Modeling Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the key terms in the modeling industry — comp card, go-see, mother agency, measurements and more. For anyone starting out who wants to understand how the business actually works.
11 terms · 5 categories
Editorial vs Commercial
Editorial modeling is high-fashion magazine and runway work — artistic, trend-setting and prestigious, but it pays little. Commercial modeling is advertising, catalogue and brand work — relatable, product-selling and far better paid. Most working models do a mix of both.
Read→Fit Model
A fit model is a model whose body is used as a live mannequin to test how a brand's clothing fits, drapes and moves during design and production. Fit models are hired for precise, consistent measurements rather than a runway look — the work is steady and well-paid, but rarely photographed.
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Go-See
A go-see is a short, informal meeting where a model visits a client — a photographer, brand, casting director or agency — so they can see the model in person, check their measurements and portfolio, and decide whether to book them for future work. Unlike a casting, a go-see is not an audition for one specific job; it is a first look.
Read→Open Call
An open call is a scheduled window when a modeling agency or client will see anyone who shows up — no appointment and no invitation needed. It is the most common way for a new face to be seen by an agency for the first time, usually with a comp card or a few simple photos and basic measurements.
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Comp Card
A comp card (also called a composite or zed card) is a model's business card: a single printed card with a few of their best photos on one side and their name, agency and stats — height, measurements, hair and eye colour — on the other. It's what a model leaves behind at a casting or go-see.
Read→Digitals (Polaroids)
Digitals — also called polaroids — are clean, unretouched photos that show a model exactly as they look right now: minimal makeup, hair down, fitted plain clothes, shot straight-on. Agencies and clients use them to see the real face and body behind a polished portfolio.
Read→Tear Sheet
A tear sheet is a page from a published magazine, catalogue or campaign that features a model's work — literally “torn” from the printed piece. Tear sheets are proof a model has been booked and published, and the strongest, most credible pages in a portfolio.
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Mother Agency
A mother agency is the agency that first signs a model, develops them, and manages their overall career — including placing them with larger agencies in other markets like Paris, Milan and New York, and taking a percentage of what those placements earn. It is the model's home base and long-term manager.
Read→Option (Hold)
An option (or hold) is a client's tentative reservation of a model for a specific date, before a firm booking. A “first option” has priority: if a second client wants the same date, the first option is “challenged” and must confirm or release it. Until it is booked, it is not a confirmed job.
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Day Rate
A day rate is the fee a model is paid for one day of work — a shoot, show or campaign day. It covers the model's time only; usage rights (where and how long the images run) and expenses are billed separately. Day rates vary widely by market, client type and the model's level, and are negotiated by the agency.
Read→Usage Rights
Usage rights (or “usage”) is the licence that defines where, how and for how long a client may use a model's images — one country or worldwide, one year or in perpetuity, print only or all media. Usage is negotiated and paid separately from the day rate, and often costs far more than the shoot itself.
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