Ok.  I'm very new here, but I have this thing igging me (bugging me).  We are all in an industry that has "norms" and "standards"  Beauty is subjective. . .as it should be.

However, one of the reasons why I wanted to get serious about being in this industry was. . .I was sick and tired of not seeing people that looked like me being classified as "beautiful."

So. . .why are there so many people trying to "fit in" and "conform" to make it in this industry?  Why are people not saying "Look at me I'm different!" instead of "See. . .I can be like that too!!"  When does change start???

If you don't like what you see out there...do it yourself.
That's what I'm a doin.

PAGING SHYLY TO THREAD 28853...

Katie, you're too funny.

Jayne, the thing about a modeling site like this is it throws all different kinds of models and photographers together.  There are people who do fashion, commercial, fetish, adult, art, and even landscapes all here hanging out together.  They each work in wildly different arenas, where the requirements are totally different.  The requirements for high fashion aren't going to change much.  Art, fetish, glamor, and more and more even commercial are making room for some degree of people of size.

From your portfolio it looks like you've already identified what you're interested in, and your interests look realistic to me.  Here's a tip from an experienced fat model:  artists are almost always more openminded about who they'll work with.  Keep an eye out for artists-with-cameras in your area, and contact them about shooting together.  The glamour photographers can be tricky, but be persistent and contact everyone within a reasonable distance whose work looks good to you.  Tell them what you're doing and why, and why you'd like to work with them.  All it takes is one good photographer to say yes, before the rest are more likely to.  (Seeing an unusual model already doing glossy good work other photographers makes it easier for prospective photographers to imagine you doing glossy good work with them.)

I am a fat model who got into this because I got tired of never seeing positive representations of women who look like me, so I set out to create what I couldn't find.  Sounds like you're interested in doing something similar.  I am looking forward to seeing what you and that dazzling smile of yours create in the future.