SPierce Photography wrote:
Yes, anyone can be considered a model, or call themselves a model. Whether or not they paid and do this as a job, would make a difference between just a model, and a professional model though. It's the same thing with photographers.

That makes sense ... Seems to be lots of models on here

WQueen wrote:
please explain

Do you consider yourself a model, or do you let others define what your are or want to be?

Distorted Horizon Photo wrote:
I'm sorry,

I don't know what ru means. Russia?

r u
are you

Good Egg Productions wrote:
My girlfriend is a full time working model in L.A. and has shot for playboy three times.  She is not now, and has never been signed to an agency.  Last month she walked for Macy's.  She's done featured extra work on Dexter for this coming season.

You do not need to be signed to be a model.


Additionally, if you ARE a signed model, and you're not getting regular paid work, how valuable is being signed?

That makes sense. So I guess if modeling is your number one source of income and you make a decent amount of money.... signed or not... You're a professional model

WQueen wrote:

That makes sense ... Seems to be lots of models on here

Well, it IS called Model Mayhem...

Distorted Horizon Photo wrote:
I'm sorry,

I don't know what ru means. Russia?

If I wrote "you are" it wouldnt have fit

RINALDI wrote:

Do you consider yourself a model, or do you let others define what your are or want to be?

When people aske what I do for work I rarely ever say model because I have a career besides modeling, but I make a decent amount of money from modeling

DivaEroticus wrote:

Well, it IS called Model Mayhem...

lol I was being sarcastic

Paige Morgan wrote:
Being signed really only applies to commercial and fashion models.

There are women who model full time in other genres (glamour, fetish, art nudes) who are not and never will be signed, because there are no agencies that cater to those segments of work.

Even being a signed fashion/commercial lady is only one step on a path, as not every girl on an agency's board is booking anything.

Would they be considered freelance?

WQueen wrote:
When people aske what I do for work I rarely ever say llama because I have a career besides llamaing, but I make a decent amount of money from llamaing

The moment you work together with a visual artist and you are the main object, you are a llama (at least, to me ).

Whether you are one that makes big bucks or just a couple of pennies doesn't make a difference to me. For some people this is the difference between an amateur and a professional llama. I don't see it that way, I only judge on behavior. So a professional llama to me can be amateur or veteran, because both can behave professionally.

WQueen wrote:

Would they be considered freelance?

Freelance models are the ladies who are booking their own work directly, regardless of the genres they model in.



Being signed to an agency and not booking doesn't put you in that category...it means you need to have a chat with your agency

Paige Morgan wrote:

Freelance models are the ladies who are booking their own work directly, regardless of the genres they model in.



Being signed to an agency and not booking doesn't put you in that category...it means you need to have a chat with your agency

+1 but its not only booking. Freelancing pretty much means your doing your own entire business, including promoting yourself to clients, the booking, your own training and nutrition (if applicable), handling legal and finance, anything that is needed for you to get the job, do the job and close the job afterwards.

aspergianLens wrote:
I define being a model in very simple way.

One who poses in front of a camera.

Does that insult models who do it for a living?

WQueen wrote:

Does that insult models who do it for a living?

No. Because models who model for a living are the ones that survived the phase where they had to endure jealousy, envy, arrogance, critique and all other bs. Some models get mentally hurt so much, they quit. Others endure and prevail and are now rewarded to be able to do what they like and make a living from it.

RINALDI wrote:

No. Because models who model for a living are the ones that survived the phase where they had to endure jealousy, envy, arrogance, critique and all other bs. Some models get mentally hurt so much, they quit. Others endure and prevail and are now rewarded to be able to do what they like and make a living from it.

For a lot of high paying jobs... Isn't it your either have the look or you don't.

WQueen wrote:
Does that insult models who do it for a living?

I did not make that statement.  You extrapolate too much.

WQueen wrote:

Does that insult models who do it for a living?

They're generally too busy making a living to bother with this sort of thing.

aspergianLens wrote:
I define being a model in very simple way.

One who poses in front of a camera.

Overly simplistic.

Because if that's true, every kid who ever posed for a yearbook picture is a model.

Orca Bay Images wrote:

Overly simplistic.

Because if that's true, every kid who ever posed for a yearbook picture is a model.

.

WQueen wrote:
For a lot of high paying jobs... Isn't it your either have the look or you don't.

Of course, but you asked about models being offended or not by certain statements no?

I don't think topmodels such as Dean Johnson or Anja Rubik are offended because they are not on the shortlist for Victoria's Secret. Brand A might turn you down, but there is always a brand out there somewhere that actually is searching its ass of for someone with your look. Its a matter of who is finding who...and when.

WQueen wrote:

For a lot of high paying jobs... Isn't it your either have the look or you don't.

Sometimes.

But it's also who you know.  Who you've impressed before.  What you've already done.  How hard you're hustling.  And even silly things like how popular you are on social media sites.

WQueen wrote:

lol I was being sarcastic

I don't get it...about what were you being sarcastic?

Orca Bay Images wrote:

Overly simplistic.

Because if that's true, every kid who ever posed for a yearbook picture is a model.

Technically they are models.  I know what you are trying to say, however.  I recognize the difference between people who jump in front of a lens once or twice, and those who take their craft seriously.

I just don't care for semantics, much.

DivaEroticus wrote:

I don't get it...about what were you being sarcastic?

I'm wondering the same thing...

WQueen wrote:
For a lot of high paying jobs... Isn't it your either have the look or you don't.

That's true of any modeling job, to a point. You can be a skilled, amazing, curvy blonde glamour model, but if it's a fashion casting looking for someone 5'9" plus and sample size, you will most likely not be hired.

A girl with the perfect fashion stats and an editorial face probably won't be a first choice for Maxim or Playboy.


You have to have the look and the stats for the genre/job for which you are applying....if you don't, experience and skill won't necessarily  help you.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
My girlfriend is a full time working model in L.A. and has shot for playboy three times.  She is not now, and has never been signed to an agency.  Last month she walked for Macy's.  She's done featured extra work on Dexter for this coming season.

You do not need to be signed to be a model.


Additionally, if you ARE a signed model, and you're not getting regular paid work, how valuable is being signed?

Totally true.

Kamarose wrote:
Eh. People get their panties in a twist about the word "model" a lot, but, truth is, any one (or thing) that llamas can be called a llama. Hell, this is a llama.

You can cut it any way you like, but the fact of the matter is, if I'm taking a picture of someone (or drawing them, painting them, sculpting them, whatever -- I'm a woman of many talents), I'm not gonna say to my friend, "Oh, sorry, I can't go to tennis with you that day, I've got a person-who-models-as-a-hobby-but-not-for-a-living-so-don't-call-them-a-model coming over."

Now, there are some people who like to try to "reserve" the term "model" for professionals, or particularly good llamas, or whatever. But that seems silly to me. Don't be proud about the fact that you model! Anybody can llama. llamas, if you want something to be proud of, llama well, and be proud of that.

I think it's all connected to the fact that "model" is a very loaded term in our society of the spectacle -- people associate it with superstars, gorgeous people, whatever. But the reality of modeling is that it's really quite mundane. You show up, you do a job, you leave. You don't need to have x number of fans, or really cool sunglasses, or a cloud of glitter that mysteriously follows you around whatever room you step into. It's just a thing you do.

If professional llamas want to differentiate themselves from other people who llama (and, yes, that differentiation does come in handy), they can do that with a very simple term. "Professional llama." Wow! Only two words and six syllables! It's almost easy to say! There's really no reason why people who llama for a living need to deny the term "model" to other people who do it unless it's some weird ego thing.

THIS!   1

WQueen wrote:

That makes sense ... Seems to be lots of models on here

Of course there are its a site for models, lol...seriously though

There are as many types of modeling as there are models....

Gothic, cosplay, fashion, nudes, artsy...etc...

Some get money for doing it others do it for the shear joy of it and or both.