The short answer
To become a model, pick the kind of modeling that suits you, take a set of plain digitals (unedited photos on a phone), practice your walk and a handful of poses, then submit to legitimate agencies that represent your type. Keep building with test shoots and freelance jobs while you wait to hear back. Getting started should cost you almost nothing, and nobody genuine will ask you to pay to be signed.
Choose your type of modeling
“Model” covers very different jobs, and each one looks for different people. Knowing which fits you tells you which agencies to approach and what to practice.
- Fashion and editorial: magazines, designers and lookbooks. The most selective on look and measurements.
- Runway: live shows. The walk is the job, so it is the skill to train first.
- Commercial: advertising for everyday products and services. Open to a far wider range of heights, body types and looks; personality and a natural smile matter more than measurements.
- E-commerce: product photos for online stores. Steady work that rewards speed, consistency and simple, clean posing.
- Fitness: sportswear and health brands, where an athletic build and real training show.
- Curve and plus-size: a growing part of fashion and commercial work.
- Parts: hands, feet, hair or other features for close-up product shots.
- Events and promotional: brand activations and trade shows, often a first paid job.
- Content and social: creating your own photos and videos for brands.
You do not have to choose only one. Many working models combine commercial, e-commerce and event work, and the core skills (walk, posing, working with a camera) carry across all of them.
How to become a model, step by step
1. Take your digitals
Digitals, sometimes called polaroids, are the first thing an agency asks for. They show the real you, so keep them simple:
- Stand against a plain, light wall in soft daylight. No flash, no filters, no editing.
- Wear fitted, plain clothes (for example a black top and jeans), or swimwear if the agency asks for it.
- Little or no makeup, hair off your face for at least some shots.
- Shoot a close headshot, a three-quarter shot, full length from the front, side and back, and a profile. Take each with and without a smile.
Retake them whenever your hair or look changes. Out-of-date digitals waste everyone’s time.
2. Learn the basics: walk, pose, camera
You do not need years of training, but you do need a walk you can produce on demand and a few poses you can hold without thinking. Start with our free guide on how to walk like a model. Practice in front of a mirror, then film yourself on your phone: the camera shows what the mirror hides.
If you want structure, a short online modeling course for beginners can take you through confidence, runway, posing and camera work in order, at home and at your own pace.
3. Build a starter portfolio with test shoots
A test shoot is a collaboration where a photographer, stylist or makeup artist builds their own portfolio alongside yours. Choose people whose existing work you like, agree in writing how many edited images you will receive and where each of you may use them, and bring a friend if you do not know the photographer.
4. Find legitimate agencies and submit
- List the agencies that represent your type of modeling where you live, or the nearest city with a fashion or advertising industry.
- Check each one: a real address, a board of working models you can look up, and clients you recognize.
- Submit through the agency’s official website or an advertised open call, with your digitals and basic details. Never through a stranger’s private message.
- Follow up politely if they invite you in, and bring your digitals and a notebook to the meeting.
5. Grow your presence
Brands and agencies will look you up. A clean, public profile with a few strong images, your digitals and a short video of your walk works as a living portfolio. Post consistently and keep it professional.
6. Keep training between bookings
Working models keep practicing. Film your walk regularly and compare it with last month’s. Tools like AI Coach Siriana can score a walk you film on your phone and tell you the one thing to fix next, so practice always has a goal.
What modeling agencies look for
- A look their clients book. Every agency has its own client list, which is why one agency’s no can be another’s yes.
- Honest digitals. They want to see your natural skin, hair and shape.
- Movement. A confident, consistent walk, and the ability to move between poses.
- Taking direction. Can you change expression or angle when a photographer asks?
- Reliability. Quick replies, punctuality and a good attitude are what get you rebooked.
Becoming a model with no experience
Most models start with none. Experience is not what gets you through the door; preparation is. Focus on what you can control: excellent digitals, a practiced walk, three or four poses you can repeat, and a calm, friendly manner at meetings. Freelance work with local brands, student photographers and events builds real experience while you submit to agencies.
How to become a male model
The path is the same. Take plain digitals (fitted T-shirt, jeans, natural grooming), practice a walk that is relaxed and grounded rather than exaggerated, and submit to agencies with a men’s division. Commercial and e-commerce work is often the most open entry point.
What it costs, and what should be free
Starting out can cost very little. These should be free: applying to an agency, being represented (agencies earn commission when you are booked), and your digitals. These are optional purchases you choose: training, a photoshoot with a photographer you picked, and travel to castings.
The test is simple: are you paying for a service you receive, or for a promise (to be signed, seen or booked)? Read more in do modeling agencies ask for money?
How to stay safe
- Never pay a fee to be signed, to “hold your spot”, or to attend a casting.
- Meet only at an agency’s real office or a public place, and bring someone with you.
- Never send intimate photos. A legitimate agency will never ask for them.
- Read every contract, keep a copy, and ask about commission, payment timing and exclusivity before you sign.
- Be wary of pressure to decide today. Real opportunities survive a night’s sleep.
How long it takes
There is no standard timeline. Some people are signed soon after their first submission, others build for months with test shoots and freelance work. Keep your digitals current, keep practicing, and keep submitting.
Live in Kenya? Read our local guide, how to become a model in Kenya, or train in person at our modeling academy in Nairobi.
Frequently asked questions
Can you become a model with no experience?
Yes. Agencies and clients scout and sign people with no experience all the time, because what they are judging first is your look, your digitals and how you move, not your résumé. What helps is arriving prepared: clean, current digitals, a walk you can produce on demand, and a few poses you are comfortable holding in front of a camera. Those are skills, and skills can be practiced.
How do I start modeling?
Start by deciding which kind of modeling fits you, then take a set of plain digitals on a phone against a bare wall in daylight. Practice your walk and basic poses until they feel natural, find the agencies that represent your type of model, and submit through their official website or open calls. Keep building with test shoots and stay alert to anyone asking for money in exchange for a promise.
Do I need an agency to become a model?
Not always, but it helps for most fashion and commercial work. An agency finds you bookings, negotiates fees and handles contracts in exchange for commission. Many models start freelancing with local brands, photographers and events, and that experience can make a later agency submission stronger. Either way, read every contract before you sign it.
How much does it cost to become a model?
Getting started can cost very little. Digitals can be taken on a phone, applying to legitimate agencies is free, and representation is paid through commission once you are booked. Training and photoshoots are optional purchases: worth it when you choose them and know exactly what you receive, and a warning sign when someone says you must buy them to be signed.
What do modeling agencies look for?
Agencies look for a look their clients will book, and for someone reliable to send to a job. In practice that means clear digitals that show your natural face, hair, skin and body; a confident walk; the ability to take direction on set; and professional habits like answering quickly and arriving on time. Different agencies and divisions look for different things, so research before you submit.
Can men become models?
Yes. Men work in fashion, runway, commercial, fitness and e-commerce modeling, and many agencies have a men’s division. The steps are the same: plain digitals, a confident walk, posing you can repeat, and a submission to the agencies that represent men.
How long does it take to become a model?
There is no fixed timeline. Some people are signed within weeks of their first submission; others build for months with test shoots and freelance work first. What you control is preparation: good digitals, practiced skills and consistent submissions.
Do I need a portfolio before I apply to an agency?
No. Most agencies ask for digitals, not a professional portfolio, when you first apply. A good agency will help you build a portfolio through test shoots once they represent you.