&$CRUSHING YOUR MODELING DREAM<"

Probably people reading this will think go and get yourself busy with things that are really important, like the news, stuff going on in the world, instead of writing a post about the modeling industry. As I mentioned before, I don't know what took me so long, but just recently I really REALLY became aware of how close photography and film are connected. So because of that I've been looking at photos everyday and over the months I've seen a lot of pictures, mostly pictures that will appear in fashion magazines, 'cause I like pictures with people and I guess I prefer those over just scenery and landscapes. I guess I like the interaction between the model and the camera/photographer. It works two ways and it's nice to see how on a photo a person can be really captured well. I must say that seeing all those pictures from editorials or campaigns and seeing those models I sometimes, like I guess a lot of people, forget that those models appearing in those are just a small group of all the models walking around there. I know that, especially since Doutzen Kroes and all those TV programmes about modeling, with the one most well known being Tyra Bank's show, America's Next Top Model. And now almost every country has their own version. But what most girls don't know and probably aren't really aware of is that it's a tough business. If you're not a supermodel, if you don't make it big, you will be struggling paying your bills. Of course it takes a while before you get noticed and become a supermodel if you ever become one. But there are always exceptions, girls/boys who make it big really fast, because they happen to be really distinct from everyone else. As a model you don't have to be the prettiest, everyone out there is like this flawless beauty. It's either those people who are incredibly beautiful who rise to the top or those who have this distinct quality, which can be anything, big weird looking ears, an immaculate walk, a gap between the teeth, short hair, real long hair etc. You have to distinguish yourself from everyone else. Of course everyone is different, but there are some people who look just as nice as everyone else. I guess at a certain point you get this hierarchy kind of thing with at its lowest a standard beauty where all models can be grouped into, and everything higher being those who are exceptional, including those kind of distinct qualities I just mentioned. When a girl gets discovered on the street, in the mall, a scout walking up to them telling them they should try and model, because the scout sees potential, it's like a dream come true kind of thing for some of these girls. It's like, wow, I got 'discovered'. Someone saw me and offered me this great opportunity, I'm gonna be a star, I'm gonna make it big. I will be out there with Gisele, Naomi and everyone else. But wait, this discovery is only the beginning. It's just your access card. It means you made your way in. And then even still it depends on your agency. You will have to wait and see if big agencies in New York, Milan, those big fashion capitals will have you as their client as well. And from then on you will go over to that agency and start seeing all these people who are looking for people to book for fashion shows or clients for editorial spreads in magazines or campaigns. You won't be the only one, but will be together with all these other girls/boys. You have to present yourself the best way that you can. But a lot comes from just being lucky. The person seeing you must think, yes, she definitely has 'it'. Whatever that may be. But still though you have to be at the top of your game, especially for those runway shows. You can be a great mix of a Gisele and a Doutzen and be a stunning beauty, if you can't walk, they will count you out. If you can't present the clothes well, you won't be in. And then there are the expenses, the costs. Your rent, grocery shopping, things like a ticket for the metro. And apparently, the prints these models need to have for their book with all their pictures can be extremely expensive, like a 500 dollars expensive! So all that money just for some great quality photocopies. And then if you finally scored a photoshoot for a magazine with a well known photographer and earn a lot of money you won't see a penny, 'cause you still had to pay all those other people you had a debt with, which for a great part include the agency your working for at that moment, plus your mother agency, the agency which discovered you in the first place. You have to pay them as they are your promoters. You try to be the best model you can and try to win over the big clients to book you. So the agency makes sure you can go see those clients, and because of that you have to pay your agency as they will look for jobs for you. They make an appointment for you with a certain client. And then you have to try and land the job and when you do in return as a thank you you have to pay your agency with part of the money you earned with the job. 'Cause afterall, if it wasn'r for them you never got the job, saw those clients. If it wasn't for them you had not been scouted and was still in school, studying, or working as a waitress/waiter. So yes, when you make it big you can make it real big and have a huge career like Gisele, like Doutzen. But if you never get to that point, you will be struggling. Plus, the modeling life is lonely as for most of the models they will be in a huge city all by themselves while their friends and family are in this entire different country. Sure, you make some modeling friends, but it's still a tough job and not the same. I don't know why I felt like writing this warning to all those aspiring models out there, but I guess it's to show that over these months I've learned a lot about the whole industry, damnit! I know names of models, agencies, photographers. It's crazy. I almost feel like I know as much about the whole thing as about the movie industry. I kind of brainwashed myself reading about all this every day now, seeing all the pictures etc. And now of course there's the question, what to do with all this knowledge? Is there a reason why I adopted all this knowledge? I guess I have to wait and see. :)