Tips for beginners

• You don't need a huge number of images in your portfolio to start out. A few really good images are much better than a lot of mediocre images. If a photo isn't good, don't use it. Show only your best images.  Most photographers and agents will be more interested in how you look, not what you're wearing. What you need are a few good headshots which show your face and hair, plus a few 3/4 and full body shots which show your figure. The attention should be on you, you don't need to prove you have 12 different swimsuits or 27 different dresses!

• On a test shoot, take along a selection of simple outfits. Chose things that make you look good and that you are comfortable in. Solid colors or simple patterns are best. Avoid anything too "busy". A T-shirt, blouse, jeans, skirt and a dress would be a basic wardrobe. Basic black and white are always good. If you have a good figure, make sure you show it - don't just wear baggy clothes. Swimsuits and lingerie are always good.

• Take along some accessories. A hat, a scarf, a necklace, a bracelet, sunglassest - you get the idea. Small things that can make a shot look "different".

• Most legitimate model agencies don't demand "money up front". They pay you, you don't pay them. There are a few "agencies" which will charge you up to $1000 to be listed with them. They're making their money by getting you to sign up, not by getting work for you. While it's certainly possible some of their models will get work through them, these agencies generally don't have a good reputation.

• If you are working freelance, put your images on as many of the reputable web sites as possible. Examples are OneModelPlace.com and MuseCube.com. If you don't do nudes, make sure to put NO NUDES in your listing, or you may get unwanted interest. Websites can get you started but know that most commercial photographers and agencies don't hire their models from websites.

• Make sure that you and any photographer you're working with are on the same wavelength and that you're both clear on what you're shooting. For example the term "glamour" can be interpreted in many different ways. To you it might mean sexy shots in jeans and a T-shirt, to the photographer it may mean Playboy nudes. Similarly "erotic" doesn't usually mean sexy. It often means "X-rated adult".

• Be professional. Reply to email and phone calls promptly. Be on time. If you have to cancel a shoot, do it as soon as you find out you can't make it. Never just "don't show up". If there's some sort of emergency on your way to a job, at least call the photographer to apologize for not being there as soon as you can. Don't get a reputation for being unreliable.

• Check out photographers who contact you. Look at their website for samples of their work to make sure they shoot the type of images you are interested in. If you don't know them personally, it's a good idea to take a cell phone along with you on a shoot and arrange for a friend to call you at a pre-arranged time, just to make sure all is going well. Make sure someone knows where you are going and who you are shooting with.