TeenHelp - modelling work....

It's a tough industry to break into. I've done runway fashion modeling and commercials as well as being a photographer on the other side. As far as who to trust, that's a hard thing these days. A lot of models starting out you need to build a portfolio of work in order to get a lot of paid jobs. There's something called "TFP" and "TFCD" which stands for Trade/Time for Prints and Trade/Time for CD. Basically...you model for a photographer and they give you the prints, or a CD of the pictures taken. It's a common thing to do when starting out in the industry. Basically you model for them and all you get is the copies of your prints. No money is given to either side. It helps the model get prints of their work to show for other jobs/paid work...and it helps photographers gain experience and help them also get paid jobs when starting out. If you find a photographer who insists you come alone, it's shady. Don't go. Unless it's for a magazine that the entire world knows you're shooting for, and even then, many times photographers don't mind you bringing people (1-2) with you for one, safety, and two, to watch. Grant it, don't bring a party, but I think you get the point. Also...considering you're 16, make sure you have a parent with you. Being your age it does limit the type of shoots you'll be able to do. Also- research out reputable talent agencies in your area and they can additionally many times provide guidance. Please do be aware tho, if you're looking for quick money...modeling isn't the place to find it. It normally takes a while to get your first paid job, and even then, it isn't a stellar amount of money. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send me a message.