trish wrote:
self validation!!! duh????

i really don't see me being naked on the cover of vogue due to the awesome fan-base i have developed for myself on myspace anytime soon.

and i am PERFECTLY ok with that it's called being "realistic".

Can't speak for anybody else, but I fully encourage your self-validation...


In reference to the OP's question.

There are those who model as a career, others who do it purely for fun, and others are looking for validation.  One of the three.  I've shot all types.  As long as they can pull of the look I need, I'm okay with it.  I haven't seen any notable problem during the shoot with any of those types...

angela camp wrote:
I'm interested to hear responses on this.  I'm curious why some aspiring models try so hard to do it for so long without success, what is driving them to do it?

Passion.

Daniela V wrote:
Toss me under career path.

I'm re-starting my acting classes in the spring and my new year's resolution is SAG and Equity Card.

And I want to take the modeling further.

My goal is to keep raising the bar and keep going and going until this is my career.

All I want to do is model and act. As far as I'm concerned, it's going to happen.

MM is great because I keep meeting wonderful photographers and artists that inspire me and teach me something new with each photoshoot. And with each shoot I get better and closer to my goal.

I have my college degree. I have a "real" job. I have given myself 5 more years to make IT happen.

-D

question:

I thought aspiring actresses prefer to stay away from showing nudity while they climb the ladder in the acting world?

It's been known they did this so Hollywood would take them seriously oppose to being labeled as anything, but an A list prospective.

just asking your viewpoint

Nedjetti

Angela Crystal McAdrian wrote:
I do it as a career...I do have a dealine in my head,though for when I'll quit if I haven't "made it."

Interesting indeed.

I can totally agree with that. A time frame is always good for those who decide a pursuit should have a limit, asw we all know time waits for no one. Life has demands we cannot ignore.

I am still amazed at those with low self esteem who pursue modeling as a way to validate their looks and or themselves overall. Of all the places to put yourself, this would be the last, in my book.

A model should have many attributes, low self esteem should not be one of them. Yet I find myself runing across personality types that have no business in this business, regardless of looks.

So, as I began to really pay attention I saw that a great many use the world of modeling as a measure of self worth. WOW..talk about a catch 22...!

There has got to be a better way..

Hair by Nedjetti wrote:
question:

I thought aspiring actresses prefer to stay away from showing nudity while they climb the ladder in the acting world?

It's been known they did this so Hollywood would take them seriously oppose to being labeled as anything, but an A list prospective.

just asking your viewpoint

Nedjetti

Valid question.

It's a hurdle that I've thought about. But I've managed to snag a few small commercials and such and they've never seen my portfolio (though I used my real name in any acting at all)

I've also had to appear nude on stage. So, part of me thinks it won't be that tough a hurdle to jump. But we'll see....

ps- need a hairstylist this weekend....

Daniela V wrote:
Valid question.

It's a hurdle that I've thought about. But I've managed to snag a few small commercials and such and they've never seen my portfolio (though I used my real name in any acting at all)

I've also had to appear nude on stage. So, part of me thinks it won't be that tough a hurdle to jump. But we'll see....

ps- need a hairstylist this weekend....

oh, ok, gotcha :-)

sorry, I'm booked this weekend, in the future let me know in advance and let's make it happen, best to email me at [email protected]

hope you have a fab shoot...

Nedjetti

Angela Crystal McAdrian wrote:
I do it as a career...I do have a dealine in my head,though for when I'll quit if I haven't "made it."

I second that quote.

Hair by Nedjetti wrote:
oh, ok, gotcha :-)

sorry, I'm booked this weekend, in the future let me know in advance and let's make it happen, best to email me at [email protected]

hope you have a fab shoot...

Nedjetti

will do- thanks so much.

"Modeling..self validation or true career path?"

For me it is a 'True Career Path'. It has been working thus far. Hahaha.



GUNTHER +

Vance wrote:

Interesting indeed.

I can totally agree with that. A time frame is always good for those who decide a pursuit should have a limit, asw we all know time waits for no one. Life has demands we cannot ignore.

I am still amazed at those with low self esteem who pursue modeling as a way to validate their looks and or themselves overall. Of all the places to put yourself, this would be the last, in my book.

A model should have many attributes, low self esteem should not be one of them. Yet I find myself runing across personality types that have no business in this business, regardless of looks.

So, as I began to really pay attention I saw that a great many use the world of modeling as a measure of self worth. WOW..talk about a catch 22...!

There has got to be a better way..

I model for a variety of reasons.

angela camp wrote:
I'm interested to hear responses on this.  I'm curious why some aspiring models try so hard to do it for so long without success, what is driving them to do it?

I'm interested, too!

For me, I know that through my agency I regularly get jobs.  They pay well, and I save it and use it as my gas money.  It's really come in handy.

Leo 3 wrote:
When I started in this modeling thing just over a year ago....I swear I thought I'd be nothing more than a "weekend warrior".....maybe make a few buck$ on the weekend doing a shoot with a GWC.

This past year has been pretty.......well.....surprising for me. With each passing week this biz is coming closer and closer to being a true career path for me.....never would have dreamed it or believed it. My phone is almost ringing daily now....and not from GWC's. I do have an agent now as well. I have done print work for some pretty big names now....VISA, HoMEDICS, Ford Motors.....and as I'm writing this I was just called by my agent as Ford wants me to audition for a TV commercial for there new car.....called the "Edge" I think they said........I also start production on an independent movie this month.

Well....with all of what's happened to me and what lies in front of me.......I still can't/don't say "this is my career"....I'm just taking it all as it comes. I do work for LMR Sports out of Florida.....I plan on getting getting into the insurance biz again....I use to own an American Family Insurance agency.

But hey.....if there are those who do this for an ego boost.....thats fine too....to me......it's just business.

Leo - I have been keeping on eye on your success and I want to tell you that you are somewhat of inspiration to me.  I am going to be 35 in two weeks and I am a single mom.  By day I am a legal secretary for a law firm in New Orleans and every other weekend (the kids are with their dad) I am somewhere with a GWC taking pics to build a port.  I sometimes get discouraged and wonder if I will just be a "mature" models with "mature" features with a great port and that's it and then other days I feel like this may actually become something someday.  Sorry for the rambling but honestly when is it time to say "ok this is going nowhere and I need to get my head out of clouds and get back to earth?"  I have had ALOT of photographers contact me to work with them but no paid jobs as of yet and I know it takes time but I have run into several models that do use this as self validation and have been "building a port forever".  So when is it time to say "enough is enough"?  Just a thought.

angela camp wrote:
I'm interested to hear responses on this.  I'm curious why some aspiring models try so hard to do it for so long without success, what is driving them to do it?

It is also important to realize that your definition of success may not be everyone's definition.

ak

Vance wrote:
This question goes out to anyone with an opinion. I have been dealing with a few odels who seem to use modeling as more of a form of self validation rather than a true career path or honest hobby.

Very hard to deal with these types because they querstion why an image isnt use on my port. Am I not good enough? Am I ugly? Even comparrisons made to other models.

I find it a rather interesting set of circumstances.

Any thoughts? Anyone?


How many of you have run into this as photgraphers and or as models?

For me, I was asked to model by a local photographer and told about MM.  I originally decided to continue it because it helped me to document my end result from losing 225 lbs and was another form of self expression (I am very artistic in a variety of ways besides photography). 

The more I modeled, my own interest in photography grew (I've always enjoyed it but more as a hobbiest).  Now, I continue it because I truly enjoy creating wonderful images regardless of the side of the lens I'm on.

As for self-validation, yes, it is validating (it's helped me to see my body as it is rather than through the eyes of my former self), but it's not the reason that I model.

Caroline
-225 lbs

Sirensong wrote:
Because its fun,
The moment it STOPS being fun..money or no money, pretty images or no then I am quitting.

AMEN!

Josie Nutter wrote:
If you're talking about the "models" with nothing but crappy webcam/cellphone self-portaits in their "portfolios" who never manage to get it together enough to shoot with a real photographer... well, I don't even know if they get self-validation out of this.

Having worked with scores of these very individuals, I can tell you that most of them do get self-validation out of it. When they see their shots on KISW's web site, it's seconds before their MySpace profile is filled with "hey, check me out!" posts and all of their friends are telling them how hot they look.

And, you know what? Good for them. If it makes them feel good about themselves, who am I to discourage that?