Young model Ella Raybone

By Worcestershire Life on November 16th 2011

Worcester schoolgirl Ella Raybone has joined an elite band of models, from catwalk queen Agyness Deyn to singer Alexandra Burke, at leading UK model agency Select Model Management after being spotted at Birmingham’s Clothes Show Live.

The King’s School pupil who lives in St Peters has spent the past year building up a portfolio of pictures.

Ella 14, was scouted at last year’s show during a day out with her friends. In the past year she has built up a portfolio of work.

She said: “I was really shocked and flattered when the scout from Select approached me and asked me to come down to their stand – I knew that Select was scouting at the show and knew that they are one of the top modelling agencies in the UK so I couldn’t believe that they wanted me to come to their stand and have some Polaroid pictures.

“My parents were really excited when I told them that I had been scouted and they have been really supportive since then.

“We were invited to spend a day at the agency before signing so my mum and I went down to London to meet the team, and get an idea of what modelling would be like. Everyone was really friendly and they explained that I could balance modelling with my schooling and only do shoots and castings during the school holidays. My mum thought it was great that they encourage all their models to complete their education.

 “I absolutely love being on shoots because I have met so different people, from stylists to make-up artists and it’s really great to see their interpretation of different looks. On my most recent shoot, I was made up to look like a china doll in one shot so the make-up was really delicate and for the next set of shots, they made me up to look really dark and mysterious – l loved the transformation. And I’ve also picked up some great tips from working with professionals”

Select advice from Susannah Hooker, head of new faces division,  Select Model Management

Be safe:
Make sure that your scout is legitimate. A reputable agency will take the time to talk to you, your parents or guardians about modelling and do their  best to advise and guard against rogues scouts. Under-18s will only be contacted via their parents/guardians.

Do not give your details to anyone you are unsure of. Instead, ask for theirs and you can research them later. If you are approached or want to approach an agency, make sure that they are AMA listed (Association of Model Agencies) this means that they are of industry standard.

Do:
Visit a reputable agency in their scheduled walk-in times. (Call to find out when they are, Select’s are 10am-12pm or 2-4pm Monday to Friday) or email a couple of natural photos (no professional images, holiday photos and snaps are fine) which show a clear, close up head shot and a full length shot, both without make-up.

 Take care of your appearance, exercise regularly and drink plenty of water to help keep your body and skin in tip-top condition.

 Make sure you have a valid passport so that you can travel abroad. Young girls will need a chaperone to travel with them who will also need a valid passport. Family members may be fighting over who goes with you to those tropical destinations!

 Complete your education. There is plenty of time to model after you have finished your studies. At Select we work around your studies and encourage you to view modelling as a fun extra curricular activity, with the potential to become a career and earn you some money which, if you continue your studies through university, can help ease the expensive tuition fees.

Don’t:
Be afraid of visiting an agency if you have braces. Some are perfectly happy to wait for you until they come off and in some cases, girls have been shot for campaigns with their braces on.

Part with your money. Girls should never be asked to pay for their portfolios. A reputable agency with a solid history in selecting new faces will be able to tell just from a Polaroid whether you have model potential. At Select we work with incredible photographers who will help create your portfolio free of charge.

Wear lots of make-up. We insist that our girls go to castings make-up free so that clients can see their natural beauty.

Be tempted to crash diet. A healthy balanced diet combined with exercise is the best way to keep in great shape. We work with personal trainers and nutritionists to give our girls the best advice.

Be afraid to let your personality shine through. Photographers like you to express yourself so dress to suit your personality so we get to see the person behind that great face!

Take the business to heart. Fashion has changing looks and therefore what clients are looking for can change from month to month. Constant care and guidance from a good booker will ensure that you always feel safe and full of confidence.

We love great characters:
There is no science to scouting, but we know instinctively what looks work or could work. Ideally we like to work with girls who have the potential to reach 5ft 9ins by the time they stop growing.

Pretty faces aren’t enough. We are searching for girls with something unique or exceptional about their look and at Select we love great characters!  We have to be able to imagine you in top campaigns and gracing the pages of magazines – we want to discover Select’s future faces.

Select will be searching for the best of British modelling talent again at this year’s Clothes Show Live, Birmingham NEC, from December 2-7.

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