3 things I learnt being a Model for a Day

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!