What makes a model a good one?

Hi everyone,

you may answer the question above with "that she is skinny, tall and underage". This may go for mainstream standard, but what is with the rest of us? The fat, old dwarfs like me? (by model-standards).

Answer: Research, Preparation, Dedication.

Research: I have tons of magazines, books on various topics. Mostly about topics such as history, fashion, make up, art, culture and even books on behaviour. Whenever I plan something I usually do a good amount of research with my books and the internet.

Not only of fashion and make up, but also on poses that might fit the topic, interpretations, symbolism, etc. etc. Often you can´t tell bout all the stuff that actually goes into a photo, but believe me, sometimes I spend hours googling on a subject just to give it my interpretation.

Preparation: You can´t go to a shooting smelling like a toilet exploded next to you with unshaved legs, tired eyes etc. etc. It actually works best if you have a special preparation ritual. Mine includes a hot bath, a facial, manicure and pedicure before I go to bed the evening before the shoot.

You have to get the clothes and props together that you need. This is very important cause if something is missing chances are that you are screwed! You also have to communicate what sort of pictures are actually planned. I´m a hunter of props and acessoires. Both for shootings that are planned and for future shoots. I often browse ebay and sometimes when I´m out and about shopping something catches my eye that would make a good costume or prop. If it isn´t way out of my price range I will take it along just in case. Often I make things myself based on ideas I have for photos and than get to use it when the photographer and me agree that this could be a fabulous topic.

Sometimes I try a make up or hairstyling weeks before I actually shoot it, just to make sure that it suits me and that I can apply it in the way it is meant to be. Believe me it is an advantage when you can do your own hair and make up.

Dedication: I don´t need to explain that hanging on to those things on a daily base needs a lot of dedication and enthusiasm, it also does to take the energy to look out for cool new shootings. There is allways someone taller, thinner, prettier than you. But you have it in your hands what you make with what you´ve got and to use your individual knowledge and your skills to score. Cause let´s face it: The fewest of us are agency-material, we have to be our managers, our webdesigners, our promoters, our make up artist, our stylist and our designer and all of this at once.

This applies to all sort of models that don´t fit the sheme of what is considered model-material. And in many cases even the ones that DO fit. And when I say so you can actually trust in it as I´m a fat old modelling dwarf since amost 6 years ;-)

It´s a good life

I found a topic named "Are you happy with your life" and I was just about to answer it when I realised that there were almost only very depressed replies so I was holding myself back in posting how happy Iam with things.

Well, Iam indeed happy with my life as it is right now. Earlier in my life there was allways something going wrong and I was melancholic. But now the components fit perfectly together and things are well with my family, friends, my love and my job. Even the modelling is going great. Ok, no money around with it, but I can work with fun and talented people.

I also feel that I have gotten further with my personality and lost much of my former shyness and I´m more confident than ever. I´m even going so far as beeing able to say that I stopped thinking about the past and the people that used to be unkind to me and tried to do damage to me with lies and dirty rumours cause in the end they did not suceed in life and went downhill where I went nowhere but up. People just take notice if you are a really kind person or if you just pretend to be kind sooner or later and will not support the later. I can just pitty them and hope they will find a turning-point some day and find a happy life, too.

Off course life could be even better if I´d turn super-rich, but we don´t wanna get over the top, right ;-) I´m happy the way things are and really can´t complain. I´m aware that things can change quickly nowadays. You can lose your job faster than the speed of light. You can lose the love of your life. You or your loved ones can become ill. Enjoy the life as it is now cause it can get better or worse any time.

Hugs,
Sari