If you think you have beautiful hands and nails and have been told more than once that you should be a hand model, here are a few steps to help you get started. First, like they say, the camera adds 10 pounds. So it’s a good idea to have someone take photos of your hands so you can see what they look like in print. Most hand models have long, slender fingers, beautiful skin tone, and uniform nail beds. You’re going to need some photos to submit to an agency that aren’t just you holding your hands out for the camera. You don’t need to pay for professional photography; enlist a friend to take some photos for you. Look through magazines to find ads featuring hands and set up some poses with props using your hands. If you’re close to a major metropolitan area, you might be lucky enough to find an agency that focuses on parts modeling (think hands, feet, legs, butt, etc.). If not, you might have to see if there is a local agency that would represent a hand model. Contact them and ask if they’re looking for what you have to offer, and if so, see if you can set up an interview. Another way to get your foot, or hands, in the door is by contacting local photographers to let them know that you’d be available to do test shots (where you don’t get paid) so you can start putting a portfolio together and making contacts. NAILS shoots all of our covers in the Los Angeles area and we mainly use hand models from an agency called Body Parts Models (www.bodypartsmodels.com).