Guide
Model Comp Cards: What Goes on a Zed Card and What Doesn't
Learn the standard model comp-card layout, which photos and measurements to include, and how comp cards differ from portfolios and digitals.
Model Comp Cards: What Goes on a Zed Card and What Doesn’t
A comp card is small because it has one job: help someone remember and evaluate a model quickly.
It is not a compressed autobiography and it is not a miniature website.
In different markets you may hear comp card, composite card, zed card, Z-card or sed card. The terminology shifts; the function is similar.
The standard structure
A traditional printed comp card is commonly double-sided.
Front
- one strong portrait/headshot
- model’s professional name
- sometimes agency branding
Back
- several additional photographs
- height and measurements
- hair and eye colour
- shoe/dress sizing where relevant
- agency/contact information
Backstage recommends a portrait plus a mixture such as half-body, full-body, action/lifestyle and commercial imagery. ModelManagement’s academy material describes the comp card as a concise 3–5-image asset rather than a full portfolio.
A digital comp card can place the same information in a single landscape or portrait layout.
How many photographs?
Usually fewer than people expect.
Four to six total images is enough to show useful range without turning the card into a contact sheet.
A sensible combination:
- natural headshot
- full-body
- commercial/lifestyle
- editorial or beauty
- optional movement/category-specific frame
Every photograph should earn its space.
Which measurements belong on it?
The exact fields vary by market and type of modeling, but commonly include:
- height
- bust/chest
- waist
- hips
- inseam where relevant
- shoe size
- hair colour
- eye colour
Some agencies or regions use additional sizing information.
If you are represented, follow your agency’s formatting and measurement conventions rather than a generic template.
Should weight be included?
Practices vary. Some comp-card templates include weight; many modern agency profiles focus more on measurements, sizing and height.
If an agency provides a required field list, use that list.
What should not go on the card?
Avoid:
- long biography text
- a full résumé
- ten tiny photographs
- motivational quotes
- fake experience
- old measurements
- personal information that is not needed for casting
- heavily altered imagery that no longer represents you
The card should answer: who is this model, what do they look like, what are their relevant stats, and how do I contact them?
Comp card vs portfolio
The portfolio is the larger body of work.
The comp card is the quick-reference asset pulled from it.
Backstage describes the comp card as an abridged version of the portfolio book. That is a useful mental model.
A casting person may look at the comp card first and only open the wider portfolio if there is a fit.
Comp card vs digitals
This distinction is even more important.
Digitals are deliberately plain, current photographs used to show your natural appearance.
A comp card is designed presentation. It can contain polished portfolio photographs.
Do not replace requested digitals with a glossy comp card. If a submission asks for both, send both.
Digital or printed?
Both still have uses.
Printed cards can be useful at physical castings, go-sees and networking situations. Digital comp cards are easier to send, update and store.
If you are building one today, create a digital master first and export a print-ready version from the same data.
A good comp-card maker should do more than make a pretty grid
It should:
- preserve image aspect ratios intelligently
- keep the headshot dominant
- handle metric and imperial measurements
- support common international sizing formats
- export a high-resolution file
- make contact information easy to update
- avoid destructive image compression
The tool should also save you from over-designing. Casting assets are not a graphic-design contest.
You can build a basic version with the free model comp-card maker. If you are creating the full portfolio as well, the comp card should be generated from the same selected images and measurements rather than entered twice.
Sources and further reading
- Backstage, “Model Comp Cards: How to Make Yours Stand Out”
- Backstage, “How to Create a Modeling Portfolio That Stands Out”
- ModelManagement.com, Model Academy Chapter 2
Turn these photographs into a complete portfolio kit
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