Keep Smiling: A Career Guide For Models

By Tiana Pongs

Tiana Pongs was Germany’s leading commercial face. Due to the astonishing amount of more than 1,000 ad productions in the span of her career, industry insiders consider her to be Germany’s best commercial model. She’s featured on numerous international magazine covers and product packaging’s, as well as in TV and promotional campaigns. Her list of references reads like the "Who’s Who" of the branded article industry.

In her guide dedicated to prospective models, Tiana Pongs reveals important insider tips for a serious entry into the industry. The author, born 1979 in Mönchengladbach, shows how to build up a modeling career from a practical perspective. In an easy to understand step-by-step guide she explains how to identify your own type and how to find reputable agencies - and consequently get your first modeling contract. She provides a proven list of agencies from all over the world. By sharing personal experiences, as well as an overview of the various stages of the model industry, up-and-coming models can obtain valuable insights.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ebozon Verlag
• Release date: Jun 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9783959636988

Tiana Pongs

Tiana Pongs, born in 1979 in Mönchengladbach, Germany, began a successful international career as a model in 2001. After graduating from high school, she worked in Milan, Paris, Cape Town, and New York and was featured in numerous fashion magazines as well as advertising and catalogue campaigns. Due to the astonishing amount of more than 1,000 ad productions in the span of her career, Tiana Pongs was Germany's leading commercial face. Tiana Pongs currently lives with her son in Düsseldorf and commutes between Germany and the USA. She works as an actress and is the official ambassador of World Vision Germany.

Book preview

TIANA PONGS

Keep Smiling

A CAREER GUIDE FOR MODELS

EBOZON PUBLISHING

Bibliographic information from the German National Library:

The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de.

1st edition June 2020

Copyright © 2020 by Ebozon Publishing

a brand of CONDURIS UG (haftungsbeschränkt)

www.ebozon-verlag.com

All rights reserved.

Translated by Tom Peters

Editing by Patrick Neyens

Cover design by media designer 24

Cover photo by © Ann Weitz

Text design/layout/conversion by Ebozon Publishing

ISBN 978-3-95963-700-8 (PDF)

ISBN 978-3-95963-698-8 (ePUB)

ISBN 978-3-95963-699-5 (Mobipocket)

ISBN paperback 978-3-95963-701-5

All rights reserved in all media. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical (including but not limited to: the internet, photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system), without prior permission in writing from the author and/or publisher.

Praise for »Keep Smiling«

This book is great! It's a very helpful guide for inspiring models finding their way into the business.

I'd highly recommend reading it before applying to a professional agency.

- Diana Pistalu, Owner IMM Europe

I loved reading Tiana's honest and sincere assessment of the facts you need to break into, find your way, and then thrive in this business.

An utterly inspiring book for young models.

- Joel Cartier, Film Director

Full of insights and a great guide for those who are not only interested in following this career, but also for the parents, family and friends that want to help and have a better view about it. In this world there is not only black and white, but many different shades in between. Tiana expresses that very well in this book, in a simple way. A must-have!

- Marjorieth Sanmartin, Executive Creative Director

I've known Tiana since the beginning of her career, and she was a highly professional model. Always in a good mood and the atmosphere on set was always enriched by her great style and professionalism! Her book gives young girls a competent guide on how to get started in the model business. The model business is very multifaceted! With Keep Smiling girls who dream of a modeling career can learn from the best.

- Fiona Lang, Make-Up Artist

This book is generous, practical, and in the right hands will be

perfect guidance. Nothing is sugar-coated, nor is it cynical.

It's just reality, plain and simple.

- Sebastian Brüll, Fashion Photographer

For my son, Vin.

And for all those who encouraged

me to fly towards my dreams:

Let's soar.

Introduction

This book was created with the intention of passing on my 15 years of experience in the modeling business to you. It is also dedicated to parents or family members who don't really know how to handle their daughter's dream of becoming a professional model. Many girls have the desire to become a model - some of them even have what it takes to become one, but don't really know who to contact. The internet is like a maze providing you with thousands of addresses and different contact points, but unfortunately 90% of them are dubious. I would especially like to warn you about online model databases; those have nothing to do with the real model business. You won't find any professional photographers, let alone professional customers on there. A good agency is the be-all and end-all. Therefore, my book offers you a step-by-step guide that will help you gain a foothold in the modeling industry the quickest and easiest way possible. I would also like to point out that I wrote this book using the language that is commonly used in the model business. So, if there are any words that may seem unfamiliar to you, make sure to check out the explanations found in the chapter "Model Basics" at the end of the book.

1. Nice To Meet You - That’s Me

Don’t worry, I’m not going to bore you to death with the detailed story of my life. I'm just going to write a few quick lines about myself instead. This is so that you know who you’re dealing with and also that I used to struggle with the same things in the beginning - things that you are probably struggling with right now.

I started working as a photo model when I was 15 years old. Although I did not see any need for it back in the day, I am very happy that I finished school and completed my A-level exams. As a model, I was represented by internationally renowned agencies in Europe and worked for many well-known customers such as Wella, Schwarzkopf, Mercedes, Otto, Heine, Milka, etc. This was my professional life for 15 years - working both internationally and full-time. Like many other models, I had started out at a fashion fair, namely the CPD in Düsseldorf, Germany. It was then, when I was approached on the street by an agency, which is now called Thomsen, and I was invited to take casting pictures. My first job followed shortly, where I found myself stuck in a very embarrassing cheerleader costume for Pizza Hut.

Since I was still a student back then, in most cases I was forced to do jobs on the weekends only. After graduating, I eventually sent out applications to larger agencies in Munich. One called me back shortly and after a long conversation they became my mother agency. That agency was called Java Models at the time.

As I still felt uncertain whether or not I could make a living with modeling in the long-term, I also decided to register at a university for psychology and educational sciences. But thanks to my agency in Munich, my career proved to be successful very quickly.

What was supposed to be a three-day trip to Munich, then turned out to be a two week stay. Three days of go-sees were planned in Munich originally, but instead resulted in me getting my first bookings and other options. From Munich I then went straight to a major casting in Paris and also to Athens to set up my photo portfolio. At the time, I was accommodated in a private model apartment. This is where I quickly got to experience the loneliness firsthand that one often feels when they suddenly live and work far away from home. I often found myself in completely strange cities, and moreover with people that often didn’t even speak my language. I have traveled a lot in the past twenty years and have gotten to know the different markets of the model world, which I would like to introduce to you in greater detail.

My early pregnancy was definitely a major turning point in my private, as well as my professional life. Begging the question - what was I willing to sacrifice for this job? If I'm being completely honest, my decision to keep my

Reviews for Keep Smiling

[Sabine Sutter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A great career guide.
Take it to heart, because there are years of professional experience in it.
I only missed a few sample pictures of Tiana herself, but that's not that bad, because there are lots of addresses, links and facts.
A must read for prospective models!