Becoming a Model: Coaching Training & Practice

The catwalk is yours! To master the big performance, you have to practice, practice, practice. The biggest models in the fashion industry also started out as young girls. For you, too, the motto was: Basics First. Nobody can start without mistakes, because you learn from them. Our editorial team was allowed to accompany model coach Lutz Marquardt with the CM Models girls. A whole studio day with various tips and tricks for the models, what more could you want?

Tip! Interview with model agency boss Stephan Czaja(CM Models): Becoming a model

Modelcoach: Training with a model professional

Lutz Marquardt is a professional male model, musician, actor and active as a model coach for over 25 years – the perfect contact for you and your model career. A gifted coach, who is open and funny to the models and tries to ease the tense mood. Exclusively for CM Models, he works a whole day with the girls. Beforehand we were allowed to have a short talk with him and ask some questions:

How did you come to want to train models?

I love to improve people and make them happy and give them something to take away, social intelligence – inner joy – charisma are things that the youth of today need more than ever.

How important are model coaching sessions for beginners?

Model coaching as such doesn’t really exist. It’s important if you want to get to success quickly, to continue your education, to draw knowledge from your experience. I wish there had been such coaching in my early days.

What do you have to be able to do as a model?

At the beginning the question is asked what one should be able to do as a model. The models answer briefly with: Self-confidence, openness to new experiences, motivation, thoroughness and being able to sell yourself. But with Oliver Rudolph and Lutz Marquardt we learn that there are many more points to which a model should adhere.

Model Photographer: Fashion & Commercial Photography

Oliver Rudolph is a professional fashion and advertising photographer, accompanies the girls at CM Models as a scout and gives some tips during the model coaching.

What does it take to become a model?

The motivation of a model is the A&O in this industry. You don’t become a Heidi Klum or a Gigi Hadid overnight. You need a lot of patience and discipline – with yourself and the industry to get a little closer to your dream. Communication with your agency is advisable. Your agency only wants the best for you and can only work with you and get you jobs if you are motivated and show initiative. They expect 100% from you and as soon as they notice that you are not actively involved as a model, they quickly lose interest and the cooperation weakens. With shyness at shoots or castings, you take the interest of the employer. Your charisma ensures how often you are booked and gain success. Especially test shoots, are as a beginner a perfect way to train and learn how to deal with photographer, team, etc.. Models are also often booked abroad, depending on their success. Not every model has the prerequisites for this, but many have very good chances. As a young model, you should think about this important topic. To become better as a newfaces modeling must be your priority number 1. Training, study and abroad are an important future topic, especially at a young age. However, as soon as you are registered in an agency, you should know that you have to give 100% to work later for example at Burberry or Philip Plein.

Training & Tips: Become a model

Lutz Marquardt would like to show the most diverse girls, with different training units around posture, voice, looks and athletic units, how diverse you can present yourself as a model. Especially as a professional actor, Lutz Marquardt knows exactly how to put his body energy into scene. It starts with an introduction round for all participants. One by one, each girl has to present her name, her age and a hobby in front of everyone. No matter if shy, crazy, open, sexy, loud or tough – Lutz Marquardt tests every model and tries to bring out different sides of the girls. Aura, arrogance, shyness or the look – you always find something to present yourself, you just have to find out what presents your strength.

Posture: Castings & Jobs

Posture works immediately. Especially for commercials or castings, a certain acting talent is required. Your energy must appeal 100% to you. Depending on the topic of the job – you have to be able to switch and be changeable. You should be able to handle your body and also dare to look ugly or ridiculous. At auditions it is important to make contact in the round and force yourself to move your head and come out of your shell so that everyone notices that you are important. Everything else is uninteresting – the energy should go into you. Lutz Marquardt makes the girls dance or move athletically. This makes the girls loose and present. Especially with different camera angles it is important to emphasize different body parts well. For example, in a close-up shot, head position matters. Once your chin is higher, it looks more arrogant. Feet and hands make the space bigger and engage everyone.

Voice: Commercials & Castings

Once your voice is clear and loud, you come across as confident. This way you can make the room big and fill it with your presence. For example: shy models can show confidence with a loud voice, although their posture may seem less advantageous.

View: Posing and acting

You can practice different looks in everyday life. Eyes play an important role and present you in eye contact with the other person, as you want to show yourself. Sexy, shy, attractive, interested – no matter what emotion you want to portray or should – with the eyes you can do much more than you think.

Become a model: Posing Tricks

Photography & Posing

Photography is part of the models’ everyday life – with every click of the camera, you should be able to change the pose. The photographer assumes that the models know how to deal with gestures and facial expressions. The couch as a shooting location – Lutz gives instructions on how the girls should pose. No matter if alone, in pairs or in a larger group. The girls have to manage to present a pose with the cue from Lutz. You create a special flair as soon as you invent a story for the shooting, which make it easier for you to show the different poses.

Posing speciality

In-between – the movement or talking while posing, brings the photographer a lot of material. Everyone knows the typical poses, but it becomes more individual once you start acting while taking photos. They say that 98% of in-between poses are useless, but the 2% of photos become a perfect footage for the photographer. In a longer shoot, models often get blank eyes. No matter the pose, the eyes always look the same. The trick here – look down at the floor every other look to change the look to camera, every time you look up. A picture often becomes exciting – once the golden ratio exists. As soon as the pose is no longer stiff and straight – but becomes softer, by coordinating legs or hands or looks differently than usual – you create an extravagant shooting!

Presenting fashion at the shoot

Fashion shoots are not directly about the models, but about the product such as a bag, jacket or cap. Especially experienced models know how you can put the product well in scene. Often designer pieces have logos or bags or other patches that the photographer should photograph. Catalogues or online shops usually show pictures in portrait format. Thus, space is limited during the shoot. Practice – Your mirror in your room is your best friend. You can practice poses in front of the mirror. The more poses you like, the better you become in front of the photographer. Test shoots in particular are great for practicing and trying out which pose is best.

Model training: catwalk exercises & tips for beginners

Catwalk

Conquer catwalks! Walking elegantly is not that easy. Especially when you wear 12cm high heels. What looks relaxed and organized for a spectator at a fashion show, is more stressful behind the scenes than you might think.

Choreography

Mostly there are choreographers for fashion shows, who explain the models the procedure on the catwalk, up to the exact second. Especially at high fashion shows, the models do not only wear one outfit on the catwalk. Backstage, the models have to change and adjust to a new choreography.

Basic rules

• The right shoulder crosses the right shoulder of the other model – no matter if the catwalk is narrow or wide
• The first step on the catwalk is always to the right
• When leaving, put your right foot back first
• A lunge at the front of the catwalk is an advantage, as the press photographers need time to take a picture of you and the outfit.
• Tact is very important in this industry, otherwise you can end up changing the choreography and that can throw everyone off their game

Where else can a model work?

It doesn’t mean that you only have to look good in photos as a model. If you want to work on an international level, you will also be booked for high fashion shows, road shows, trade fair events or showroom presentations.

3 most important tips for beginners

• Love yourself #1
• Work on your charisma #2
• Be in the moment in everything you do #3

With Lutz Marquardt you choose the ideal partner, who can support you with the necessary know-how holistically and actively. Whether catwalk or presenting clothes and accessories, he always has a few good tips for you.