Here are some suggestions for a basic portfolio:

The headshot and full body shot are important. Then pick any other three.

If you're just starting out and don't have a black cocktail dress, for example, don't run out and buy one just for our session.  Bring something else that's dressy and you can add those pictures at a later date.  We'll work with what you have.

 Your Images

When selecting images for your portfolio, web page, or comp card, make sure that they make you look good.  Too obvious to have to state, right?  Well, after looking at the images that many models have posted, it's pretty clear that some models and photographers have lost sight of why those images were created. 

The goal is not to replicate the look of a magazine ad where the model may be insignificant.  And it's not to show how artsy the photographer can be.  The goal is to make the model look good.  The goal is to end up with prints and digital images that when shown to an agency will present the model in the best light.

This means that at a minimum, your images should be technically excellent.  Not over or under-exposed, no harsh shadows, no blown-out highlights.   Look at the covers of magazines like Elle, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour.  Do your photos look like those?  If not, why not?

Are the poses flattering to you?  Do the pictures show your best features while not over-emphasizing any flaws you may have?  Are you looking at the camera?  Do you have a smile or pleasant expression on your face?  Do the backgrounds call attention to you, or to themselves? The goal is to make an art director say, I want this model for my ad.

Don't settle for mediocre pictures!