Every week, Melbourne modelling agencies open their inboxes to hundreds of submissions. Head bookers at Vivien’s, Scene, KHOO Management, Brooklyn MGMT. They’re all scrolling through the same flood of hopeful faces, looking for their next signing.
Most of those submissions get passed over in under ten seconds.
Not because the people in them aren’t right. Not because they don’t have the look, the height, the bone structure. But because the submission itself didn’t do its job.
Here’s what most aspiring models don’t realise: your agency submission isn’t a beauty contest. It’s a commercial assessment. Agencies aren’t asking “is this person attractive?” They’re asking, “Can I book this person?” Those are two very different questions, and the answer to the second one lives almost entirely in how your portfolio is presented.
The good news? Submission standards aren’t a mystery. They’re specific, they’re consistent across the industry, and once you understand them, you can meet them cleanly. The gap between “submission ignored” and “callback within the week” is almost never about changing who you are. It’s about presenting who you are in the format agencies actually use.
This guide breaks down exactly what Melbourne modelling agencies expect in a submission portfolio, image by image, shot by shot, so you can stop guessing and start submitting with confidence.
Why Submission Standards Exist (And Why They’re Non-Negotiable)
Think of your agency submission like a job application. Not the creative, personality-filled cover letter kind — the kind where the hiring manager has 200 applications on their desk and a system for sorting through them quickly. If your CV is in the wrong format, missing key information, or buried under irrelevant detail, it doesn’t matter how qualified you are. It never gets read properly.
Agency submissions work the same way.
The standard requirements exist for a reason that actually works in your favour: they strip everything back so your raw potential can speak for itself. No heavy makeup to hide behind. No dramatic lighting to create an illusion. No filters doing work that a casting director will immediately see through in person. What’s left is you – your bone structure, your skin, your proportions, the way your face photographs from different angles. That’s what agencies need to evaluate.
This catches many first-time submitters off guard. If you’ve spent any time on Instagram or TikTok, you’ve absorbed a visual language built around curation, editing, and personal branding. That’s great for building a following, but it’s almost the opposite of what agencies want in a submission. Your social content is designed to show who you want to be. Your agency digitals are designed to show who you actually are, right now, so a booker can assess whether your look fits their roster and their clients’ briefs.
That’s not a criticism of your Instagram. It’s a completely different tool for a completely different purpose.
When a head booker opens your submission, they’re running a rapid mental checklist. Can this person do commercial work? Editorial? Runway? What brands would book them? Do their proportions work for the designers we represent? How does their face read on camera without production support? They need to answer those questions quickly and accurately, and they can only do that if your images follow a format that lets them assess you without distractions.
Whether you’re submitting to Vivien’s, Scene, Brooklyn MGMT, KHOO Management, Giant, ICON Management, Priscilla’s, or any other Melbourne agency, the assessment process follows the same logic. What varies is the specific format they ask for: some want two photos at initial submission, others want a full set, and a few leave it open. What doesn’t vary is what they’re trying to find out: can this person’s look be booked? Once your portfolio gives an accurate and complete picture of who you are, you can approach multiple agencies with confidence, knowing your images are prepared for whatever they ask.
Here’s what I see regularly in my studio: someone walks in convinced they need to look a certain way, pose a certain way, project a certain image to “be a model.” They’ve studied other models’ portfolios, practised angles in their bathroom mirror, maybe even invested in a shoot that produced beautiful images — just not the right images for an agency submission. The talent was always there. The presentation was the missing piece.
And that’s the part you can control completely. You can’t change your bone structure or add four inches of height. But you can make sure your submission portfolio meets the standard that gives your look the best possible chance of being seen for what it is.
The six-shot set below covers every angle agencies use to assess a model’s look. Whether an agency asks for two images or a full set, these six leave nothing unanswered. And every single one of them matters. shots. And every single one of them matters.
The Agency Digital Set (Your Core Shots)
Here’s the honest truth about agency digital requirements: they vary. Some Melbourne agencies ask for two photos at the initial submission stage. Others want a full set covering multiple angles. A few will take whatever you send and make their own call.
So what does that mean for you? It means your best move is to be prepared for all of them.
The six-shot framework below covers every angle agencies commonly assess — and in the process, covers you for whichever agency you’re submitting to, whatever their specific requirements happen to be. Think of it less as “the industry standard” and more as the complete set that leaves nothing on the table. Submit these six shots and no booker — whether they asked for two photos or twelve — is going to be left wondering what you look like from a different angle.
Let’s walk through them.
Full-length front-on. Head to toe, standing naturally, facing the camera directly. No angles, no weight shifts designed to create a more “flattering” silhouette. This shot is about proportions – how your body is built, how you carry yourself, how your frame reads in a straight, unmanipulated composition. Agencies use this to assess you for commercial, fashion, and runway suitability in a single glance. It’s the most honest shot in the set, and that’s exactly why it comes first.
Three-quarter angle. Your body rotated slightly off-centre from the camera, giving the image dimension and depth. This is where commercial versatility starts to reveal itself. A front-on shot is flat by nature, whereas the three-quarter shows how your face and body photograph when there’s some movement in the frame. Brands and casting directors rarely shoot dead-on. This image tells them how you’ll look in the work they’re actually booking.
Close-up face. Tight crop, clean skin, minimal or no makeup. This is the shot that makes people nervous, and the one agencies pay the most attention to. Skin quality, bone structure, symmetry, the way light falls across your features without anything softening the details. It can feel exposing if you’re used to presenting yourself with a full face of product. But here’s the thing agencies know that most people don’t: skin texture is normal. Pores are normal. The close-up isn’t looking for perfection. It’s looking for a face that photographs well at close range, because that’s what a lot of commercial and beauty work demands.
Profile. A full side-on view of your face and jawline. This is the shot that gets forgotten most often in DIY submissions, and it’s a genuine loss when it’s missing. Your profile tells a booker things no other angle can, such as the line of your nose, the shape of your jaw, and how your features stack up in silhouette. Editorial and runway work leans heavily on strong profiles. Leaving this out of your submission is like handing in an exam with a blank page. The booker notices.
Back view. Shoulders, posture, the line of your back. Particularly important if you’re submitting to agencies with fashion, swimwear, or activewear divisions, but it’s valuable across the board because it completes the physical picture. Your front-on shot tells half the story. This shot tells the other half. It also reveals posture in a way that front-facing images can mask, and good posture is one of those quiet signals that separates working models from aspiring ones.
Smile shot. A natural, genuine smile. This is not the posed, tight-lipped version you might default to when you’re feeling self-conscious in front of a camera. Commercial modelling runs on warmth, approachability, and the ability to sell a product with your expression. Toothpaste campaigns, lifestyle brands, activewear catalogues – they all need a model who can smile like they mean it. This single image tells an agency whether you can do that work. Don’t underestimate it.
What Ties These Six Shots Together
Notice what’s missing from every shot description above: drama. There’s no mention of wind machines, editorial lighting, creative wardrobe, or cinematic locations. That’s intentional.
Agency digitals are shot with clean, even lighting on a simple background. Wardrobe is fitted basics: a plain white or black tee, well-fitting jeans, and simple swimwear (if applicable to the division you’re submitting to). No logos, no patterns, no statement pieces. The clothes should disappear. If a booker remembers your outfit before they remember your face, the image hasn’t done its job.
Editing follows the same philosophy. Digitals are colour-corrected with minor blemish removal. That’s it. No skin smoothing, no body reshaping, no retouching that alters what you actually look like. This isn’t about delivering a “raw” aesthetic for the sake of it. It’s practical: if an agency signs you based on heavily retouched images and you show up to a casting looking noticeably different, that relationship is over before it started. Clean digitals protect you as much as they serve the agency.
One question I hear in almost every consultation: “Can I add more than six images to my submission?” The answer is yes, but the six digitals come first, always. Additional images are portfolio selects: fully edited shots across different looks and styles that show your range beyond the assessment set. Think of the digitals as your professional credentials, and the portfolio selects as the work samples that demonstrate what you can do with those credentials. Agencies want both. But they assess the credentials first.
Beyond Digitals (What a Complete Submission Portfolio Looks Like)
Your six digitals open the door. Your portfolio selects are what make the agency want to walk through it.
If the digital set answers the question “Can we work with this person’s look?”, your portfolio selects answer the follow-up question: “What kind of work can this person do?” And in a market like Melbourne, where agencies book everything from high-fashion editorial to commercial lifestyle to athletic activewear, showing range isn’t optional. It’s how you get signed instead of filed away as “maybe later.”
Portfolio Selects are your fully edited working images. These sit alongside your digitals and show you across multiple looks, styles, and contexts. A strong submission might include a clean commercial look, an editorial fashion look, and a lifestyle or movement-based look. These are three distinct styles that tell an agency you’re not a one-note booking. Each look should include frame variety: head and shoulders, three-quarter, full length, seated or environmental, and at least one image with movement or action. Agencies want to see that you can shift between contexts without losing the thread of what makes you bookable.
Hero Retouches are your strongest images from the session, edited to magazine standard. Full retouching, colour grading, the works. These are the shots that anchor your submission — the ones a booker’s eye lands on first, the ones that make them stop scrolling. If your digitals are your handshake, your hero retouches are the conversation that makes someone remember your name. Every submission should include a handful of these, and they should genuinely be your best work. Not your favourites. Your best.
How many images total? For a first submission, the sweet spot is 15 to 25 well-curated images. That’s your six digitals, a selection of portfolio selects across your looks, and your hero retouches. More than 25 and you’re diluting impact, forcing a booker to sift through filler to find the standouts. Fewer than 15 and you’re not showing enough range to make a confident assessment. Curation matters as much as quality here. Every image in your submission should earn its place. This is the exact framework I shoot to in The Core Reveal: every portfolio image, mapped to what agencies actually flag during review.
This is where a lot of aspiring models trip up. The instinct is to include everything – every shot that made you feel good, every image where you liked how you looked. But a submission portfolio isn’t a highlight reel of your favourite moments. It’s a curated commercial tool designed to demonstrate bookability. That means cutting images that are good but redundant, removing shots where the styling or setting overlaps with a stronger image, and being brutally honest about which pictures actually showcase range versus which ones just showcase the same angle in a different outfit.
If it helps, think of it this way: an agency booker who opens your submission and sees 20 carefully chosen images thinks “this person understands the industry.” A booker who opens 60 images thinks “this person doesn’t know how to edit.” The curation is the message.
Melbourne-Specific Submission Tips
Melbourne’s modelling industry has its own rhythm, its own aesthetic, and its own expectations. What works for a Sydney submission or an international market doesn’t always translate directly here. If you’re submitting to Melbourne agencies specifically, these details matter.
The Melbourne aesthetic leans towards “authentically directed.” Polished but not stiff. Editorial but with personality. The city’s fashion scene has always favoured a certain effortless quality — images that look considered without looking overworked. If your portfolio feels like it’s trying too hard to be high fashion or leans into an overly commercial American look, it might not land the way you expect with Melbourne bookers. Study the agencies’ existing rosters and campaigns. Notice how the work feels. That’s the visual language your submission should speak.
Diversity is a genuine priority, not a marketing line. Melbourne agencies are actively expanding representation across ethnicities, body types, ages, and gender identities. If you’ve ever been told you “don’t look like a model” by someone whose reference point is a 2005 runway, ignore that advice. It’s outdated. The commercial reality in Melbourne right now is that brands want faces that reflect their actual customer base, and agencies are building rosters to match. Your difference may be the exact gap an agency is trying to fill.
Each agency has its own submission process. Follow it precisely. Most Melbourne agencies accept online submissions through their websites. Some hold open casting calls at specific times of year. A few accept email submissions. Whatever the process is, use it exactly as instructed. Submitting via DM when the agency has a web form tells a booker you didn’t take five minutes to check their website. It’s a small thing, but small things add up fast when someone is reviewing hundreds of submissions.
Here’s a practical overview of some key Melbourne agencies and what they’re known for:
Vivien’s Model Management is one of Melbourne’s most established agencies, with a strong reputation across commercial, editorial, and runway. Their roster is broad, and they’re known for developing talent over time rather than signing exclusively for immediate bookability.
Scene Model Management skews towards commercial and lifestyle work, with a roster that reflects Melbourne’s multicultural market. If your look fits the commercial space (catalogues, brand campaigns, lifestyle content), Scene is worth researching.
KHOO Management has built a reputation around diversity, artist development, and a genuine investment in their talent’s wellbeing. Their approach aligns well with models who want an agency that treats them as people first and products second.
Brooklyn MGMT (formerly Brazen) is a boutique agency with almost 20 years in the Melbourne market, representing models, actors, and content creators. They’ve built a strong reputation around diversity and inclusion, with a roster that spans men, women, non-binary talent, curve models, and families — and they’ve recently launched a Profile Talent division for athletes, media personalities, and high-profile figures. If your career vision extends beyond traditional modelling into content creation, brand ambassadorships, or talent representation more broadly, Brooklyn MGMT’s model is worth understanding.
Giant Management and ICON Management both maintain strong Melbourne presences with varying strengths across commercial, fashion, and editorial divisions. Priscilla’s is another established name with a long track record in the Melbourne market.
Research each agency’s current roster before you submit. Look at the faces they represent, the work those models are booking, and whether your look adds something their roster doesn’t already have. A tailored submission that demonstrates you’ve done your homework will always outperform a generic one blasted to every agency on the list.
One more note on timing: if you can, pay attention to the rhythms of the fashion calendar. Agencies often ramp up scouting ahead of Melbourne Fashion Week and peak campaign seasons. Submitting when agencies are actively looking to expand their rosters can improve your odds, though a strong submission is a strong submission regardless of timing.
Common Submission Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)
Every photographer who works regularly with agency submissions has seen the same mistakes cycle through on repeat. These aren’t obscure pitfalls; they’re common, avoidable, and they cost aspiring models callbacks they’d otherwise receive. If your submission has been ignored in the past, there’s a reasonable chance one of these is the reason.
Over-editing and heavy filters. This is the most frequent and most damaging mistake in the age of Instagram. If your submission images have been through Facetune, Lightroom presets that smooth skin to porcelain, or any filter that changes the fundamental texture and tone of your face, agencies will notice, and not in a good way. A booker needs to know what you look like. Not what you look like through three layers of processing. The dissonance between a heavily edited portfolio and an in-person casting can end a potential relationship before it begins. Keep your digitals clean. Colour correction and minor blemish removal. Nothing more.
Missing key angles. A complete digital set covers the angles bookers use to assess your look: front, three-quarter, close-up, profile, back, and expression. Whether a specific agency asks for two photos or a full set, arriving at a casting or in-person meeting with gaps in your coverage creates a problem. Leaving out the profile because you don’t love your nose from the side, or skipping the back view because it didn’t occur to you — these signal either that you haven’t thought it through, or you’re trying to hide something. Neither reads well. A complete set tells a booker you’re confident enough to present yourself from every angle.you’re confident enough to present yourself from every angle.
Wrong wardrobe choices. Busy patterns, visible logos, statement jewellery, and elaborate styling can all pull attention away from you and towards your clothes. For digitals, the wardrobe should be so simple it’s essentially invisible. Solid colours, fitted silhouettes, clean lines. For portfolio selects, you have more room to show personality through styling, but even then, the clothes should serve the look rather than dominate it. If a booker remembers your leopard print top before they remember your face, the image missed the point.
Too many images, not enough curation. Sending fifty or sixty images when twenty would have been stronger is one of the clearest signals of inexperience. More is not better. More is a booker scrolling faster, spending less time on your strongest shots, and forming the impression that you don’t know how to self-edit. Be ruthless with your selection. If two images serve the same purpose, cut the weaker one. If a shot is “pretty good but not great,” cut it. Your submission should contain only images that earn their spot.
Low resolution or poor lighting. If your images are grainy, pixelated, or lit so poorly that a booker can’t clearly see your features, your submission won’t survive the first pass. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need the most expensive camera or studio setup, but it does mean your images need to be sharp, properly exposed, and high-resolution enough to zoom into without falling apart. Phone selfies in bathroom lighting won’t cut it for a professional submission.
Forgetting your details. Every submission should include your basic measurements and contact information: height, bust, waist, hips, shoe size, hair colour, eye colour, age, and how to reach you. It sounds obvious, but a surprising number of submissions arrive without this information, and no agency is going to chase you down to ask for your measurements. Make it easy for them to assess and contact you. Include everything up front.
Sending the same generic submission to every agency. Agencies can tell when they’ve received a copy-paste submission. Taking even ten minutes to research an agency’s roster, understand their strengths, and tailor your cover note to explain why you’d be a fit for their books specifically. That effort shows, and it separates you from the stack of generic submissions that arrive alongside yours.
Preparing for Your Submission Shoot
You know what agencies want. You understand the six-shot set, the role of portfolio selects and hero retouches, and the mistakes that get submissions ignored. Now the question becomes practical: how do you actually prepare to get these images made?
This section is about what happens before you ever step in front of a camera.
Start with your skin – weeks out, not days. Agency digitals are shot at close range with clean, even lighting that reveals everything. That’s not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to give your skin some attention in the lead-up. Hydrate consistently. Prioritise sleep. Ease off any new products that might cause a reaction. You’re not trying to achieve flawless skin (that doesn’t exist, and agencies know it). You’re just giving your skin the best chance to look healthy and well-maintained on the day. Think of it the way an athlete would approach the week before a competition: consistent basics, no experiments.
Plan your wardrobe deliberately. For digitals, you need fitted basics in solid, neutral colours: a plain white or black tee, well-fitting jeans or trousers, simple underwear or swimwear if you’re submitting to commercial or fashion divisions. No logos. No patterns. Nothing that competes with your face and body for attention. For your portfolio select looks, this is where you get to show range. Two to three distinct outfits that shift your look between commercial, editorial, and lifestyle. Bring more options than you think you’ll need. It’s always easier to edit down on the day than to wish you’d packed one more option.
If wardrobe planning feels overwhelming, that’s completely normal. It’s one of the most common anxieties models have before a shoot, and it’s the reason we built a free Style Quiz on our website. Ten questions, takes a few minutes, and it delivers a personalised wardrobe guide based on your look and the style direction that suits you best. It’s a good starting point if you’re staring at your wardrobe with no idea where to begin.
Keep hair and grooming natural and well-maintained. For digitals, agencies want to see your hair as it actually is. They don’t want to see a salon blowout you couldn’t replicate on a Tuesday morning. Clean, well-conditioned, styled simply. If you colour your hair, make sure your roots aren’t showing (unless the grow-out is intentional and looks deliberate). For male models, facial hair should be either cleanly shaved or neatly groomed. Whatever your natural state is, present it at its best. The theme is the same across every element of preparation: show agencies the best version of your actual self, not a version that only exists with two hours of prep.
Address the nerves honestly. If this is your first professional shoot, you’re going to feel nervous. That’s not a flaw in your preparation; it’s the normal response to doing something unfamiliar that matters to you. Every model I’ve worked with, from first-timers to experienced professionals, has felt some version of those pre-shoot nerves. The difference is that experienced models know the nerves fade once direction starts and the rhythm of the session takes over.
A good photographer (one who specialises in agency submissions) will guide you through every shot. You don’t need to arrive knowing how to pose. You don’t need to have practised expressions in the mirror for weeks. You need to arrive prepared, on time, and open to direction. The posing, the angles, the micro-adjustments that turn a flat image into a compelling one. That’s the photographer’s job, and it’s what you’re investing in when you book a session with someone who does this work specifically.
Bring a support person if you want to. A friend, a parent, a partner – whoever makes you feel comfortable. Anyone who’s asking you to come alone to a first shoot at a location you’ve never been to should raise a red flag. A professional photographer will welcome your support person, give them somewhere comfortable to wait, and never make their presence feel like an inconvenience. This is especially true for younger models or anyone new to the industry. Your comfort and safety aren’t extras; they’re the foundation everything else is built on.
On the day, bring more than you think you need. All your wardrobe options, a basic touch-up kit (hair ties, bobby pins, blotting papers, lip balm, deodorant), a water bottle, and a phone charger. Small comforts reduce stress, and reducing stress means better images. You’ll also want to arrive having eaten something; not a three-course meal, but enough that your energy is stable and you’re not distracted by hunger halfway through the session.
Putting It All Together
Melbourne modelling agencies aren’t looking for perfection. They’re looking for potential, presented in a format they can assess quickly, accurately, and confidently.
Your six agency digitals show them the raw material. Your portfolio selects show them the range. Your hero retouches show them the ceiling. And the way you prepare, curate, and present the whole package tells them whether you understand the industry you’re trying to enter.
Most submissions get passed over not because the person wasn’t right, but because the presentation wasn’t. You’ve now read more about agency submission standards than the vast majority of people who submit to Melbourne agencies this year. That’s not a small thing.
The gap between “aspiring” and “signed” is almost never as wide as it feels. It’s usually one strong submission, prepared properly, landing on the right desk at the right time.
If you’re ready to see what a submission-ready portfolio actually looks like (from the digital set through to the finished hero retouches), have a look through the gallery. The work speaks for itself.
And if you’re the kind of person who wants to get the details right before you commit, the free Personal Style Quiz is a good place to start. A few minutes, a personalised wardrobe guide, and one less thing to worry about before your shoot.
Your agency submission is the first conversation you’ll have with the people who can change your career. Make sure it says what you need it to say.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need professional photos to submit to a Melbourne modelling agency?
Technically, some agencies will accept phone photos for an initial assessment – particularly if you have a strong look and your images are well-lit and clearly show your features. But there’s a significant gap between “accepted for review” and “taken seriously.” Professional agency digitals shot to industry standard tell a booker you understand the process and you’re investing in your career. Phone selfies in natural light might get a glance. A properly executed set of agency digitals, covering every angle a booker needs to assess your look, gets a proper assessment. If you’re serious about getting signed, the portfolio quality should reflect that.
How much does a model portfolio shoot cost in Melbourne?
Portfolio sessions designed for agency submission typically range from $950 to $2,200 in Melbourne, depending on the number of looks, total images delivered, and level of retouching included. Our First Reveal package at $950 is built specifically around the agency submission standard — six digitals, portfolio selects across two to three looks, and five hero retouches. That’s everything you need for a professional first submission. More comprehensive packages like the Core Reveal ($1,450) and Signature Reveal ($2,200) expand the number of looks, selects, and hero retouches for models who want a broader portfolio from day one.
What should I wear to a model portfolio shoot?
For your agency digitals, keep it minimal: a fitted plain white or black tee, well-fitting jeans or trousers, and simple underwear or swimwear if you’re submitting to commercial or fashion divisions. No logos, no patterns, no bold accessories. The focus should be entirely on you, not your wardrobe. For your portfolio select looks, you’ll want two to three outfits that shift the mood – a commercial look, an editorial or fashion look, and something lifestyle or movement-based. Bring more options than you think you’ll use. If you’re not sure where to start, our free Style Quiz generates a personalised wardrobe guide based on your look and style direction.
What’s the difference between agency digitals, portfolio selects, and hero retouches?
Agency digitals are colour-corrected images with minimal editing — blemish removal, no full retouch. These are the images agencies use to assess your raw look: your bone structure, proportions, and how your face reads from multiple angles without production support masking anything. Portfolio selects are fully professionally edited images across your different looks that demonstrate your range and versatility. Hero retouches are your absolute strongest images edited to magazine standard — full retouching, colour grading, the works. Think of digitals as your professional credentials, selects as your work samples, and hero retouches as the showpieces that make someone stop scrolling.
Can I submit to more than one Melbourne modelling agency at the same time?
Generally, yes. Unless an agency explicitly states an exclusivity requirement in their submission process, submitting to multiple agencies simultaneously is standard practice. The key is to tailor each submission rather than sending the same generic package everywhere. Research each agency’s roster, understand their strengths, and write a brief cover note that explains why your look fits their books specifically. A thoughtful, personalised submission to five agencies will outperform a copy-paste blast to fifteen.
What if I get rejected by an agency?
Rejection from a modelling agency isn’t always a reflection of your potential. It can mean the agency’s roster is full for your look right now, the timing doesn’t align with their current needs, or your submission images didn’t present your look in the strongest possible way. If you’re rejected, give it six months, update your portfolio with stronger images, and resubmit. Agencies reassess constantly as their client briefs and roster needs shift. The model they passed on in March might be exactly what they’re looking for in September.
Do I need professional hair and makeup for my submission shoot?
For agency digitals, the answer is usually no. Agencies want to see you as close to natural as possible. That means clean skin, minimal product, and natural hair. Heavy makeup or salon-quality styling defeats the purpose of the assessment shots. For your portfolio selects and editorial looks, professional hair and makeup can genuinely elevate the images and is worth considering if your budget allows. It’s an add-on rather than a necessity for a first submission, and a good photographer will advise you on whether it makes sense for your specific session.
How many images should I include in my agency submission?
Between 15 and 25 well-curated images is the sweet spot for a first submission. That includes your six agency digitals, a selection of portfolio images across your different looks, and your hero retouches. Going over 25 risks diluting the impact of your strongest work. Going under 15 doesn’t give a booker enough to assess your range. Curation is as important as quality here — every image should earn its place, and cutting a good shot that duplicates what a stronger shot already shows is always the right call.
I’ve been told I don’t look like a model. Should I still submit?
If that advice came from anyone whose mental image of a model is still based on a narrow, outdated standard — yes, you should absolutely still submit. Melbourne agencies are actively diversifying their rosters across ethnicities, body types, ages, and gender identities. The commercial reality is that brands want faces that reflect their actual customers, and agencies are signing talent to match. The look that someone told you was “wrong” for modelling might be exactly the gap an agency is trying to fill. Submit properly, present yourself professionally, and let the bookers make that assessment for themselves.
Can I use my existing Instagram photos for an agency submission?
Instagram content and agency submission imagery serve fundamentally different purposes. Your social content is curated for personal branding, often with filters, angles, lighting choices designed to present a specific version of yourself. Agency digitals are designed for assessment. They should be clean, unmanipulated images that show a booker exactly what you look like. Submitting Instagram screenshots signals to an agency that you don’t understand the difference. It also means you’re sending low-resolution, compressed images that can’t hold up to professional review. Invest in proper digitals. Your Instagram feed and your agency portfolio should be two separate things.
What measurements do I need to include in my submission?
Every submission should include your height, bust, waist, hip, and shoe size measurements, along with your hair colour, eye colour, and age. Include your full name and the best way to contact you (email and phone number at minimum). These details should be easily visible, not buried in a separate attachment a booker has to hunt for. Missing measurements are one of the most common and most avoidable submission mistakes. Agencies won’t chase you for information that should have been included from the start.
Is it worth submitting if I’ve never modelled before?
Absolutely. Every working model submitted for the first time at some point, and agencies actively seek fresh faces with no industry experience. What matters is that your submission meets the professional standard — proper digitals, well-curated selects, and a presentation that shows you take the opportunity seriously. You don’t need prior bookings, tearsheets, or industry connections to get signed. You need the right images and the right preparation. That’s the entire point of a portfolio shoot designed around agency requirements.
