Girl in a red dress.

Modelling isn’t as easy as it looks and, let’s face it, it does look pretty easy doesn’t it?

Having spent a brief period in football as an admin. person, I find the analogies between football and modelling are just such a ‘spoonishly’ good fit for each other. And, on the subject of ‘easy’, well, again, let’s face it, football does look pretty easy doesn’t it? Almost as easy as modelling!

The difference – and that difference can be either overwhelmingly incongruous, or subtly obscure – is that the majority of observers will never have partaken in either discipline. So, while they may be able to appreciate the application and the outcomes, they will have little experience with which to realise the intricacies of the profession.

Now, being a photographer of models I do get a few more insights into the art of modelling that the average magazine reader, and I can see that it is hard. As in football, becoming good at it – let alone great – takes lots of commitment and practice, and even then there is no saying that you’re going to find any success at it. Real success requires that you enjoy a good measure of that ‘other-worldly’ ingredient which can’t be assimilated through hard work, dedication or practice. That ingredient is talent.

Talent is the most complex of components: it can’t be bought, won’t be found and has no preferences. And there’s just not enough room in this piece to go into the why’s & wherefores of what it is – if it can even be said to be an ‘is’ in any case.
However, while it may not be acquired by any known prescription nor defined by description, when you do happen to come upon it, it’s almost instantly recognisable.

So, allow me to introduce you to Teri: Teri is a very charming, unassuming, 17 year old model who hails from Bathgate in West Lothian. As well as being drop dead gorgeous, she also boasts a lovely figure, eyes you could drown in, and the most finely textured, olive-coloured skin - which the camera loves.

On top of all that, she can also model! Teri has a real ‘sense’ of where the light is, and of what the lens is looking for. And that makes it so much easier for any photographer looking to do fashion / modelling work; frankly, there’s nothing as frustrating as having to direct everything from the rear of the camera, so a girl who can actually model just makes everything so much easier. And, if they also happen to be as creative as Teri, then any project you’re involved in can quickly turn from being a rudimentary job of work, to a VERY satisfying collaboration in creative art.

And that pretty much sums up what that much sought-after and ever elusive ingredient called ‘talent’ is all about; it’s having the ability to visualise the next move, perceive the opportunities and develop the startegy. I’m sure if you were to ask a top-class football player or a top-class model to explain what it is that makes naturally good at what they do, then they’d be lost – it’s just part of what they have. It is, therefore, for the rest of us to capture, cultivate and wonder at.

Teri is represented by First Step Model Agency.

Vamping it up

I was fortunate to be invited to work with up & coming Model / MUA, Teri, recently when she suggested that we turn one of her friends into a vampire!

Now, those of you who know me well will realise that those rumours you hear of my being able to metamorphose –at will - into a bat or wolf are simply not true; and, having explained to Teri that there was no way a bite from me was going to send her friend out in search of fresh blood, she decided to opt for a make-up induced reinvention of her friend – rather than the more permanent, vampiric sort.

Terri’s friend and Model, Cara, agreed to take part in the shoot – though she did ask to bring a couple of crosses, a sharpened stake and a mallet along with her (models can be a strange breed – they usually bring water and a fruit salad?) – and Teri duly set about remodelling her cheek-bones, eyes and lips to effect the ghoulish look she was after. I thought the results were quite stunning.

The entire exercise was set up so that Teri could add a few prints to a portfolio that is to be presented to her college tutors as part of her attempt to secure a place in the next stage of her education; leading, eventually, to what she hopes will be a career in theatrical make-up artistry. By the looks of this transformation, she shouldn’t have much trouble convincing the academia. Of course, if they don’t agree with her, she can always send Cara along to bite them. Mwahaaaaaahaaaa.

Countess Cara :-)

Metja is our featured model at FSM

If you ever happen across Metja - finding yourself sitting beside her on a bus, perhaps; bumping into her in a café or just seeing her walk bye on a street, you’ll know you just got lucky, for Metja has that ‘thing’, that aura, that special quality, that indefinable ‘presence’ that somehow makes the people around her feel a little bit better about being where they are.

So, you can imagine how it felt – not only to meet her for the first time – but to have the opportunity of photographing her on behalf of the Miss West Lothian competition in which, at that time, she was just a contender and hadn’t yet been awarded the highly prized laurels; I have to admit to having been a little star-struck.

But Modelling isn’t just about looking pretty in front of a lens. It can be an exhausting and laborious enterprise. It can take hours to build a set, test for lighting and get hair and make-up sorted. So, before you know it, the model has already been there for three hours and she then has to be briefed on what the shoot is about and what the stylist is trying to achieve – and it’s not easy to take spoken ideas and turn them into a story through modelling. And, after all that the lens cap STILL hasn’t come off the camera. The entire shoot has – by this time - lost that exciting immediacy, and THAT’S when you find out that, in Metja, you have a model who knows what’s wanted and, most of all, knows how to deliver: her need for direction in the actual modelling of the shoot is minimal, her repertoire of learned poses are contemporary, editorial, high fashion and apparently inexhaustible in their variety.

The camera loves Metja; that’s simply an inarguable fact. She has that natural understanding of her own posture, lines and curves which allow her to interpret what the camera sees from the other side of the lens and, with just the slightest inflection of a facial expression or posture, to deliver that sustenance which the camera lives off; aspect, aura, comportment, spirit, air or art – whatever that certain ‘thing’ is that she certainly has. At such times it can actually be difficult keeping up with her!

With all that said, the picture you should be getting is that of a wise, time-served, professional model. But what you’re actually presented with is a 17 year old girl who never consciously decided to try to be a model.

FSM: So who did convince you to try modelling: your family, your boyfriend, your favourite mirror?

Metja: Erm, let me see … No … no … and … what mirror! (laughs) No, really, it wasn’t something I ever really tried to get into. I don’t know, it just sort of happened. I was asked to do a few shoots and I really enjoyed it. Then I was encouraged to go into the Miss West Lothian competition, and I was invited by the competition organiser, Eddie Anderson, to take part in some promotional work. That’s where I met Duncan Bennett of db-images. He invited me to his studio to do a fashion shoot. Then he and his business partner, Nicola, invited me to join First Step Models. There was no kind of conscious focus on my part. One thing has just sort of led to another.

FSM: Do your family support you in your modelling ambitions.

Metja: Oh yes. Very much so. But they know that it’s really difficult to make a career of it and that I shouldn’t be hurt if I don’t make it as far as I’d like. I’m planning to go to college or university to study Business law. If a modelling career comes along then I’ll continue to study. Modelling is also a pretty short career, so whether I’m successful in that or not, I want to have something else behind me.

FSM: So what’s it like to be voted the most beautiful woman in West Lothian?

Metja: Ha Ha! But WOW! Winning Miss West Lothian was such a shock, honestly. But I was more proud of myself just for having the guts to enter in the first place. I’d recommend it to anyone. It’s been so great.

FSM: What sort of modelling work excites you, and what scares you?

Metja: Everything about modelling both scares and excites me. I’d like to experience all aspects of the profession, but the thought of being on a runway in front of hundreds of people – or shooting for a famous brand would be both exciting and terrifying.

FSM: Would you like to do the whole holistic thing that a lot of models do now: from runway to recording studio to Hollywood?

Metja: Hmmmm … Well, yes and no... because, for a start, I want to get in to modelling to experience working with different people, and modelling sometimes offers opportunities across the globe. This means I’d get to do a job I’d love and travel around the world. As for recording studios and Hollywood … well, I wouldn’t say no if the opportunity came along but it’s a bit early for me to consider that.

FSM: Have you signed an autograph yet?

Metja: Erm …. No …. But I’ll send you one personally when I feel the time is right (laughs)

FSM: What makes you smile, what makes you scowl and what makes you cry?

Metja: I smile when I see people being nice to each other – it’s such a simple and lovely thing to do. I scowl when I see people using their teeth to take of their gloves – it gives me the shivers. And I cry when I’m angry.

FSM: Have you enjoyed being signed to First Step Models?

Metja: Yeah. It’s been fun. Everyone is so nice to each other and it’s given me some great experience.

FSM: Will you remember us when you've made your first million?

Metja: Oh definitely … I’ll send you that autograph I promised (laughs).

Metja

Young Model of 'my' Year Award

Having spent a number of years working in both youth and senior football, I can say that almost every 13 year old boy I ever met wanted to be a footballer. Now, having worked as a full-time photographer for the last few years, I find that almost every young girl I meet wants to be a model.
For most, it’s a pipe-dream born of being attracted to the perceived glamour depicted by countless tv shows. But, for others – and a fair number it has to be said – it’s more than a passing fad; it’s something they actively pursue.
So, it was a great pleasure for me to be introduced to Sian. Sian, wants to be a model, and so much so that, when her Dad asked what she’d like for her 9th Birthday, Sian opted for a photo-shoot.
As a photographer, it doesn’t really matter what age your models are, what really determines how successful - or not - a session will be, is the aptitude of the model; directing every detail of a shoot, from pose to presence to facial expression can make for a long, frustrating session. That wasn’t the outcome in this case though; Sian already had a repertoire of learned poses which she animated with just the right sort of looks and expressions. At 8 years and 364 days, this young lady showed real promise, and I’ve no doubt that she has a real chance of making it as a model – she certainly has the determination.

Sian

Melissa

Melissa is First Step Models latest signing, and we're especially lucky to have her join the team.

Resident in Whitburn, and just 15 years of age, Melissa is very definite about what she wants and, at the moment, her biggest ambition is to become a model.

Melissa's personal profile is available online at First Step Models website. If you have any photographic, fashion or promotional projects which you think Melissa could help you out with, then please get in touch.

Melissa:

Sam

Don't you just love working with beautiful girls?

Being a photographer has it's down moments, but then girls like Sam walk through the door and you realise that fashion photography is one of the most exciting of all art forms.

Of course, it does help if you can get on with the subject of your 'focus'; Sam was a dream to work with though; a young, shapely blonde with lots of verve and vitality, complete with that magic formula of having a good ear for direction and a determination to shine in front of the camera. And eyes - did I mention eyes? Eyes that burn like glacial fire and, and, and .....well, you have to look into their depths to understand :-))

This was only Sam's second experience of being photographed, but she took to it like the proverbial fish to water. And perhaps just as well, as this pretty youngster is going to be the subject of a lot of attention shortly as she has entered the Miss West Lothian 2011 competition.

Sam has also just signed to First Step Models in an effort to further her interest in modelling. Check out Sam's profile and get in touch with FSM if you'd like to work with this feisty young blonde.

On reccie with Charlie

Having been commissioned to shoot a series of pictures for a local florist who wanted images to enter in a national floristry competition, I decided it would be best to reconnoitre a couple of suitable locations.

Also, as one part of the series involved a model wearing a dress ‘built’ by the florist, I asked the model – Charlotte - to come along with me.

I’d already been through to one of my favourite locations - South Queensferry - that week; another reccie I’d arranged to do with members of a band who have asked me to shoot some promotional pictures with them – that project is still in the pipeline and loosely ear-marked for the beginning of August. So, with that visit still fresh, I decided to take Charlotte to my current ‘next most’ favourite location, Blackness. I say current ‘next most’ favourite, because I do tend to chop and change my favourites about as often as I change memory cards.

Blackness has a number of plus points which tick all my boxes for a good location: it’s gorgeous; it’s generally quiet; it offers lots of options. Blackness boasts an old castle which was used as a military base as recently as the 2nd World War. It sits on the Forth and offers a great point of foreground interest for excellent shops up and down the estuary. It has great beaches; woods, open grassed areas and a harbour where boats from the local yacht Club are moored.

I didn’t take either of my Canon camera’s as I didn’t expect to be shooting anything but, when we got there, Charlie couldn’t resist getting into character, and I couldn’t resist shooting her with my ever present compact. The little camera did really well, I thought and, well, Charlie always does a great job.

Amanda

Amanda is studying to find a place in university where she hopes to study medicine, but she took a little time-out from her studies to visit the studio.

A gorgeous young lady, she complements her looks with a sharp wit and a good sense of humour.

The guilded corridors of learning are going to leave the modelling world short of a real prize it seems.

Leonie

There are times when – no matter how much forward planning you do – nothing seems to work: the lighting doesn’t work, the white-balance seems out; the props don’t really suit and, worst of all, the model just isn’t up for it.

Then there are times when, with very little effort at all, things just seem to fall into place – and that’s how it worked on a shoot I did recently with young Leonie!

Leonie hadn’t worked in front of a camera before but seemed to take to it like the proverbial fish to H20. She was keen to work, eager to achieve the poses I was looking for and willing to wait patiently as I fiddled with lights and camera settings.

Many thanks to Leonie for attending and bringing such a great attitude with her. Thanks also to Frances – Leonie’s Mum – for her help and patience, and to Jade Mcmeckan for the excellent make-up.

Debenhams Debs

It was my great pleasure, recently, to work with some of the gorgeous girls currently vieing for a place in the final of the Miss West Lothian competition.

The girls gathered at Debenhams in Livingston to show some of the stores designer brands - and they did so very eloquently with two runway shows in front of a sizeable audience of interested shoppers.

The Miss West Lothian Competition is now enjoying it's 15th year and this years hugely anticipated finals will be held at 'The Club' in Broxburn on Wednesday 2nd December and I'm looking forward to adding some more pictures of West Lothians finest looking girls to my growing collection.

The walking girls:

Fasten your belts for the Miss West Lothian competition

The Miss West Lothian competition is swinging into top gear now as the competition’s Guru, Eddie Anderson gets ready to wield the axe and cut the number of entrants going through to the final in December to just 30 of the current 50 remaining girls.
It looks, to me, like an impossible task though: the ‘gorgeous-ity’ factor among this years entrants is just soooo high that I, personally, would have sleepless nights trying to whittle down the number of girls who will continue that journey to the final by a swingeing 2/5ths.

I was fortunate to be named the official photographer for the competition and, as such, have come to know a few of the girls; most especially those who took up Eddie’s offer of appearing in the runway shows he has organised on their behalf this year. I also had the great pleasure of producing portrait shots of the entrants, and these are currently hanging in Debenham’s Store in the Almondvale Centre. So, although I have to say that I’m going to be really sorry to see the current group down-sized to just 30 contestants, I’m extremely confident that those girls whose pictures are posted back on the Miss West Lothian gallery on Monday morning will offer a fantastic representation of many beautiful girls we have here in West Lothian.
One of that number will go on to be crowned Miss West Lothian on 2nd December at ‘The Club', Broxburn, but I’m really glad it’s not me who has to pick one from such a fantastic array of girls; it’ll be a bit like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.

Good luck to them all.

Pictures from the recent Miss West Lothian Workshop

Getting all torn up about it.

Michelle made a welcome return to my humble studio for another shoot just recently; she was looking for a portrait to submit - along with her application - to take part in the much vaunted Miss West Lothian 2010 competition being run by Eddie Anderson and, to help with that, I’d engaged the services of Make-up artist, Jade McMeckan.

Having bagged the portrait shots, we then went on to other things – you could say Michelle got ‘torn into it’ as we turned the scissors on her leggings and T-shirt while Jade ‘bigged-up’ the make-up with some extra eyes and full, ruby-red lipstick.

The shutter was kept pretty active for the next few hours, with Michelle either working in front of camera or chatting to Jade while I arranged (and endlessly rearranged) backdrops and lighting set-ups.

Four and a bit hours just seemed to sweep bye unnoticed, but I ended the shoot with a great collection of images, and I have to say thanks to the girls for being so patient with me xx

Michelle:

The Wedding Box - Uncovered

The lid was well and truly lifted on “The Wedding Box” at their Wedding Fayre held at Centrex Conference Centre on Sunday 6th September when an estimated 260 people turned out to peruse the marvellous array of products and services being offered by some 20 independent providers in the main market area.

Visitors to this exclusive, ‘invitation only’ event were also treated to a unique, first viewing of an eye-catching collection of Haute Couture bridal gowns now being provided by Ritz n’ Glitz’ – the MidCalder based outlet of top wedding accessory designer, Allyson Murray. These exquisite creations were beautifully ‘cat-walked’ in the Centrex arena by some of West Lothian’s most dazzling models, many of whom are poised to participate in this years Miss West Lothian Competition.

Reigning Miss West Lothian and ‘Britains Next Top Model’ finalist, Ashley Brown, also made a glamorous return to the catwalk to showcase some of Allyson’s elegant bridal gowns, along with a collection of luxurious, limited edition lingerie provided by top Scottish fashion boutique, Boudiche.

The highlight of the day took place at 4pm when Ashley drew the winner of the days top prize: a medley of requisite, wedding day services being provided by members of the ‘Wedding Box’ collection of companies with a combined value of £3,000.

That prize was presented by Ashley to Bathgate based ‘Bride-to-be’ Emma Robertson who is preparing to walk down the Isle of St. Michaels Church, Linlithgow in June , 2011. The ever-present stresses of organising her ‘special day’ might now be made a little easier – and a good deal less financially burdening – following the collection of her prize.

Allyson Murray who, with the help of all the other wedding day service providers, including myself, pulled the day together said: “While I felt that, overall, the day was a great success, we are aware that we have a few areas where we need to improve. But we are convinced that the associate companies who comprise the ‘Wedding Box’ are now ready to establish themselves as one of the top Wedding Fayre hosts in West Lothian, providing not only a comprehensive and diverse choice of quality products and services but, as a group of experienced wedding service providers, we can also offer a wealth of help and advice which every soon-to-be-bride will be glad to take advantage of.

“The fact that we had attracted the participation of major retailers such as Debenhams and Boudiche helped make the September Fayre an overall success, and we’re now looking forward to pressing ahead with a regular programme of events based on this winning formula.”

Photographs from the event featuring curent Miss West Lothian & Britains Next Top Model finalist, Ashley Brown; up and coming West Lothian Model, Amanda Tinning and other girls who starred on the day:

Fascinating stuff

I was fortunate enough to be asked to shoot a collection of fascinators and wedding accessories for Ritz nGlitz; a quality, high-end bridal gown and accessories outlet based in MidCalder.

The accessories - and especially the fascinators – were literally ‘fascinating’, while having the opportunity to work with – and light – such a fantastic collection of exquisite tiaras, necklaces and bracelets was a real pleasure.

Some of the resultant head and shoulders shots were used in a power-point slide which was displayed at the ‘Wedding Box’ wedding fayre held at Centrex, Livingston on Sunday 6th September.

Thanks to models Michelle and Rachael for being so patient with me, and to Make-up artist, Jade, whose skills made my photography look better than it might otherwise have.

Michelle & Rachael