Before any new model begins his or her career in the modeling industry, the most important concept for them to grasp is their modeling portfolio. An industry standard for any modeling hopeful, the portfolio embodies the person’s photogenic qualities showing, different characters, age range, and personality. The process of creating your modeling portfolio takes time and skill to perfect, but when done correctly, can open many doors into the industry, and jump start your career.

The first step in creating a stunning model portfolio is finding the right photographer. This is the first and the most important step in the long process. Call local agencies and ask which photographers they go through to get their pictures. It is important to find the right photographer who specializes in the photo styles, which you want to be represented in your modeling portfolio. What you pay for is also what you receive, while hiring the most expensive photographer may not be your first choice, going for the cheaper option may yield cheap results, and in the modeling industry, you are only as good as your worst picture. Find a balance between quality and price of photographer and make an arrangement to meet with them face to face via email or phone to discuss the shooting style you are going for.

Once you have decided upon a date and time to shoot the next step is hiring a make-up artist. If one is not offered through the photographer, search for one the same way you did for the photographer.

The next step you want to take at least before the shoot or as soon as possible is practicing poses for your shoot. When looking through your model portfolio, agencies, and future employers want to see a wide range of poses, and range. Look through fashion magazines, and clothing catalogues and begin practicing in front of a mirror as if in a live shoot.

Once you have the poses you wish to demonstrate, begin preparing yourself for the shoot. First begin by select the clothes you want to wear for your shoot, and make sure they are clean and set aside well in advance before the shoot. Second prepare your body by making sure your skin, nails, face, and hair is well taken care of. Third, make sure you call your photographer and make up artist 48 hours in advance and confirm the date and time. Lastly, get a good nights rest, and stay away from alcohol of any kind before the shoot.

The morning of the shoot make sure your bag is packed, and everything is prepared to go to the finest detail. When arriving for the shoot, make sure you are at least 10 minutes ahead of schedule and are prepared to discuss the type of shots you want to take. When shooting with the photographer enjoy the experience and also pay attention to the directions the photographer gives you. After the shoot be sure to pay for everything upfront and give a personal, and written thank you for their time.

Now comes the most important part to creating your portfolio and that is choosing the portfolio style, and which pictures to go inside of your model portfolio. You should first do research on the style of model portfolios that are accepted where you plan on sending them. for example, in Miami, Snapshot sized "mini-books" are very popular, however in New York the prevalent style is to use 9x12 and 11x14 model portfolio books to present your work professionally.

Once you have decided on the book style you wish to use, go through and select the images you feel best represent you. Your book should only be comprised of great, and "Wow" photos, anything outside of this category should be discarded. Once you have went through and decided which photos fit the correct category, you should then choose which ones are the best in the bunch. It is suggested that for your modeling portfolio you choose between 6-12 of your best shots, anything over 15 and you are pushing the limit. It is about quality of the photo not the quantity. When choosing the pictures to include in your model portfolio it is important to choose a variety of images that showcase your best attributes, and modeling range, and if you have them always include one or two tearsheets as it showcases actual work, which can impress potential clients. Arrange the photos with the great ones on the left and the "Wow" ones on the right, as a viewer’s eye are trained to read from left to right.

Now that you have arranged your photos in your model portfolio the last thing to make sure of is the portfolio itself. Make sure that it is neat and organized, no bent edges, dirty pages, cut up contact sheets, or loose photos; these are signs of a very poor model portfolio.

Once everything has been cleared, and double-checked it is time to end your portfolio out to potential clients. Always keep copies of your model portfolio around in case you lose an original or need an extra at a last minutes notice. And remember, a good model portfolio can open many doors, a bad once will keep many closed.