Janna of Timelessstyle.nl and I booked a short posing and catwalk session. We called it How to become a model (not the official title haha). You can find Janna on Instagram. It was great fun and we learned a lot, which I love to share with you. So this post will be a bit different from the usual ones.
You may ask “Why on earth did you book such a session? Do you want to become a model?” The answer to that is a yes from Janna and a hesitant yes from me. We both get our pictures taken hundreds of times; me for my blog and Janna for her Instagram account. We both love clothes and being a magazine model. Janna has already been featured in five different magazines and I in only one. The funny thing is that if I let myself go grey I might have more chance of being asked to model. Older models are being used more often these days, but they do prefer models with grey hair. (So there is no mistake that you are “older”??)
We both struggle with poses when our photo is taken. You know one of my favourite poses is sitting down. As soon as I see a bench, I’m on it. I feel the head-to-toe shot is necessary to clearly show the whole outfit. I always get so angry at fashion magazines showing a model and then saying something like: “Shoes: brand XX”, when the model’s legs have been cut off the photo. What shoes? I know there are more important matters to fuss over, but it niggles me.
Anyway, Janna and I decided to call in professional help with Jessica Gyasi, owner of Model Up. She used to model for big fashion brands all over the world while living in Paris. As she explains, despite this dream job, she lacked confidence and didn’t have a positive image of herself. After ten years she stopped modelling, got her papers and started Model Up, training a new generation of models. Jessica doesn’t only want to teach the practical sides of modelling (how to look, how to walk, how to sell yourself to agents etc) but also make sure you feel good about yourself.
(Disclosure: Janna and I paid for the training; this is not a sponsored post, just an enthusiastic one.)
Below: Jessica.
Were we intimidated by such tall beauty? Hell, yes. If she had no self-confidence, where does that leave us? But, being older and wiser, we know that this is not how the mind works.
Below: Jessica, Janna and me. Jessica turned out to be a very sweet person and a good laugh. She had no problems teaching us ‘old dogs’ some new tricks.
As I didn’t know whether it would be warm or cold in the studio, I had put on many layers. It would have been better if I had worn something more form fitting so Jessica could see whether I was making the right moves, but that couldn’t be helped.
Below: A video about how to walk, turn while looking at the photographer and not trip over my own feet.
The first thing we learned was how to carry our body in the (up)right position. Posture is everything and I struggle with posture. I should practise every day. It makes a world of difference how you stand and sit.
After the catwalk training we practised different poses. Janna and I were both very interested in ‘chair poses’. Here are two poses being elegant on a chair, flexing your front foot so the photographer isn’t looking at your soles.
Below: Janna looking mischievous. Straight back, legs together in an elegant position.
Below: We had great fun over this pose (which I requested). I was lucky because I could drop my dress before my crotch, but nevertheless, we agreed to leave this pose to the younger girls haha.
Below: I got a compliment about my core (back and tummy muscles) from Jessica for this pose. It looks simple but bear in mind I have no seat back to lean against.
Jessica showed us how we could work with our legs, hands, head, face etc when being photographed. I tried to copy her, totally forgetting my posture, not being able to pull the right faces at all. It is an art and it takes hard work to improve.
Was it all seriousness and hard work? Of course not. We had some good laughs in between.
Below: Me picking a hair off Janna’s chest made for a good laugh.
Below: And me, looking very suggestive and flirty at Janna, got her in stitches.
I think we will do another training at Model Up as it was great fun and we learned a lot. We also have a lot of videos which we have to study.
Afterwards we went for cappuccinos and a reality photo. High heels in the bag and combat boots on.
A day of joy.
What happened in my life this week
Two words: stomach flu. Ron caught it last week and he passed it on to me, which started in the night of Friday to Saturday. That was highly inconvenient as Saturday was the first morning of my photo (camera) course. I so wanted to follow it that I got myself ready and went. I looked like death warmed up and I kept well away from the others, scared as I was they would catch it through me. I learned a lot and I was glad I had gone, but as soon as I arrived home, I threw up again (sorry girls if you are disgusted now). How lucky that it didn’t happen during the course.
We got a few photo assignments, so from Monday afternoon, when I felt a little better, I was quite busy trying to do my ‘homework’.
Below: Example of a ‘low key’ photo. Low key is when you set your camera darker than you normally would, to reach a certain effect.
Below: Example of a ‘high key’ photo which is the opposite of low key. The good thing is, there is no right or wrong, just personal taste and view on the matter.
We also had to take a ‘movement’ photo which I found hard to do. I have submitted a few examples but I cannot say I am very proud of them. I have always known I have no talent for photography as I simply do not have ‘the eye’.
As my stomach flu was still active, I couldn’t go to mum on Sunday. Luckily my niece had visited her the previous day.
Below: I took Marianne to the hospital for a final check-up (she is fine) and wore this outfit but with lower heeled boots than in the original post. I don’t like it at all. Ron loves it, but I want a larger jumper covering my crotch. Also, these boots are terrible with it, but good to run around in them. Marianne took the photo in the hospital.
Below: Oh… selfies are so terrible. Marianne and me.
I did a photo shoot for the blog with Loes and visited friends Wednesday evening. I hadn’t seen my friends for about a year so it was fun. A second date is necessary soon as we couldn’t cover everything in two and half hours.
See you next week.
Greetje
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