Sofia Marchetti
Senior Model & Modelist Contributor
Everyone starts with a blank portfolio. The models you admire today once had nothing but a phone, a will to try, and whatever natural ability they'd been born with. Here's how to build something compelling from the ground up — strategically, not just randomly.
Step 1: Start with polaroids
Before you spend a cent on photography, get your polaroid set right. (See our full polaroid guide for the specifics.) These unedited natural-light shots are what agencies and casting directors actually want to see first. They're also completely free. A great polaroid set, properly done, is already a professional asset.
Step 2: Find TFP photographers intentionally
TFP — time for print, or trade for print — means you exchange your time for edited photos. Neither party pays the other. It's the standard way models build initial portfolios, and there's no shame in it at any stage of a career. The key is to be selective. Research photographers on Instagram and Modelist before reaching out. Look at their work. Is it the direction you want to go? Reach out only to people whose existing portfolio you'd be proud to be part of.
Step 3: Aim for range, not quantity
The common mistake is trying to get as many shots as possible. What you actually need is range: one or two strong fashion shots, one strong beauty or close-up shot, one commercial lifestyle shot, and one full-body editorial shot. Eight excellent images across different categories beat forty mediocre ones of the same look.
- 1Fashion/Editorial: High-contrast, dramatic, shows your potential for campaign work
- 2Commercial/Lifestyle: Relatable, approachable, brand-friendly
- 3Beauty: Clean, close-up, shows your face and skin in detail
- 4Movement: A shot that shows you in action — walking, turning, reacting
Step 4: Edit your portfolio ruthlessly
Remove anything that doesn't represent where you want to go. Remove anything where you 'look good but the photo isn't great.' Remove anything more than 18 months old that no longer looks like you. A tight portfolio of 8–12 strong images is far more impressive than 30 shots of varying quality.
Ask someone whose taste you trust to tell you which three images they'd show a stranger to represent you. Those are your lead images. The rest is supporting depth.
Step 5: Upload and keep it current
Your Modelist portfolio is your live, working portfolio. Keep it updated as you get new work. A portfolio that hasn't been updated in a year tells designers that you're not actively working — even if you are. Treat every new shoot as an opportunity to refresh at least one image.
Sofia Marchetti
Senior Model & Modelist Contributor
A contributor to The Modelist Journal, sharing firsthand experience from years of working in the creative industry.