Is there an expiration date on every model?

Some people seem to think so. Many will ask, “So, what’s your plan after modeling?” But that question can mean different things. Sometimes they’re wondering if I’m afraid of the moment I’m no longer considered attractive, when I can no longer benefit from pretty privilege. Other times, they’re curious whether I plan to balance modeling with family, children, and other commitments.

I’ve always tried to educate people—passionately—that a model can continue as long as she wants. It’s not really about age. It’s about having a strong and healthy mindset.

In the art world, being creative, responsible, self-aware, and reliable matters far more than being conventionally attractive. I know many models who didn’t even start this career until their late 30s, 40s, or even 50s.

Still, there are photographers who clearly prefer to work only with twenty-somethings. They see models in their 30s (or, god forbid, their 40s) as a lower “quality”—someone who shouldn’t ask for reasonable compensation but should be grateful that anyone wants to photograph them at all.

A recent situation made me reflect on this more deeply. I approached a photographer to ask whether he was hiring and whether he’d be interested in booking me in Geneva. He replied that the dates wouldn’t work for him but asked about my rates in case something changed. So I shared them. He told me it was more than he usually pays and added, “no regrets anyway.”

Normally, I would have left the conversation there. But since I hadn’t worked in Switzerland since 2021, I politely asked what his usual budget was.

His reply was really hurtful. In a nutshell, he explained that for much younger and “perfectly beautiful” women, he pays significantly less—20–40% below what I had quoted—and that he wouldn’t consider paying my rates to “someone my age.”

For some time, I got genuinely upset. Was I supposed to feel guilty for no longer being in my twenties? I’m not here to debate whether I look 20 or 30 or whatever—that isn’t the point. But it left me wondering: Am I in the wrong? Should I be looking for a more “age-appropriate” profession?

When the emotions finally settled, I realized it wasn’t me who was in the wrong. If I regularly get booked at my rates, then I’m not delusional about my value.

Still, I want to share how I see the photographers who prefer to work exclusively with much younger models.

A younger model often has much more fear—what some might call “respect”—toward every photographer she meets. When I was younger, I had no idea I was allowed to say no if my boundaries were crossed. That can be very convenient for certain people.

Many young models are willing to work for rates far below market value, either because they have fewer financial responsibilities or because they haven’t yet learned how to advocate for themselves. And even if half of the young models in your portfolio eventually ask you to delete their images—because they changed jobs, partners, or their comfort level with nudity—for many photographers, it’s still worth it to keep working with them.

To be clear, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with working with young models. Everyone starts somewhere. I was once that young woman too, unsure of her worth, eager to say yes to everything, afraid to disappoint. And back then I was as excited and full of motivation, of ideas, of energy, as I am now. In many ways, I’m grateful for the photographers who treated me kindly back then and helped me grow.

What saddens me is when experience, professionalism, and reliability are overlooked, and all the focus goes to the appearance of youth.

It’s one thing to have a limited budget or a specific artistic vision. I fully understand that not every photographer can afford every model’s rate, and not every project is the right fit. That’s normal, and it’s part of how this industry works. Rates are not set in stone—many models, myself included, are open to negotiating or adjusting fees when the conversation is respectful and collaborative.

But it’s something else entirely to suggest that a model’s age automatically makes her less valuable—or that she should be grateful for any opportunity at all, regardless of her experience or professionalism. When I read that message, I felt disappointed, after so many years dedicating myself to this craft—building a career, appearing in magazines, exhibitions, and campaigns—some people still only see what they want to see: a number, an expiration date, a stereotype.

I share this not because I want sympathy or to call anyone out. I share it because I think it’s important to talk about the emotional side of modeling too—the parts we don’t put on our portfolios or Instagram grids.

This work can be fulfilling, creative, and empowering. But it can also be exhausting to constantly prove that you deserve to be here, to compare yourself with others (one of the most unhealthy things to do), and to make the everyday choice of being honest or to lie to accomodate everyone's expectations.

Despite moments like this, I still feel grateful for the clients, photographers, and collaborators who value me for my work and not my birth year.

There’s space in this industry for youth, experience, growth, and reinvention. No one should feel like they’ve aged out of being seen. There is no expiration date on professionalism, dedication, or self-respect. And there never should be.

And to reply to a classic "what do I plan to do after modeling is no longer my main source of income"? I plan to continue making art—whether I am the creator, the subject, the collaborator, or the medium itself.

photo by TravisHouze