MatureModelMM wrote:
I wouldn't even consider it. I'm rather proud to still be modelling at 62, which is my real age.  I have been told that I could easily pass for 50 or less, however there's no reason to even try.......

You are more likely to find people in their early-mid 30's trying to pass for being 20 something.

Yeah for me I'm like heck, I would be proud of the fact that I can be in my 60's, 70's, 80's, whatever.  Not everyone now a days gets to live very long.  I can only wish.  I'm 32 now and I feel like my body is giving up on me lol.  I'm hoping I can keep on going.

Sandra Vixen wrote:
I never lie about my age, I just don't tell.

No, I don't dismiss someone just for lying, I can also tell when someone is lying (face to face conversation, but not through text).

But there are many ways to answer that: if someone demands for your exact age, then break out a calculator and a lot of paper to calculate the exact days, hours, minutes, seconds of your age, ignore certain sign or decimal places, and tell them you are -3053.293 years old.

What? I'm bad at math, and that's not a lie.

LOL!  That is so....... ummmmmm..... if someone told me that I would be like "yeah bye"!  I mean, I haven't been tricked yet when it comes to models.  I haven't had anyone show up looking totally different yet or much older.  When it comes to dating though, a few times, but I learned, oh I learned.  I would be much more perceptive to someone saying "I'm this age but I like your work and my pictures are recent" than someone saying "guess my age, I look young right?  But you don't know my age right?  I'm ageless baby!".  That's not helping and it's a bit weird.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
Does it really matter?

You're choosing a model based on their look, not their age.

If only that were true

Good Egg Productions wrote:
Does it really matter?

You're choosing a model based on their look, not their age.

It does matter because if I slip up and they don't look like that, then I have to deal with it so yes it does.  Like I said, I have been lucky so far that I guess from dating and taking pictures myself I have been able to make good decisions, but it shouldn't be such a balancing act.

druidess  wrote:
Interesting thread I must say. Just know that I'm definitely 20

HAHAHA!  Well that is good.  I wish I was 20 again but with the wisdom I have now.  Not saying you don't have wisdom, just saying I didn't have much at 20.  I thought I did though.

Danielle Reid wrote:

If only that were true

To me, if you contact me, tell me your age, your pictures are not photoshopped to death, and i like your look, I would work with you.  But if you contact me with plastic skin saying you are 20 but I can see your gray roots and the wrinkles in your hands, then I'm annoyed because you are clearly lying to me.

MelissaAnn  wrote:
I'm 55, and the lying seems to be working for me. 

Hopefully, I'll still be able to be photographing you when you're 75


Yajhil -- apparently there are those who don't care about being found easily in the browse/search function (often agency models), and in other cases, there are some who are not the best judges of themselves (which is true for many photographers as well as some models.)

MelissaAnn  wrote:
I'm 55, and the lying seems to be working for me. 

What's the name of your plastic surgeon?  TELL US!

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:

HAHAHA!  Well that is good.  I wish I was 20 again but with the wisdom I have now.  Not saying you don't have wisdom, just saying I didn't have much at 20.  I thought I did though.

I've met 20 year olds who look 30's.  I've met a 29 year old who looks 16.

What's your point?

DougBPhoto wrote:

Hopefully, I'll still be able to be photographing you when you're 75


Yajhil -- apparently there are those who don't care about being found easily in the browse/search function (often agency models), and in other cases, there are some who are not the best judges of themselves (which is true for many photographers as well as some models.)

You know, that's totally true.  I get it, we all have different ways of viewing reality.  I don't know why that is, there are many factors, sometimes though the gap is large and I guess I maybe don't know how to deal with it yet.

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:
You know, that's totally true.  I get it, we all have different ways of viewing reality.  I don't know why that is, there are many factors, sometimes though the gap is large and I guess I maybe don't know how to deal with it yet.

the advice that I was given (from a pretty wise old person) was to worry less about other people.

What they think of themselves really does not matter, we all need to focus on ourselves, and accept other people for who they are.  (or not accept them and not associate with them.)

We simply need to find the people we wish to work with, and ignore those that we don't.

As to your OP, specifically as relates to signed models, my understanding is that they are not supposed to use their real age, it is not used as a part of their agency, and is not to be disclosed on MM, kinda unusual enough that they would have permission to be on MM, but regardless, real age is a "no-no".

Aside from castings that involve alcohol or tobacco, where the person being used in advertising needs to be 25 or older, the actual age, is not supposed to be an issue.

Good Egg Productions wrote:

I've met 20 year olds who look 30's.  I've met a 29 year old who looks 16.

What's your point?

My point is that people should just be honest about their age and what they actually look like so that others don't have to play into the games.  Am I being not clear enough?  Alright, I will take it further, whatever.

My point is that when I put up a casting ad, I shouldn't have to play detective, trying to figure out who is being honest and who is trying to deceive me.  Like I said, I'm pretty good at knowing, but why should it have to be like this?  That's why I'm asking people why they lie or why others lie, because i want to know if that's working or not.  You think I somehow don't know that some 20 year olds look like they are 30?  Look at Lindsay Lohan, she looks like she is in her late 30's at this point.  It's not like I was born yesterday.  And yes, I know that people lie about their age too, that's not news either, I'm not stupid.  However, other than wanting to appear young to others, I don't get why else people lie which is why I am asking.  I hope that's clear enough this time around so that we can stop doing this confrontational thing that you are trying to start which is not very appealing to me in the least.

DougBPhoto wrote:

the advice that I was given (from a pretty wise old person) was to worry less about other people.

What they think of themselves really does not matter, we all need to focus on ourselves, and accept other people for who they are.  (or not accept them and not associate with them.)

We simply need to find the people we wish to work with, and ignore those that we don't.

That's actually very good advice.  I do try to do that most of the time.  However, there are times when I'm like "come on!".  I need to get better at it.  I don't think I will ever 100% not care though, not that that's what you are saying.  I'm just stating that.

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:

My point is that people should just be honest about their age and what they actually look like so that others don't have to play into the games.  Am I being not clear enough?  Alright, I will take it further, whatever.

My point is that when I put up a casting ad, I shouldn't have to play detective, trying to figure out who is being honest and who is trying to deceive me.  Like I said, I'm pretty good at knowing, but why should it have to be like this?  That's why I'm asking people why they lie or why others lie, because i want to know if that's working or not.  You think I somehow don't know that some 20 year olds look like they are 30?  Look at Lindsay Lohan, she looks like she is in her late 30's at this point.  It's not like I was born yesterday.  And yes, I know that people lie about their age too, that's not news either, I'm not stupid.  However, other than wanting to appear young to others, I don't get why else people lie which is why I am asking.  I hope that's clear enough this time around so that we can stop doing this confrontational thing that you are trying to start which is not very appealing to me in the least.

I still haven't heard an argument as to why their truthful age matters.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
I still haven't heard an argument as to why their truthful age matters.

My point is why not be truthful in general?  Is it hard to be?  Why?

I went on a date with someone years ago that said they were a certain age, but when i saw them I knew that wasn't true, and later on when i saw the proof, they lied by about 15 years.  Had they been honest, I would've been waaaay more understanding.  But if you can't be honest about something so simple, then what else are you not being honest about?  And again, why are you not being honest period specially when it deals with you in a professional way?  I am curious to know why it's done.  Is that clearer now?  If it's not then I can't break it down further.  It's a pretty straight forward question.  I want to know why people lie about their age and what they look like and if doing so is really working.  That's what it boils down to.

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:

My point is why not be truthful in general?  Is it hard to be?  Why?

I went on a date with someone years ago that said they were a certain age, but when i saw them I knew that wasn't true, and later on when i saw the proof, they lied by about 15 years.  Had they been honest, I would've been waaaay more understanding.  But if you can't be honest about something so simple, then what else are you not being honest about?  And again, why are you not being honest period specially when it deals with you in a professional way?  I am curious to know why it's done.  Is that clearer now?  If it's not then I can't break it down further.  It's a pretty straight forward question.  I want to know why people lie about their age and what they look like and if doing so is really working.  That's what it boils down to.

MM is not a dating site

Good Egg Productions wrote:

MM is not a dating site

You don't know what an example is?  Do you use MM as a dating site?  Let's not be ridiculous please.  By the way, is this really what you're going to attempt to do?  To totally distort what I am saying so you can try to discredit me?  That is something.  Not something new or entertaining, but it's something.  Sadly, whatever that something is, it's not for me.  But please, feel free to continue on since it's a free country.  However, I'm going to use my freedom to not talk to you anymore.

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:
I have a question.  I get that some models can play different age ranges but sometimes when I'm browsing I see something that annoys me big time, people clearly lying about their age.  Both males and females.

It's often easy ignore it because I'm not getting in touch with these models, but when I put up a casting and say an age range, which is usually up to 35, I still get models in their fifties, that do state they were in their fifties but just seem not to care. I also get models that say they are 100 years old which is ridiculous, and I then I get people that say they are 26, but no, no they are not.  I have also noticed some models that change their age a lot lol.

My question is, as a model, have you found that lying about your age is something that's beneficial?  I know that for me, when people contact me lying about anything, I right away dismiss them because in my mind if you're lying about one thing then why would you not lie about others?  Is that just my way of thinking?

Just have them bring proff of age.

Yajhil Alvarez wrote:

You don't know what an example is?  Do you use MM as a dating site?  Let's not be ridiculous please.  By the way, is this really what you're going to attempt to do?  To totally distort what I am saying so you can try to discredit me?  That is something.  Not something new or entertaining, but it's something.  Sadly, whatever that something is, it's not for me.  But please, feel free to continue on since it's a free country.  However, I'm going to use my freedom to not talk to you anymore.

Certainly not.  Discredit you for what?

I'm arguing that the age of a model has exactly zero importance outside of mass searching through a database.  At worst, you'll get some faces that you'll have to look at that you would prefer not to, since they would already be disqualified from some hypothetical selection process.


My point is that if you are searching for 20-27, you are excluding plenty of 30-35 year olds who look every bit of 25 as a real 25 year old.

So who cares if that 32 year old reports her age as 25?  U mad because she was deceptive?  Who doesn't fudge the facts a little to their advantage now and then?  There are a few times when your age really matters.  Drinking, driving, being President....  I simply (and completely) disagree with your feeling that all models need to report their actual age all the time.

And your explanation doesn't make any sense to me.  You have brought up the dating thing in three of your posts in this thread.  I only suggested that you don't see much difference in the two things.  I could be wrong.

Good Egg Productions wrote:
Does it really matter?

You're choosing a model based on their look, not their age.

If you're shooting an advertisement for an anti aging cream, book a 30yo model and claim she's 45 then it might matter to an advertising standards watchdog

Koryn wrote:
I lie about my age, and yes, it helps tremendously. I resumed modeling as a revenue source at the beginning of 2013, responding primarily to castings for "mature" and "over 30" female models. I was rejected for every single one I applied to on the basis of not looking old enough. I will be 32 in a month, but have a soft, roundish face, and without makeup, am often mistaken for a teenager.

Regardless of my age, my look is still "20 something," and that is the work I am suitable for, so that's how I market myself. Attempts to work at my biological age range did not fit.

I include an unedited, no makeup cell phone shot on my profile page, so people see exactly what my skin and face looks like. I look very, very young and that is the work I market for, and get.

+1

J Jessica wrote:
I should not vouch for anyone else so i'll say that I could lie about my age and say that i'm 16, but I do not because:

1) I could get caught
2) I don't like to lie to strangers
3) I don't see why I should lie about age
4) I don't like odd numbers so I added a 4th

I don't shoot 16 year olds.  I like your look. 

Koryn wrote:
I lie about my age, and yes, it helps tremendously. I resumed modeling as a revenue source at the beginning of 2013, responding primarily to castings for "mature" and "over 30" female models. I was rejected for every single one I applied to on the basis of not looking old enough. I will be 32 in a month, but have a soft, roundish face, and without makeup, am often mistaken for a teenager.

Regardless of my age, my look is still "20 something," and that is the work I am suitable for, so that's how I market myself. Attempts to work at my biological age range did not fit.

I include an unedited, no makeup cell phone shot on my profile page, so people see exactly what my skin and face looks like. I look very, very young and that is the work I market for, and get.

The bold above would seem to be far more helpful and to the point than whether a specific chronological number can be confirmed by ID. Conversely, who cares if the age is spot on if you can't tell from the photos what the model looks like?

Koryn wrote:
I lie about my age, and yes, it helps tremendously. I resumed modeling as a revenue source at the beginning of 2013, responding primarily to castings for "mature" and "over 30" female models. I was rejected for every single one I applied to on the basis of not looking old enough. I will be 32 in a month, but have a soft, roundish face, and without makeup, am often mistaken for a teenager.

Regardless of my age, my look is still "20 something," and that is the work I am suitable for, so that's how I market myself. Attempts to work at my biological age range did not fit.

I include an unedited, no makeup cell phone shot on my profile page, so people see exactly what my skin and face looks like. I look very, very young and that is the work I market for, and get.

As one who does it this hits in the head!

druidess  wrote:
Interesting thread I must say. Just know that I'm definitely 20

I would have mistaken you for a super-gorgeous 19 year old! 

(Sorry for "threadjack")

Now back to the Forum question in progress!