|
Forums >
General Industry >
Does a model's height really matter to you?
As long as the clothes fit, do you want a model to be 5'9 and up? There are some models I will be working with shortly who are only in the 5'4-5'6 range, but they are more beautiful than most any 5'10 model you will ever see coming down a runway. Just wondering if any of you photogs only work with the really tall models. Jan 23 06 08:05 pm Link Well I am no photographer but i figured I would comment. I am 5'11 and love what I do, but I find models shorter then me that take just as good or even better pics. I think that some and let me emphasize on the "some", tall models think that they dont have to do anything but stand in front of the camera. They figure since they are tall they dont have to work. Where a model that is 5'6 knows that she has to make up for her height so she might work twice as hard and get some great shots. Just my thought, but I could be wrong. I think that if I was a photographer I would work with whoever would get me that great shot, whether she is 5'1 or 6'2. -Sysamsbe Jan 23 06 08:10 pm Link The reason for 5'9"- 5'11" being the *ideal* model height has very little to do with beauty and everything to do with fitting in clothes. Jan 23 06 08:12 pm Link Isn't that why clothes come in sizes 00 to Plus sizes? Jan 23 06 08:17 pm Link I think the 5'10 and up is for the runway. Depending on the shot, it's hard to determine a model's height. There will always be room for the under 5'6 girls. Jan 23 06 08:19 pm Link raveneyes wrote: cause it's not so much for photo's in general as fashion. Jan 23 06 08:19 pm Link Height isn't a big issue for me. But shorter models do have one advantage for photos. They fit on the seamless paper better... Dave Levingston http://www.art2view.com/DaveLevingston/ Jan 23 06 08:21 pm Link model7299 wrote: No...clothing sizes 00 - 18 are usually modeled on the person at that waist size being between 5'9" - 5'11" Jan 23 06 08:23 pm Link The fashion world isn't really open to change and as photographers want to be taken as a fashion photographer, you follow the standards. Everything eventually comes full circle(looks,design,ideas,etc.), so why give up something they know works time and time again. Not saying there aren't exceptions... Jan 23 06 08:24 pm Link Sysamsbe wrote: In my experience, that statement applies to more than just some of the taller models. It applies to some of the shorter ones as well. Jan 23 06 08:26 pm Link ROTU wrote: I don't really see it as a fashion world/photographer thing. Jan 23 06 08:28 pm Link While Raveneyes is correct, I think it's pretty clear he's talking about the fashion/catalog world. You can go a bit shorter for other stuff like glamour and casual, though I find that when you start getting closer to 5' the proportions often aren't as flattering IMO. edit: And while I was typing this, he posts that it's not a fashion thing.... I think we're getting into a semantics argument now... Jan 23 06 08:28 pm Link In my opinion height is only an issue if you are planning on going fully mainstream. Due to clothing issues, only tall girls get those jobs being that the makers only make them for tall people for the shows a majority of the time. I feel personally that is an unfair thing because a majority of the population world wide is somewhere in the 5'4-5'9 category if not even shorter. Like someone said earlier-it's absolutely nothing to do with beauty. If I'm not mistaken Kate Moss, a Calvin Klein model, is the shortest in the supermodel league standing at I believe 5'7. Jan 23 06 08:29 pm Link Gary Davis wrote: Yes...I'm talking about the fashion/catalog world... Jan 23 06 08:31 pm Link Glen Berry wrote: Awww thats because you havent worked with me ::wink wink:: Jan 23 06 08:31 pm Link Gary Davis wrote: Hehe...I agree with you... I just think 'the fashion world' gets a bum rap on this issue. It's not the AD's or Photographers who make this particular rule...it's just how it is because of how fashion is designed and brought to market. Jan 23 06 08:32 pm Link Designer's clothes....and no they don't come in size 00 to plus. The industry has fitting sizes and these are made to fit 95% of designer's outfits. 5'9-5'11(5-8?) sizes 0-2 (Haute couture) 5'9-6'0 sizes 0-4 Couture and other fashions) 34-24-34 No more than a 10 inch distance from hip to waist to bust measurements. THESE ARE THE MEASUREMENTS ALL DESIGNERS CUT MATERIAL TO FIT THEIR CLOTHING! Wth only slight alterations to fit the model's frame perfectly. This is across the board. In fashion the model must fit the clothes... Not the other way around. There are specialty boutiques (and divisions within some larger "FS" agencies) which offer other sizes specifically to match specialty designers....plus size, super-petite, curvatious, swimsuit, urban fitness, physique, etc. But for what the OP is seeking...No. Height is not important. For a photographer with his own pet project or for a commercial, beauty or glamour project for a client...height shouldn't be too important. As you are selling a product or a fantasy or creating artistic images. Not clothing. No designers. No emphasis on clothes. ::edit to add:: (based on someone's statement about "unfair" The reasofor the statistics are simple. 1. Movement from maniquins to live models who were the same size as maniquins. 2. Runway AND Presence: A tall model with a proportionate frame standing in front of you or walking the catwalk is powerful. 3. Most VISUAL and CHEAPEST cost in material. Comparisons: Short curvy models means...less VISUAL and HIGHER cost in material. Short thin models means...LEAST VISUAL. Tall curvy models means most VISUAL but HIGER cost to material. Which is afford solely to cater to the plus size market. Jan 23 06 08:34 pm Link As a photographer, I want to be taken seriously in the industry, and if I show up with pictures of 5'4" girls I'm gonna get sent home. Jan 23 06 08:37 pm Link Sysamsbe wrote: Take a look at my edited post. I was talking about some of the shorter models. Jan 23 06 08:45 pm Link Ched wrote: exactly....but you're wasting your energy on the subject here at MM... What most here know about fashion and modeling they learned watching reality TV Jan 23 06 09:04 pm Link Mary wrote: Wow....so true! Jan 23 06 09:07 pm Link Ched wrote: You cant be taken seriously with shots of say, Playboy models who are mostly under 5'8? There is ALOT more to the industry than fashion, glamour sells pretty well too ya know Jan 23 06 09:11 pm Link MichaelBell wrote: BTW, how's that glamour website project comming along? Jan 23 06 09:13 pm Link russellpmiller wrote: But what do those in the 5'6''-5'9'' range do? I am sure commercial, but high fashion (editorial) work? I hate that I fall pretty much right in between the "in between" range, lmao. Jan 23 06 09:19 pm Link Ched wrote: As long as the model is proportioned right, you can not tell how tall she is...I would say 5'7 and above is pretty much only needed for runway. There ARE High fashion famous models that are 5'7 and below take for instance Josie Moran (Guess Model) Jan 23 06 09:25 pm Link Raveneyes is correct in what he has been saying. The fashion we shoot for the magazines are samples and are size 4/6. The models we book are MINIMUM 5'9" and preferably 5'10". Why, because as Raven has said...the fashion hang better on a taller model, thinner model than a model of average size. People like to mention Kate Moss whenever the topic of model height is brought up, as a justification for shorter models in fashion. As one of my editors once said...to make an exception...you need to be exceptional. Kate Moss is definately exceptional. There is more to being a model than just height. Jan 23 06 09:25 pm Link Stevi wrote: sorry not true Jan 23 06 09:31 pm Link MichaelBell wrote: I don't care how tall or how short a model is, as long as she is Proportioned!!! Jan 23 06 09:36 pm Link How it works in fashion is this. You have the shows (NY, Paris, Milan, London). Buyers and Editors, among many others are seated at the shows. Buyers place their orders for their respected companies. Models on the runways are wearing samples. Samples which were ordered/made are then sent to the major magazines for fashion editorial shoots by us photographers. 4-6 months later, the fashion designs ordered arrive at the stores. Then the stores have fashion showings, etc. The top department stores also have a minimum height required for their models...again starting at 5'9" such as Marshall Fields, Neiman Marcus, etc. When designers have trunk showings...again 5'9" minimum. Regarding glamour/porn....I have no idea, nor am I interested. Jan 23 06 09:39 pm Link raveneyes wrote: Playboy is NOT porn... Jan 23 06 09:40 pm Link ...Stacy wrote: Yes the dress is long on you, but I am not talking about clothes.. if the dress was tailored to you right, and you were against a plain background w/nothing to compare height to, I am pretty sure the average person could not say you are this or that height, there is angles and everything involved... if you take photo in a weird angle of paris hilton she may look 5'0 Jan 23 06 09:40 pm Link Stevi wrote: well yes, but what I'm saying is, the high requirements are really just for fashion. cause they aren't going to tailor the clothes. but in most other modeling, swimsuit, fetish, glamour, art etc, there's no height requirement. (cause they will tailor the clothes, if the want to, which i didn't cause in that particular photo i wanted to be 'melting') But most of the time when people refer to models, fashion is what they are talking about. the rest of us are moot. People that don't shoot that though will say everythings good, and we're spiffy. It's all catagorical. Jan 23 06 09:48 pm Link Hamza wrote: Playboy is porn. Jan 23 06 09:50 pm Link MichaelBell wrote: I don't care how tall or how short a model is, as long as she is Proportioned!!! Ched wrote: If your pictures make those models look 5-4, then you will be sent home. The key is to shoot Proportioned Models, take Great Photos of them and not make them look short... Mary wrote: Ouch! Powerful word!!! ...Stacy wrote: Stacy, you can only tell that you are tiny because the Dress is Too Long for you... If the Dress was tailored to you, you would not be able to tell that you were short, unless tha photographer shot you from above... From what I can tell, you seem to be pretty proportioned. Any Good photog could make you look tall in the right clothes from the right angle... Jan 23 06 09:54 pm Link Stevi and Stacy.... what you shorter models must remember. You are wearing store-bought clothing. Regardless of the store...it is store bought. Those come in various sizes NOT designer samples from (Prada, Gucci Design Houses). And yes, we CAN tell pretty darn close how tall a model is in her photos. Jan 23 06 09:55 pm Link Nerlande wrote: Is NOT! Hustler, Penthouse, Swank, Bigguns, etc.. on the other hand is Porn. Jan 23 06 09:56 pm Link David Anthony wrote: I'm sorry, I wasn't aware that I was disagreeing with you... Jan 23 06 09:58 pm Link I agree Hamza. I shoot some of the fashion layouts for Playboy here in Chicago. Playboy is not porn and neither is Maxim and Stuff. Jan 23 06 10:00 pm Link MichaelBell wrote: The average height of my girls is probably about 5'2" Serveral are barely over 5' Jan 23 06 10:00 pm Link I didn't say you were Staci. I apoligize if that was what you perceived. That certainly was not my intent. Jan 23 06 10:01 pm Link |
