How to Create a Modeling Portfolio: Tips For Petite Models

Jennifer Monge-fashion editorial

When you decide to embark on a career in modeling you should take steps to properly prepare yourself. Before attempting to reach out to any photographer, you must know what you’re doing in order to protect yourself and your career.  You certainly do not want to waste your time or money due to a lack of preparedness.  Save yourself disappointment and frustration by starting out with a proper foundation by developing a well rounded modeling portfolio.  This portfolio will be the base off which you can launch a career, so be selective and deliberate in its creation.

I highly suggest that you practice posing techniques.  You can search YouTube for behind the scenes videos of supermodels and watch how they move and pose.  Go to Barnes and Noble, for example, and browse through magazines, collecting pictures of clothing you like and gathering inspiration from campaigns you want to recreate.  In front of the mirror you should practice different facial expressions- happy, sad, mad, etc.  Make sure to learn to recognize which angles accentuate your best features.

Bella Petite Model Jennifer Monge-Recreates celebrity looksIn preparing for a photo shoot, I find it most helpful to ‘get into character.’  I do this by focusing on the image I’m trying to portray by visualizing the character and expressing every feeling.

For example, I wanted to bring to life one of Mexico’s legendary actresses, Maria Felix. I studied her pictures, watched her movies and got a good sense of her character. I then evolved into her character and felt that I was her in the photo shoot. Even though she and I look nothing alike, the power of concentration and getting into character worked like magic.

My next attempt to bring another character to life was Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico’s most famous painters.  The two are very different looking women, yet I was able to portray each of them succesfully.

Once you have practiced posing techniques and different facial expressions to develop your confidence, then you are ready to approach photographers.

2 thoughts on “How to Create a Modeling Portfolio: Tips For Petite Models”

  1. Hi. I am a petite model and I have beendiscriminated against for being too short. I want to be given a fair opportunity to model professionally and wish it was not as difficult. Your magazine is amazing and I would love to stand strong as an advocate for petite models that aspire to be successful. I am crrently undergoing a statutory assessment for high functioning Aspergers Syndrome and hope to gain further support and guidance to optimse my performance and standards. Kind regards, Ravina 😉

  2. Being petite and new in modeling industry, I’m constantly searching on the internet for posts that may assist me, and this post give me more information on how to start my career. This really helps me a lot on making my portfolio. Thanks for sharing.

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