What are modeling digitals?

Digitals (also called polaroids) are simple, unedited photos that show your face and body as they are: no makeup, no filters, no studio lighting. Agencies use them to judge your natural features and proportions before meeting you.

Can I take modeling digitals with my phone?

Yes. Any recent phone camera is enough. Stand facing a window during the day, in front of a plain wall, with fitted clothes and your hair natural. The photos agencies reject are the over-produced ones, not the phone ones.

What should I wear for modeling digitals?

Fitted, solid-colored clothing: a plain tank or fitted tee with slim jeans or simple bottoms. Avoid prints, logos, loose layers, jewelry and heavy styling. The agency needs to see your shape, not your outfit.

How many digitals do I need for an agency application?

Three to six: a straight-on close-up of your face, a full-body shot and a profile are the minimum. Some agencies also ask for a smiling shot, a half-body shot and a casual photo. At Aurine you can upload up to six.

Modeling Digitals: How to Take Them at Home (2026 Guide)

The three shots every agency wants

Headshot

Straight on, shoulders relaxed, eyes into the lens. Hair pulled back or natural, no makeup, no filter. This is the photo agencies look at first.

Full body

Arms at your sides, standing straight in fitted clothes so your proportions are visible. No poses, no angles — agencies want the honest frame.

Profile

A full side view with natural posture. This shows bone structure and proportions that a front shot cannot.

Six rules for taking them at home

01

Use daylight, never flash

Face a large window during the day. Soft, even light shows your skin truthfully. Overhead room lights and flash create shadows that distort your features.

02

Stand in front of a plain wall

White, grey or beige, no posters, no plants, no furniture. The background should disappear so the eye stays on you.

03

Wear fitted, solid clothing

A plain tank or fitted tee with slim jeans or simple bottoms. No logos, prints, oversized layers or jewelry. Agencies need to see your shape.

04

No makeup, no filters, no editing

Digitals exist to show the real you. Retouched or filtered photos are the fastest way to get an application rejected — and they are easy to spot.

05

Keep the phone at eye level

Prop the phone up or ask someone to hold it at your eye height, 2–3 meters away. High or low angles distort your proportions.

06

Retake them every few months

Hair, body and skin change. Current digitals — taken within the last three to six months — tell an agency exactly who will walk through the door.

Now scouting worldwide

Apply to Aurine

Take your digitals with this guide, upload up to six photos from your phone and send your application in about ten minutes. If there is a fit we reply within 24–48 business hours.

Start your application

Frequently asked

Do I need a professional photographer?: No. Agencies prefer honest phone photos over studio images. A professional portfolio comes later, once you are signed — and a good agency builds it with you.
Should I smile in my digitals?: Have at least one natural smiling shot. Keep the rest neutral: agencies need to see your resting face, which is what most camera work uses.
What if my skin is not perfect?: Do not hide it. Texture, freckles and marks are part of what makes you bookable. Agencies sign real people, not filtered versions of them.
Where do I send my digitals?: Straight to the agency's scouting form. At Aurine the application takes about ten minutes and you can upload up to six photos from your phone.

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