By Gabby Neal
@gabbyneal__

So you’re pretty unimpressed with your comp card and annoyed with your agent. You haven’t been booked on any ‘cool’ shoots, mostly the boring e-com, perhaps a content shoot for socials here and there but nothing that you’re really stoked with.

What do you do? You organise your own test shoot. You #collaborate.

Dm that photographer you’ve always wanted to work with and msg your favourite make up artist. Create something you’re proud of. If you have a stylist friend – even better. Offer to be the model in their next creative project. There’s plenty of creatives out there wanting to produce cool shit and are always after a model keen to come on board.

No model should ever think they’re above a test shoot – unless you’re a Victoria’s Secret Model…and even then, we all know Kendall Jenner had to start somewhere…

Regardless, they’re crucial to any successful career, established model or not. It’s a way to stay relevant and push the boundaries where you have the chance to showcase your versatility. Perhaps you’ve been pigeonholed into a specific look; you’ve always been the blonde beach girl and want to get into more fashion, by organising your own shoots you have the opportunity to be a part of the creative process and determine how you want to be shot.

You’d be surprised to learn that a lot of those editorials you see in magazines are actually test shoots. Where a team of creatives have come together to execute an idea and from there, submitted the content to the various publications. Hence why most editorials don’t pay…they’re bombarded with submissions so don’t exactly need too..

Now, if you’re a bit hesitant because of money, don’t be. if you’re able to come up with a solid concept and connect with like-minded individuals, most creatives are keen to collaborate without payment.

And even if it doesn’t get picked up by a magazine, having it circulate social media is just as good for exposure. It has the potential to expand your reach to those who mightn’t have heard or seen you before and perhaps boost your following along the way, thus opening up the possibilities for further, bigger and better, opportunities.