Models · Digitals · London · Opus Lumière
Model Digitals in London
Clean, unretouched digitals for agency submission and castings - Joy behind the camera and Annie directing - simple light, no styling, delivered exactly as agencies ask for them.
Every session of two hours or more includes a private, password-protected 3D virtual gallery you can share with family — free for two years, with a new floor for each shoot.
★ 5.0 on Google from 19 client reviews · 15 five-star reviews on Trustpilot
Joy or Annie will call you back within one working day. No obligation.
What agencies want
Digitals are the opposite of a portfolio shoot.
A portfolio shows an agency what you can become. If you are building one, start with how to build a model portfolio . Digitals show them what you are - no makeup, no styling, no retouching, nothing between the camera and you. They are the least glamorous images you will ever have taken and the ones agencies look at first, which is exactly why model digitals in London are worth doing properly rather than in a bedroom mirror.
“The service provided by Joy and Annie was exceptional, from the moment I walked in to the end of the shoot. They were professional, friendly, and accommodating … the photos are amazing.”Lisa · Google review
Quick Answers
Model Digitals at a Glance
Do I get a 3D virtual gallery with my session?
Yes - every Opus Lumière session of two hours or more includes The Growing Gallery, a private, password-protected 3D gallery of your finished photographs that you walk through and share with family. It is free for two years and gains a floor with every shoot. One-hour and 1.5-hour sessions don’t include it.
What are model digitals?
Plain, unretouched photographs used by agencies to see a model as they actually are - usually a full-length front and side, a three-quarter, and a headshot, shot with simple light, minimal makeup and close-fitting clothes.
How much do model digitals cost in London?
Sessions start at £295. Digitals need far less time than a portfolio shoot, so the shortest package is usually the right one.
Are digitals retouched?
No. That is the point of them. Files are colour-corrected and delivered otherwise untouched, because an agency needs to see your skin, your shape and your proportions accurately.
What should I wear for digitals?
Close-fitting and plain - a vest or fitted top with jeans, or swimwear. Nothing baggy, nothing patterned, no logos.
How many images do I receive?
Thirty on the shortest session, which is comfortably more than any agency asks for. You choose your favourites from a private gallery.
How quickly can I get them?
A private proofing gallery arrives within two to four days, and your files follow within two to four weeks of your selection. Tell us if a casting deadline is tighter.
What they are
What model digitals (polaroids) are, and what they are for
Model digitals - sometimes called model polaroids, though almost nobody shoots them on film any more - are a standard set of plain images that let a model agency or a casting director assess you accurately. They exist because a portfolio, by design, flatters. Digitals are the control.
The standard set is more consistent than most people expect: a full-length from the front, a full-length in profile, a three-quarter, and a headshot both neutral and smiling. Some agencies also ask for hands, or for a shot with hair tied back as well as down.
They are not meant to be beautiful, and trying to make them beautiful defeats them. What they need to be is accurate, well lit, sharp, and consistent from frame to frame - which is what a professional model expects from their polaroids, and what the industry expects from theirs.
Kind words
Loved by London models
“Creating my portfolio was smooth and enjoyable. The final product truly represents my vision.”
Omar“Very professional team, made me feel welcome and comfortable. Very happy with the results.”
Eddy“Stunning work that exceeded my expectations. Their artistry is unmatched.”
OlgaThe brief
What agencies actually ask for
Requirements vary between agencies, so the first thing to do is check whether the one you are submitting to has published a specification - most agencies and clients put this information on their ‘become a model’ page. Many do, and following it exactly matters more than anything else on this page.
Where there is no specification, the conventional set works: plain background, even light, hair down and natural, minimal or no makeup, close-fitting plain clothing, and a neutral expression in most frames with one or two smiling.
What agencies do not want is styling. No strong makeup, no elaborate hair, no jewellery, no heavy shadows, no creative angles, and above all no retouching. Every one of those makes the images less useful to them, however good it looks.
If you are submitting to several agencies with different requirements, tell us at the planning stage. It is far easier to cover two specifications in one session than to shoot twice - and if you are one of the signed models updating for your agency, please send us the spec and we will match it exactly.
The session
How a digitals session with your photographer runs
It is quick, and it is meant to be. We work through the standard set methodically, checking framing and consistency as we go, and then repeat with any variations a specific agency has asked for - hair up as well as down, a second outfit, a smiling set. The session itself follows The FOCUS Method, our five-step process.
We direct throughout, because standing naturally in front of a camera with no styling to hide behind is harder than it sounds. Posture, shoulders, chin and hands all get adjusted, and we show you frames as we go so you can see what is working.
Bring more than you think you need: a fitted vest, a plain top, jeans, swimwear if you are comfortable in it, and a hairbrush. Come with clean, natural hair and skin, and no makeup or the lightest possible.
Afterwards you receive a private gallery. Select your favourites and the chosen files are colour-corrected and delivered at full resolution, unretouched - the only edited images being a simple colour balance - in a format you can send straight to an agency.
Good to know
Model digitals FAQ
Do I need digitals if I already have a portfolio?
Yes. Agencies ask for both, and they answer different questions. A portfolio is not a substitute.
How often should digitals be updated?
Whenever you change materially - hair length or colour, weight, or simply the passage of six months or so. Out-of-date digitals are worse than none.
Can I do them myself at home?
You can, and many models start that way. The difference a session makes is consistency, sharpness and even light, which is what stops an agency having to guess.
Should I wear makeup?
As little as possible, and none is better. If you would normally cover something, leave it - agencies are looking for your actual skin.
Can we shoot digitals and portfolio work in one session?
Yes, on a longer package. We shoot the digitals first, while hair and skin are still untouched, and move on to portfolio looks afterwards.
Do you photograph digitals for children or teenagers?
A parent or guardian attends throughout and we plan the session with them. Get in touch and we will talk it through.
What to wear in model digitals?
Close-fitting and plain: a fitted vest or simple top with skinny jeans, or plain swimwear, in black, white or grey; bare feet or plain heels; no logos, patterns or jewellery. Bring a second outfit so we can shoot the set twice, and come with clean, natural hair.
How do I become a model in London?
Start with a clean set of digitals and a handful of simple portfolio images, then apply to agencies’ open calls online with your measurements, age and location. Most signed models went through several rejections first, so apply widely, follow each agency’s specification exactly, and update your digitals every six months or whenever your look changes.
Next
Professional portfolio work, packages and pricing
If you also need portfolio images, fashion studio photoshoots and fashion photography cover editorial, lookbook and campaign work. Session lengths and prices are on the studio pricing page.