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Meet Maria: 40+ and Going Strong as a Professional Model!

I often get many comments and emails from people wondering about modeling and the whole "age" issue. I've done a couple of posts about the subject but can certainly understand that readers still feel pretty intimidated about the thought of even trying to get into the modeling world after a certain age.

 While the industry as a whole hasn't been exactly welcoming to "older models," I firmly believe that anyone at any age can do modeling. It just depends on their goals and where they realistically fit in. I know Maria would agree with me--after all, she is one of the prime examples of a model that has enjoyed a lot of success in her career. Oh, did I mention that she's also over 40?!

 Maria is a working, professional model from the Netherlands. Want to know how she managed to overcome the age obstacle and remain as an in demand model in Europe? 

Below is her story in her own words:
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How to model after growing up...

I started modelling at 40+ ...

It was not exactly the dreamcase like sending a holiday picture to an Agency and walking the Paris Catwalks a month later...but a more realistic and long way before I got my first paid job...

I was in sport classes for a long time, wanting to be in shape again after becoming a mother of two lovely children...And than i heard women talking about an other woman (oh my, there is a lot of talking in the clothing-rooms...) who did a photo-shoot for herself because she was so proud of the results of her workouts...

I wanted that too and after a few months (and thousands work-outs), I booked myself a photo session with a photographer.  Well, the result was amazing and I was so proud that i did send  the pictures all around and even to casting and model agencies.... why not?  So many women in my age category were not around on these sites....  Some responded positively and most of them did not....  My pictures were glitter and glamour and that was not exactly how agencies want to see you....

I learned a lot on the internet.  I made some profiles on forums and got in contact with the photographers/modelling world.  In the next years I did a lot of free work for photographers and started to work on a good portfolio.  Good experiences, bad experiences...... and most of all: working hard and driving miles.


But the doors opened and I got more agencies to hire me and paid jobs as well....

So, to all the women above 40.  Do you want to model?  Get yourself onto forums.  Work with photographers and have a great time.  Use the pictures for your facebook, family albums, or try to get some workshops, casting-photoshoots or real jobs from agencies.  Have some little luck or maybe even bigger and enjoy it all.  It is not a shame to be over 40 and it is certainly not a shame to get yourself in the pictures....  Be realistic about your ambition though, but just do it when you want to....

As for being realistic....; no agency or client wants a 40 year old for a high fashion or lingerie shoot, unless you are really famous or a brand-face-model.....  (Or it is really a 40+ advertisement shoot). Try to learn about categories;  commercial work is something completely else as fashion.  Doing free work or work for artists is also a completely different world as lifestyle or fotoshoots for business brochures. 


Go to castings for commercials, join acting-classes and don't take it personal when being rejected for a job.  Be yourself when it becomes to the age.  A 40+ model is being booked because of 40+.  Do not try to look like your daughter. They wanted a lady or mother for the job and that is why they casted you....

Work hard, stay thin, drink water and most of all: have fun...................

Maria
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Want to learn more about Maria?

 Maria - Model Mayhem Interview/Article

 Model Maria Website
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Comments

Anonymous said…
Hey Dania! I wasn't quite sure where to post this but I had a question and I would be quite greatful if you could answer!

When going to an open-call what is "proper etiquette"? Do you shake the representatives hand? Questions to expect from them?
March 26, 2013 at 12:31 PM
Dania Denise said…
Hi, Anonymous! You'll find the answer to your questions in its own post, titled "Answering a Reader Question #579," which can be found on my new blog: "Modeling 101 - Answering Readers Questions."

Please visit this link: http://amodelsdiary-readerquestions.blogspot.com/ and you can view your post there. Thanks for reading!
March 28, 2013 at 12:28 PM
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