The Realities of Making Money as a Model (Spoiler: It’s Not What You Think)

Let’s get this out of the way: being a model isn’t just about getting booked and getting paid. That’s the fantasy. The reality? Most of the work happens before you ever step onto a set—or see a cent.

Today, I heard a potential model say they’re signing a contract, and that should make them a tonne of money. And that was a bit of an alarm bell moment where I was concerned, on the promises, she’d been sold. Fortunately, it was just a misunderstanding on what it takes to be a model, which is why, we’re here with this artice.

Modelling might look glamorous from the outside, but it’s like any freelance career: inconsistent, competitive, and powered by caffeine, discipline, and delusion. For every campaign you land, there are hours (and hours) spent networking, training, emailing people who never respond, and pretending your portfolio updates itself.

The Work That Doesn’t Pay (But Absolutely Matters)

Here’s the unfiltered bit: most of what you need to do to become a working model doesn’t pay at all.

Nobody’s paying you to:

• Go to castings

• Update your book

• Email photographers

• Slide into brands’ DMs

But if you’re not doing all that? You’re probably not getting booked, either.

Modelling is a business, and like any business, it requires upfront investment—of time, energy, and often actual money. (*cough, pay your photographers*)

Let’s break it down:

• Staying in shape (whatever that means for your niche): gym, skincare, walking the dog in natural light—your body is the product, whether we like it or not.

• Building your book. You can’t book good work without a solid portfolio. And yes, you’ll often have to organise or fund those test shoots yourself at the start.

• Smart networking. This doesn’t mean sitting around waiting for someone to DM you. It means reaching out (politely), following up, and staying on the radar of the people who cast or create.

• Curating your socials. Your Instagram is your comp card. If it’s all memes, blurry night-outs and random closeups, no one’s booking you off that. Show your range. Keep it clean, curated, and current.

Why Most Models Don’t Make Money

Alright, here’s the hard part: most models don’t make a living from modelling.

Not because they’re not good enough—but because the work is sporadic, the market’s flooded, and the industry still loves paying people in “exposure”.

One month? Two campaigns, a beauty shoot, and a brand deal. Next month? Crickets. It's hard to keep momentum unless you’ve carved out a clear niche and built real relationships.

The models who do make money? They don’t sit around waiting to be discovered. They treat it like a job.

It’s About Momentum

The most successful models aren’t always the “prettiest” or most followed. They’re the ones who hustle.

They test with photographers before being asked. They DM creatives. They plan and produce their own shoots. They show up, follow through, and make it easy to book them.

A lot of the work happens when nobody’s watching. That’s what separates the face in the feed from the face in the campaign.

So… What Kind of Work Actually Pays?

Runway might be the fantasy, but unless you live in Paris, Milan or have 34-inch hips, it’s probably not paying the rent.

Here’s a breakdown of what does exist — and what to expect from each.

1. E-commerce

Online store imagery — think fashion, beauty, lifestyle.

• Pays around $1200-3500 a day for larger commercial brands, and $800-1200 for smaller.

• Consistent if you’re rebooked

• Not glamorous, but reliable

2. Campaigns

Brand shoots that run across multiple platforms.

• $2000 to $25,000, hell I know models whose bookers charge them out at over $180,000 for a campaign, and YES they get paid that.

• Usually goes to agency-signed talent — especially for the higher paid jobs

• High stakes, high reward

3. Lookbooks & Catalogues

Styled product shoots, more polished than e-comm.

• Similar rates to e-comm

• Rarely public-facing

4. Social Content / Brand Collabs

More influencer-style work.

• Sometimes paid, often gifted, you are competing with a lot of girls who just want free stuff.

• Brands prefer models with a following

• It's not always about your modelling ability.

5. Beauty & Hair

Close-ups, salons, MUA tests.

• Often unpaid or TFP

• Great for building variety

• Doesn’t usually lead to more work. It’s hard to make money off just your face.

6. Editorials & Magazines

Aspirational? Yes. Paid? Almost never.

• Mostly unpaid

• Helps your book

• Looks impressive, won’t pay rent, but can launch your rates into the stratosphere if you can get a Vogue cover (might be why the model I mentioned earlier can charge $180,000 hint hint)

7. Runway / Fashion Week

Prestige over pay. Some agencies SUCK at getting their talent paid for these, but I can understand that the exposure here can really help especially if it’s walking for Versace, YSL or the like.

• Many shows are unpaid

• Only suits certain body types (if you’re under 175cm, it’s not likely to happen, even Kate Moss at 170cm was considered fairly short)

8. Fit Modelling

Live mannequins for design teams.

• Steady work if you fit

• Not public-facing

• Not glamorous, but consistent

9. Events & Promo Work

Brand activations, event staff, demos. If your agency ONLY offers this sort of paid work, they’re not really a modelling agency just FYI. You are a promo girl. I can’t say that loudly enough. This is the only type of work, I say if you want to do any of the above, this will cheapen your brand.

• Hourly pay

• Open to a wider range of people

• Not really “modelling,” but can be good side cash

The Takeaway?

Most jobs are occasional, low-paid, or both. The average model is balancing this work with a part-time job or side hustle (or three).

That’s why it’s worth:

• Investing in your book

• Building good relationships

• Learning how usage/licensing works

• Being ready when the right job does come

So… What now Oliver?

If you want to model professionally, don’t wait around for it to happen. Build the book. Reach out. Show up. Keep showing up.

And if you’re just doing this as a creative outlet? That’s great too. But be honest with yourself about what you’re trying to get out of it — and what you’re actually willing to put in.

While modelling can pay, it usually doesn’t. Not unless you treat it like a job long before anyone else does.

• Here is some advice on building your portfolio from me.

• And here is a listof photographers I recommend reaching out to I wrote about in this article.

• Why you shouldn’t build your book around Bikini photos which you can read here.

• I also wrote about Freelancing vs Agencies for models which you can read here.

Or, if you’d like to work with me, I have my ONLINE magazine, which I’m slowly building out. I’m always looking for talent; you can apply here, or if you’d like to book a paid test with me, you can reach out here.

If this article helped you out:

• You can shout me a few rolls of film to help keep the creativity flowing: Support Here.

• Grab a copy of an issue of ONLINE, which showcases more of my work.

• Or if this motivates you to move yourself forward you can book here.