Hi folks I'm a 43 year old, aspiring petite midsize model at 4'10" / 4'11" with a 30 waist. I want to dance in hip hop videos and be eye candy in hip hop videos. Is this a good idea or have I aged out.

If you want to be in hip hop videos then obviously you need to cultivate contacts in that scene, I don't know what else to suggest, you know more about it than I do. Do you need a pro digital camera? I would not have thought so, certainly not for video work. Get something good from Walmart, it will be practically as good. Professional digital SLR cameras usually just weigh more and take more pictures per second.

I think you can do whatever you want, and ought to give yourself the chance to see how it works out for you.

Most people would say a 71 year old could not be a successful model, particularly in figurative, erotic, and fetish genres, but I have repeatedly proven otherwise.

No reason you can't try for anything you want in the modelling realm as a fun hobby. Can you make a living from it? Highly unlikely for most of us.

No, it's certainly not a terrible idea for you to start modeling. But focus on modeling, you don't need a camera to be a model.

Pay to develop a portfolio. Learn to be your best critic - try to see yourself as others see you.

Search out hip hop groups near you and become involved. Are there hip hop meetup groups?

Not at all, you have skills in the dance and are open to doing nude so you should be able to get work arguer getting some experience and a portfolio that reflects that.

As a photographer, I have found that those people who are dancers can also be great at modeling.  You'll never know if you don't try,  There will be people who discourage you. Even people who are your own friends or family might say "give it up" thinking they will discourage you from getting disappointed.  There will be "no"s  with closed doors that will test your resolve. It will depend on your passion for the arts.  Ask yourself what is your motivation?

Success comes to those who don't give up on reaching their dreams. It's NOT about making tons of money, or becoming famous. In my opinion it's about  Success is also having no regrets.  It's the opportunities that I didn't jummp on.  It's the choices I made to not do something that I regret, NOT the things that I have attempted and failed at. Thinking back to my past it's those things I have not done .. yet .. that haunt me.  I'm still alive and wont take it for granted. By the way, I'm about to turn 65 years old. The older we get, the less we fear!  So I have three words for you "Go for it!"     

One of my friends who is an actress and comedian posted this today on her Facebook; ""  I had an amazing acting coach at LaGuardia my freshman year, Mr. Harden, who instilled in us that we should“love the art in ourselves, not ourselves in the art.”  ""