Approaching an Agency...?

[neptuned]

Hello everyone!
I've been practicing photography for a little while now, but I am by no means a professional or an expert yet. However I would like to approach a couple of agencies about regularly testing for them/working with their models.
That being said, I have no clue how to go about this in a professional manner.
Any advice on the topic is greatly appreciated!

 

[Big Mike]

Are you talking about a modeling agency? Or an advertising agency? My guess would be that they either have their own photographers or ones that they work with...or they just supply the models and their clients supply the photographers.

On the other hand, models need to have a portfolio...so there is an opportunity there.

It's fairly common for models and photographers to work together in order to build up their own portfolios. It uses to be called TFP, time for prints. They trade their modeling time for your prints. Now, it not so much prints but digital files.

You could try contacting an agency to see if any models are avaliable for this type of arangement...or you could try to contact models directly. There web sites where you can contact models, Modelmayhem and Onemodelplace are two that I know.

Keep in mind that it would be a good idea to have some experience and know what you are doing before getting an experienced model. They won't be happy if you are just wasting their time.

If you can friends and family to pose for you, that might be a lot easier.

 

[neptuned]

Most of my work to this point has been with TF* shoots, so I know how those work, but I was speaking specifically of having some sort of working relationship to a modeling agency.