Axioma wrote:
How can you post a random picture stating the model has success - without so much as hinting at why you make that statement, so the OP can actually be helped by it - and not find that pointless?

Oh... OK... let me post another picture for you then.  Shot of 4'11" Angelina taken at a PAID studio event where she received cash payments from several attending photographers for her time invested.  Oh... and just for the record... Angelina just purchased a new car (Nissan Cube) and paid cash for it with her two years of cheerleading, modeling and dancing income...



You don't have to be a fashion agency model to be a success in modeling...

Select Models wrote:

Oh... OK... let me post another picture for you then.  Shot of 4'11" Angelina taken at a PAID studio event where she received cash payments from several attending photographers for her time invested.  Oh... and just for the record... Angelina just purchased a new car (Nissan Cube) and paid cash for it with her two years of cheerleading, modeling and dancing income...



You don't have to be a fashion agency model to be a success in modeling...

Quite true.

So this girl was paid to do a shoot.  That's good.  This is information that's important for the OP to hear.  Not so much your photos of her.  Perhaps if you messaged the OP and put her in touch with a few of these short models you know who are successful would be nice.  Since there's no way to know who these people are, since you don't credit any of the models.

Viktoriya Justiz wrote:

Yeah usually if I like the photographers work I am more then willing to work TF, god knows i need the practice + images for mh port. Some brand owners/photographers offer to pay me upfront. It's not a crazy high number but its something. However if I'm not feeling the photographer's work and my schedule is too busy, I'll tell them that if they are willing to do a paid shoot I would be more then happy to schedule them in.

Don't give up dear.  You are beautiful, you have a great figure and even at 5'3", you should be able to get work.  You will have to do glamour (not nude unless you decide to).  Remember, you only joined in May, give yourself time to learn poses and expressions.  Look at photos of models who show great poses and seduction, happy, fun etc so it becomes 2nd nature to you.  Keep up with your great work, paid and TF to get more practice.  Your gorgeous and so is your  figure and body.

Select Models wrote:
Oh... OK... let me post another picture for you then.  Shot of 4'11" Angelina taken at a PAID studio event where she received cash payments from several attending photographers for her time invested.  Oh... and just for the record... Angelina just purchased a new car (Nissan Cube) and paid cash for it with her two years of cheerleading, modeling and dancing income...


You don't have to be a fashion agency model to be a success in modeling...

Good Egg Productions wrote:
Quite true.

So this girl was paid to do a shoot.  That's good.  This is information that's important for the OP to hear.  Not so much your photos of her.  Perhaps if you messaged the OP and put her in touch with a few of these short models you know who are successful would be nice.  Since there's no way to know who these people are, since you don't credit any of the models.

Also, a great point is that an additional skill seems to help (like dancing or cheerleading etc). I've found from my own experience that to be true too . Thanks for finally providing something useful, Select Models. Especially since the OP asks about catalog, commercials and tv work.

Someone is going to throw this out so it might as well be me. OP, have you seen this link? it explains some things about the industry: http://www.newmodels.com/height.html

Me I'm 5'2,5 but I do pose nude. I find that it has opened a lot of doors and it's probaly why I was able to work with really good artists, was published once (german print photography magazine) and got several images in art galleries. But like others have said, you have to define "success" for yourself and then find reasonable ways to make that happen.

Good Egg Productions wrote:

Quite true.

So this girl was paid to do a shoot.  That's good.  This is information that's important for the OP to hear.

Thank you... you just proved my relevance to posting on this thread... and all the OP has to do is message me... and that happens all the time...

Select Models wrote:

Thank you... you just proved my relevance to posting on this thread... and all the OP has to do is message me... and that happens all the time...

And think... if you would have given the important information first, I wouldn't have even had to post in this thread!

Keep on promoting, Gary.  I'm your biggest fan.

Good Egg Productions wrote:

And think... if you would have given the important information first, I wouldn't have even had to post in this thread!

Keep on promoting, Gary.  I'm your biggest fan.

Awww thanks Greg... you rock... but I have to admit that there was maybe a few minutes that I was beginning to doubt that...

Select Models wrote:
Oh... OK... let me post another picture for you then.  Shot of 4'11" Angelina taken at a PAID studio event where she received cash payments from several attending photographers for her time invested.  Oh... and just for the record... Angelina just purchased a new car (Nissan Cube) and paid cash for it with her two years of cheerleading, modeling and dancing income...

I define success as more than getting a paid, private shoot at a group event.   I define success as earning enough as a model to give up your day job.   What does she do for a living?

To the OP, you are 5'3".  In the business, that is referred to as a "disability."  Anything that makes it more difficult to get signed is a "disability."  It isn't just height.  It could be age, bone structure, body type or any number of things. 

When you have a disability, things become harder for you than for those that don't have them.  I can't tell you if you will be successful or not.  You certainly have a wonderful look.  What you have to do is to be cognizant of your height issue and not try to be what you are not.  You will never be 5'7" or 5'9".  Don't try to do the jobs that you are never going to get.  You would be wasting your time.  Look to the things that don't rely upon height.

Get good at marketing yourself to those things and perhaps success is possible.  If you want it badly enough, it is certainly worth a try.

Select Models wrote:

Oh... OK... let me post another picture for you then.  Shot of 4'11" Angelina taken at a PAID studio event where she received cash payments from several attending photographers for her time invested.  Oh... and just for the record... Angelina just purchased a new car (Nissan Cube) and paid cash for it with her two years of cheerleading, modeling and dancing income...



You don't have to be a fashion agency model to be a success in modeling...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I've had a few paid jobs and offers already, however by success I mean making more then the average 9-5 job.

GPS Studio Services wrote:

I define success as more than getting a paid, private shoot at a group event.   I define success as earning enough as a model to give up your day job.   What does she do for a living?

To the OP, you are 5'3".  In the business, that is referred to as a "disability."  Anything that makes it more difficult to get signed is a "disability."  It isn't just height.  It could be age, bone structure, body type or any number of things. 

When you have a disability, things become harder for you than for those that don't have them.  I can't tell you if you will be successful or not.  You certainly have a wonderful look.  What you have to do is to be cognizant of your height issue and not try to be what you are not.  You will never be 5'7" or 5'9".  Don't try to do the jobs that you are never going to get.  You would be wasting your time.  Look to the things that don't rely upon height.

Get good at marketing yourself to those things and perhaps success is possible.  If you want it badly enough, it is certainly worth a try.

Yeah I see what you mean. Thank you so much!

Axioma wrote:

What sort of a pointless post is this?

Exactly.

I don't even need the answer. This question was enough.

Embarrassing.

dave phoenix wrote:
yes, it hinders you... but you might never know it.

when a photographer is looking for a model who is 5'9, he's just going to search for 5'9 girls. he's not going to send you a message saying, "hey, just wanted to let you know that i was looking for a 5'9 girl, but since you're too short, i'm not going to hire you!" you miss opportunities every day, but you just don't know about it.

photographers aren't looking for girls who are trying really hard - they're looking for models who have a certain look, and height is a big part of a person's appearance.


you can model for fun, and maybe make a little bit of money here and there, but i would probably say it's unrealistic for you to turn modeling into a full-time job, especially if you don't do nude work at all.

+1

yes, OF COURSE it hinders you. but that doesn't mean you can't still do well at it. when there are sooo many gorgeous, talented models at 5'9, the chances of you getting the jobs they would drops significantly. But height isn't all there is too it and as long as you photograph tall, you might still have a chance. You may get paid gigs here and there, but honestly I wouldn't count on making a good living as a professional model, especially if you don't do implied or nudes.

you also mentioned that you booked a paid gig and already got paid for it...they paid you prior to the shoot? sounds like a scam...did they mail you a check & ask you to wire money to the stylist, mua or anything like that? I've been paid (very rarely) at the beginning of a shoot, but never days prior to a shoot. just be careful, lots of scams out there.

good luck. stay determined and push as much as you can for your dreams, but don't forget to be realistic.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I've had a few paid jobs and offers already, however by success I mean making more then the average 9-5 job.

very unlikely. but there are always outliers.

Synergy Canada wrote:
For one: http://bellapetite.com/models

Modeling and photography are often very relative subjects.

If I'm looking for a face what does height have to do with it?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the photographers lens

I, for one, will shoot a model of any height if I believe she has
potential. And that determination is, of course, relative based
on my own point of view.

I always start from the top down:
Hair
Face
Complexion
Overall body silhouette
Posture
Overall look

Notice that height is not even on my list.

For some photographers that may be a consideration but not for me.

Beautiful women come in all shapes and sizes.

Thank you! i hope there are more photographers out there like you.

Robert Jewett wrote:
http://www.newmodels.com/height.html

{end thread}

I'm more interested in the opinions of the people on MM and personal experiences.

GeorgeMann wrote:
Your success is limited only by your own zest for success.
You are a very pretty young lady, and seem to be very smart, pay attention to those here that are in the know, and just disregard the naysayers that continually have negative comments regardless of the subject posted.
There are many very successful young ladies, even much shorter than you, and you never can tell, if you network hard enough you just might land in a very lucrative niche.
The easiest thing to do is quit, and that just doesn't seem to be one of your options.
Good luck and much success with your endeavor.

thank you! means alot

Cuica Cafezinho wrote:

Exactly.

I don't even need the answer. This question was enough.

Embarrassing.

what is it with people like you? always so bitter. go away

Miss Photog wrote:

+1

yes, OF COURSE it hinders you. but that doesn't mean you can't still do well at it. when there are sooo many gorgeous, talented models at 5'9, the chances of you getting the jobs they would drops significantly. But height isn't all there is too it and as long as you photograph tall, you might still have a chance. You may get paid gigs here and there, but honestly I wouldn't count on making a good living as a professional model, especially if you don't do implied or nudes.

you also mentioned that you booked a paid gig and already got paid for it...they paid you prior to the shoot? sounds like a scam...did they mail you a check & ask you to wire money to the stylist, mua or anything like that? I've been paid (very rarely) at the beginning of a shoot, but never days prior to a shoot. just be careful, lots of scams out there.

good luck. stay determined and push as much as you can for your dreams, but don't forget to be realistic.

thanks. no it wasnt anything like that. i got paid after the gig. one was for a Photographer and the others were for a personal trainer for his fitness videos.

Photos by Lorrin wrote:
There are lots of reasons to hire a short model.

Boats - short models make boats look bigger.
Small cars - short models make a car look bigger
Leading men - (some are short and a tall woman kills the image)
Homes amateur studio shoots - short ceilings
Bikinis -  ever seen one where it matters how tall the model is because the hem line touches the floor and needs to be shortened
Kitchens - make a kitchen look big
Hair and parts modeling

Thank you! that is what i was looking for

Viktoriya Justiz wrote:

I'm more interested in the opinions of the people on MM and personal experiences.

What a coincidence... the person who runs newmodels.com is also the author of "A Professional's Guide to Modeling" and had been an active member of MM for many years, Roger Talley who was using different handles... 

MM can be full of surprises... 

Viktoriya Justiz wrote:

Thank you! i hope there are more photographers out there like you.

Maybe there aren't .

Viktoriya Justiz wrote:

thanks. no it wasnt anything like that. i got paid after the gig. one was for a Photographer and the others were for a personal trainer for his fitness videos.

But that's a long way from being a career.

Tony Lawrence wrote:
What makes me sad is how often members who should know better blow wind up short models skirts.   The industry belongs to standard sized models.   Those models are hired through modeling agencies.   Sure there may be a few petite models booking work but not many.   Companies hire models through advertising and modeling agencies.   That includes commercial and lifestyle models.   Most agencies don't have models under 5'7" on their boards.   Everybody knows a short model making bank who isn't signed or is but they never have photos or the agency that books them.   Can small models get work, sure.   Enough to live on, doubtful.   That isn't to say not to try.

However what often happens is that portfolio mill agencies con these ladies into spending thousands on photos.   After all you really do need a solid book to show clients.   They know full well these girls won't work.   When its rough for 5'10" beauties to make money what are your chances at 5'3"?   You don't want have too be signed to work but companies hire talent through agencies.   Most will NEVER hire freelance models of any size.   Yet forget what I'm saying.   Do a search of modeling agency web sites.   Start here:   http://models.fordmodels.com/models/33   Ask yourself this.   If you are unsigned how will clients find you?   Most do NOT do open castings.   Serious work isn't usually on Craigslist.   I understand members want to encourage shorter models but be honest.   Telling them they can do shots on boats or hotel rooms, etc. isn't that.   Not when those companies use standard sized models and those who are signed.

No one is blowing up anyone's skirt. I know many models my height who do have some success. Obviously not international fashion models but there are many different aspects to modeling. Fitness, promotional, etc. there's more to modeling then "vogue"

Yan Tan Tethera wrote:

Maybe there aren't .

I know for a fact there is

Viktoriya Justiz wrote:

No one is blowing up anyone's skirt. I know many models my height who do have some success. Obviously not international fashion models but there are many different aspects to modeling. Fitness, promotional, etc. there's more to modeling then "vogue"

Really?   I wasn't talking about Vogue and actually fashion modeling is not as large as commercial modeling but I ask again without a agency how will you find work.   Rather how will clients find you?   Do they take a chance booking you when they have no ideal if you'll show.   Do they hold open calls and hope models come.  If those short models who have found success are here I don't believe you unless they are doing nudes. If you have the answers though.   Why did you ask?   If you have friends who have some success then talk with them and follow their advice.   Heck, screw what I tell you and start hitting up agencies in your area.   My guess is some may like you and you'll be asked to pay some $$$

I'm not here to argue though.   I wish you well and please return when you have some tears and published work.   Good luck.