Tag: fashion model

Posted on

A Model’s Unfiltered Thoughts on Agencies

Photo by Annika Forslund

I’ve been quarreling with myself on this topic for months now. I have provided you with plenty of info on modeling agencies in the past. However, I feel there is a missing element. Bias. Today I will impart my bias in regards to the topic of agencies. Today I will open up.

While I have not had a horrendous experience with agencies, like some, it has not been particularly pleasant either. Often, agencies have felt very intimidating, even bully-like.

A model is hardly ever allowed to be herself. She is scrutinized in detail. She is never good enough, always expected to fill in this role of the unattainable. As a society, our beauty standards are warped. They are unrealistic. Yet, young girls are expected to conform. This is what it feels like to be a model. Moldable.

At age 15, I was told I had too much baby fat. My legs have been called doughy. Some people have told me I can’t “make it” due to my size. That I have to conform. I have been pressured and harassed about my skin, urged to see a dermatologist I couldn’t afford, for a problem that was occurring because of my genes, and because I was unhealthy. Being with an agency has always been a stressful experience for me. I was always pressured one way or another, bullied strategically, bossed around, and strung along waiting for my paychecks.

This is my bias. And the experience is not too different from those girls around me.

Girls. We are women, young women. Yet, why do I keep calling all models girls? It is because even I feel diminished as a model sometimes. We are girls. Young. To be manipulated. Some never grow up. Some never learn. Some girls grow up learning from this industry and are left wondering what is wrong.

Agencies not paying their models has become a norm. Clients paying months after a job. Sexual harassment on jobs, and bullying. How can they get away with this?

For one, the industry remains wildly unregulated. On the other hand: we let them. A year ago, I decided I no longer wanted to be taken advantage of by a shady company with only their own interests in mind.

Unfortunately, a model can’t advance her career much without an agency.

To be fair, I have had a lot of exciting moments with my agencies. I have been in Mercedes-Benz fashion week. I have booked huge, lucrative photo shoots. I have been given the chance to book career-changing campaigns. I have been in Anna Wintour’s office building. There are always the plus sides. I often found myself in exciting jobs and opportunities I wouldn’t have gotten without an agency.

Without having been with the agencies I have been with, I wouldn’t be where I am as a model today. My portfolio is strong. My experience is strong. From the platform of being signed with an agency, I have been given the opportunity to expand and grow, not only as a model, but as a woman.

Here’s the thing. We can change this. Together. The fashion industry doesn’t have to be a harsh reality, but a positive environment.

My experiences in the fashion industry have pushed me to create a revolution. I want to promote positive change and health. Poor, low quality living is generally secretly applauded by many industry peers. Young girls loosing too much weight is celebrated! This helps perpetuate and encourage eating disorders among young girls across the globe.

So I need your help. Soon, I will be launching a crowd-funding campaign for We Speak, the agency of the future. I’m creating a healthy branding system for retail and fashion brands to use to encourage healthy living, and healthy women.

If you help fund and promote this mission, you are contributing your piece of a huge undertaking and fashion revolution. The industry has made small movements to a more positive industry, yet the experiences detailed above are still very much alive. Are you ready to roar?

www.facebook.com/wespeakny

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:
Founder of We Speak
(917) 274-7324

P.S. We are on the lookout for experienced, healthy models in NYC! Email briaunamariah@gmail.com for submissions (our email system and site is currently undergoing construction!)

Posted on

10 Model Tips to Prepare for Your First Shoot

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of your first photoshoot. However, let’s avoid the “deer-in-the-headlights” look (I’ve seen it a million times) to get something really great for your portfolio!

Many new models don’t realize what it takes to get a good image until after their first shoot. It isn’t too hard once you get the hang of it, but until you do, here are some tips to remember to get you started on the right track!

  1. So long as we’re talking about preparedness…. Always make sure to bring essentials! The bare minimum? Nude undergarments… and whatever they ask you to bring. Or, if you know the clothing you’ll be shooting, wear nice undergarments that will blend well. Black, white, nude are the basics. Pasties are good to have on hand, as well as a pair of heels. If you really want to impress, paint your nails a clean, neutral color, and bring some supplemental wardrobe.
  2. Look at magazines. Find inspiration here. What do you connect to? Look for poses, and then do them. See what works and what doesn’t. Later, you can reference what you see during your shoot and try the poses out. If it’s not working, the photographer will tell you so. Also, watch fashion shoots on youtube.
  3. Pose/practice in front of the mirror. Find what angles you think look best. And then take lots of selfies. This is silly-sounding, yes, but it can help. What you see in the mirror doesn’t look exactly like a photo would. Find attractive angles, poses, and faces. Make a silly face in the mirror and see what you like and don’t like. I like to make silly faces. Sometimes the shot turns out great. I’ve had photographers refuse to take a picture of my silly face. They know what’s best for that shot. They are essentially your eyes.
  4. Practice your pretty model hands! Hands can make a shot or break a shot. If your hand looks like the claw of no return…. it’s going to look a little awkward. If it feels awkward, it may just look awkward, too.
  5. Know your assets. Maybe you won’t know what your assets are until after your first shoot. That’s ok. Figure out what your most unique and wonderful features are and how to utilize them. Example: lips. Don’t do the same expression with your face/lips for every shot. Try to change it up and see what looks best. Some assets are hard to work with, because they are so unique. But when you harness their power…. POW.
  6. Understand who will be on the shoot. Escort or no, it’s good to require a collaborator on board (such as hair, MUA, stylist, etc.), especially when working with someone you’ve never met before. Always be cautious with who you meet and where and never be completely alone with a stranger in an uncomfortable situation. Trust your gut.
  7. Relax. There is a good chance you will be nervous. It happens to all of us at one point or another. It may help to meet the photographer for coffee before the day of the shoot and discuss the type of images you’re each looking for. Hopefully you will have discussed them before! Good communication helps the shoot roll along smoothly and makes everyone happy.
  8. Be organic. Don’t hold a pose/awkward pose for long. You want to be constantly moving, so the images look more natural and fluid. Thinking of a pose and then executing it may look more stiff than you imagined.
  9. Don’t think too much. This goes back to organic movement. If you think too much, it will show in your face and your body.
  10. How to not look like a newbie? It’s hard to say, since the experience is different for everyone. A good photographer will know how to give you proper direction. Though, with time, they shouldn’t need to. Don’t be afraid to ask to see the photos during a quick break between frames, so you know how your movement and facial expressions are translating on camera.

When in doubt… simpler is definitely better! Look at agency websites and the models there. Many of their portfolios are made up of raw, organic black and white photos. Give some attitude, show the world what you’ve got. Don’t hold back. And be you!

Be Fierce!!

Briauna Mariah (:

Posted on

Agency Qualities to Look For

When you are seeking representation and meeting with modeling agencies, you should get to know the people at the agency and get a feel for the place. I won’t get into too many specifics on how to become a model, as it has been previously discussed, but I will say that choosing an agency that will best fit your needs, if you do choose not to freelance, is very important. You do not want to get signed, and then get buried in the agency’s “New Faces” department. This could easily happen with any big agency.

You want to look for a very “quality over quantity” vibe. However, even if they are really excited about your look, there are no guarantees of a successful relationship. An agency that pays attention, with an open line of communication, are generally good signs. Continue reading “Agency Qualities to Look For”

Posted on

10 Qualities a Model Looks For in Photographers

NOTE: This post is informational for photographers nearly as much as it is for young models.

It is universal knowledge that a model needs photos of herself in her portfolio; the only way to go about this is to collaborate with different photographers. How she goes about building a model portfolio depends on a few different factors and is up to her (and her agency) to decide.

A model will mainly begin building her portfolio either by hiring a photographer or collaborating on a (free) trade shoot or test shoot. As she begins shooting and building up her reputation, she has the position to be more choosy with who she shoots with. Only then, when she has a reputable portfolio, may she ask the photographers for compensation when she is requested for a shoot. However, there are some collaborations even an experienced model won’t want to pass up.

You can automatically assume any work with a designer needs to be paid, since they are advertising an actual product. With photographers, however, it gets tricky.

Here are 10 qualities an experienced model looks for in a photographer when testing for free Continue reading “10 Qualities a Model Looks For in Photographers”

Posted on

Model Fuse vs Model Mayhem: Review

**UPDATE: Sadly, Model Fuse has seemed to disappeared off the internet. Unfortunate, because they showed promise. But it just goes to show how difficult it can be to get a ‘leg up’ over competition (especially established). In the meantime, my good model friend Sierra Mckenzie is working on her own Freelance Models project. Feel free to click and check it out!**

MFuseLLC

I was recently informed of a new model networking site called Model Fuse. I decided to do something different for my blog by giving this site a try and writing a review on it. I created my profile and the process was extremely simple, as any good social media site these days should be. Navigation and acquainting myself with the site was easy as well. 

I had this idea to set out and book a shoot through this site. That’s what seems to be their whole philosophy: Their goal is to get freelancers work, with the whole industry at your fingertips, on one website. 

The problem is, many models already use a site for just that. It’s called Model Mayhem.  Continue reading “Model Fuse vs Model Mayhem: Review”

Posted on

Model Mayhem 101: Getting Started

I know I keep directing my fellow model friends to www.ModelMayhem.com (MM). Especially if you don’t have an agency. However, Model Mayhem, while widely used, has many in’s and out’s you should all be aware of.

What exactly is Model Mayhem?
Model Mayhem is an online social media networking outlet for models, photographers, and many more industry related individuals. As Model Mayhem expands, so does its users. There are accounts for not only makeup artists, hairstylists, and designers, but also stylists, photoshop wizards, artist/painters, body painters, digital artists, and agents.

Getting Started
I keep saying how important it is to network in this, and every other industry. Model Mayhem launched my networking abilities in the fashion industry and I’ve been climbing the rungs ever since. Model Mayhem is for dipping your toes and then diving in to the industry. I always suggest Model Mayhem for beginning models (unless your agency is adamant against you having an account or if they are already keeping your schedule full).

I’m not saying MM has been the driving force of my success. I’m saying it has been an ideal tool in showcasing my talent and connecting with other like-minded individuals. Continue reading “Model Mayhem 101: Getting Started”

Posted on

What Models Need to Know About Lighting

Newer models tend not to realize how important light is. Light is your friend. No, you don’t have to be a lighting expert or know which ISO the camera is shooting at. You don’t have to know exactly how the camera exposure and technicalities work, though knowing and learning is a plus. What you do need to take away from this, if you take anything away, is that light is extremely important in a photograph and it is your job as a model to find the light.

It’s your first or second shoot and you are nervous and excited all at once. You want to blow your photoshoot out of this world. Modeling, like anything else, takes practice. And before you get too ahead of yourself, here are some basics about the three main types of lighting situations you will encounter. Continue reading “What Models Need to Know About Lighting”

Posted on

Healthy Skincare is a Model Essential (Part 2)

Oliver Villafuerte is a superb makeup artist and esthetician in the Seattle area who provides professional services at Milagros Aveda Salon and Spa. I highly recommend him  for any of your MU/facial needs. He provided me with amazing facials once a week for a month before my big move to New York City! Oliver was amazing enough to provide a ton of great information to share with you. 

Skincare and MU. This is what Oliver has to say:  Continue reading “Healthy Skincare is a Model Essential (Part 2)”

Posted on

Healthy Skincare is a Model Essential

As a model, skin care is very important. Your body is your asset and you need to take care of it. 

While I’m not an expert on skin, I can say that good exercise, healthy eating, and lots of water is an essential start to healthy looking skin. But lets go into more depth, I know you want to know more! So keep reading. I get my skincare advice from the pros, so why not give you the info straight from the source?

I work with a lot of skin/makeup professionals on a daily to weekly basis.

Ashli Danielle is a superb makeup artist and hair stylist in the Seattle area who does bridal, commercial fashion, and editorial styles. I highly recommend her for any of your hair/MU needs. Ashli was amazing enough to provide a ton of great information to share. 

Skincare. This is what Ashli has to say: Continue reading “Healthy Skincare is a Model Essential”

Posted on

How to Become a Fashion Model

How to start your career as a fashion model…(REVISITED!)

There are several things to consider when you begin modeling. Every young girl grows up thinking she wants to be a model (well, not ALL). The fashion industry is put upon a pedestal by many and it is one TOUGH industry to break. Modeling is extremely rewarding if you are passionate, but you won’t get anywhere unless you ARE passionate and give your all (*see disclaimer below).

Girls start in the fashion industry very young, which is a very popular topic for discussion these days. Many models I know and know of, however, are very smart and not only make sure to finish high school, but they go above and beyond and attend college. I myself have completed my Associates degree. I recommend a lot of thought to be put into the decision of pursuing a start in modeling.

So. How passionate are you? Continue reading “How to Become a Fashion Model”