When do you need a portfolio?

When you sign with a reputable agency!

If you are an aspiring model doing TFP (test for prints, or a disk these days) work is a great way to build your book. That in essence is learning on the job. My advice is to always do your research on the photographer BEFORE shooting with them! It may be free but if the work is bad or if the photographer is not credible you have just wasted your valuable time plus it may have put yourself in a compromising situation. There are many resources for an aspiring model, such as model mayhem and onemodelplace. These can be great sites to network, although often times there are no background checks done on the people who post looking for models. So again, realize this is your business now and therefore you need to do your research. Ladies, I would also suggest bringing a friend or family member to the shoot..I would not suggest bringing your boyfriend. Always remember, if is sounds too good to be true, it most likely is!!!

An aspiring model should never get her portfolio done through a modeling school. You are often paying much more than you would through an actually agency test shoot and the quality is usually not up to industry standards. Of course, there are always exceptions. It kills me when I see models with a "portfolio" from a school and they spent over a thousand dollars on.  They then come into a reputable agency only to learn the photos are not usable.   Those are expensive Christmas presents!

Every agency is different and depending on the market and your potential your look and book will vary. Many models have a portfolio for each market they are represented in such as LA, NY, Europe, Portland, etc.

So, go out there and learn by shooting with as many good photographers as you can but do not spend money on your "portfolio" until you have an expert guiding you in the right direction.

You should expect to spend between $400-700.00 on a good test shoot with a top notch photographer. An agency will rarely cover this cost for a new model. This may or may not include hair and make-up but should always include a copy of the disk and a minimum of 3-4 different looks.

Good luck!