Modeling internationally for petites

A girl on Facebook asked me: it easier to get work in this country or outside? How is petite modeling going internationally? This was my reply:


Currently I am thinking of international work but only because I have a book deal with a UK publisher and I have gotten exposure in magazines and newspapers on my work and self in Sweden, Italy, Germany, and Australia.

However I am not planning this on a whim and I have alot of experience and I am not a new model.

I think there can be opportunities in other markets but regardless it is a tough thing to model no matter where you are living.

I think a girl that wants to model should get experience first no matter what in her own country, before thinking of up and moving. It is alot of work to move to another country and just moving and having one agency working with you isn't enough to promose an imcome, a roof over your head and consistant work.

Also there are many scams, and you could be told of an interest in another country but turn out to a mail-order-bride or something or worse!

It would be better to focus on getting an agency in the US and working hard and improving your portfolio and growing as a model and then get a bigger agency that is internationally known agency -here in the US-to work with you and stress your interest in other markets. But again, this is something that takes time and doesn't happen over night usually for a girl who is also shorter.

However if you have a compcard made you could mail it to modeling agency in another country, such as Japan perhaps if you are short, but honestly without experience you wlll have a tougher time. I only would suggest this for a girl who is also a student who is studying in another country who might want to try modeling while she is there.

Tyically and usually a girl working with Ford or Elite is more likely to be sent to work in other countries with other modeling agencies.

For a shorter girl, a girl without as much experience, I would only suggest you think of moving after having some experience in your own country. Or if you were a student studying abroad you could look into agencies in that country, but up and leaving and moving to a different country is not only dangerous but modeling is a lonely pursuit, and a hard one, and even if an agency is interested in working with you,- that alone is not enough of a reason to move..you have to know what the country is like, visas, and having a place to live, and just like working in the US as an aspiring model, you need confidence, and the smarts to market yourself. Many models that travel the world are fashion models, have agents working with them and they do not have to think about getting their own work, but a shorter girl, would have to. It is unlikely that an agency would like your photo and fly to to their country and set you up with everything and Tadaaa... it is very unusual for a new model to get that. Also I think it is unsafe to just go on a whim without knowing anything about modeling, the business and not having someone to watch your back. Trying to do it on your own, without experience is a big risk.

SUre, you could mail your compcard to an agency in another country, but I would NEVER just up and leave to move to another country or state without knowing more details about the lifestlye and the way the modeling business works...

Working in another market/country could be something to pursue, but not for a new model, not for a shorter model-without experience.

A girl can find modeling opportunities in print right here in the US, but she has to be willing to really work hard, and to be honest my own experiences have been very, very rare. Not many short girls model with brands at all. Many girls move to NYC with dreams to be models, and many of them become bartenders. It is a tough pursuit, it is not easy and never think it is. Just booking a couple jobs and working with an agency in NYC or any country or state doesn't mean you will ALWAYS book work, especially now, it is tough for everyone, it takes time to get paid, and modeling for a shorter girl is not about someone watching your back, it is more about you watching you and pursuing for you and really working hard to be professional and get intouch with the right agencies and really know how to market yourself, it is not something a girl should take lightly, it is a real task. - isobella