I think a lot of people are aware that modeling can be physically demanding. Part of a photographer’s skill set is capturing a moment when the model looks relaxed and natural, when in reality they may be feeling cold, hungry, stressed, stiff from a workout, self-conscious, exhausted…
And about that workout… Most models do work out, of course. But some have to work out with incredible intensity to get the look that consumers want. They often need the assistance of a personal trainer, and have to buy expensive supplements to help build those amazing physiques. When a shoot is coming up, the effort is multiplied times a million, and often the model will restrict their diet and even (dangerously, yikes) their fluid intake.
So yeah, those beautiful, healthy-looking bodies are not exactly natural, and may not really be at the peak of health at the time of the shoot. The second the model takes the foot off the gas, their bodies begin to revert to something more like your everyday person. They’re still incredibly beautiful people. And, in a way, they may be more healthy during those breaks. A lot depends on their regimen, of course. But to look cut, to look sleek, to look toned in a picture, you might have to take your body to the limits of what it can perform. That, I think, makes it almost like a sport.
One thing about controlling diet (which isn’t always about restricting calories–if you’re building muscle and working out super hard you actually have to eat more calories than most people, not less) is that it can make you cranky, aka ‘hangry’. And if you’re in calorie debt, it’s common to feel cold all the time. So that makes it even tougher on models to look sexy, or focused, or happy…
Fortunately, my silver white hair doesn’t need long, hard workouts to look its best, nor do I have to modify my diet to make it extra shiny. I do have to be reasonable about the rest of me, but it’s not on the same level as Ricco Bland for sure! (You can see him on my cohorts page.)
I don’t think it’s a toxic thing, though many people see it that way, thanks to years and years of anorexic models succumbing to drugs or suicide. But the whole industry can’t be judged by what goes on during fashion week. I think that, at its best, modeling truly is a form of athleticism. You train, you get focused, you learn, and you hopefully have the opportunity to work with a good coach who knows the latest on the science of sport physiology. I’m lucky to have the support of my husband, a well-educated trainer who understands my goals, an amazing massage therapist, and friends who are honest and unafraid to provide a reality check if they think I’m getting too weird about this modeling thing.
How do you feel about the physical aspects of modeling?