Aspiring, Development, New Face or Working?

Why this distinction actually matters

Almost every question about modelling depends on which of these three you are, because the honest answer changes completely depending on where you're starting from. Someone who's never modelled needs to know if it's even for them. Someone an agency has just noticed needs to build a folio, fast. Someone already working needs new material for roles they're already being hired for. Confusing the three leads to the wrong advice at the wrong time.

Aspiring: you haven't modelled yet

You've never done a shoot, never spoken to an agency, and you're not sure modelling is even for you. This stage is entirely about finding out, not committing to anything. The honest first step is a handful of clean, unedited digitals shot on a phone in natural light, so you can see how you photograph before spending any money or time on more.

This is the stage where free collaboration sessions matter most, since there's nothing to lose by trying one and seeing how it feels.

Development: an agency is developing you

An agency has taken you on to develop. They've seen potential and are testing, shooting and guiding you while they work out where you fit. At some agencies this comes before New Faces. At others it's simply another name for it.

Nothing is guaranteed at this stage. Some people move on to New Faces or the main board, and some don't, which says more about what that agency needs right now than about you.

What helps most is simple: clean digitals, a few strong test images, and turning up ready to learn.

If you're 16 or 17, you're welcome to book a session. A parent or guardian approves it first, and they or another adult aged 21 or over comes with you for the whole session.

New Face: an agency has taken an interest

An agency has seen something in you, scouted you directly or through an open call, and now wants to see what you've got on camera. This is still an early stage, not a guarantee of work. The agency is testing where you fit: which categories suit your look, which photographers you work well with, and whether the interest converts into paid bookings.

The work at this stage is almost entirely about building a folio: proper polaroids, a small set of test shots with different photographers, and comp cards once there's enough material. You are, in a very real sense, being shopped around while everyone works out where you land.

Working: you get hired for roles

You're signed, independent, or both, and clients hire you for specific jobs rather than testing where you fit. The uncertainty of the earlier stages is mostly behind you. What you need now is usually narrower and more practical: fresh material for a specific category, an updated look for a changing market, or simply more variety in an existing folio.

Free collaboration sessions still make sense here, not to find out if modelling is for you, but to fill a genuine gap in what you can show.

Working out which one you actually are

Most people already know, once it's put plainly. If you've never modelled and are curious, you're aspiring. If someone in the industry has actively taken an interest and asked you for material, you're a new face. If you're already being booked for work, you're working. It's fine to sit between two of these, most people do for a while.

What this means for booking a session here

This isn't about qualifying for anything. All four stages are welcome, and the booking form simply asks where you are so the session can be pitched at the right level, whether that's a first ever shoot or a specific gap in an existing book.