As the owner of an Advertising Agency in New York City for the past 20 years I have produced hundreds of national print ads and commercials featuring models - men, women, lots of kids - even cats and dogs. And the one thing I've learned in all those years is that the expression "you only get one chance at a first impression" is more true today than ever before.

In years gone by the only way a model would show up at a casting session was because they were sent by their agency. So photographers and casting agents relied soley on the recommendations of the talent or model agency. After the casting session they would leave behind their head shot, or composite card (also called comp cards or zed cards) as a physical reminder of who they are. The printed comp card really served only as a reminder because the casting director, the agency and the client also had recordered them on video tape. All casting sessions since about 1975 are video taped. Photographers also may use video tape or more often their own polaroids. So in the past the comp card was only a reference card, a reminder of the person they met in person at the casting call.

Today, in this faster paced world, casting directors and photographers usually ask the model or talent agencies to send them comp cards or head shots before they start their casting so all the models could be pre-screened. So now, the comp card or head shot becomes more important than ever before because it the only way to get into a casting session. The one exception is photographers who are in the process of testing and will allow walk-ins on recommendations from an agency, another model, or an associate.

Today your comp card is your first impression. It is the first impression for any casting agent or photographer and their clients. That's why every little things counts - especially the overall look of the card. I don't want to discuss here the do's and don't's of good photography. That is such a big topic with so many variables that it is impossible to discuss here. I do however want to discuss the "look and feel" of your comp card in terms of design.

Lets start with your photographs. Cropping and placement of your photos are the most important consideration. But many top agencies insist on models following their design which means that you have no control of the look and feel of your comp card. It's just a matter of filling in the approved layout with your photos. And very often the choices of layouts are few. But there are many agencies that allow models to design their own cards as long as they use the agencies logo. This is where ModelCards can make a big difference for you.

Use of colors, shapes and typography can turn an ordinary comp card into an exceptional one. Compare the look of the comp card on the SAMPLES page of this site with other comp card printers. You will not find another printer that takes the time and effort in creating a card that compliments the photography and enhances the attractiveness of the model. In fact, you may not find anyone who takes the time to design your card. Just about all comp card printers want you to fill in the spaces they provide in their layouts. ModelCards talkes the time and effort to create your individual design - at no extra charge. That's because we have a long history in advertising and photography and know how important this issue is. You can never predict how a client will see you through your comp card. But you can improve you chances of making the best impression you possible can with a card that not only shows off your best photographs but shows off your good taste.

ARTICLES:

Image Is Everything 1 -
And so is the design of your comp cards.

Image Is Everything 2 -
Tips on producing the best comp card.