A Career in Modeling
Christine is a professional model who has made quite a name for herself since entering the field only a couple of years ago. As a graduate with an Honors Degree in Law, she is the epitome of both beauty and brains. But above all, she is also a very kind individual. I recently had the opportunity to interview Christine and she had some wonderful input about the industry, networking, and advice for new models.
At what age did you start modeling?
I was 19 when I started – a late starter by industry standards!
What made you get into the business?
One of my friends was studying fashion at university, she couldn’t afford to hire a professional and asked me if I would mind modeling for her. After she graduated she used me for a few other assignments and then suggested that I approach some agencies - it all took off from there.
What types of modeling do you do?
A bit of everything, from really edgy fashion (the kind of thing you would see in Pop or ID magazine) to commercial assignments. A mixture of photographic work, catwalk and music videos.
Describe some of your favorite photo shoots.
My favorite ever photo shoot was for DeBeers diamonds, we shot at their company premises in central London and the jewelry was just amazing! Naturally, there was a security guard present at all times – lucky too! I think the whole team were tempted by the pieces at some point.
I recently worked on a music video for a cool Canadian band called Dragonette – to be involved in filming was a completely different experience for me, as the vast majority of my work is photographic assignments or catwalk. It was fascinating being able to watch the whole process, and it was great fun to get paid to spend a whole day rolling around in lingerie and throwing food around - I can’t say much more because it hasn’t been released yet!
What do you feel has been your greatest accomplishment so far?
I just feel lucky to be able to model professionally. I never planned to become a model, in fact I was mid-way through my Law degree when I started, so every shoot I do feels like another great accomplishment.
How have you used the internet to further your career? (past and present)
I use a few websites targeted at industry professionals such as www.whoistesting.com to contact photographers, makeup artists and hairstylists to arrange test shoots to get new images for my portfolio (models don’t always get copies of the shots from professional assignments), and, like the rest of the world, I have a MySpace page! I used to feel a bit silly having a “professional” page but the other day I saw that David LaChapelle has one – and if it’s good enough for him, its good enough for me!
As a professional model, how important is social networking?
Very important! The fashion industry is incredibly social, if you can’t interact with people you won’t find it easy.
TheInspirit is an upcoming talent network that will allow talent to make influential contacts around the world. What are your thoughts on this new creative program?
There is a huge potential for online development of the industry, you can already see it in the music business – bands are launching themselves online, getting singles into the charts on the basis of downloads alone and being picked up by major record labels. I don’t see why the next Kate Moss or Helmut Newton might not be discovered online too.
Do you keep in touch with the team from your photo shoots after working with them? If so, how?
I try to always keep in touch with people I have worked with - usually we will swap cards at the shoot, but occasionally I will do a little bit of internet stalking to track down people’s websites!
I find that if you have a positive attitude and do a good job then people will remember you, I’ve been hired for numerous assignments after a personal recommendation from someone I’ve already worked with - it’s nice to know that even in the modeling world a good attitude and hard work are appreciated alongside physical appearance!
When theInspirit launches, talent such as models, photographers, artistic directors, stylist, and make-up artist will be able to find each other in one central hub. In the world of modeling, how beneficial is it to make and maintain these industry contacts? I find it incredibly useful to maintain contact with other professionals in the industry, if only to keep the bigger picture in mind. As with any job, I think there is a tendency for models to forget that they are only one (small!) part of the process – to get a good picture everything has to be right, not just the model but photography, hair and make-up and the styling. And, of course, the more contacts you have and exposure you get, the more likely it becomes that the casting director for a new advertising campaign will see your face.
What are your goals for the future?
Obviously I want to land a major advertising campaign, appear on the cover of UK, US and Vogue Italia, and dance naked in a Rolling Stones video … all the clichés! But really I’d like to carry on modeling for as long as I keep getting the bookings. Eventually I would like to open up my own legal practice, representing those involved in the entertainment industry.
Any advice for new models just starting out?
Firstly, beware of the scams! There are thousands of girls that want to be the next Kate Moss and there are even more unscrupulous people who are ready to exploit their dreams to make some quick cash. You will save yourself a lot of time, money and heartache if you go along to a walk-in day at a REPUTABLE agency to meet with the bookers and see if you have the potential to be a model – you won’t need any professional photographs either, a couple of clear snapshots will be enough to make an initial assessment.
When you start working, always make sure that you are 100% happy with what you are being asked to do - never give in to peer-pressure, if you are not comfortable with something then don’t do it.
Lastly, remember that fashion is fickle – you might have the latest look but that could be passé in a season – so look after yourself, enjoy the experience and try to ensure that you have something to fall back on if it should all end tomorrow.
I would like to thank Christine for taking the time to do this interview. The crew at Talent Speaks wishes you the best with your career and future projects.
For more information, please visit www.myspace.com/christinemodel and her agency, KokoModels.com.
This interview was taken from
Talent Speaks a world of photography would like to thank them for such a wonderful interview!
Labels: Photography Advice
