Not Just Anyone Can Do It

While having a conversation with my boyfriend/photographer, he brought up the time we did a shoot out on Ocean Beach. He had given me his camera because I said I wanted to take a picture of him. He hated the way he looked and this led to our present conversation.

He told me how much more respect he has for models because it wasn't until he was standing on the other end of the camera that he realized that modeling is more than just smiling at the camera.

If modeling was as simple as that, we'd all be doing it. It really is a type of art and the role that models play in front of the camera is an experience that can only be described accurately for those who have done it. For some models, being in front of the camera allows them to morph into this other persona. Depending on what the shoot is for, you need to become that idea or embody the mood.

These all come across in pictures, which is why I, as a working model, refuse to do photo shoots if I'm not in the mood. If I'm not inspired, it will show in the photos and those are the worst kind of pictures to take. Now, if I was being paid to model full-time, I can guarantee you I'd be in the mood to shoot 24/7! But because I do it part-time right now, I'm picky about the shoots I do, when I do them and who I work with. And that's okay.

Being in front of the camera, for me, is exhilarating because I feel free. When the lens is pointed my way, I feel like the greatest sex symbol, the sexiest woman alive. And that's not to say I have a huge ego, but you do need the self-confidence to be able to truly believe that you are beautiful. You literally seduce the camera. And not everyone knows how to do that without feeling stupid or self-conscious.

Maybe looking at those ads in the magazines or whatnot seem like easy shots but those select few that make it into the publication come from a mass of hundreds of similar photos. They may all look the same, but trust me, each one has its own personality, its own nuance. And it's no easy task to choose just the right one. And the model is responsible for bringing life to those photos and for making them stand out from all the others.

Posing takes practice, time, concentration and inspiration. And not just anyone can bring all of that to the camera. Models definitely deserve credit where credit is due because only a select few are blessed with just the right mixture of looks and talent to pull it off seamlessly.

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