Building a Freelance Model Portfolio: Rates, Relationships & Advice from a Photographer
Before we dive in, here’s something I want to say upfront: If you’re reading this and trying to decide whether you really want to model—this is your moment. It’s great to have hobbies. It’s fantastic to try things. But if you want to be taken seriously in this industry, you must take what you’re doing seriously. That means being committed, being all in, and being consistent.
Australian culture can be a little flakey—plans fall through at the last minute, shoots get canceled the night before without reason, or people don’t show up. But that doesn’t fly when you’re trying to make this a career. Clear communication, transparency, and accountability matter.
I get messages every week from models asking to shoot with me. And I always try to respond honestly, but too often, the second I send my rates, the conversation ends—and the follow disappears. Nothing is for free, and everyone is always looking to create something fantastic, but that requires hard work, time, and often money. So a transactional approach doesn’t build anything. This industry is about relationships. If you want it to work, be honest, open, and empathetic — treat the people you reach out to with respect.
Now, let’s talk about how to actually build something real.
Build Your Book—But Don’t Lose Your Personality
If you’re freelancing, your portfolio is a critical tool—and without an agency, your social channels act as your comp card. It’s what people use to decide whether to book you. If your book isn’t strong, you’re relying on someone to take a risk on potential. And let’s be honest—that rarely happens. Models who have done that sort of work before, book it over and over, and with good reason, no one wants to take risks when there’s money on the line.
What Should a Freelance Model Include in Their Portfolio?
A Strong Portfolio Has Three Key Components:
No. 1: Great Photos of You
Clean, professional images that show your face, body, and movement. These should highlight your versatility—commercial, editorial, beauty, lifestyle, whatever fits your niche. Avoid over-editing and filters.
No. 2: Published Work (if you’ve got it)
This includes magazine covers, editorials, campaigns, or brand collaborations. Even blog features or zines count. It builds trust and shows clients you’ve been hired before. But the words “internationally published” are archaic and suggest you’ve paid to be featured in a magazine, if you need to say it, it’s probably not worth saying, and worst still, it’s likely to lose you clients. Personally, it’s a red flag for me.
No. 3: Digitals/Polaroids
Digitals are simple, clean shots with little to no makeup, no retouching, and natural lighting. Originally these were called polaroids because they’d take a polaroid at a casting to remember you, as we rarely use polaroids these days, they’ve now just been called digitals or digis. For these think tank top and jeans—just you, exactly as you are. These are often the most important images in your book because they show what you really look like. A clean background and not overly complicated lighting, if you are getting a friend to do them, shoot them early or late in the day when the light is softest and has the most flattering direction behind it, if you’re doing them yourself, often you will find bathroom lights best as windows with frosted glass offer beautiful diffusion.
Freelance Models Don’t Need a Website, But…
You do need a place to house your work. Instagram is perfect for this. Think of it as your visual resume. You don’t have to make your whole feed look like a brand campaign, but your recent posts should show:
What you look like
Your vibe/personality
That you’re actively working and improving
A pinned post or highlight reel that includes polaroids and key shoots can go a long way.
Post more than professional photos
If your feed is just glossy shots professional photographers have taken, you risk looking more like an influencer than a model. It’s okay to be casual, and it’s important to stay human. Show your personality, show BTS moments, share what you’re working on.
The key is balance.
Know Your Niche & Use Your Insights
Look at what content brings the most engagement. That doesn’t mean chasing likes, but it does mean understanding what works for you. If clients love your beauty work, lean into it. If your athletic or lifestyle posts perform well, showcase that.
You don’t need to look like everyone else. You just need to know what makes you bookable—and make that clear.
You build it. Actively. Intentionally. Carefully.
That means working with photographers who know what they’re doing, who can direct you well, and whose style suits the direction you want your career to go in.
But here’s the thing a lot of people miss: don’t just fill your portfolio for the sake of it. Bad images will do more harm than good. Working with people who don’t understand lighting, angles, or how to make you look good—especially early on—can form bad habits and make you doubt yourself. And the internet never forgets, so think twice before agreeing to every shoot just to “get content.”
Professional shoots are important—but they’re not everything.
Yes, you should shoot and showcase creative projects. Yes, they should look cohesive and thoughtful. But if your Instagram becomes just another highlight reel of campaigns, collabs, and headshots, people stop seeing you. And that’s often why they followed you in the first place.
Don’t flatten yourself into a safe brand. Keep your sense of humour. Show your world. Speak like a human. The models who stand out are the ones who feel real—not just curated. Don’t lose the spark that makes people want to work with you in the first place.
Great! Now you’ve got some shots brands love, and they’re asking for your rates.
How Do You Know What to Charge as a Model?
You're not alone if you’re freelancing and don’t know what to charge. I get asked this all the time. It can be confusing—but let’s break it down simply.
Hourly, half-day, full-day—what’s the difference?
Hourly: This only works for super short things—like a quick content shoot with one or two looks. Think 1–2 hours max.
Half-day: This is what I recommend most often. It covers around 3–4 hours and gives time to settle in, change looks, and get proper variety. It also accounts for the prep and time it takes you to get there and back.
Full-day: This is usually 6–8 hours and tends to be for bigger campaigns or commercial work. These jobs expect a lot more from you, so they should pay accordingly.
But what’s a fair rate?
I’m going to be incredibly transparent here if you want to charge $2000 a day. You need to be charging $500 an hour. I know that doesn’t sound right! But I’ll put it like this if someone wants you for an hour. It’s not really an hour, it stops you getting that $2000 a day because you’ve taken the smaller job. Your half-day rate should be $1250 because all of a sudden, that becomes a better financial choice booking you for a half-day rather than for your silly hourly rate.
My math works like this: the hourly rate is the day rate divided by four. The half-day rate is 2.5X your hourly rate. When you agree to smaller jobs, you lose out on bigger ones, smaller jobs are important but you need to divide up like this!
But the real kicker? Usage.
Usage is one of the most misunderstood things in freelance work—and it’s honestly where most models leave money on the table.
It’s not just about how long the shoot is. It’s about what the images are being used for. Are they going on someone’s Instagram? Or is a brand turning them into paid ads that run for a year? Is it for a local lookbook or a global campaign?
That stuff changes your rate. A lot.
If you’re shooting for a friend’s portfolio, cool—maybe it’s $300 or a trade shoot. But if the same image ends up in a brand’s ad campaign selling a $500 product? That’s worth a lot more.
Usage fees are how photographers, models, stylists—all of us—get properly paid when our work is helping someone else make money. And that’s fair.
So before you agree to a rate, ask:
Where are these photos going?
For how long?
Is it paid or organic use? (are they running it as ads or is it for their social channels, website, blog, etc)
Do they want exclusivity? Can you work with other brands in the same niche whilst they’re running this campaign??
Because if you don’t ask… you don’t get paid for what your image is actually worth.
How Do You Reach Out to Brands or Photographers Professionally?
Professionalism, Networking & Building Relationships That Get You Booked
Rates are important—but how you present yourself is just as crucial. Relationships are your primary currency.
Freelancing is a relationship-based business. Most jobs don’t come from cold messages—they come from people remembering you were great to work with.
Here’s what that means in practice:
Be polite and professional. Always. That includes emails, DMs, texts, and in-person interactions. Start every conversation with respect—don’t dive in by asking for something free or transactional.
Follow up thoughtfully. If you’re reaching out to a brand or photographer, follow them first. Engage with their work. Understand what they do. Then, when you message, reference something they’ve created and show genuine interest.
Treat shoots like real jobs. Be punctual. Bring options. Take care of yourself. If something goes wrong, communicate early and clearly. Everyone remembers a model who turns up on time, prepared, and ready to work.
Stay connected with creative teams. Stylists, makeup artists, casting directors, and photographers often recommend talent. If they had a great experience with you, they’ll likely do it again.
Give credit publicly. Tagging and crediting everyone involved in a shoot goes a long way. It shows you value their contribution—and it’s more likely they’ll do the same for you.
Don’t ghost. If someone offers you an opportunity—even if it’s not a fit—respond respectfully. The industry is smaller than you think, and how you handle communication matters.
Think long-term. Every shoot is a chance to build trust. And that trust turns into more work, stronger referrals, and a real reputation that helps you grow.
Perfect—here’s how we can introduce this section with clarity, and end it with a helpful checklist:
How to Reach Out (Without Getting Left on Read)
If you want to collaborate, how you message someone matters a lot. Too many people send long, vague messages or just go straight in with “wanna shoot?” without offering any context, enthusiasm, or value.
The best messages are short, polite, and show that you actually care about the person’s work. Show you’ve done your homework—mention something you love that they’ve done, and make it clear why you’re reaching out.
And please—don’t make your first message all about what you want. Focus on what you can build together. Good messages create interest, not pressure.
Before You Hit Send—Run Through This Quick Checklist:
Is it short and easy to read?
Did you mention why you’re reaching out?
Did you show interest in their work?
Have you introduced who you are?
Are you clear about what you’re hoping to do together?
Did you avoid sounding entitled or transactional?
Keep it casual but respectful, and always leave room for a genuine conversation to unfold.
Let’s wrap this up with a strong, clear conclusion that ties all the threads together and encourages models to take action in the right way:
Final Thoughts: Freelancing as a Model Isn’t Easy—But It Can Be Done Right
No one’s pretending that freelancing is simple. It takes work. Strategy. A thick skin. And a lot of learning on the go. But it can also be incredibly rewarding—if you’re willing to treat it like a career, not just a hobby.
Build a portfolio that actually sells you. Invest in working with the right people—not just the ones who’ll do it for free. Keep your social channels active, but don’t lose your voice or personality. People want to work with real humans, not just highlight reels.
Charge properly. Understand what your time and image are worth. Learn the value of usage and how to protect your work.
Most importantly—be someone people want to work with. Respect your team, honour your commitments, and follow up with kindness and clarity.
This industry can be tough. But when you treat it with respect, build strong relationships, and know your value, you give yourself a real shot at making it work.
You’re not just building a book—you’re building a reputation.
Let that be something worth remembering.
Want to build your book with me? Reach out here.
Or support my work by grabbing a zine or subscribing via Patreon. Your support helps fund more thoughtful, beautiful, and collaborative shoots—just like the ones I want to keep creating.
—Oliver
PS. Here are a few example message templates you can tweak depending on who you’re reaching out to—keep the tone warm, respectful, and collaborative, I won’t lie and tell you I did these, I often use ChatGPT to help me with these sorts of messages, don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether it’s from digital tools or other models or creatives:
If you’re messaging a photographer:
Hey [Name], I’ve been following your work for a while—your recent shoot with [Model/Brand] was amazing. I’d love to create something together if you’re open to it! I’m happy to work around your schedule, I know putting together shoots is expensive, and am happy to help with costs, and I can put together a moodboard, Let me know if this sounds like something you’d be up for!
If you’re reaching out to a brand/PR agency:
Hi [Name], I love what your brand’s been doing lately—[Campaign or Product] really stood out to me. I’m a freelance model/content creator based in [City], and I’d love to explore working together if there are any upcoming opportunities!
If you’re messaging a stylist/MUA:
Hey [Name], I’ve seen your work on [Photographer/Brand/Model] and love your style. I’m looking to build my book and would love to team up on a test shoot sometime—happy to brainstorm and bring ideas! Let me know if you’d be interested.
One to follow up politely:
Just wanted to follow up on my message from last week in case it got buried—no stress if now’s not the right time, I totally understand. Would still love to work together in the future if it feels like the right fit!
