Me and my photographer, Robert, at the end of the 12-hour photoshoot
My
Experience as a Model
In March this year, my dear friend, Robert, a professional
photographer, approached me and asked “would you like to be part of my
project?”
As you know, I am someone that gets really excited when I
hear people talking about pursuing their personal projects. I asked what was
expected of me, and little did I expect, he invited me to be his model for his photography
project. What an honour!
The first photo Robert
took of me 4 years ago. This was candid.
He went on to share with me passionately about
#findingcharacter, a project which aims to help individuals discover different
aspects of themselves through photos. As part of his project, he has set out to
capture portraits of 50 individuals.
The Photoshoot
Seeing this as an excellent opportunity to have some photos
taken for keepsake (After all, how often
do you get a professional photographer willing to spend a day with you helping
you take personal shots!), as well as fulfill that childhood dream of wanting
to be a model (hahaha my parents were
against the idea), I readily agreed!
The days leading up to the photoshoot was hard work. Robert
created a shared folder on Trello
and told me to upload the photos of my favourite outfits and accessories. That
was when I realised I had a limited wardrobe selection. Most of my clothes were
either grey or black. Maybe it’s time to go shopping!
The amount of effort and work Robert put into the planning
stage was tremendous. During that time, he planned pages and pages of different
styles and poses which he told me to familiarise myself with. He also asked me
for the style of photos I was comfortable with, and we narrowed down to some
styles which we both agreed on.
A Tiny Hiccup
As Murphy Law states, whatever will go wrong, will go wrong.
And that was what happened. Just the day before the photoshoot, I went for
Guasha. I must confess I was not thinking clearly. For the uninitiated, it is a
Chinese technique to improve circulation and remove toxins from your body. It
usually leave marks that takes 2-3 days to subside.
It was much worst.
This is a highly filtered image.
After the session, my entire neck and chest area was
purplish-red.
When I saw my state after the Guasha session, I winced in
dismay, wondering what would Robert say.
When I conveyed the news to him sheepishly, I could sense
his frustration as he asked, “how are you going to model for the shoot?” He
almost wanted to cancel the entire photoshoot.
I meekly reassured him that I will apply many layers of
concealer to attempt to hide the marks.
Robert shared that this was something that photographers
have to deal with all the time. No matter how much one prepares for a
photoshoot to ensure all will go smoothly, sometimes clients will ‘chu
pattern’, meaning, unconsciously sabotage the efforts i.e. not turning up, last
minute cancellations, going for Gua Sha etc. As a professional photographer,
these were some of the events he had to learn to deal with and react to.
The Actual Day
After about a month of preparation (more on Robert’s end),
it was the photoshoot day!
We started our day at 7am. We had a strict timetable to
adhere to, and several locations planned for the photoshoot.
Because of my Guasha marks, Robert advised me to cover up.
We agreed to scrape the previous planned outfit and I wore a ‘boyfriend’ shirt
instead.
Robert had brought along his full set of photography
equipment, lightings and all. Upon reaching the location, he lugged out all his
professional photography equipments and started setting up.
Robert’s baby. I think
they weigh at least 20kg.
I was impressed by the professionalism and commitment he has
for photography.
The First Set
Being a model was not as easy as it appears. I used to think
it was pose, click, next.
But it turned out to be, pose…hold
it there…shift slightly left…turn clockwise…slightly anti-clockwise…a little right…hands
to the front…smile…tilt head forward…brighter smile…click! And that was just
one photo.
As I tried to ignore the swelling heat from my layered
outfit (Who wears long sleeve shirt + cardigan in sunny Singapore in the middle
of a nature reserve?!), itch from mozzie bites, stares from curious passers-by,
I posed as if I was having the time of my life.
I had forgotten the potent-ness of insect bites after being
in the city most of my time. To achieve the best effects, we had gone into the
wilderness of nature and I had conveniently forgotten to bring my insect
repellent along. The insects there were commando insects.
I was thankful that Robert was with me. As an amateur model,
and being pretty shy, my poses were stiff and unnatural. However, he was really
professional and patient and constantly maintained a bright and positive
attitude which was infectious.
Reconnecting with
Nature
Slowly, I started to loosen up and got better at posing. I
started enjoying the process. As we ventured deeper into the woods, I
discovered a side of Singapore which I never knew. It felt like the wilderness.
The gentle breeze was caressing my face, with warm beams of sun shining on my
hair. I heard birds chirping, I saw eagles. And birds’ nest. Birdwatchers.
Lalang field. It was tranquil. It was beautiful and I felt reconnected to life.
Lunch
After a morning’s worth of hard work, it was finally time
for lunch! We headed for Whisk and
Paddle at Tebing Lane. I had their Matcha Rose Latte (very fragrant), and
Eggs Benedict Half Waffles Set (love the waffles!) with Mushrooms. It was an
awesome meal! Highly recommended!
The Second Set
For the second set of photoshoot, we headed from East to the
West. The sun was scorching and I had lost the energy and momentum we had in
the morning. We took some shots and focused the rest of the time on headshots.
I liked headshots as I could just sit at one spot and not have to move much.
Can’t wait to see the final
product!
We tried out different looks, from the ‘sweet girl next
door’ look which I was most comfortable with, to the sexy, seductive look which
I felt was really unlike me. I almost couldn’t recognise myself.
The photoshoot allowed me to reconnect to different parts of
myself, and tap into the seldom seen, hidden side, of me. I ventured out of my
comfort zone. Out of the ‘self’ which I usually know.
The entire photoshoot lasted till almost 6pm and at the end
I felt I had learnt so much. My posing has improved and I also got to
understand photography slightly better.
Afterthoughts
It was a day well-spent. Not only did I get experience being a model, I was presented with several lessons as well.
Preparation and Practice makes Perfect
Being a model is not just about glitz and glamour. Behind every perfect photo, countless hours of toll and sweat goes into it. Like any masterpiece, to reach perfection, it is hard work. And this is often the part we don't see. While luck plays a part, preparation and practice is of utmost importance if one really wants to consistently achieve perfection in an area.
Embrace Imperfection
Through this experience, I learnt to be more comfortable in
my own skin. Beauty comes from within and there is no standard form of beauty. It is the little imperfections in someone that makes the person perfect. These are the qualities that makes you YOU. I have always felt my hair was too flat, and had bad eye bags, but I learnt to be comfortable with these imperfections and just be. Anyway I realized these are small matters that can be easily solved with some hair volumnizer and some photoshop magic. ;)
Most Photos taken Never Saw Light
We took over 200 photos that day, however, only less than 50% of it were up to standard. The rest are disposed of. This reminds me of how inaccurately
photos on magazine covers depict reality.
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I didn’t have to wait long to see my photos. Robert shared
the photos with me 2 weeks after the photoshoot, having painstakingly edited
every single photo. I was really pleased with the results from the photoshoot
and felt a warm glow within as my family and friends commented that I looked
really nice in the photos. I also found back some of my inner confidence from
the beautifully taken shots.
Thanks Robert!
The Result
Robert sent me over 100 photos. Here are some of my
favourites:
Photoshoot for you?
I would strongly recommend for everyone to go for a
photoshoot at least once in their life. This is a good opportunity to reconnect
to yourself and perhaps you may discover different sides of yourself you never
knew. I can assure you it would be a really memorable experience. Do share with me your experience if you decide to go for one!