Meghan Anne Gerhart wrote:
I signed up here as a "photoshop wizard" but I also do some modeling and photography. I have both mental and physical disabilities and, whenever I got a "real" modeling offer, it would break my heart to say no (I could barely leave the house for a few years). My mental health is starting to improve, and I hope it continues to do so, and my physical health is dubious as always, but I'm hopeful. I love retouching photos but one day I'd like a real photographer to photograph me instead of having to take self-portraits. I think it's wonderful that there are photographers out there that are willing to work with disabled models. It's a little ray of hope. (My first post! Nice to meet you all!)

not only are there photogs out there who are willing to work with disabled models, there are those of us who specifically want to work with people who are non-ordinary. so far i have shot a female amputee with a huge and vibrant personality and a lust for hot pink, a girl scarred across her face from a dog attack, a gent born with spinal bifida and no legs (hands down one of the coolest people i have ever met,) and someone born with legs turned inward enough to need surgery/casts/corrective shoes as an infant/child (self portraits!) i find many people to be over-ordinary, and therefore "uniqueness disabled." i find variations in the human form and circumstance fascinating and often beautiful, and find people who have had to work harder in life better company. i take pride in all that's different about me, and enjoy it when people can embrace human variety.

not all modeling has to be for the fashion industry.

Miss Fifi-Alexis wrote:

Exactly... just make your limitations known before the shoot. I can't stand/walk for long periods of time. I make sure the photographer knows what I can and cannot do long before we shoot. And, I also make it known that my disability is a visible one. Luckily, most photographers don't mind it at all, and a few have even wanted to photograph it.

I view my disability like I view my height.... there's not much I can do about it, but I won't let it stop me from doing what I want.

I have to agree with Fifi here with the bolded quote  because I have CP or cerebral palsy and  I use a cane to get around & my speech is sometimes hard to understand when I get in hurry but it is what it is I can't change it but I haven't let it stop me from being active in sports photography all day long or shooting weddings. People sometimes act surprised when I'm moving around to get the shots I want but to me I don't think about I just do it I don't know any different from the able  body person's point view. I just move a bit slower So to the OP I say go for it follow your desire to model, any good photographer will find a way to get good shots and bring out your best features. Photographers usually like challenges  and love to shoot whenever we have a willing model. Good Luck

BLS Imaging wrote:
You are going to get faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar less work than a plus size model.
I wouldnt hold your breath.

Wow.... does it hurt to have your head that far up your ass?

Just Cherry wrote:
My disability is invisible to the naked eye, but it still has the potential to hold me back.... but I just don't let it.

You didn't seem too disabled when we walked 10 miles through the city

Will Headley wrote:

You didn't seem too disabled when we walked 10 miles through the city

Thats because it's my heart thats disabled!! 

Awesome Photos wrote:
The female in the first image on my profile is a quadroplegic model. Isn't this just beautiful? Don't let any disabilities deprive you of your dream. Set your goals high and strive to achieve them.

heyyyy! thats me =] thanks Jon. u guys just wat till u see the photos we took sunday! dont let anything stand between u and your dream!

Gary Blanchette wrote:
Being in a wheelchair myself, I can tell you that even being able to discuss the topic openly with others on MM is liberating for the OP. I know personally if I'm left alone with my thoughts I at times become very discouraged. It's not until I can hear (read) all of the positive support that I climb back on my horse and begin contacting Models again.

Bravo to the OP!

i def agree! i too am in a wheelchair and t times i can be very discouraged. i feel very excited to have stumbled across this thread. thank you.

Miss Marianna wrote:
Me as a disabled model is curious about the opinion from the members of Model Mayhem about this... Let's discuss this subject!

a very good friend of mine..has MD..we did a shot..and he kicked ass..nuff said

CC Marie wrote:
also... has anybody heard of Ellen Stohl? shes a quadraplegic who posed for playboy! im so jealous

Ooh... I shall have to look her up.

Jen Marie Purnell wrote:

Not necessarily true. I'm 5'3 and modeling has been my sole source of income ever since I sucessfully got myself fired from a shit job 4 months ago.

There really are no limits to what you can do if you have realistic expectations, can network and self manage well and are located in an area with a good market for what you do.

To clarify, I mean, don't expect to make it mainstream and make as much money as you would with something else. At the moment and for a while, modeling has also been my main source of income, but I will credit that to being extremely lucky and not on something that can just happen because you want it to.
The whole point, which you touched on, is to be realistic. Supermodels will still be tall, able bodied, and very thin.
Does that make short people not good models? No. Does that make disabled models bad models? No. Does that make chubby girls bad models? Not at all.
Sometimes we make better models than some of the "typical" models, but their chances of having a career are much higher.
(I'm talking probability, of course there's the rarity, like you and I who are shorties that somehow inked out a living modeling.)
It's just realistic to say that I'm never going to make the cover of Victoria's Secret. It would be awesome, but I'll accept the industry is not going to change for me.

Cspine wrote:
Wow, there's alot of sugar coated horse shit in here. Being gimpy makes most everything a bazillion times harder. Alot of hopeful models are crushed by rejection and have their self esteem ripped apart by cruel standards and expectations. You'll get this much much more than the average model. You'll experience harshness that would make most women slit their wrists. But if you succeed..... you'll treasure that success forever.

Is it worth it? That's for you to decide.

Wow.... could you not use the word "gimpy"?


And, no one is saying it's going to be easy. Of course it's going to be hard, but she still has a chance.

Miss Fifi-Alexis wrote:

Wow.... could you not use the word "gimpy"?


And, no one is saying it's going to be easy. Of course it's going to be hard, but she still has a chance.

Agreed.

BLS Imaging wrote:
You are going to get faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar less work than a plus size model.

Wow.... does it hurt to have your head that far up your ass?

Exactly what I was thinking - give you odds that she never even looked at the OP's port - DUH!!!

Miss Fifi-Alexis wrote:
And, no one is saying it's going to be easy. Of course it's going to be hard, but she still has a chance.

The whole point is that the OP is actually doing something – she’s going out and getting the door-knocking done, which is a hell of an awful lot more than half the damn models on this site do.

The OP has the figurative ‘balls’ to do something. Bravo!

To Marianna (the OP):
Mijn hoed is weg aan u. Met uw bepaling kunt u om het even wat doen. Ik ben zo trots van u!

JoJo Suicide wrote:

The whole point is that the OP is actually doing something – she’s going out and getting the door-knocking done, which is a hell of an awful lot more than half the damn models on this site do.

The OP has the figurative ‘balls’ to do something. Bravo!

To Marianna (the OP):
Mijn hoed is weg aan u. Met uw bepaling kunt u om het even wat doen. Ik ben zo trots van u!

thank you! i'm just trying to get people thinking about this...

the modellingworld is not going to change ofcourse, but they can think about giving other people a chance too. and really, i don't want to be a fashion model, cause you must have a certain lifestyle for that which i can't live.

AnnaInez Photography wrote:

a very good friend of mine..has MD..we did a shot..and he kicked ass..nuff said

do you have the picture online? i love to see it!

glamour pics wrote:
Your give your height as "0" and your weight as "10," and omit any clue as to your stats or what the physical limitation is. Is it possible some potential photographers are deterred because they perceive lack of professionalism?

the reason why i didn't fill that in is because those sizes are different from dutch sizes. my height is 1.70, but how do i fill that in there???? the same with my shoesize...

Gary Blanchette wrote:
Being in a wheelchair myself, I can tell you that even being able to discuss the topic openly with others on MM is liberating for the OP. I know personally if I'm left alone with my thoughts I at times become very discouraged. It's not until I can hear (read) all of the positive support that I climb back on my horse and begin contacting Models again.

Bravo to the OP!

CC Marie wrote:
i def agree! i too am in a wheelchair and t times i can be very discouraged. i feel very excited to have stumbled across this thread. thank you.

We're approximately 200 miles apart.

I would really like to work with you someday...

JoJo Suicide wrote:
The whole point is that the OP is actually doing something – she’s going out and getting the door-knocking done, which is a hell of an awful lot more than half the damn models on this site do.

The OP has the figurative ‘balls’ to do something. Bravo!

To Marianna (the OP):
Mijn hoed is weg aan u. Met uw bepaling kunt u om het even wat doen. Ik ben zo trots van u!

Miss Marianna wrote:
thank you! i'm just trying to get people thinking about this...

the modellingworld is not going to change ofcourse, but they can think about giving other people a chance too. and really, i don't want to be a fashion model, cause you must have a certain lifestyle for that which i can't live.

The modeling world is changing slowly. Many countries such as Canada have instituted a type of ‘truth in advertising’ laws whereby if a model is to be shown in a wheelchair for something like a Sears, Mark’s & Spencer’s or Benetton advertisement then a model in a wheelchair should be used if at all possible.

I’m not too sure how well enforced these guidelines/laws are but it is at least a step in the right direction.

Miss Fifi-Alexis wrote:

Wow.... does it hurt to have your head that far up your ass?

Right on

glamour pics wrote:
Your give your height as "0" and your weight as "10," and omit any clue as to your stats or what the physical limitation is. Is it possible some potential photographers are deterred because they perceive lack of professionalism?

Miss Marianna wrote:
the reason why i didn't fill that in is because those sizes are different from dutch sizes. my height is 1.70, but how do i fill that in there???? the same with my shoesize...

To help you translate EU measurements into USA measurements
http://www.tyzo.com/tools/metric.html

For shoe sizes:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/clothin … womens.htm