A beautifull photo and a serious topic: Fans.

Hello everyone,

let´s start with the photo for those that don´t like serious topics :-)

Photo by Leandra Ryes
Retouch by Moricia Noir
Acessoires by AbARTig












Serious Topic: Today I had to block someone off Facebook who repeatedly send me offending messages. One time, ok, that can be a misunderstanding. Several times? No. What did I take offense off? Wether I just have a fan page so I can feel important or just to share my love for myself? (There was more, but this was the core message). If that would have been the first offense from this person I just would have ignored it, but it was just the bottom of a long line. Iam a very patient person.

So today I write about a topic VERY close to my heart. Fans. 

It is my own surprise that I have people that like and follow what I do. Seriously. I was never a pretty or popular girl in my teenage years, so from the beginning of my modelling this was something extremely strange to me. I just thought I´d do it for fun and would go completely unnoticed like most girls that do a bit of hobby modelling. I never considered myself better or prettier or whatever than any of the other hobby models. I do what I enjoy, what I find artistically and visually challenging and pleasing. This is pretty much it.

I was more familiar with beeing a fan, than having something like that myself. Happily my own idols were more than great to me, so one can say I observed and learned from the kindest, most patient and sweetest  people on this planet. Later on I saw very bad examples, too and I learned from it as well.

So there I was, a young twenty-something making her first steps into modelling and suddenly I found myself having fans. "Damn, what am I to do now???" I thought to myself. What sort of person do I want to be for them? My own idols (and friends) came to my mind. My first resolution was that I do not want to be some distant far off person to them. So I started to blog. And I started having a myspace account (which I don´t use anymore). And some years back I started to use Facebook, made a fan page there and made a twitter account (actually only to read the tweets of Dita von Teese and Amanda Palmer. oh well :-D) so whoever is interested in what I do, what I like and whatever can access to me, can contact me, can please take a seat and feel right home.

If I would not model I probably would not have a Facebook account, a twitter account and Iam not sure whether I would blog - however blogging is the most likely thing I would do cause I love writing. I do what I do mostly for those that are interested in what I do, to keep up with those that Iam interested in, whether it is by bounds of friendship, the wish to work with them some time or something else. I made a fan page because I figured some people would rather read about my modelling, not how many cappuchinos I drank that day which makes sense, huh? ;-) Not because I think Iam that great and notorious. Cause no, Iam not that great and notorious.

What do my fans mean to me? The World! Cause I never thought I´d have any! My strength. Because they make me go on when I think about quitting. My true love. Because they are awesome and beautifull.

I know some models sadly get more hate via Facebook and by mail and possibly think I shouldn´t take something like this so seriously. Among the people that like you there will allways be an occassionally odd one, but this hit me on my most sensitive spot. Iam not sensitive when someone attacks me for my looks and I can take criticism for whatever, but when someone attacks me about the thing that really matters MY FANS Iam not taking the piss for that! Especially not from someone that never even met me. And I tried to be kind to her because she pretended to be a fan!

Voices of Fashion High Street

Hi everyone,

a lot of stuff happened since the Voices of Fashion... However it is total fun to see this video in which I pose with one of my co-models for Bittersüß - and get a total laughing flash (you can see me starting at 1:13) :-D

Enjoy the video and the fashion!

DVOF - High Street from Voices of Fashion on Vimeo.

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 ;-)

Modelling in the 40s

My photographers are waaaaaay nicer though ;-)

Premiere of Miss Saris video diary

Hi everyone!

I finally had the time to make part one of my video diary! Don´t expect too much for now cause in this part I just greet and say hi... but tutorials for everything of your vintage-interest will follow soon as well as storys that I consider interesting. In short: I´ll try to take my cam to whereever it´s fun ;-)

You love it? You hate it? Leave your comments here: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RetroModelSari

FAQs and WAQs

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The truth about beeing a pin up

Hi readers :-)

Well today I write something for all the ladies that want to get started with pin ups cause I have a feeling that many people have unrealistic illusions in their heads.

First of all: Consider it a hobby. None of the pin ups I know including myself can make a living on beeing a pin up. It rarely happens that you will make some cash with it and I can tell from experience that most money lies in Photographer Workshops. Or you do nude pics, but this can really become a problem. I have heard of many models that got into trouble and lost their job and had to search for a new career cause colleagues found nudes of the in the Internet. So if you decide to do that be aware that there can be serious consequences. Maybe not immediately, but maybe in 3 years of 5 years whatever. Think about if it can be harmfull to your goals and to what you aspire to be. Only do things that you can be proud of.

Another thing: The photographers won´t run after you all the time. In the beginning there might be many photographers that want to snap your pic. Be carefull in whom you choose to work with.

If someone makes a weird impression don´t shoot with him. In the beginning it is better to bring a friend or make up artist with you anyway!!! You wouldn´t believe the stories I heard from models that started out. Some photographers try to take advantage of the model beeing inexperienced and insecure and presses her to do things she regrets later or molests her. You can also allways ask the models the photographers worked with before what kind of person he is. A photographer that has nothing to hide will never have a problem if you get in contact with his former models.

If you like a photographers work tell it to him. Comment his pics or drop something in his guestbook. Who knows, maybe it leads to you two working together and even if not: We all need a kind word or two once in a while! Same goes for other models. It´s better to appreciate and support each others work than to cat-fight and be jealous. Especially in the pin up niche we are not that many ones so we should network and help as much as we can. To this belongs that you answer mails from other girls that want to get started and give them valueable tipps. The people you help and support will help and support you, too.

Well, maybe I´ll write more in the coming days, but those were some of the things I consider the most important so you get an realistic idea of a pin ups life.