What Digitals Actually Are

Digitals (sometimes called “digis”) are simple, minimally styled, natural-light photos — typically a front, side, and back shot in fitted clothing with no heavy makeup or elaborate styling — used specifically to show an agency or client exactly what a model actually looks like, unfiltered.

Why Agencies Specifically Request Digitals

Heavily styled or retouched portfolio shots can obscure a model’s true current look, which matters enormously to agencies and clients making a real booking decision — digitals exist specifically to cut through styling and show accurate current appearance.

Keeping Digitals Current

Because digitals are meant to reflect current appearance, they should be updated more frequently than a full portfolio — a model’s look can change meaningfully over months, and outdated digitals can create a mismatch at an actual booking or casting.

When Polished Shots Serve a Different Purpose

Polished, styled portfolio shots serve to demonstrate range, professionalism, and how a model performs in front of a camera under real shoot conditions — a complementary purpose to digitals, not a replacement for them.