The person or company representing a model: finding work, negotiating, invoicing, and taking a percentage of the fees.
How the arrangement works
An agent works for a share, so their income grows with yours — that is what the whole thing runs on. The same fact has a second side: their hours go to whoever earns, and a beginner has to show the time will pay back.
The percentage is charged twice in practice: a commission taken from your fee and a service fee added to the client’s invoice. Both are normal; what matters is that you know the numbers before you sign, not after the first payment.
What an agent is not
An employer. Nobody owes you a wage, holiday or a minimum number of jobs, and tax remains yours to handle. An agent is a representative, and the relationship is commercial on both sides.
What to establish in advance
The commission and how it is calculated. The term of the contract and the territory it covers. Whether it is exclusive, and whether you may take direct work. How and when money reaches you, and what happens when a client pays late. Who covers the cost of tests, digitals and a composite card.
Warning signs
Any money asked for up front — for a viewing, a portfolio, “registration”, or a compulsory course. A real agent earns after you start working, not before.
What to read in a first contract — «Reading Your First Agency Contract: Clauses That Matter».
