First of all let me just state that showing up for your shoot in good physical condition is CRITICAL. For every fitness model out there, trust me, there are many other suitable others that can replace you should the photographer call your conditioning into question. I have seen people sent home from shoots many times because they show up out of shape. (Don’t worry you usually won’t get sent home from a test shoot…only from paid shoots when you show up out of shape)
The reason some people show up unprepared is because many projects will give you little notice as to when the shoot will occur and you may not have a long period of time to get your diet and training in gear. This is why it is important to stay lean year round and not fall into the off-season style mass gain and then cut trap. That is a dead end in this industry.
Many of the working fitness models that I know typically only need 3-5 days to be camera ready. Others need 10 to 14 days. As competitive as this industry is, who do you think will be chosen for the project…the person who can show up on short notice in sick shape or the person who asks for “just a few more days”?
Before you show up to the shoot, be sure to contact your agent or the photographer so that you can be 100% sure you will know what to do as far as clothing, hair, and makeup. If you are working on a larger project, wardrobe, hair, and makeup professionals usually take care of this for you, but at the very least, be sure to show up with clean skin.
Keep in mind that a picture lasts forever. Good photo shoots are priceless and can help your career tremendously so try your best to look as good as you can for each shoot. It is always worth the hard work and sacrifice.
Bring your zed card – Whenever you work with a photographer it is always a good idea to bring your zed card. You never know if they may have a job for you in the future, so don’t forget to take it with you to the shoot. Your zed card is basically your business card and it will get you jobs. I usually have mine handy at all times. If you are just starting out, however, and don’t have any pictures yet, you may skip this step.
Get enough sleep – Be sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep the night before your shoot. You definitely don’t want to show up with blood shot eyes and dark circles.
Avoid Self Tanners – The last thing you want to do is show up looking like a muscular orange. It is very important to be tan, but a natural tan is always best.
Avoid large meals that day – Large meals on shoot day are generally a bad idea. The last thing you want to happen is for you to get overly bloated and be forced to cancel the shoot. I usually pack a small cooler with healthy foods so I can stick to my nutrition plan and not have to hit up a burger joint mid shoot because I am starving.
Be on time – Fitness modeling is a fast paced business and nobody wants to wait around for an unreliable, flaky model. If you want to work, being on time should be priority number one. Showing up on time shows that you are responsible and that you respect the other people you will be working with and value their time.
Your reputation and relationship with photographers and agents can easily be crushed if you are late for shoots and appointments!
Photographers often rent equipment, assistants, and studios and usually work on a tight schedule. When you are late you cost them money and they will refuse to work with you on future projects. I always try to show up 15 minutes early for my shoots and even earlier if it is a big project.
While you are shooting, always remember that you are working. Modeling is a business and you should treat it as such. A good reputation is VERY important in this industry if you want to book jobs.
I was actually late for my shoot with Powertec this past Saturday because my brakes blew out and I had to take a taxi across town to the shoot. Most photographers are cool if you have an emergency though so be sure to contact them asap and let them know the situation. I phoned in as soon as possible to let the Powertec shoot photographer (Natalie Minh) know about the emergency and I ended up showing up about 10 minutes late but everything was cool.
Remove body hair – Most fitness modeling gigs require the removal of body hair. Be sure to experiment a few weeks in advance with any hair removal methods you have never tried in the past. If you are one of those dudes who think that shaving your body isn’t “manly”…well buddy…fitness modeling isn’t for you.
Avoid tight fitting clothes – It is best to avoid wearing tight fitting clothes before your shoot. Nothing will annoy the photographer more than having to edit out skin dimples and creases caused by tight fitting clothes. It is also a good idea to avoid wearing sunglasses a few hours before shooting also so that you don’t get those pesky red marks on your nose.
Be camera ready – In order to be “camera ready” you need to take certain steps to ensure you can properly show off your hard earned muscle. This generally means getting rid of any subcutaneous water from underneath your skin, and being lean and tan. Most working fitness models have no problem being camera ready in a short period of time because they live a healthy lifestyle all year and will rarely have to cut drastic amounts of weight or do anything else that is extreme to prepare for a shoot.
As I mentioned above, the elite working fitness models only need about 3 to 5 days to get ready for a shoot. Many can even do an emergency fill in and show up immediately.
Don’t get caught up in the in-season and off-season garbage. If you are gaining weight (10, 20 or more pounds) in your so-called off-season, chances are you won’t be booking many jobs. Try as best you can to look your absolute best year round.
Have a positive attitude and be humble– The importance of humility and a positive attitude cannot be understated. You might think that you are God’s gift to the world, but just don’t tell anyone. Be respectful, polite, easy to work with, have a positive attitude, and most importantly be fun to be around. It takes more than just a good looking model to make a shoot successful, it is a team effort.
Have a positive attitude and be humble– The importance of humility and a positive attitude cannot be understated. You might think that you are God’s gift to the world, but just don’t tell anyone. Be respectful, polite, easy to work with, have a positive attitude, and most importantly be fun to be around. It takes more than just a good looking model to make a shoot successful, it is a team effort.
Nobody wants to be on a team with a cocky player who has a bad attitude, regardless of how “good” they are. Take responsibility to not show up with an huge ego and people will respect you. Always be gracious and conduct yourself like a true professional.
And that’s about it! Hopefully now you have enough info to be able to set up your first photo shoot and start your fitness modeling career…now you won’t have to Google your life away trying to figure out “how do I become a model” anymore. So whats next? Just go CRUSH IT!
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