Freelance Models and Agency-Independent Models

A freelance model, sometimes also called an agency-independent model, is not signed up with an agency and will advertise her services to potential clients, usually photographers, directly.

As a freelance model, you will not find work in the fashion industry or with the glossy magazines but you are also not restricted by any requirements that normally apply to models. Requirements for agency-independent models are totally flexible and only depend on what the photographer has in mind. Obviously, demand for certain looks, shapes, sizes and age groups varies.

Work can be anything from portfolio work to artistic work, clothed or nude, pro photographers and amateurs, and increasingly for stock photography. This type of work falls into paid work and for time, and can be an opportunity for models, who do not make it with one of the large agencies or who want to pursue modelling as a part-time career.

If you want to become a freelance model, you will need a portfolio.

To advertise yourself to photographers, you can place adverts in some of the photography magazines aimed at amateur photographers, you can send out comp cards to professional photographers or you can use the Internet. You may have your own website or you may show your portfolio on one of the reputable modelling sites, such as OMP or Musecube.

OMP and Musecube are major contenders in this market. OMP has the larger audience, Musecube presents itself more up-market and artistic. Both enjoy an excellent reputation. You still have to watch out who you meet there.

Registering with one of the many other sites may not be worth your time and effort: They attract smaller audiences and are often not on top of con artists and scammers, who try to contact aspiring models through their sites.

Scammers are a problem on the larger sites, too, but they are more aware of the problem and more helpful if problems should arise.

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