AMA: Former model in late 30s often called beautiful by others

[ImImmortalNowBabyDoll]

I'm a former model and now in my late 30s but still regularly described by strangers and friends alike as "beautiful." I've noticed that people who haven't happened to fall neatly into Western beauty standards are often curious about people who do, so AMA.

And if you just want to come and tell me that I'm conceited and probably not as beautiful as I think I am, that's OK too- we all need a hobby.

Hi op. As a former model myself and now actress, you describe your modelling as art nude/ glamour. This is generally a genre that is seen in the online amateur community, often shooting with hobbyist photographers as opposed to being a model in the actual fashion and commercial modelling industry.
Art nude isn’t really something that happens in the mainstream modelling industry.
Have you ever been signed to an agency and have you ever done fashion/ commercial modelling?

How do you look after yourself and maintain your image for work

I'm trying to imagine Mary Poppins doing nude work! 😂😂
Maybe she'd find it "empowering"! 😉

No, I'm 5'3" so I've never crossed over into "proper" or agency modelling. I have worked mostly with hobbyists and always got plenty of work so it was never that interesting to me to get into the "mainstream."

I don't really do it anymore, but I had to avoid tan lines, look after my skin and hair and eat right. Nothing massively onerous.

Maybe she would! I did a whole shoot around an Edwardian postcard theme once.

So you would say you are more well known to these "hobbyist" men, rather than the general public?

Saucy!

No worries. So just amateur modelling you did then.
P.S. Height isn’t really an issue for commercial modelling. I’m 5ft4 and was signed to multiple agencies.

Yes, I have a fairly strong following amongst the hobbyist photographer community. I've done some stuff for more professional markets- I was in H & E magazine once and I believe I've been on a few cosmetics bottles in India. 😂

Yeah people say I'm beautiful all the time and I used to be an office admin worker. And I've got a bent nose that's been broken three times.

My friend who used to be a model has no teeth.

I wouldn't consider either being called beautiful or having modelled in the past to be especially unusual?

My aunt was a model and it's just posing for photos. I think she found it quite dull.

Did you ever have any amusing encounters with any celebrities?

Cosmetics bottles in India must sell in their millions. Don't knock it.
I'd probably be the "before" picture.

No, I didn't say it was, but I think I've moved more easily through the world due to being considered beautiful.

And no, I never found it boring- I did a huge range of varied shoots from outdoor nude work to more fashion-y stuff in studios and some really fun locations and met some really talented people. No celebrities though. :)

What do you do for a living now?

Also the impression I get from those ‘photographers’ who do shoot all this nude stuff is that a lot of them are creeps and just get into photography as a hobby for the sole purpose of shooting young naked ladies. I’ve heard so many horror stories about women who have got into art nude modelling being SA’d and raped and all sorts. Did you ever have any issues? And also how did you keep yourself safe when meeting these men (most of which I assume you came across on the internet).

I think you might be surprised at how big the "amateur modelling" industry as you call it is, and how much money is being made. I'm aware that the agency girls looked down on us but often we were getting booked a lot more often and getting paid better too.

I had rules- the first shoot had to take place at my home or in a studio or public place. We all looked out for each other and shared stories so we knew which the dodgy photographers were. I'd want to see a decent portfolio before working with someone- you can easily tell when someone has no interest in photography from the quality of their work. I did come across a few weirdos but never got into any really dangerous situations. You can usually tell from the pre-comms.

I'm a civil servant earning a good wage.

It’s not that big tbh. You may get booked more often but you’re not earning hundreds or thousands from one job. Just seems a bit weird to me that you can sign up to a site, create a profile and call yourself a model. If you’re signed to an agency you have far more hoops to jump through.
That wasn’t my question however, my question was how did you keep yourself safe?

And I do take issue with calling them "creeps"- a lot of them are still good friends to this day.

You dont need to imagine it - you can watch S.O.B (although it's boobies only)

Okay lol.
My issue was safety. On a professional shoot you’re working with a team of people and health and safety and risk assessments have taken place. I cannot see how you’re safe when you’re basically meeting up with men off the internet with no real photography credits and getting naked.
Anyway I’ll leave you to carry on calling yourself a (former) model if you like!

I've answered that further up. I earned a good living as a model which was what I wanted to do at the time. I don't think most agency signed models are earning hundreds of thousands from one job either. I could earn up to £400 in a day and this is going back 15 years, so that was more than good enough for me.

Wow, I think it's clear why many of the photographers I worked with said that they found agency models rude and arrogant and why many of the models didn't want to work alongside them.