Answering a Reader Question #510
I am almost 17 years old and modeling has always intrigued, yet frightened me. I am 5'5, so would commercial/print be my only option. I am 130 now but plan to lose weight. Also, how could I become comfortable in a shoot and what should I do before looking into an official agency?
Hey, Kelsey!
According to current agency height standards, yes, commercial/print is the type of modeling you qualify for. My best piece of advice for learning how to be comfortable in a shoot is to be comfortable with yourself. This can be accomplished by practicing posing in the mirror. The more you know your body and how to it moves and could be photographed, the less intimidating it is once you actually get in front of a camera.
Of course there's also the option of doing a test shoot just for fun to see how you feel and to get your feet wet. There are plenty of professional photographers that do free test shoots with new/inexperienced models but you can also do this with a friend and a good camera. But I feel that the mirror exercises are the most beneficial and is a good starting point for new models.
Here are a few links to blog posts I've written about posing that could be of some use to you:
Be Vain...Look In the Mirror!
Dos and Don'ts for Posing
Models Are Actors, Too
What you should do before looking into/submitting to an official agency is thoroughly browse through the agency's website. Find out who they are, the types of models they represent and what instructions or methods they have for model submissions. If the agency doesn't have a commercial/print division, don't submit and move on to the next agency site.
The more agencies you submit to, the better your chances will be but not all agencies ask for the same thing so this requires going to each website and finding out what the process is. Make sure to send exactly what each agency asks for, no more, no less. So if they want non professional, digital snapshots, don't send them professional pictures and vice-versa.
Hey Dania,
ReplyDeleteSo I have a question, I can't hold it. Is 130lbs really considered not fit or not small? I notice a lot of your readers post about their weight which is small and then at the end they say, but I'm trying to lose weight (insert: confused face). For fashion probably a little to big I guess, but for commercial I would think 130 is totally okay. I'm 128 now which is how my body looks most fit. I can't imagine going below this on purpose. When I'm lazy and don't exercise my weight can max out at 135 but I'm still in my size 4's and 2's comfortably, although again 128 is where my body has the most toned/fit look and it takes work to stay there. I'm 5'5" like the poster. I consider 130 to be a small/healthy size at that height, of course this all depends on how you are are proportioned and your muscle tone etc. I'm on a workout regimen now and while I hope to lose an inch or two, I don't necessarily care to lose weight, but not big deal if I do a lb or two comes off. I'd rather my body look small and fit rather than the scale show a smaller number. What are your thoughts? I get discouraged when I read that someone 130lbs is adamant on losing weight. With that being said I don't know her body type or how she's is proportioned; it's possible she's right, but I'm just saying....
Nika
Hi, Nika! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #514." Thanks for reading!
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