Posted by Aimercat: 
depends on the market and the genre you are pursuing
commercial print = big smiley headshot.

best advice given...know who you are dealing with, what looks they want and provide those images...

bring fashion or glamour images to a commercial print agency will get you nowhere but the circular file...

bringing polaroids to a commercial print agency that wants you to have completed comp cards and portfolio isn't going to get you anywhere either..

Posted by Doug Swinskey: 

Posted by Aimercat: 
depends on the market and the genre you are pursuing
commercial print = big smiley headshot.

best advice given...know who you are dealing with, what looks they want and provide those images...

bring fashion or glamour images to a commercial print agency will get you nowhere but the circular file...

bringing polaroids to a commercial print agency that wants you to have completed comp cards and portfolio isn't going to get you anywhere either..

Great advice really given by all.  I agree with this one the most.

But to those new who may not know or understand what a poloroid is for many photographers do not shoot them anymore.
In my opinion,  a poloroid in todays world means a shot that does not have photoshop done on it at all.  It is a shot that the model does not have much makeup on. 
Now it might be in the form of a actual poloroid or a digital image that has not been retouched.

But no one has said the special words that gets confused in todays over photoshoped world.   The model needs an image that shows what she looks like in a flattering but real way.

The agency,  photographer,  casting agent,  booker, or makeup artist needs to see what THE MODEL LOOKS LIKE.

The model needs shots that show what she looks like.

=====beware below......

I think we all missed the first shot truly needed and those are the pillow shots.  The shots that often need a cleaning person for the face.   Maybe a little lingerie or at that age it is called DIAPERS.

Watch out for the baby phuck(spelling--hey how often do you spell it out).

I love my baby pictures.  sometimes nude.

======Serious again.

So I say a shot that fits what you need and "who's attention you are trying to grab".   I do not like the idea of  a nude for a first timer but if that is her/his game then why wait for the inevitable.

So above all a beauty shot where we can see what the model looks like.   Then a body shot.  I  would not try to over do it the first time.  People get tired.  Modeling is hard,  just ask a model.

My post may be long but I took the liberties of summerizing what the others had said.

Posted by Carlos Arturo Velarde: 
At least one shot each of every type of image the model want to do in his/her career.

They can't ALL be the first shot.

Even if by some miracle of physics they could, unless a model's goals in the industry are very narrow, you wouldn't want to show every potential client the same thing.  Your book is your resume, and just like your resume, should be tailored to fit the needs of the hiring party.

Posted by Monsante Bey: 
Bribe money.

lol, i like that one :p

Posted by Lady Atropos: 
Oh, and need it be said - the LOCATION of the first photos is important too

someones livingroom, bedroom, whatever is NOT a great place to shoot - its a rare day that someones bedroom or livingroom is good for shooting

Neither is a studio if the photographer can't shoot! But when a photographer has a vision that he can excute, a great shot can be obtained anywhere.

Posted by marksora: 
In my opinion,  a poloroid in todays world means a shot that does not have photoshop done on it at all.  It is a shot that the model does not have much makeup on. 
Now it might be in the form of a actual poloroid or a digital image that has not been retouched.

Just curious are you saying that thats a bad thing? 90% of what I turn into agencies are un-retouched JPG's on a CD.

Posted by Mark Leighty: 
To catch the photog/agent/etc....eye......... what should be the first photo a "newbie" model should have??  Glam..... Swim...... Lingerie..... Nude.... Facial Portrait...... Etc......

I think a distinction should be made between an Internet Portfolio and a Hand carry port.

Posted by Zoe: 
i agree with Fred. i had a lot of other images (ps'd, with lots of makeup/hair changes, etc) in my portfolio to show range, but the agency wanted that clean (minimal makeup) headshot and a clean body shot (swimwear).

so, for a first shoot?  1. clean headshot, hair back, smile; 2. clean headshot, no smile; hair back; 3. repeat #1 with hair up; 4. repeat #2 with hair up; 5. clean body shot (bikini if 'straight size'; one piece if plus size).

pretty simple.    wish i'd known that before spending so much on photos, but hey, i wouldn't trade the camera time and experience shooting for anything, as it's made me more comfortable/polished!!! 

So Zoe, a little birdie told me you just got signed by ELITE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew they would take you!!! woo hoo!!!!!! congrats - Go Zoe it's your birthday - lol

Posted by Fred Brown: 
Neither is a studio if the photographer can't shoot! But when a photographer has a vision that he can excute, a great shot can be obtained anywhere.

Amen, Fred. Some might be surprised to discover how many fashion editorials are actually shot in a tiny apartment.