INTRODUCING MALE FITNESS & FASHION MODEL: MARSHALL

Guys, here’s a first look at the newest addition to our amazing line up of male models, His name is Marshall, he’s 24 and did a teriffic job in his first professional shoot ever. If you’re interested in getting photos of Marshall for your website or wish to hire him directly, please see his male model gallery page.

Some Tips For Smart Male Models In A Stupid Economy:

Newspapers have been awfully depressing lately, foreclosures, unemployment and bail outs, blah, blah, blah.
If you’re a male model struggling to find work in this psychotic market, I don’t have a golden ticket for you, but I can tell you this … More companies are searching for terms like “How To Hire Male Models”, “Male Models for Web Advertising” and my favorite “Affordable Male Models”. I’m no MBA, but if more companies are plugging these terms into the major search engines it stands to reason that they may be getting ready to hire male models for upcoming commercial, fashion, adult and advertising jobs.
This brings me to you – the male model looking for a great paid gig in a not so great economy. Here are some ideas on how smart male models can weather the storm …

1) GET OUT THERE & SHOOT … Being photographed for commercial clients is a skill that improves with practice. If you’re sitting around waiting for a studio call and not getting camera time – you’re making a big mistake. There are many excellent photographers who would love to shoot you. Now, more than ever, you should be looking for PFT opportunities with photographers in your community. PFT stands for “Photos or Prints For Trade” and is an industry term to describe a deal where models and photographers help each other develop their portfolios without compensation. Ideally, both parties leave a PFT shoot with great new photos for their portfolios with out spending a dime. Places like, Craigs List, backpages, your local community college and commercial sites like OMP are excellent places to go to find a photographer interested in a PFT type deal. This allows you to keep your skills sharp, keep your portfolio updated and most important, network with photographers who just might hire you once things turn around out there. It’s the quintessential WIN-WIN for both the male model and the photographer. As always, be sure to get photographer references and clearly defined shoot specifications in writing before the shoot. I’d also strongly recommend that you meet in a public place be

fore you agree to engage in any PFT type deal – no matter how bad you need new portfolio shots, you need to be safe and smart about it.

2) Get Your Online Male Model Portfolios Updated … When Studios like ACEBOYS gets a new order for commercial photography, there’s usually no time to waste. We scan for very fresh, recently updated male model portfolios. If a studio like ours comes to you with a paid assignment, you don’t want to be running around trying to get updated application shots at the last minute. As a male model you need to make sure you are camera ready and that your port is updated. You should be spending the time between gigs optimizing your profile pages. If you don’t have an online portfolio, here are a few of the highly reputable portfolio sites we use to meet, network with and hire male models for paid projects.

3) Keep Your Day Job … We have always advocated our male models to keep other career and academic priorities along with their modeling aspirations. Modeling should be something you do on the side to meet new people, earn extra cash and have fun. Now more than ever, if you’re relying on money from modeling to pay your rent, you’re taking a big risk. So the message here is, don’t get trapped. Make yourself invaluable to your employer now. This will allow you to withstand the long durations between paid modeling gigs and help keep your financial situation stabilized.

Although is been a slow Q4 and early Q1 in the male modeling industry there are very early signs that things may begin to pick up again this spring. Clothing manufactures and designers will be looking for more cost effective ways to showcase and market their fall lines and web based marketing photography is a cheaper and increasingly more powerful alternative to print and catalog media. We’re confident the business is coming, but in the meantime, use the tips above to make sure your skills as a male model stay sharp, that your portfolio stays updated with fresh new content and you have the resources you need to make it between paid gigs. This will put you steps ahead of your competition for the paid photo assignments that will come later in this spring. Stay positive, Stay Focused and Stay Safe and Stay Sexy ☺

Best Regards, Chris Berns / MALE MODEL PHOTOGRAPHER // ACEBOY MODELS // LAS VEGAS, NV // FT. LAUDERDALE, FL

As always, feedback, comments, counter arguments and lavish gifts for our view points are welcome and appreciated ….