A Modeling Career

I'm sure that many of us have dreamed at one point or another about modeling. I know I certainly did, until the reality was almost tangible and I decided to ask around and do some research before I began. I am really grateful I did. Here is what I found out, and the information ultimately made me never want to bother with being a model again.

1) You are always pressured to lose weight. People at your agency will wrap measuring tapes against you, and if you are not 34-24-34 or thinner, they will complain and criticize you.

2) There is also constant sexual harassment going around. Models are easily replaceable, and many are afraid to complain if the photographer or someone else makes a crude comment, or touches them in an inappropriate manner.

3) You are surrounded by other models with eating disorders. There is literally a smell of stomach acid as you walk into the bathrooms after lunch. Also, drug abuse is quite common, since it helps models keep their weight down.

4) Most models are extremely young. Some start as early as 13. The average runway model is no older than 19. If you are in your twenties, your metabolism slows down, and then most agencies will not want you, unless you are abnormally thin, or have an established celebrity status.

5) You wear tons and tons of make up all day, which can ruin your skin.

6) Photoshoots take a lot longer than what appears in America's Next Top Model. Hair and make-up will take hours. Then there the lighting has to be adjusted, and then the photographs have to be taken. It takes an entire day, and you probably wearing high heels that you can barely move in.

7) You may have to do things you don't want. As in, pose nude, if you want a job. Sometimes, you will literally have to decide between building your portfolio and reputation, or keeping your clothes on.

8) Modeling is full of competition. This industry requires mostly only that you be tall, underweight, and have good skin (minorities have a tougher time finding work). Many models now come from impoverished east-European countries. These models may be willing to starve themselves, or have sexual relations in order to get more work.

9) Modeling will chew you up and spit you out. The typical modeling career is short, sometimes only two years.

10) Modeling doesn't pay as well as you would think. If you are someone just starting out, you need to build up your portfolio in order to get better work. Sometimes you will be up the entire day (wake up time is 4 am), just to earn $40.

11) Many jobs that were previously exclusive to models are being given to celebrities now. For example, magazine covers a few years ago had mostly models on them. Now, most have celebrities on the covers. The chances of a model being famous just for being a model are drastically lower than what they used to be. The era of the 90's era supermodel? That's never coming back.