Modeling Into Maturity

I recently had an online conversation with a beautiful model friend of mine who has done Playboy, and I mentioned to her how she should be modeling for years to come.  She surprised me by say, " I hope you are right about doing this a long time."  Normally she seems very confident in her modeling,.


It got me to thinking about a model's "life expectancy," so to speak.  Glamour and nude models start at about age18, but when are they done? When will the agencies and photographers stop calling them to shoot nude?  30 years old? 40 years old?  


The mature model interest has really gained momentum in recent years, and the number of women posing nude over the age of 30 globally has increased significantly (over 6000 models age 30 and older on Model Mayhem in the USA alone).  A lot of this can be attributed to teh popularity of actress Jennifer Coolidge as Stifler's mom in the movie "American Pie," where the term MILF first gained real popularity.  A mature model really has to know how to pose her body for the best possible image.  This is something that most models know who to do, but imperfections can be magnified as a woman gets older.  Things sag, get out of place, the skin is not as taut. 

One of our very own on Blogger is the beautiful Unbearable Lightness, who started nude modeling in her late 50's, and is now 70 and still gorgeous and going strong.  She is a confident and realistic lady, she is shapely and Unbearable Lightness gets the most out of wonderful photo.  She exudes confidence in her abilities. 


I have a real fondness for capturing older models in my art; there is something that I really enjoy in helping her feel beautiful and glamorous.  Many of  my commissions are not even real models, they are everyday wives and mothers, who want to feel special.  Nothing wrong with that.

I feel confident that my Playboy model friend will be able to continue with her career for many, many years to come.