You’d normally associate models with humans strutting it down the catwalk in Milan, creating a demo for a beauty ad or even a glossy print in a mag, but what about another species taking the modelling world by storm?

If you’ve got a pet, and chances are they are super cute and sweet, could they become a model as well? The answer is: yes! Animals are featured across the board – in the digital world and print.

How can your pet step into this world?

Find an agency – a reputable one with a strong history of success stories. Our modelling agency, Models Direct, is one of them. We have plenty of modelling divisions to break into and yes, we’ve got a pet modelling section called Starpets, specially dedicated to all those adorable friends of ours with fur, feathers, spikes, shells and scales.

Don’t worry about Olympic-quality tricks, the industry is looking for animals with a great attitude, pzazz and just to be themselves.

Let’s get the ball rolling

Wondering what the next steps are? Well, you’re at the right place and at the right time. First off, your little champion needs to be accustomed to new settings. This can often mean chaotic production environments where there’s lots of hustle and bustle – plenty of new faces, noise, lights and ground to cover. If your pet is adaptable, social and trained to cope with the switch, then you’re good to get the modelling ball rolling.

Sit, stay, roll, play

If your pet can respond to your command, that’s even better! Being able to follow some basic commands can open the doors and enhance opportunities further but it isn’t a must-have skill set. Ultimately, animals are animals – they have minds of their own and have other skills such as being intuitive, smart, friendly and funny.

Calm in nature 

Having a super excited pet isn’t something unheard of and is certainly a great trait to have – it’s a natural disposition. However, when at work, pets do need to let their calm and sensitive side filter so that they can display all sides of their personality (even their professional one). Clients know that they’ll have to make provisions for bloopers and hiccups but overall, they’ll want their star of the show to be cool, calm and collected when the time calls for it.

Take lots of snaps

If your animal friend isn’t used to being in front of a camera with lots of noise and people walking about, then maybe it’s time you got them camera ready. Of course, not all animals are aware of exactly what is happening within their surroundings but you can start by getting them prepared. Preparation is key.

Hop, slither, stomp, leap, waddle or climb onto the modelling ladder

This tip can start at your home setting or a place they’re familiar with and with people they know. You can slowly introduce new people and different settings to spark a change and wean them out of their comfort zone. Hopefully, with time, they’ll get used to all the brilliant and different sights, sounds, smells and textures around them, and when you next say, “Sydney, get ready to say cheese!” chances are, they’ll know!

We give our starpets the best oppawtunities to be put forward to the best in the biz. So, what are you waiting for? Get in touch with our team for some miaow-tastic advice and room to explore a career path your pet could embark on, and of course, be paid for!

No, we’re not talking about meeting people outside for the first time in months instead of logging onto Zoom and pretending to listen to what is being said (come on, you’ve drifted off into Zoom dreamland at least once, right?). No, the change is that – at last – the mornings are becoming brighter earlier and the evenings lighter for longer. This means one thing – spring is here, with summer just around the corner!

This time of the year is perfect for dusting off your camera, ready to snap away at your heart’s content. Alternatively, asking a friend to assume the photographer’s role is just as ideal. Either way, April and its subsequent months usually provide just the right conditions to capture glorious, high-definition images. But can you utilise the improved weather in your quest to achieve brilliant snapshots? Follow our quick guide and you could soon be on the right path to having the finest portfolios for all your modelling pictures.

1. What time is it? Choose the time of day wisely. Avoid taking photos under the midday sun – the sun is often too strong and the subjects tend to squint. Instead, opt for late afternoon or early evening or, even better, the last hour before sunset.  

2. Choose a short telephoto lens (one that is a minimum of 60mm) – and this doesn’t have to be a zoom lens!

3. Use a tripod to steady both your camera and concentration.

4. Using a reflector helps light reflect back into your subject’s face – the most important part of the photo (unless you’re not taking a portrait, of course…)

5. Select a focal point and stick to it!

6. Use shade to your advantage. Trees, buildings, roofs and even clouds can work wonders to eliminate silhouettes – including the dreaded “shadow under the chin” episode!

7. Experiment with flashes. They are not limited to indoor use, and are often overlooked in the great outdoors.

8. If available, take photos in RAW file – a digital negative that is taken directly from your camera’s sensor.

9. Pay particular attention to your eyes, and check which backgrounds suit your facial and body profiles. 

It’s sensible to ask some basic questions at your local camera outlet, and to experiment. Taking photographs should be fun, and outdoor photography is one of life’s pleasures!

It’s always a challenge for models to keep their photographic updates in pristine order. We appreciate that everyone doesn’t have a digital camera, so we by all means accept shots using smartphones.

A quick checklist is:

• Avoid lots of make-up – you don’t need it, and it won’t show a true representation of your (undoubtedly beautiful) face.
• The perfect height-width ratio is 5:4.
• Don’t use Photoshop!
• Keep it simple, please.
• Got tattoos, scars, or piercings? Fab – show them all!

Happy snapping!

Models Direct and our squad of exceptional models like Easter because of a combination of the aforementioned reasons. Spring is a wonderful season to flaunt latest fashions – and some of these could merge quite effortlessly with summer styles. The general population is usually in better spirits, too, with the winter a distant bad dream. There’s much to look forward to at Easter, so it’s a time for fresh hope and waves of optimism. Oh, and there’s also chocolate. Plenty of chocolate.

Without going into specifics, Easter eggs are largely a symbol of new life. For children (and, let’s face it, most adults), they also double up as a gluttonous breakfast or lunch! Easter wouldn’t be Easter without some sort of chocolate, and eggs are the “go-to” confectionary of choice. Here are some fun facts for Easter-lovers:

• The first chocolate eggs were made in France and Germany in the early 19th century.
• The first Cadbury Easter eggs were made in 1875 (Mars only got in on the act as late as 1987!)
• Crème filled eggs first made an appearance in 1923.
• Speaking of crème eggs, Cadbury first produced them in 1971. 500 million of the little gems are produced every year. If they were all laid end-to-end, they’d stretch from the UK to Sydney, Australia!
• Also, if all the Cadbury Crème Eggs were stacked on top of each other (no one’s tried yet…), the pile would be 10 times higher than Mount Everest. Just think what the top egg would taste like – assuming all the others were left alone!

If eggs are the most recognised thing about Easter, bunnies are certainly in second place. Though Models Direct doesn’t have opportunities for eggs (yet…!), we do welcome animals of all descriptions, and Coco & Thyme demonstrate this perfectly. These two delightful bunnies got the chance to star in an advertising campaign for Superdrug’s YouTube channel – once they got the call, they “hopped” on board! Watch this space for more star bunnies – they might appear in an Easter campaign soon.

Modelling is popular and successful at most times of the year, which is one of the reasons why models are always in demand. Our clients know the importance of certain times and seasons in terms of marketing, and Easter stands out as a great opportunity to whet the appetite of potential customers.

Easter marks a new life. More than ever, a new beginning is what a lot of people will be hoping for this year – either in the form of a new career, a new house, or simply a new look. Have a read of our latest articles to see which fashions might work best. This Easter could mark the start of a whole life for you!