Photographer: Michael Culhane
One of my students came for a one to one tutorial and non-chalantly asked me whether I knew photographer XY - and before you ask, no, it is not THAT ONE, but another one whom I did some very nice work with. I knew at once she had seen my nude pictures, so I admitted I modelled but, I said, it was not something I would discuss in college. I must say that for a moment I felt a little uncomfortable on being found out, but I need not have been. "Tanya" told me she also modelled (Tanya is not her real name, not even her modelling name) and she was complimentary about my work, which apparently she knows from deviantArt, where she has an account, and from other model/photographers sites. For all I know she also reads this blog, so hello Tanya. It's the situation I am interested in discussing, not yourself, so I am not disclosing who you are. I know you will not object (and do comment if you see this post, it would be lovely to hear from you, just write as Anonymous).
Tanya told me she had started modelling at 16 non nude and then went into nude modelling at 18 though in fact she had had a go at nude modelling long before her 18th birthday - there are apparently foolish photographers out there who do not insist on seeing an ID when photographing young models, or worse, are not aware that nude photography of people below the age of 18 is illegal. Tanya was just too keen to try and happy to disregard the law. I told her off for that, after all I am her tutor. She is now 21, about to graduate. She said she had noticed that she was no longer in demand as a model. When she started everyone was all over her, a new face, a new body, then they got less and less interested. What shall I do, she asked, to get back the buzz of my first years of modelling and the cash?
What you mention is a common problem, Tanya, and one which you will see debated in many forums on model sites. Let's see. In fashion you can get burnt out very easily, you might appear for a couple of seasons in major catwalk shows, do a few ads, some editorials and then you will be on an agency book for three or four years and increasingly discover that the plum jobs no longer come to you. Competition is really fierce and there are more and more teenagers to pluck and turn into models, all with the look of the moment. If you do not have the physique required by a fashion model agency - and in your case you do not , you are unlikely to fit into samples which tend to be in the smallest possible sizes - your best chance is to be a commercial model or continue to be an independent model if you want to do nude, fetish and glamour. But again the problem of getting burnt out continues, you are a case in point.
As a commercial model you have a chance of staying on but you need to be aware that commercial work is unglamorous - no fab clothes there, but some good money, though not so regular. There is a lot of competition from actors, who can project their voice, but as you are dance trained you could try doing music video routines. As a glamour model you will have to compete fiercely with the hot young things and on the basis of your cup size - you might end up considering having implants, most glamour models have them as a matter of course. As an art nude model you will not earn much and you will soon find out that a great many photographers are quite happy to do a couple of shoots with you then it is "goodbye, you are no longer interesting, I have got as much as I wanted out of you, next please". As a fetish model, it is a similar story though it depends on how good you are at not faking it in a very obvious way. So how do you develop staying power?
Photographer: Samuel Pidgen
One of the questions was about sharing tips with wannabe models. I said the following:
"Ask for feedback on your performance, especially if you are working with a good photographer. Make note of your shortcomings but also review your strengths. Make sure you come across as uniquely different. There will always be thousands of beautiful girls. Just be you, believe in yourself and that will take you far. Be prepared to work hard. And most importantly: if you don’t feel comfortable say no!"
So, back to staying power. I will just expand a little on what I said in the interview. It's all to do with learning from your mistakes and believing, truly believing in your uniqueness. Never bitch about anyone, always have something nice to say about other models and photographers you have worked with, even if you think they are not worth investing your time in. Keep your portfolio up to date, even if this means not getting paid for all the shoots. Learn as much as you can about photography, it will help you to understand what is required of you.
Photographer: Samuel Pidgen
But at the end of the day much is also down to serendipity, as veteran model Twiggy says. In 2005 she certainly was not thinking of modelling, not anymore. Then she went to a country pub for lunch with her husband, wearing an anorak and not exactly looking glam. Marks and Spencer's marketing director was there. Next, Twiggy found herself resuming a modelling career she had given up at the end of the 1960s.It helped that she had been an icon, but not all icons are asked to come back.
Let life take its course, that's my advice.
(All photos modelled by Alex B)
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