The Truth About Modelling Agencies

H ere's my story and I got ripped off, so if you are a teenager who's considering that flattering offer from a small model agency, read this first. I was approached in a sports club by a middle aged woman who put down a bundle of papers and pulled out a camera. She asked if it would be okay to take my photograph and then she gave me a speech about my height and shape and bone structure and on improving on the way I walk. She left me with the idea I was already a natural catwalk standard model and I should be on her agency's books before I missed any more opportunities. I asked my Mother about it and she was reassured by the fact that a woman asked me, but otherwise didn't know what to say. When I went along, they told me how great I looked and I didn't need to lose any weight (a surprise. I'd been dieting for a week to get ahead of the bad news). They said it wouldn't cost me to join the agency, but I needed to invest in a current portfolio. The portfolio costs 800 pounds for four photoshoots and you must use the photographer they tell you to. After that, I thought the work would start coming in. I did one catalogue photo session where I had to wear lifepreservers and sit in a canoe in a swimming pool for a famous sailing-clothing company. No yacht in sight that day! Otherwise, they didn't offer me any work, but I did get a pile of business cards with my name and portrait on them and the word 'Model' underneath, in case anyone was in doubt (e.g. me). Then they contacted me again and said my hair was 'special' and I needed a tricologist who understood it and, amazingly enough, they knew the only hairdresser in the world that would trully understand how to cut my hair and could sell me shampoo at 50 pounds a bottle. It's worth the investment, they said, and if I was serious about my professionalism... After that, they waited a bit and told me my portfolio needed updating and they'd need another 800. I went to their offices to speak to someone about this and I met two other young girls who were being pulled into the same process. One had been hit-on by her photographer (almost a sexual assualt) and the other one believed the 800 fees are split 50/50 between the agency and the photographers and that's how the agency gets its income (i.e. from the families of the starstruck models and not from commercial sales). I also heard that you might get one assignment as an encouragement, but first pick of all the real jobs goes to the bosses's girlfriend. That was the end of it for me. Pride is a hook. It just leaves you ripped off. I know I'm good looking and I don't need anyone to sell me a little card to prove it. Did you see that documentary about Elite? The one where they took all the best wannabees to France and then some guy rented the girls out to nightclubs? I'm unimpressed by this industry. They should be paying you, not the other way around!