Sarah Eichstedt Photography with styling by Jazz Stylings If you have ever wondered whose hands are showing up on billboards for beauty campaigns or in phone commercials, it is most likely an experienced hand model, booked for the job even though only their hand is showing. Hand modeling is a small, specific corner of the modeling industry, and it does not get talked about nearly as much as runway or print work. But it is a real, bookable career, and I have spent the last fiv

Every hand model remembers their first real closeup, and mine is in this reel. There was a whole conversation about manicure color, a cash reimbursement at the shoot, and a very memorable moment of realizing: okay, this is really happening. Whatever you do, don't mess up your nails.

I've been shooting in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area for a while now, and honestly, they're two pretty different worlds. Not better or worse, just different. Here's what I've actually experienced working as a professional hand model on set across both markets.