You got signed, you're excited, and then you hear there's a shoot you pay for. It's a fair question, and every new model asks it. Here's where your money goes and what it does for you.
Starting locally means investing in yourself
In big fashion markets, a few models get flown in and advanced costs against future bookings. In Calgary, Edmonton and most of Canada, new models cover their own start-up, the same way you'd pay for dance classes, hockey or voice lessons before you ever perform.
The shoot is the first real piece of that. It gives you professional images for your book, and it gives your agency something to show clients.
What the House of Wild development shoot includes
At House of Wild we call it a development shoot. It runs about an hour in our own studio and includes:
The studio and backdrops
A coach on set who directs you through posing and movement
Our photographer
There's no makeup artist, on purpose. Your first shoot should show clients your real face with minimal makeup, and leaving out the MUA keeps the cost down for you.
What the shoot tells us
The development shoot is also how we get to know you as a model. We see how you show up, how you take direction and how you move in front of a camera.
That decides which level of our client list you go out to first. A model who nails the shoot can be put forward for bigger jobs sooner.
How bookings work after that
We don't assign models to jobs. Once you're on the roster, you apply for jobs from our client list, and the client chooses who gets booked. Strong development images give you a better shot every time a client scrolls through the options.
Is a free shoot a substitute?
Sometimes a TFP (time for prints) shoot can add to your book later on, and our models can do them with our approval. They work best once you already have clean development images and know how to work with a photographer.
Questions before you book
Ask us anything about the shoot before you commit. Call us at (587) 971-9453 or send us a message through the site.
Keep reading: But I Heard I Should Never Do Modeling for Free · The Photos to Send When You Apply · Apply to House of Wild
