Casting, models and model welfare

Casting shapes a fashion story as much as the clothes or the light. The people in the images carry the concept, connect with the audience and represent, for better or worse, who the fashion world thinks is beautiful and worth seeing. At the same time, models are workers, often young, often freelance and sometimes vulnerable, in an industry with a long history of exploitation. This lesson covers how casting works, working with model agencies, diverse and inclusive casting, street casting and non-professional talent, bookings and rates, releases, model welfare and safety on set, minors, and the laws that protect models in Canada and the United States.

How casting works

Casting begins with the concept: the age, look, energy, personality and skills the story needs, and the brand's or publication's audience. For agency models, the photographer or casting director sends a brief to agencies, which reply with packages of suitable models (digital portfolios with measurements, height and recent images called digitals or polaroids: unretouched natural-light photographs showing the model as they currently look). Shortlisted models may attend a casting, in person or by video, where the team sees how they move, photograph and respond to direction. Large campaigns often use casting directors, specialists who know the talent market, manage the process and negotiate with agencies. For editorials, photographers and stylists often cast directly from agency boards or from people they have worked with.

Working with model agencies

Model management companies represent models, find them work, negotiate rates and usage, manage schedules, invoice clients and pay models, deducting commission. Bookers are the agency staff who manage each model's career. Agencies range from major international companies with offices in fashion capitals to boutique and regional agencies. When booking through an agency, the photographer or producer sends a request with dates, hours, location, the nature of the shoot (including any lingerie, swimwear, implied nudity or risky activity, which must be disclosed in advance), the intended use and the budget; the agency confirms availability (an option, which may be first, second or confirmed) and terms. Respecting agency procedures, paying on time and treating models well build relationships that lead to better casting in the future. Photographers should also learn to spot bad actors: legitimate agencies earn commission from work they find, rather than charging aspiring models large upfront fees for portfolios or classes.

In the United States, model agencies are regulated by state law. California licenses talent agencies under its Talent Agencies Act. New York's Fashion Workers Act, in effect since June 19, 2025, requires model management companies to register with the state, act as fiduciaries for models, cap commissions at 20 % of a model's fee, provide contracts in advance, disclose and document deductions, and obtain separate written consent before creating or using a model's digital replica; it also requires clients to provide overtime pay and meal breaks for work beyond eight hours and allows models to bring a representative.

Diverse and inclusive casting

For most of its history, fashion photography presented a narrow ideal: young, very thin, mostly white, able-bodied and gender-conforming. Pressure from audiences, activists and creatives has broadened casting considerably, with more models of different ethnicities, sizes, ages, gender identities and abilities, and with models who reflect the communities a brand serves. Inclusive casting is not only about representation in front of the camera; it involves hiring diverse stylists, makeup artists who can work with every skin tone and hair texture, and photographers who know how to light all skin well (PHOT-220 discusses skin tones and lighting). It also means avoiding tokenism: including one model from a group to tick a box, or casting people as exotic props in a story about someone else. Inclusive casting works best when the concept is developed with the people being represented.

Street casting and non-professional talent

Many fashion stories cast real people found on the street, in communities, through social media or through open calls, rather than agency models. Street casting brings authenticity and character, and can make stories about particular places or subcultures feel genuine. It also brings responsibilities: non-professional models may not know industry norms, rates or their rights, so explain the shoot honestly, pay fairly at rates comparable to professional models for similar use, provide written agreements and releases that they understand, and take extra care with privacy and how their images will be used. Never pressure someone into a shoot or into poses or clothing they are uncomfortable with.

Bookings, rates and conditions

Model rates depend on the model's experience and demand, the type of work and above all the usage. Editorial work pays low flat rates; e-commerce pays hourly or day rates; campaigns pay a booking fee plus usage fees for each medium, territory and period. Agencies add a commission or service charge to the client on top of the model's fee, and taxes may apply. Conditions to agree include working hours (typically eight hours plus a lunch break), overtime, travel time, fittings, cancellation and weather days, and any requirements such as haircuts or color changes, which models are entitled to refuse or charge for.

Releases and consent

A model release is a written agreement in which the model grants permission to use their image for specified purposes. Agency models typically sign releases or the agency's booking terms define usage; non-professional talent should sign a clear release that names the uses, territories and duration, and the compensation. Usage beyond what was agreed, such as using an editorial image in an advertisement, requires new permission and payment. Consent is broader than a signature: models should know in advance about any nudity, implied nudity, lingerie, swimwear, sheer garments, physical risk or sensitive themes, and can withdraw from parts of a shoot they are not comfortable with. PHOT-220 covered releases and publicity rights in general.

Model welfare and safety on set

Model welfare has become a central concern after decades of documented problems: unpaid work, debt to agencies, unsafe dieting pressure, harassment and abuse, and very young models working without protection. Many brands, publications and industry bodies now have codes of conduct, and organizations such as the Model Alliance in the United States advocate for models' rights. On every set, good practice includes:

• Private, secure changing areas, with no one present who does not need to be.
• Disclosing nudity or sensitive content in advance, with a closed set and only essential crew when it occurs.
• Never touching a model without asking; letting the stylist adjust garments.
• Reasonable hours, breaks, food, water and warmth, especially on location in cold or heat.
• No pressure about weight or body; casting the right body for the clothes rather than asking models to change.
• Allowing models to bring a chaperone or representative.
• Clear routes to report harassment or problems, and acting on reports.
• Safe conditions for physical activity, heights, water and animals, with risk assessments where needed.

Minors

Children and teenagers appear in fashion for children's clothing, family campaigns and, historically, as adult models at very young ages. Many brands and publications now set minimum ages, often 16 or 18, for models presenting adult clothing. When minors are photographed, a parent or guardian must consent and normally be present; hours must be limited and breaks frequent; schooling must not suffer; earnings may need to be protected; and content must be appropriate to their age, with no sexualized styling or poses.

In the United States, child performer rules are mainly state law. New York has treated runway and print models under 18 as child performers since November 2013, requiring a child performer permit, a certificate of eligibility for the employer, limits on hours, a responsible adult for models under 16, education arrangements and the deposit of 15 % of gross earnings into a trust account. California requires entertainment work permits and protects 15 % of a minor's earnings in a Coogan trust account. Other states have their own permit and hour rules.

Running a casting session

A well-run casting session respects models' time and gives the team the information it needs. Schedule models at set times rather than asking dozens to wait for hours, and keep a list of who has been seen. Ask each model to bring or send current digitals, and photograph them yourself in simple, consistent light, front, profile and full length, so that comparisons are fair. Ask them to walk, turn and move, try a few expressions, and perhaps put on one garment to see how they wear the clothes. Talk with them briefly about the concept, which also shows how they take direction. Keep notes on availability, sizes, skills such as dance or sport, and any restrictions. Thank every model, and let agencies know the outcome promptly, even when the answer is no.

Fitting sizes and samples

Designer samples are usually made in a single size, so casting must consider fit as well as look. Models who wear sample sizes can wear runway samples straight from the showroom, which is one reason the industry has long favored very slim models. Inclusive casting requires planning: stylists can request samples in a range of sizes, work with brands that produce extended sizes, borrow from retail stock or commission garments. Fittings before the shoot confirm that garments work on each model and allow time for alterations. Never ask a model to lose or gain weight for a booking; instead, choose clothes that fit the people cast.

Professional conduct toward models

Models deserve the same professional respect as every other member of the team. Use their names, explain what is happening, and give them time to warm up. Keep conversation on set respectful and avoid comments about bodies that are not about the image. Make sure models have somewhere to sit between looks, access to food and water, and a clear schedule. Share images with them on the monitor so they understand the direction. After the shoot, deliver agreed images for their portfolios and credit them and their agency correctly. Photographers who treat models well find that agencies offer them better talent and that models perform with more confidence.

Codes of conduct and reporting

Many publications, brands and agencies have adopted codes of conduct after public reporting on harassment and abuse in the industry. These codes commonly set minimum ages, require chaperones for young models, ban unsupervised one-to-one shoots with models in certain circumstances, prohibit nudity without advance written consent, and establish ways to report misconduct confidentially. Photographers should read and follow the codes of the clients they work for, and adopt their own written standards for their sets. If a model, crew member or anyone else reports a problem, take it seriously, protect the person who reported it, and follow the reporting procedures of the client or agency.

Above all, casting decisions and welfare practices should be planned before the shoot, not improvised on the day.