Make A Full-Time (or Part-Time) Living Being A Promotional Event Model

I am 5’2″ and have been between a  size 4 and a size 10 my entire life. Sometimes I workout and sometimes I don’t.  Currently, I haven’t stepped foot inside of a gym in about 8 months and I’ve held steady at a size 4. I’ve been loosely following the controversial Atkins Diet and successfully keeping of 25+ pounds through my improved diet alone. For the last 10 years I’ve claimed Model as my occupation on my tax return. It is an actual profession and it’s probably not at all what you might think. I don’t walk down runways or catwalks, I don’t live in New York or Los Angeles, I don’t go on auditions during fashion week and I’ve never even been to Paris or Milan. As a matter of fact, finding jeans that even fit me is a huge pain because I’m so short. I have trouble with clothes off the rack and regularly need suit jackets tailored because the sleeves are too long for me. I don’t have some crazy story about how I was discovered in a mall or walking down the street one random day. My story is a lot less glamorous than that. One day, from my Dad’s house in little old Warrenville, Illinois, a suburb about 30 miles west of Chicago, I was online and decided to Google “Modeling Agencies” “Chicago Modeling Agencies” and “How To Start Modeling.” I found a few agencies but one agency specifically stood out to me because it was asking new talent to submit online by uploading a headshot, full length body shot, resume and contact information.

“Hmmm…that’s pretty interesting. Seems easy enough,” I thought to myself.

I went to bed that night and when I woke up I decided I was going to submit. I didn’t have any professional photos yet so I decided I’d have to do my own makeshift photoshoot to get the requested photos. I picked out a couple of my cutest outfits, turned my boyfriend into my “photographer” and transformed my bathroom into a “photography studio.”  Keep in mind this was before the birth of the “Selfie.” I had just graduated high school the previous year, I believe my Nokia Cell Phone hadn’t even been upgraded to the trendy hot pink Motorola Razr and the Sidekick wasn’t even born yet. Digital cameras weren’t really a popular thing yet, I was still shooting with film in my photography classes.

I decided three trips to the local Walgreens would be in order. The first trip would be to pick up a Kodak disposable camera. I had the boyfriend take closeups or “headshots” of me in my bathroom with a black velvet blanket tossed over the shower curtain rod as a makeshift backdrop. The second trip was to drop off the film from my “photoshoots” so it could be developed. Finally, the third trip would be to pick up the pictures from the developer.  What happened next was pretty genius for a 19 year old back in 2001. When I got the pictures back they were cute pictures but I had horrible red eye! I was semi-impressed with how they turned out. After all, I did actually take the time to do my hair and makeup and put on some cute outfits (or so I thought at the time). I took the prints that I liked and went over to this beast of a machine, some new high tech ordeal that could turn my color photos black and white, crop and copy the edited photo on to another photo… A SCANNER! So fancy, so high tech. It did the trick, I got rid of that red eye and cropped it just under the collar bone and voila, a headshot! I saved all the scanned and edited photos to a disc and took them back to my home computer and uploaded them to that website I had found earlier .

At the time I was working as a licensed cosmetologist at a high end salon, while starting my own business as a stylist renting a chair at a salon down the road from the ritzy one I was working at where I was prospecting for clients. I was also working part-time as the manager of a local tanning salon. I’ve always had the entrepreneurial bug but was afraid to commit to self employment 100% up until I booked my first modeling job.

It only took a couple days but one day when I got home from work I logged into my e-mail account and I heard those three magic words, “You’ve Got Mail!” from my AOL account. It was that modeling agency I had submitted to online sending me event details and telling me that their, “client liked my look and wanted to book me for their upcoming trade show.” Holy cow! No way was this real, that was far too fast and way to easy! Was this person for real? It had to be a scam. What the heck is a trade show? What would I have to do? What would I have to wear? They want to pay me?!?! This was crazy. Who was this agency? Who was this faceless agent lady e-mailing me on the other side of this e-mail. I immediately freaked myself out, convinced myself it wasn’t real and shut closed the e-mail concluding that it couldn’t be real, it had to be a scam and I decided I was just going to ignore the whole thing. Before I even had time to think about it my phone rang and it was the lady from the agency. She wanted to talk to me over the phone and confirm my availability for the show. I asked about the job duties, the dates, the hours, wardrobe and pay rate and I confirmed with her. My first trade show was in 2001 at McCormick Place in Chicago at the National Restaurant Association Show for a small company called Qubica who later ended up merging with AMF. It was the most fun job I had ever worked and it paid the best of any job I had ever worked up to that point. I was making $225 for an 8 hour a day (great for the year 2001 being 19 years old) with an hour break and two different 15 minute mini breaks demonstrating a miniature bowling game. Luckily I was working with one other “Spokesmodel” who probably realized I was a newbie. She befriended me and gave me the run down about how the agency worked and gave me some tips on what to wear, how to get more bookings and what was expected of us as far as greeting customers, scanning badges, collecting business cards, etc.

From that day forward I was hooked and getting booked regularly. I was so hooked it was a problem. I was ultimately let go by the tanning salon due to the excessive amount of time I was requesting off of work to be able to accept these new trade show bookings. Making $12 an hour as a tanning salon manager quickly took a back seat to the event modeling bookings I was working. I still did hair for a while because I had a solid client base but eventually I left that world behind as well.  Without even realizing it I wound up being self-employed from that day forward, the transition only took about a month.

Imagine earning great money while working at fun and exciting events as a Promotional Event Model? You get to work with agents and agencies all across the USA. You get to say “yes” or “no” to each project. Have control over when you choose to work or when to have time off.  You set your own rate and finally make what your worth and make a lot more then those boring hourly jobs in retail or fast food. On the low end Promotional Event Models make $15-$20 hr. $25-$30 is the industry standard, depending on your market, and some jobs will pay $50-$150 hour. If you add different skills that are in demand for your market you can make up to $2500 a day. I have a friend in the industry that charges $2500 an hour! It is possible through Promotional Event Modeling & Entertainment. Showbiz is a great industry to be in and it’s recession proof. I haven’t had a “boss” for over a decade and now I want to share this information with as many people as possible. I made it happen and I’m here to show you how you can too!

I created a free report called Breaking Into Promotional Event Modeling to help get you started. This report is for everyone; guys, girls, teens, college students, adults, single parents, retired folks, people who are looking for part-time or full-time work, people who want to start their own business or folks who are looking to start a home based businesses. To find out more about the amazing opportunities that are available through Promotional Event Modeling please click HERE.

Now that I’ve got you all excited about the possibilities I’ve taken the liberty to put together a few links to additional free blogs and resources I’ve created for new talent looking to start out in the industry.

10 Tips To Being A Successful Promotional Event Model

Top 10 Reasons Why Promotional Event Modeling Is An Excellent Job, Career or Business Opportunity

FREE REPORT – Breaking Into Promotional Event Modeling

Modeling, Acting & Entertainment Blog

I wish you the best of luck on your journey into Promotional Event Modeling and I hope you stay in touch and network with me over social media.

Let’s get social:

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Facebook Fans – follow us over Breaking Into Promotional Event Modeling – Free Report

Article written by Randi Lange – Find her on Facebook HERE  Co-Author of The Beginners Guide To Promotional Event Modeling

Randi Lange
Model, Agent, New Talent Coach & Co-Authur of The Beginner’s Guide To Promotional Event Modeling

Behind The Scenes – Photoshoot Prep

As a model, photos are your business card, your first impression and what gets your foot in the door and lands talent auditions, interviews and bookings. Professional photos are imperative if you consider yourself a professional model(or any professional industry talent like actors, comedians, performers, etc.)and want to be perceived by agents and clients as a true professional. Do your research when scouting for a potential photographer. If you are a model or actress/actor then search for a photographer that specializes in working with models, actresses and actors. Your best friend who’s in photography school, the TFP photographer on an internet modeling site you found online, or the guy who did your senior portraits most likely won’t cut it. If you don’t have a basic friendly looking headshot I’d suggest starting there. Trade Shows or Conventions as well as Promotional or Special Event bookings will most always be looking for friendly, approachable, SMILING faces. No need to get over creative just yet, start with the basics first. At the time these were shot I was based in Las Vegas and had been eyeing up a Los Angeles based photographer for a while. Upon reaching out to schedule him I was happy to learn that he was traveling to Las Vegas the following month so I wouldn’t have to go far. I would have traveled if I had to, he’s GREAT at what he does. He’s 100% reliable and professional, not someone claiming to be a “modeling photographer” that just tries to take inappropriate pictures of want-to-be models that are willing to let the want-to-be photographer direct their photoshoot, resulting in overly provocative photos that no agent will submit to their legitimate clients. Free photoshoots are not always as good as they seem. Selfies, camera phone shots or shots that your friend or parent took of you in your house or backyard also make you look ridiculous to true industry professionals. You may book a few jobs with your unprofessional makeshift photos but I promise you the quality of your bookings WILL go up, along with your rate, if you improve the quality of your photos.

Below are the behind the scenes Step-By-Step candid snapshots of how I prepared for my last photoshoot. A special thanks to Michael Helms at michaelhelms.com for the amazing results. Not only did Michael take great photos, he had them edited, mildly photoshopped and saved to a USB stick for me at the end of my session THAT SAME DAY! Not typical even for professional photographers. I sent out an e-mail blast to all my agents and direct clients that same night with my updated resume and new photos, 1 of each look, and in less than 24 hours, I had booked a job for a brand new client, Mazda in Monterey, California at Leguna Seca Racetrack. Job paid $750 and the shoot cost me $425, it paid for itself literally overnight in my sleep. I’ve continued to book additional jobs since that night, these updated photos are literally making me thousands. Don’t ever think you’re above paying for professional photos, it’s a must if you are a true professional. Construction workers have to pay for tools to do their job, Models need to pay for updated professional headshots and full body or 3/4 length shots.

Step 1 – Hair & Nails

I made my hair appointment about a week before my shoot to make sure I liked the color and style for my upcoming shoot. Leaving extra time before the shoot incase you need to go back for any adjustments if you don’t like it. My girl nails it  every time, but better be be safe then sorry. Always do your nails, you CAN see them in your pictures so have them manicured.

Step 2 – OUTFIT SELECTION

I chose to shoot 4 total looks to get the most out of my session. I laid out and packed my bag with 4 complete outfits, including shoes, accessories and proper undergarments.

Step 3 – Fresh Hair & Makeup

I recommend doing your own hair and makeup because you want to look like your photos when you show up for a booking. I have a cosmetology background so this was my personal decision. Not everyone is into doing their own hair and makeup, I just happen to prefer it. There’s no point in getting a hair and makeup artist if you can’t duplicate the look they give you. Clients can and will fire you onsite if you show up and don’t look like your photos.  Later after you have a basic headshot and a 3/4 length shot then you can worry about adding variety into your portfolio with different creative looks if you want to. Most newbies forget that a true portfolio is filled with actual tear sheets from print bookings hired models have landed, not just a bunch of photoshoot images from different sessions. If you choose to invest in multiple sessions to show your versatility that’s fine and dandy but you’ll go broke hiring different professional photographers building your fake portfolio. Doing several trade shoots with up and coming or amateur photographers can also do more harm then good when presenting a portfolio, filled with those unprofessional images, to an agent or client.

Makeup – Highlight and Contour – Google It 🙂 – It makes a huge difference. Use matte finish products, avoid makeup with shimmer and glitter, this can cause an unwanted glare in some types of flash photography. If you think ahead the photographer will appreciate not having to fix a bunch of photoshoot flaws later in photoshop. Planning and thinking ahead will also make you seem more professional.

The Coconut Oil was for my nasty sunburn from attempting to get “a little color” before my shoot. It was from the week before and had faded some but I did have to pick clothes that hid it. Check it out below…OUCH!!

BLEND – No ugly jaw/neck make up lines!

Then I did my hair. I haven’t mastered holding a selfie camera and holding the curling wand just yet 🙂

I always start with clean hair but thanks to my awesome hair dresser I found an amazing new product that helps give super fresh clean hair a little bit more volume and “dirties” it up a bit, which works better for my hair type.

Magical New Product Find:

Step 4 – Take A Test Photo In Natural Lighting

I also tested in front the natural light in monochrome (black and white)

Step 5 – Pack Your Bag, GPS the photoshoot location, be on time and HAVE FUN during your photoshoot and you’ll have amazing results!

Investing in professional photos WILL set you apart from the competition that are submitting sub par images. It shows that you are taking your modeling career seriously and the cost of professional photos will ultimately pay for themselves after your first booking or two, resulting in more income from modeling. Good luck at your next shoot! Operate on a professional level, be part of the solution not the problem. Keep the professionalism and we’ll keep our rates where they should be, don’t cut corners on your photos, promotional materials or your booking rates!

Best of luck to all of the industry folks out there, thanks for reading!

-Randi Lange

P.S. If you think you might be interested in becoming a promotional event model download my free report – Breaking Into Promotional Event Modeling HERE

Behind The Scenes Photoshoot Prep

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/behind-scenes-photoshoot-prep-randi-lange?trk=pulse_spock-articles

Welcome!

Welcoming to the Modeling Coach blog. I’ve started this blog in hopes of educating and assisting aspiring talent with the resources they need to navigate their path in this often misunderstood line of work. And yes, it is in fact, work. It is an actual job, an actual career path, and an actual means to pay the bills and provide for yourself while working a large portion of your day from home. It does actually say “Model” on my tax return. I haven’t had to work a “real job” since 2003 because of the amazing opportunities that I’ve “stumbled” into from modeling. I put the word stumbled in quotes because it’s such a cliché. Everyone hears stories about how some people are just randomly discovered at a mall, or on the jumbo T.V. screen at a major sports game with a talent scout in the audience that randomly spotted them during their 5 second screen shot. While that may happen for some, it is NOT how most people go about getting their foot in the door. I’m here to be your Modeling Coach and offer advice, guidance, references, resources, tips and answer all the questions you might have about how to get into the business. If I had a $1 for every time someone asked me How To Get Into Modeling or How To Get My Kids Into Show Business I would literally be rich. I have massive amounts of content and subjects to cover in detail. I invite you to follow my blog for sound advice from someone who has a lifetime of experience, not only in modeling, but with a family with an plethora of entertainment background.

I look forward on helping on your journey,

Randi Lange