that will help her explore various aesthetic and creative possibilities. Her goal is to capture a moment where you show not just the presentation of who you are on the outside, but many different unique sides of your inner personality.
Say hello to Anni Linnea, a 5’10” Model from New York City and also travels to LA and Sweden and wants to work with professional and experienced photographers, stylists and makeup artists. She is interested in test shoots for commercial print, fashion, beauty, lifestyle and fitness.
Julia is a freelance photographer based in Turin, Italy. She is available for commissioned work such as fashion editorial, model book, beauty, fine art.
Pasalabe, a resident of Kraków, Poland, graduated in Design at Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. She retouched Miss Polands pictures in the 2013 campaign “Cracow is a state of mind” for Kraków city and photographs for Christopher Gaillet.
Drop by Pasalabe profile and say “Cześć” (that’s Polish for ‘hello’).
Kyetu lives in Paris, France and is very sensitive to harmony, to materials and unlikely marriages. Kyetu likes to create the unusual. Gather items, so the time to cook, stay curious, spontaneous and trigger.
Hi fellow MMers, I thought I’d show you guys some of the things I’ve learned while using MM.
I’ve noticed a lot of profiles not being used to their full potential so here are some ways to enhance your front page.
Adding several pictures to your front page can make your portfolio look much more professional, maybe getting you a few more hits and a little more interest from photographers and models alike.
This only works on VIP, Premium and Legacy accounts
First you need to get yourself a Photobucket account (if you don’t already have one). You can also use Flickr but I prefer Photobucket.
Once you have an account, decide which pictures you’d like to put on your front page. Remember, you cannot use 18+ images; it’s against the Model Mayhem image rules, so only use work safe images. This means no boobs, bums and genitalia. Basically nothing you wouldn’t want your kids to see.
Then, with Photoshop or some software that allows you to resize pictures, you need to resize the image to 575 pixels wide.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
You can also resize the pictures using Windows Picture Resizer. This works on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Resizing to 575 simply aligns the front page image neatly.
You might want to create a folder for these images so you know where they are, but remember each image needs to be 575 pixels wide in size.
Once you have uploaded the image you want to use on the front page of your portfolio, hover over the picture until you see the small gear icon. Click it and a DROP DOWN menu will appear. Select “Get Media Link”.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Select the IMAGE CODE by clicking the box and it will automatically copy it for you. If not then simply drag the pointer across it and copy that way.
If all images are resized to 575 pixels wide then you will have a neat front page with all images aligned.
Once you have this down you can, if you want to, add a link to another website like YouTube, Facebook, Flickr or any other site you want to use to show off your pictures.
Decide which website you want to make into a link. Let’s just make your MM portfolio a link as an example. http://www.modelmayhem.com/2329795 and then Select the image you want to use on your front page as the link.
EXAMPLE [IMG]http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p514/username/MK-1_zps49a4759d.jpg[/IMG]
Now you need to add the image code to the URL like this:
[URL=http://www.modelmayhem.com/2329795][img]http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p514/YOUR USERNAME HERE/MK-1_zps49a4759d.jpg[/img]
Once this is done you need only to complete the LINK using [/url] like this:
[URL=http://www.modelmayhem.com/2329795][img]http://i1153.photobucket.com/albums/p514/YOUR USERNAME HERE/MK-1_zps49a4759d.jpg[/img][/url]
Now copy this completed code into your Bio and the link will work.
I hope these simple steps will help you to make the most out of your VIP, Premium or Legacy account.
I frequently read posts in the Model Mayhem forums about photographers having difficulty finding models through their casting calls or models not finding good photographers from theirs. They usually complain that either they don’t get any responses or that the responses they do get are from people who aren’t qualified. Upon closer examination, it’s clear that the reason a casting call receives few if any responses is that the author was ineffective at conveying their point to their audience.
On the flip side of this coin, there are an equal number of discussions about people responding to casting calls that either never hear back or are never cast for any they respond to. As in the first set of circumstances, this usually boils down to poor communication.
In this article I’m going to create an anatomy for an effective casting call and break it down as to how to write it, what points you should hit when doing so and how to screen the best candidates of those who respond. For those of you responding to casting calls, I’m going to show you the most effective way to break through the piles of responses and get chosen above the rest.
How to create effective casting calls
Let’s start with the running of a casting call. While Model Mayhem has a very easy to use system for creating one, there still a lot of nuances that escape people. There are rules that Model Mayhem outlines that are frequently overlooked. When you make the decision to create a new casting call, at the very top of the screen you will see a set of rules Model Mayhem requires you to follow. Some of these rules are common sense, such as actually entering a date for the shoot, but others are often overlooked or ignored. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t see someone create a casting call seeking paid work, an upcoming event, or spam for a studio. Casting calls of this nature are a violation of the rules and will usually be reported rather quickly to the Moderators for removal. So, if you’re posting a casting call looking for paid work and the responses you are getting usually start with an insult, it’s because you obviously haven’t read the rules. If you haven’t done so recently, I suggest you reacquaint yourself with them before you post your next casting call.
The first set of criteria in a casting call are the basics… what are you looking for? A female model, a photographer, a Make-up Artist, all of the above? Choose what you are looking for here. Select the date. Be sure to be clear here… is your shoot on one day or several days? Are you looking to find someone available over a span of days, weeks or months? Select that here. You’ll make reference to this later on for clarification.
Next, is there nudity involved with your shoot? Oddly enough, there is a lot of gray area on this. Some interpret this as suggesting that the model will be partially or fully nude in the photos. Others suggest that if the model merely is doing an implied shoot, but must be nude during the shoot, then nudity is involved. The way I run my casting calls is that unless the model is nude in the photo, I select “no” on this option and then explain the circumstances later on in the description.
Your next choice is compensation. I think clarification on this matter is really important, as it’s often misinterpreted. This is NOT compensation for the person running the casting call, this is compensation for the people who might respond. If you are a photographer posting a casting call and select that it is a paid shoot, it means that YOU will be paying the person you are casting, not the other way around. The same thing holds true for when you select “Negotiable.” This doesn’t mean you are negotiating for your rates, it means that you are open to negotiating for another form of payment or rate.
After you select the location of the shoot, the next part is the casting call description. This is where it starts to get tricky. This brief description is your headline… your banner as it were, to draw attention to what you are casting for. This is your opportunity to shine and really sell what you are looking for. Now is the time to take off the hat of being a Photographer, a model, a hair stylist, etc., and time to put on the Sales Person hat. You are going to use this title and description to sell your idea to the masses. This is the point where most casting calls generate results or crash and burn.
When I write my description, I make sure it’s clear, easy to understand and grabs the attention of the person skimming through all the other dozens of casting calls in front of them.
Here are some examples of bad titles:
“Let’s Shoot”
“I NEED PHOTOS”
“Tog wants model for cool shoot Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. ”
“Port Update Needed”
When writing your title, Be clear and concise about what you are looking for. Don’t use txt speak, don’t write vague or boring information and don’t use emoticons. Titles such as these are going to draw in everyone except what you are looking for. It’s going to attract those who respond to each and every casting call and you’re not going to be happy with the result.
Here are some effective casting call titles:
“Experienced body painter needed for cosplay shoot “
“Fashion photographer needed for runway show this Saturday”
“Tall (5’8″ or taller) redheaded model needed for artistic nude shoot”
“Promo Model Needed for Trade Show booth”
“Experienced Wedding Photographer Needed for July Wedding and Reception”
The more clear you are with your description, the more views you will get on your casting call. More specifically, the more QUALIFIED views you will get, which is ultimately more important.
Now that you have your title written, it’s time to write the description. This is the first step toward having a successful shoot or a miserable failure. Well written casting calls draw the most qualified candidates to your job and, after all, that’s what you’re most interested in, right? Typically, when people complain that they don’t get good responses to their casting calls, this is the source of their problems. Remember, your job here is to sell the vision you have to your reader. The information you provide here as to what you are looking for will make or break your success in finding the right person or persons for your shoot.
Typical bad descriptions read like:
“My portfolio stinks and I need new photos. If you’re a photographer and are free to shoot next week hit me up.”
“Seeking a model who wants to shoot something sexy. I’m open to ideas, locations, etc. Email me if interested.”
People aren’t inspired by others with no vision or direction in their purpose. If I ever saw a casting call from a model saying she just wants new photos I’d skip it and move on to the next casting call. Right there is a warning that, odds are, the model is not clear in what she wants and her unprofessional casting call might be a red flag for an unprofessional shoot.
Examples of good casting calls look like this:
“My portfolio shows all my images from when I was brunette and now I’m a blonde. I would like some updated headshots in studio and in two remote locations. One would be downtown on Main St. and the other would be in a park near the center of town. Photographer would be required to have access to his/her own studio and can provide 1-3 retouched images per look.”
“Casting for a tall, brunette model to fill existing showgirl outfit for promo shoot. The outfit is designed to fit a model 5’7″ – 5’9″ tall, 120-130 pounds, and C-cup. Model will be required to provide black, heeled, platform shoes and her own hair and makeup. The shoot will be in studio from 1-3 PM this Monday.”
See the difference? When writing your casting call, there should be a set of bullet points you hit so you can get the best responses possible, such as:
What is the compensation? Is this a paid shoot and, if so, how much? If the shoot is a TFP shoot, how many images are you providing or are seeking?
General location and time of the shoot. What will be the total amount of time needed for the shoot? Are you flexible on dates and times?
What will be needed of the person being cast? Will they need to provide any costuming, hair, make-up, etc.? Do you require a shoot to be done with a particular lens or camera? Do you require an MUA to use a particular brand or style of make-up?
If you are casting for a model, be as specific as you can in what you are looking for (e.g. 5’5″ or taller female model, age 21-30, blonde hair, athletic build, etc.)
What kind of photos are you expecting? Headshots? Full body shots? Shots involving vehicles or pets?
Does your shoot involve nudity, and, if so, in what way?
Describe the full vision of what you want out of this shoot. Remember, you need to SELL YOUR IDEA to your prospective readers.
The more specific you are in your details the better the responses you will get. In addition to providing all the specifics of your shoot, I also suggest you include what I refer to as my “Van Halen Clause.” Back in the 80’s, the rock band Van Halen wrote into their contract a provision that in their dressing room there needed to be a bowl full of M&M candies provided with all of the brown candies removed. While some interpreted this as an ego-maniacal tirade, it actually did serve a purpose… to insure that the event management did, in fact, read the whole contract. I do the same thing in my casting calls. A sure-fire way to see if someone is really reading it and not just responding to each and every posting down the line is to include some information that requires a specific response. For example, in my casting calls I always include the following statement:
“Please respond to this casting call only via private message and include your name, contact information, the best time to reach you and your availability for the shoot. Responses without this information, public responses or responses of “Interested” will be ignored and deleted.”
You’d be amazed at how well this works to help you weed out the good from the bad candidates. If someone is using a cut-and-paste response to every casting call of the day, or is clearly not reading what you are saying in your casting call, it’s a sign that they are not truly looking out for your best interests in the shoot. When people respond with specific information I requested, I know they actually bothered to read the full casting call and are genuinely interested in contributing in a professional manner.
This all being said, responding to someone else’s casting calls should be done with the same attention to detail. If you respond to a casting call with nothing more than “interested,” you aren’t doing a good job selling your services. My experience has shown that when people respond to a casting call in such a fashion, it’s usually a sign of other unprofessional mannerisms and I skip to the next possible candidate. When responding to a casting call, take the time to read it thoroughly. Answer back with specific information that’s requested and possibly even contribute an idea or two as to why you are the best choice. If I put out a casting call for a bikini model, get 30 responses back that all look the same but one person says, “I even have over 50 different outfits I can bring to the shoot, all organized and ready to go for you to choose from,” it’s going to make me take a closer look at that model as opposed to the ones that only say, “Please take a look at my port and let me know if you want to shoot.” Remember, the more you sell what you bring to the table, the higher the likelihood that you’ll rise to the top.
So, follow these simple steps when working with casting calls and you’ll start to see a big difference in the quantity and quality of your responses. When responding to casting calls, understand that you probably are not the only person responding, and probably not the first one to respond either. You don’t need to write back with a doctoral thesis as to why you are the best candidate, but you should respond in a way that sounds professional and genuinely interested in the project being cast. Doing so will make a dramatic impact on your ability to be cast for a project, and will leave a lasting impression in the minds of others for possible future projects as well.
Mike Alegado is a conceptual fine art photographer that would like to try out fashion photography and glamour. Mike is mainly shooting for himself, working to improve his style and build his portfolio.
Josh is an experienced lifestyle photographer that does a great deal of street and portraiture work. He is a graduate from Algonquin College for photography. Drop by and see more of Josh’s work.
Elaine Hart – Model, Tulsa OK, Dallas TX and Los Angeles CA
Elaine is a 37 years old and returning to modeling after a 15 year hiatus! She has an busy travel schedule and is looking to work with photographers all over the country and internationally. Check out Elaine Hart’s MM profile for more info.
Emily Ann Watson – Clothing Designer, Brighton, UK
Emily Ann Watson recently completed her BA Hons degree in Performance Costume and now lives in Brighton, United Kingdom. Her passion for designing, styling and making garments comes from her fascination of conveying the layers of character and storytelling through clothing and creative choice.
Paudie Hobbart is a 24 year old fashion photographer currently studying the BA (hons) Photography degree in IADT, Dun Laoghaire and looking to collaborate with models, makeup artists and hair stylists. Check out by Paudie’s Model Mayhem portfolio.
kofyansb has 6 years of experience in the wedding photography industry, but he continue to learn from the best photographers of Russia and the United States. See more of his work.
We all compare our portfolio to other people on MM. What we don’t look at enough, however, is whether our profile is selling who we are and our abilities. I am not saying I have the perfect profile. I constantly change mine as I find information more or less relevant to the people I am selling myself to. I have, however, learned some simple guidelines which I would like to share. I am going to keep this focused on model profiles, but much of this can apply to other members of the community.
Profile etiquette: Don’t make people regret reading your profile
Sometimes members of this site don’t read profiles because many of them tell nothing about the person, and—on the other extreme—some of them tell every detail including about how happily married they are, and all about their dog Scooter. These members are why I am writing this. If we all learned to just include information important to shooting then profiles become tools instead of novels filled with nonsense.
Profile etiquette: Read their profile before asking questions
Maybe it is because my momma used to repeatedly yell “I do not like to repeat myself.”, but the first line of my profile is: “Please read my profile before contacting me about shooting.” Consider your profile your first message to anyone on this site that you may work with. Do you want to repeat that message over and over again? Probably not. It is one thing to clarify information stated on your profile, and it’s another to be asked something that is already clearly stated.
I’ve had photographers ask what my travel schedule is when it is on my profile. They have asked what they have to do to get me to travel to their area. Well, that’s on my profile as well. I’ve been asked what my rates are. It’s on my profile. You get the point.
Having this included won’t ensure that you won’t have to repeat what is on your profile, but it will be easier to say “If you refer to my profile…”than it will be to restate every detail (that they would have known if they read it before contacting you). One rule, if you do include this, is that you must read every profile before contacting people on this site to keep from being a hypocrite.
If you do something special, be sure to keep it simple and orderly
Next is optional, but I’ve found it has gotten me more work. I have a video of me modeling. I feel that it has shown a little bit of my ability beyond the still photos in my portfolio. For models this is especially helpful because it shows you can pose and emote without direction. I recommend showing yourself in action. Just make sure you keep links to a minimum and don’t clutter your page with images and video. If it takes forever to load your page you’ve got too much code on it! Keep it simple!
Here are some helpful articles on how to embed images on your profile and how to format text. But remember; only Premium and VIP members can embed images, videos, and format text on their profiles by using BBCode.
Do you have a webpage, Tumblr, or Flickr account that has even more of your work shown? Post it above your “About Me”. Take advantage of that area by linking to a site that has even more of your portfolio. That lone website linking area above the “About Me” section should be reserved for either your modeling website or a site like Tumblr or Flickr, where all your modeling images can be hosted. It is in an uncluttered place and you can label it as “Extra Images” or “Extended Portfolio”.
Link to your professionally-relevant sites
Think of it this way: You did a few art nude shoots, but your focus is on glamour and your portfolio here displays that. An art photographer likes your look, but doesn’t know if you are good with art nude posing. He goes to take a look at the link provided at the top and sees, from your images on the linked site, that you are capable of posing for the photos he is looking to create, and he hires you. That is more beneficial to you than linking to your Twitter or personal Facebook page in that premiere spot. You can add your Twitter and Facebook to your profile, but don’t make them as prominent on your profile as you would a modeling website or image hosting platform.
Thematically order profile information into visually distinct sections
If you travel, then provide a section on your profile just for travel plans. Keep travel days listed and updated. Also if you are willing to travel, but cannot afford to, you may put your requirements for any travel inquires.
For example: I have included that I have a passport. I have also explained two options to get me to travel to work:
I will travel to model in exchange of flights, hotel and a minimum of 2 hours booked at my normal rate.
I am willing to travel if my full day rate is paid.
This provides two ways that photographers out of your area can work with you, and it provides a specific, easily located place to refer people to when they leave you tags like “When are you coming to my area?”
Important points to emphasize
Next if you have built your portfolio to a point that you deserve pay for your time and work, list yourself as paid only—BUT we all have those “wish list” people we would love to work with just for images, and we don’t want to drive them away. That is why I include an “I will consider TF*” section, and I recommend you include a similar area in your profile. Mine explains that if you have a great port, a concept that will knock my socks off, and a team that can make it a reality, I will consider TF*. I also explain that, if it is a guaranteed published opportunity, I may consider TF*, if I like the publication. This section saves me from missing out on working with great artists and keeps my portfolio fresh with new images that I’d be proud to have in my portfolio.
Now this next part has been debated in the forums for a long time. To post or not to post your rates? I am on the post them side of the debate. I do recommend keeping it clear that they are negotiable, though—especially if you travel. What you can get in one city is not the rule for another.
I provide my hourly rate, as well as my half day and full day rates (which saves them a bit of money, compared to hiring me hourly). Posting rates can deter some from working with you, but those people were unlikely to pay you anyway. Posting can show those that are serious about your look that, if they hire you, you will be charging pretty much the same of them as you did the last person you shot with.
If you have had a bad experience with things—like holding your schedule open for shoots for which details were not yet finalized, or being flaked on, etc—feel free to put a disclaimer such as the one I added to my profile:
“If I do not have a time and location set within 24 hours of the day of the shoot I will not hold my schedule open. If I get another offer for the day with all the details in place, I will take it. So please provide time, location, and any other info quickly to ensure your shoot.”
Make sure to be professional, to the point, and not sound bitter.
Now you can post things like how long you have been modeling, as well as what markets you’ve modeled in. Post what your limitations are and what sort of modeling you are focused on. If you can’t drive and need someone to drop you off, or need a ride to and from shoots, be up front about it. These details can show what type of model you are, but keep it short and sweet.
Keep your details up to date
Finally, remember to update your credits, as well as relevant information such as hair color and length, and measurements that are accurately up to date. Don’t advertise as something you are not. People search for specific height, skin and hair color when casting for projects, so keep it updated and factual. Also, choose an avatar that shows your current look, as this is the first image that will be seen—it must represent what they will be seeing on set if they cast you for a project.
I believe that covers the basics! Like I said before, my profile is ever changing and is not perfect, but this is what people have positively responded to. Keep information prudent to your cause and use your profile as a tool to get more from this site.
The scams we are talking about here are commonly referred to as “Nigerian” scams or “419” scams, and classified as Advance-fee fraud. However, there is a twist to these “advance-fee” scams that we see here on MM: Rather than convincing you to send them money first, they send you money first, though the check is fake and worthless. You just don’t know that yet.
You get a check from them for a certain amount and then they use some ruse to get you to send a portion of that money to someone else. It could be that they want you to send a portion to a makeup artist for this supposed shoot, or to pay for studio time, or maybe they will claim that they accidentally sent you too much money and can you send some of it back?
Whatever reason they use to get you to send a portion of the money doesn’t really matter. What matters is that the check or money order that they send you is fake and worthless, and if you—thinking that it’s okay to send a small portion of the check you just deposited—send a check to someone else (that someone is the scammer) you will be sending them real money. Your real money.
Beware! #1
If someone sends you an email or message and wants to hire you for some job (be it a modeling job, a makeup job, a photography job, whatever) and asks you for your information so they can send you a check, BEWARE!
It’s 99.99999% certain to be a scam. You’re more likely to win the lottery, get struck by lightning and get laid by your favorite movie star, all on the same day, then for such an offer to be legitimate.
Let’s put it this way: If you needed someone to clean your house would you go online and randomly contact some stranger from out of state, and even from other countries, and offer to pay them in advance to clean your house?
The real world does not work that way, and neither does the modeling industry.
Yes, we know that you are exceptionally lovely and exceptionally talented and you’re thinking that you just might be the exception to this. Hate to burst your bubble, but you’re not.
No legitimate industry professional is going to hire someone unknown to them, sight unseen, and pay them in advance for a modeling/photography/makeup job.
Beware #2
If someone contacts you and provides you with a link and wants you to click that link and login, BEWARE!*
They may offer some incentive for you to do so, such as telling you that you need to log-in there because they want to hire you for some job. Or they may claim to be a representative of MM and send you a link to a fake site that may look like MM. Again, whatever ruse they use doesn’t really matter, all of them are designed to do one thing: harvest your MM login information so they can access your account and send scam messages to other MM members, from your account.
Don’t let that happen to you. You are responsible for what happens with your MM account, so please be very careful with your login information.
The link they send to you may appear to be a link to modelmayhem.com, and if you go there, it may indeed look just like MM. Don’t be fooled.
They sometimes will “spoof” our email address. That just means that they will send an email that appears to be from mods@modelmayhem.com (which is our email address) but it actually is not from us. It just looks that way.
If you’re not sure it is from us and don’t know how to tell, simply send us a new email (don’t reply to that one) at mods@modelmayhem.com and tell us about the email and copy/paste the message. We will confirm whether or not we sent that email to you.
* Note: Some companies are Certified Partners of Model Mayhem. As such, they are authorized to ask for Model Mayhem login information in order to provide services for members. It is safe to supply Model Mayhem login information to these companies. Here is the complete list of Certified Partners.
What do these scams look like?
Probably the best way for you to familiarize yourself with what these scams look like is to simply use our Forum Search tool and find examples. Click that link and then search for “Is this a scam”. You will find hundreds of scam messages that have been posted by other MM users. Read through some of those threads. Once you get a good idea what they look like, you can spot them a mile away and easily avoid them.
And, now that you’ve seen all the other MM users posting those messages and asking if it’s a scam or not, you’ll probably realize that there’s no real need for you to ask the same question. Hopefully, you already have your answer.
Should I take my email address off of my page?
When reading through those “is this a scam” threads, you may notice that many people will insist that you need to take your email address off of your MM profile page (assuming that you have it there), and for many that may be sound advice. However, there are valid reasons for having your email address shown on your profile page—some people simply prefer to be contacted via email rather than a private message on MM. That’s okay.
If you do choose to display your email address on your profile, please understand that you will get scams sent to your email address. But, if you know how to recognize them, it’s a simple matter of deleting them. So now that you do know how to spot them, go ahead and display your email address if you wish.
However, if that email address is the same email address you use for your MM login, you should understand you are displaying half of your login information, which makes your account less secure. Your account is most secure if you use a login email address that is never displayed publically. If you’re concerned about having another email account to check, simple set that private email address to forward emails to your main account. That way you won’t have another email account to check.
And sometimes scammers will post casting calls and ask that you contact them via email, please make certain that the casting is legit before providing an email address. It is also good advice to never post your login email address in response to a casting call, whether that casting is on MM or not.
How do I report a scam on MM?
If you get a scam sent to your email address, it’s not likely that we can do anything about that. There’s just no way for us to prevent someone from emailing you once they have your address. But, if you get a message here on MM that you suspect is a scam, please do report that to us using CAM (Contact A Mod). The link to contact us is found under the “help” tab link which can be found at the very top, and the very bottom, of the page.
When reporting a scam message to us, please be sure to include a link to the profile that sent the scam to you, and copy/paste the message for us as well.
Enjoy the Mayhem!
Now that you’ve armed with some basic knowledge, you can go about your networking business without worrying about getting ripped off. And if every member of this community understood just these basic things, the scammers would be forced to move on to greener pastures.
In order to better arm yourself against them we recommend that you click these links for further information. It’s not just for models.
This week we shine the spotlight on five international models, including Miss Cannes 2013, a photographer from Greece, and a wardrobe stylist from Los Angeles.
Please say hello to Bethany Seddon. She is 19 years old, 5’10″, with “ginger hair and pale skin.” Bethany is very experienced in commercial, editorial and high-end fashion work.
S’il vous plaît bienvenue le champion Mlle Cannes 2013. Soizic Lacour est un ans, modèle dynamique et sociable 18 expérimenté de Cannes en France. In other words, please welcome the reigning Miss Cannes 2013. Soizic-l is a dynamic and sociable 18-year old experienced model from Cannes, France.
Wardrobe Exchange – Wardrobe Stylist, Los Angeles, California
Wardrobe Exchange is the brainchild of MM member Steve Trapero. Steve has acquired a massive wardrobe collection at his studio, Pinnacle Design Center, over the past 7 years, including clothing, shoes, hats, wigs, belts, accessories, jewelry, props, weapon props, and even furniture!
Beautiful Athens, Greece is the home of Georgina Staikou. She is a very versatile photographer and enjoys traveling throughout the Aegean area for location shoots.
The 5’10″ tall and slender Ethiopian born model, Meraf Shefraw, now calls the Washington DC area home. Meraf travels internationally and has done many runway shows throughout the fashion centers in Europe and Africa.
The multi-talented Whitney ONI has graced the international runways throughout Europe and the US during her successful six year career. She specializes in runway, editorial, and commercial work.
Every day we have a winner in the Pic of the Day contest decided by the popular vote.
We also have many wonderful submissions that we feel should be singled out for their excellence in one or more of the arts involved in photography, modeling and post-production.
Jim Ferringer is a very talented photographer, artist and image manipulator and has been submitting entries to the PotD and other contests on MM on an almost daily basis.
This week’s spotlight shines on photographers from Scotland and Los Angeles, models from Ireland, France, London, Atlanta and two models from New York.
Gifty Ewura – Model, New York, NY
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Model: Gifty Ewura
The 5’11” model, Gifty Ewura, is proud of her Ghanaian heritage, and now makes New York City her home. She has been modeling professionally for two years for the likes of Nigel Barker, Korto Momulu, BeBe, Skyfish, Arrojo, Moncler Grenoble and more in NY Fashion Week Fall 2012 and Winter 2013.
Heavily involved with the world of extreme fitness, the 33-year old therealjrandall is interested in networking with photographers, designers, stylists, agencies, publicists, and other models and working in film/television, fashion, fit modeling, fitness, lifestyle, spokes-modeling, sports, and swimwear.
Mihaela Bodlovic is a passionate photographer from Edinburgh, Scotland specializing in the performing arts, portraiture and events. She is passionate about live performance, and enjoys theatre that affects its audience, a connection between the spectator and the performer.
Say “fáilte roimh“ to 32-year old Suin Breathnach, calling Galway, Ireland her home. Suin loves faces, color and expression as well as being behind the camera.
For the past 15 years Betty Leigh has been the on-air spokeswoman for QVC, HSN and other shopping channels in Canada, Australia and England. Betty has done everything from Bathing Suit videos and print to photo shoots on the Princess Cruise Line.
Dolly Even – Model, Montpellier, France
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.
Model: Dolly Even; Photographer: Matthieu Sonnet
Dolly Even, a 22 year old model from Montpellier, France is fascinated by the fashion, the tattoo and the photo.
As a member of the Model Mayhem community, one of your primary goals is to find opportunities to work with others – whether it is paid or not. As such, we know that our Casting Call system is extremely valuable to you. But with over 800 casting calls being posted daily (we had over 299,000 castings posted over the last 12 months) searching for the right opportunities can be a lot of work in and of itself.
We’re excited to announce an upgraded feature that is meant to help save you time when searching for casting calls to respond to – the new Automated Casting Call Alert.
Casting Call Alerts have been around for a while and are available to VIP members. They are essentially saved Casting Call searches that automatically send you a PM when there are new Casting Calls that fit your criteria. So if you are female model in Los Angeles and want to know about paid opportunities, you can set up an automated Casting Call Alert and will be notified when a new Casting Call fits your criteria.
New and improved Casting Call Alerts
Our new Casting Call Alerts build on the original and incorporate two useful improvements.
First is the look and feel of the notification itself. Previously the PM notification would simply link you back to the Casting Call search results page. Now, your PM (or email if you wish to get it this way) shows you all the relevant Casting Calls right there in the body of the message. You can quickly scroll through and respond by clicking on the Casting Call that interests you.
Secondly, we’ve made the set up process even easier. Upon your upgrade to VIP we will automatically set up the alert for you, taking into account your category, location and gender. Of course you can always edit the search criteria and turn the feature off whenever you want.
If you already have a VIP subscription and want to set up a Casting Call Alert on your own, the process is easy. Just head over to the Casting Call page and conduct a search using the criteria you are interested in. Once on the search results page, you’ll notice a link at the top of the page to “Add to Casting Call Alert”. Click this and you’re off to the races. You can then, at any time, manage your alerts by going to the Manage Alerts page from your MyStuff page.
We want you to find work. And we want those searching to hire Model Mayhem talent to find you. Our new Automated Casting Call Alerts should help make this super easy for you.
Model Mayhem’s Pic of the Day contest decided by the popular vote but we have many wonderful submissions that we feel should be singled out for their excellence in one or more of the arts involved in photography, modeling and post-production.
This wonderful study of an unnamed man on the streets of Santa Cruz, captured by Greybeard Images, tells hundreds of stories. The character, the pathos, the emotion and so very much expression is captured here in this very compelling image.
We lovingly dubbed this image as “Wack-a-model”. This effortlessly whimsical image was shot in a random field full of abandoned industrial scrap. The tongue-in-cheek approach to this image showcases not only the photographer’s skill, but also the model’s spontaneity.
This beautiful monochromatic bodyscape, titled “The White River”, captures the flow of the model’s form and the expertise of the photographer’s artistic eye.
This classic photographic capture using enticing lighting, the statuesque beauty of the female form coupled with the elegance of the model’s body art culminate in this stunning image.
Step aside from the pasteurized art and beauty that we deal with every day to take a moment to remember what photography is really all about. Photography is the capture of a moment in time so we may remember that moment always. Rich has done just this so very well with his tribute to the passing of his friend George.
This week’s new member spotlight has a international flavor to it with two members from the US, three from the UK, and one each from Romania and Lithuania.
Originally from Moscow, experienced and talented photographer, Natalia Tsygina, now resides in New York. Shooting since 2008, her main genres are fashion and beauty but she shoots weddings. Natalia enjoys working both in studios and outdoors on the streets. Her desire is to work with fashion magazines.
Please welcome Kim Wade, a freelance hairstylist with 10 years hairdressing experience, living in Colchester, England. Kim specializes in creative hair color and has been recognized for her talents by winning the face of Sensus (Italian hair colour) in 2011 as well as previously winning third place in the Paul Mitchell European color challenge. Kim wishes to network here on MM and obtain more photographic and editorial shoots.
Living in beautiful Miami Beach, Florida, Clayton007 is working on building his portfolio. The ocean and photography are Clayton’s passions and shooting on a boat or the beach is what he loves best, along with landscapes, candid and passion inspiring shots.
Say hello to Atena Comanescu, a beautiful 22 year old aspiring model from Bucharest, Romania who is very dedicated and passionate about her work. Her main goal is to make many new collaborations here on MM and achieve a career as a professional model.
Currently residing in London, England, Ersalina Lim is a young, up and coming fashion designer. Her Autumn Winter 13/14 collection titled ‘Altered Integral’ was shown at London Graduate Fashion Week. Ersalina is well traveled and well educated, having stayed in different countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and London. She is looking forward to getting in contact with creative individuals from the industry and is open to any creative directions and styles.
Please welcome the lovely Charlotte Gubbin to MM. Charlotte Gubin resides in Norwich, England and already has quite a few fashion shows under her belt, (such as Norwich Fashion Week and ‘A Most Curious Wedding Fair’ in Norwich). Charlotte is looking to expand upon her photographic portfolio and wishes to develop her skills as a model as well as work on a wide range of different projects and shoots.
Elina Retouch lives in Vilnius, Lithuania where she spends her time working as a freelance retoucher. Elina specializes in high-end beauty and fashion retouching, pays great attention to every detail, and especially likes working with skin and color correction. Elina is on MM in hopes of meeting photographers from all over the world who are in need of a skilled retoucher. Please say hello and check out her work!
More than 800 casting calls are posted daily on Model Mayhem. We’ve launched some new tools to make it easier for you to find work but this new weekly article is intended to highlight some of the more interesting opportunities that are currently available.
Female model needed for lighting workshop
This is a relaxed tempo lighting workshop for photographers.
Fashion photo shoot that is very lively and interesting to participate. We are looking for male and female models who are very lively and are not shy in front of the camera, but interested models must be aged 18 or above.
If you already have a VIP subscription and want to set up a Casting Call Alert on your own, the process is easy. Just head over to the Casting Call page and conduct a search using the criteria you are interested in. Once on the search results page, you’ll notice a link at the top of the page to “Add to Casting Call Alert”. Click this and you’re off to the races. You can then, at any time, manage your alerts by going to the Manage Alerts page from your MyStuff page.
Model Mayhem’s Pic of the Day contest decided by the popular vote but we have many wonderful submissions that we feel should be singled out for their excellence in one or more of the arts involved in photography, modeling and post-production.
We had this irresistible urge to call ‘Jenny’, ‘cause we have her number… but decided to choose this wonderfully natural image as our choice of the day.
Mike, from Mr Photo Studios, has been entering the MM contests since sand was patent-pending. It’s about time we recognized his wonderful work by featuring his great cowgirl image, Yee-Haw!!
Our new member spotlight shines on two US based models and one from Finland, photographers from Mexico and Malaysia, and a makeup artist from the UK. Check out their portfolios to see more and welcome them to MM!
Elisa Korpela lives in Oulu, North Ostrobothnia, Finland. Please say hello and welcome this lovely model. Elisa is 20 years old and, since starting in 2011, has already achieved quite a few credits! Her main passions are fashion shoots, fashion shows, commercials, promotions, TV, films, music films, hair. An added bonus…Elisa is somewhat multi-lingual and can understand Finnish, English, Swedish and a little French and Spanish.
xBellanotte – Photographer, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
xBellanotte is a 19 year old photographer residing in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. xBellanotte is a passionate, self-taught artist who strives to show the world her vision. She does freelance work for photography in portraiture, fashion, conceptual and fine art.
Haling from Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, Zens Bridal specializes in makeup artistry and a hairstyling. Zens Bridal is the brainchild of Maz, who has been in the profession for 8 years and has done hair and makeup for various catwalks, fashion shows, magazine shoots, personal photoshoots and clients all over the country. Maz desires to collaborate with models and photographers who are willing to do something a little different.
Hola! Ricardo NT, from Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico, graduated from the Art Institute of Colorado as a Professional Photographer. Ricardo is looking forward to working with serious amateurs and passionate models who are ready to take their ‘hobby’ to a different level, and give them the opportunity to work in a field that will be both personally and monetary satisfying.
Howdy! Persia McNeil resides in Round Rock, Texas and is interested in breaking into modeling. Persia has a very outgoing personality and always enjoys new experiences. She is hoping to meet photographers who will help to expand her port.
Cyndi Cobain is a 20 year old New York, New York resident who is on MM to collaborate with photographers, makeup artists and hairstylists in order to build her port.
Say Hello to Paddie, a global fashion designer based in Augusta, Georgia. Paddie’s goals are to create unique and multi-cultural designs that are timeless, custom and always ready to wear. He is interested in working with energetic models and photographers who can bring life, class and the spark to his clothing!
Model Mayhem’s Pic of the Day contest decided by the popular vote but we have many wonderful submissions that we feel should be singled out for their excellence in one or more of the arts involved in photography, modeling and post-production.
Another all Canadian team came up with this fantastic portrayal of ethereal flight. This entry was the clear winner in the POTD voting too, where it received more than twice as many votes as the runner-up.
Our new member spotlight shines on seven US based models and photographers from all over the states. Check out their portfolios to see more and welcome them to MM!
Please welcome Gabrielle VandenAvond to MM. 19 year old Gabrielle is from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and prefers inspired endeavors that create a unique perspective and message and would like to bring this mindset to the commercial and catalog realm. Gabrielle has many years of acting experience with specific training in improvisational comedy, which allows her to work creatively in any situation and to portray a wide range of emotions in various ways.
Say hello to Bow Heart Scott. Bow is a 21 year old ‘tiny (Puerto Rican, Irish, and Black) woman with a lot of personality’. She sings in a girl group, models, I makes her own clothes, and does her own make up. Currently, Bow is trying to find herself and tap into all her talents. She has now resided in Atlanta, Georgia, United States for the past 7yrs. Originally, Bow is from Los Angeles.
Please welcome Megan Carey. Megan is a photographer living in Brandon, Florida, United States and has rejoined the Model Mayhem community. She received a degree in 2009 from the International Academy of Design and Technology in Professional Digital Photography, and has since participated in art shows. Megan is hoping to connect with models and designers for my current stylized wedding and bridal projects.
Say hi to MN_Model, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, US. MN is able to do a wide range of work from beauty headshots and promotional pieces to sportswear and fitness. She is looking to expand her portfolio as well as make some connections in the modeling industry.
Please welcome CarinD to MM. Carin is an aspiring actress/model from Fort Meade, Maryland, United States and has joined MM looking to capture the essence of life through a photo. Currently enrolled at John Casablancas Modeling and Career, Carin is open to all possibilities. Her one goal in life is to be remembered.
Say hello to Sajia, of Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Sajia has always had a passion for hair and make up and loves being photographed. She has joined MM in hopes of building her portfolio by meeting various hair and make up artist as well as photographers.
Please welcome Bobbie Ward. Bobbie hails from Columbus, Georgia, United States and is new to the modeling world. She does not have much experience but is ready and willing to learn and grow as a model. Bobbie hopes to have the chance work with and meet new people and also is hoping to build her portfolio and gain more experience.
