The modeling world is an extremely competitive place. You can't exactly expect to become a world renowned model over night. This world is very cut throat, and only the best of the best make it.
Typically, the better part of the modeling world, only extend to those who were blessed enough to be born into the industry. Those models hold that name with power and will always be above those climbing from the bottom of the modeling food chain. To make it in this industry from the bottom, you can't be emotional, or at least can't show it. You have to have some major balls to even try to show this society that you have what it takes.
The bad thing is, agents or even people in general won't take a second look at you unless you have a unique quality about you that you were born with. So pray those good genes will come in handy everyone. As of right now they basically want females to be borderline anorexic. Now, I'm not talking about those girls who are naturally that thin, all power to you. There are girls that are a 0-2 dress size, and agents tell them they need to lose 2 inches or so off their hips. Believe me I've heard with my own ears from friends of mine. Difference is, I personally don't stand for starving myself to be treated like shit in the modeling world. The truth is, backstage, you are not allowed to speak to anyone. You stand there, get dolled up, walk and that's it. You could be there an entire day, and they won't feed you. Trust me, I've been through it. I've actually complained about this in the past, and nothing changed. They want you to be as skinny as possible, no matter what it takes.
The other bad thing you ask? You probably won't get paid, or at least very little. Again, unless you're born into the industry and have a name to uphold, you make shit. So if you were planning on just straight making modeling a careers your main or only income, don't. For instance, with my agency, I could make $100 for a show, and that's for typically 4-8 hours, depending on the budget of who you are walking for. Your agent then gets 20% of what you make, so you only get paid $80. Now yes, that's a lot for only 4 hours. However, these shows in the not so model favoring states, have department store shows, maybe twice a year. I highly doubt $160 will cut it for your yearly income. If I don't get paid, I'm only doing the show for the experience and to "get my name out there". If we're being completely honest, everyone in the Virginia Beach area knows who I am and I've either already shot with them or they have terrible quality photos.
Which leads to my next point. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED BY ANY MEANS TO SHOOT WITH ANYONE YOU DON'T WANT TO. People around here absolutely love to pressure you into shooting with them, and if you don't? You're slut shamed and told you are a terrible model, and how you will get nowhere in this industry. I tend to laugh as I scroll through their feed of over edited photos and girls who aren't even models. Which brings me to... DUN DUN DUN! The instagram models. These are the girls who claim they're models, but just have people take pictures of their ass or tits on an iPhone and post it on social media. The sad thing? It's actually working. This is one of the most frustrating things I have faced as a model. You have these girls out here with ZERO modeling experience and pose like their constipated or it's so placed it that makes me cringe. Sadly, for this "modeling world" having a big ass will get you paid some big bucks.
It's sad because the modeling world is slowly disappearing behind these instagram models' asses and completely ruining our actual careers. They don't understand how cut throat this actually is and how when an ACTUAL agency rejects us, it breaks our self esteem. I'll be honest, I've been rejected by EVERY agency I have applied to outside of Virginia. The thing is, you have to remember, not everyone is going to like you or your body type. You know what, tell them to stick their opinion where the sun don't shine because honey someone is going to see your banging ass body, and be like DAMN I want to represent her, and the rest will be history. Until that day comes, never stop doing what you love especially if you feel discouraged by other models out there making millions, especially don't feel discouraged by these instagram models. No offense to them I'm sure they worked hard too, but honey you're ruining the actual purpose of the modeling world, and soon the only models that will matter are the ones with the name and the money.
