If you’re a professional model, we need to talk about modelling etiquette. Just like any job in any industry, there are expected behaviours and standards you need to have to be successful. In modelling, you’ll find out pretty quickly (if you haven’t already found out!) that there are expectations of professional behaviour for working models.
Whether that’s punctuality, communication, or avoiding cancellations, here are my top 3 professional etiquette tips for models.
Etiquette Tip 1: It’s Time to Buy a Watch
Well, you don’t need a watch. But, what you especially need is to be punctual! If a watch helps you do that, then great!
When I modelled in China, I had a reputation for being early. Every single photo shoot, trip, activation, event, you name it, I was there 15-20 minutes early. I made it a habit to be the first to arrive. And do you know what happened?
People started talking about it!
I became known as the “early one”, even if people didn’t actually know my name. Even the makeup artists knew me just because I was always early. This was great for me, because I stood out for the right reasons and was chosen to work on different campaigns above other models who didn’t appreciate the importance of punctuality.
People knew they could rely on me even if we had a language barrier, and that I would show up, be ready to work, and give 110% effort every day.
Being punctual - or even early! - shows commitment, dedication, and respect for others and for yourself. In some cultures, this is highly regarded (which is what I found to be the case in China) and can put you ahead of the competition.
Everyone wants to work with people who make their lives easier, so be the one with a reputation of reliability and punctuality.
Etiquette Tip 2: Make Sure Your Talk Ain’t Cheap
Communication is an essential part of modelling. Speaking well, writing well, and having timely responses (!!) can give you great advantages. I’ve been picked for jobs multiple times just because I was the most consistent to respond to people and prioritised communication.
From my own experience, being able to effectively communicate ideas (for photo shoots and projects) whether you’re emailing, messaging, calling or DM’ing photographers/hair and makeup artists/stylists/brands on social media, can really put you well ahead of the game.
You might be thinking: “Really!? Is communication that important for models?”
Yes! It is. And this is why:
Communication is in my top 3 most important skills that professional working models should develop (along with being punctual). Make sure you can articulate the who, what, when, where, how, and why of what you want to do. Think about it: if you can’t articulate what you want to do or what’s important to achieve, how will you guarantee you’ll get the results you need?
Short answer: you can’t.
Another really important thing: don’t leave people on ‘read’. You know what I mean, you’ve probably had people never respond to your messages. If you’re like me, it drives you absolutely crazy and inevitably changes your opinion of that person. That’s a dangerous game to be playing in modelling!
I can’t tell you how many photographers have come to me to say that the amount of people who ghost them about photo shoots and jobs is astronomical.
In recent years, my photographer friends have noticed that this ghosting problem has become more of a ‘norm’, and they have said to me that they flat out refuse to work with anyone ever again that doesn’t respond to them in a timely manner or ghosts them.
If you didn’t know that, now you do! So make sure you’re not that person.
What is a timely manner, you might be asking? I make a big effort to not leave my modelling work-related messages any longer than 24 hours, which is a pretty normal time period across any industry. 24 hours for a response is a good starting point.
Etiquette Tip 3: Avoid Cancellation Chaos
I get it, sometimes cancellations are unavoidable. You might get sick, unexpected emergencies happen, or your car might decide to take a day off when you need to drive to that next job!
But cancellations come at a big cost to everyone involved.
If you need to cancel a photoshoot, make sure you have a very very good, legitimate reason. Communicate to everyone involved as soon as you know that you need to cancel.
This is HUGE in modelling etiquette. The people involved in your modelling job (whether it’s paid or unpaid portfolio building) have invested a huge amount of effort and energy into setting up a photoshoot. Be respectful of their time, effort, knowledge, skills - sometimes finances if they need to pay for a studio - and make sure that a cancellation is made in an appropriate time frame.
So, how long is ‘an appropriate time frame’?
Just like any other industry, anything 24 hours or more would be acceptable. The longer, the better.
Try not to cancel on the day of!
24 hours is acceptable for people to find a replacement for you and coordinate everyone else involved in the job. Yes, sometimes you may not have 24 hours, but let’s be honest that would be very rare!
If you get up on the morning of your modelling gig, and you feel like you “don’t want to model today”, that is not an appropriate reason to cancel. Cancelling for any reason other than genuine illness or emergency says a lot about your priorities.
If it isn’t your priority to show up to where you say you’ll be at the time you’ve said you’ll be there, don’t go into modelling.
Punctuality, communication, and avoiding cancellations are a great combination of professional etiquette principles to get you ahead in modelling. You would be surprised at how far this type of work ethic can get you in your career.
Make these skills your top 3 priorities in your modelling career and watch your opportunities skyrocket!
Got modelling castings coming up? I also have a guide on what to wear to put your best foot forward, here!