Mommy for Hire

Remember that photo shoot I did last year for a company that makes baby products?  With modeling I've found that the pics usually pop up after you finally start checking back for the pics and forget that you ever did the shoot in the first place.  MJ mentioned it to me the other day so I went to the website to check and what do you know.  Here they are.

Photos are property of Tiny Love

These pictures look so carefree and easy but getting them was anything but.  This baby was maybe 15-20 lbs.  Not heavy at all but after holding and bouncing him for hours my arms were shaking with fatigue.  The picture below wasn't easy either.  I was on a blanket on a really hard concrete floor.  Laying on my side for a long period of time got uncomfortable and they had to re adjust our clothes every few minutes.  Meanwhile, baby isn't always doing what they wanted.  I was so worried that they wasted their money on me, all the pictures were crap and they weren't going to use any so I was thrilled to see these.

via Tiny Love

I am not a mom.  I just get paid to look like one sometimes. 

Great Work if you can Get it

I got mail last week that reminded me of something that was kind of a big deal for me but that never made it on the blog.

Back in April I got an e mail from my agent about a casting for a catalog shoot for a company that makes baby toys and products.  I'm still listed with an agent even though I haven't done any modeling in a long time. She's really cool about the fact that 99% of the time I have to say no because most castings and jobs are during the work week.  This time however, I was able to say yes.  It was going to be a quick one because they were only asking  a limited number to come in and I could get it done on my lunch break.  I don't like to bother with a casting if I already know I probably can't make the shoot, but she already knew the week the shoot would be on so I had time to wrap my head around juggling it with work. 

On Set // I got to work with those adorable babies

At the casting the person in charge said the client really liked me.  That should have made me confident but instead it made me even more nervous.  What if they liked my agency photos but HATE my casting pics?  Well, they didn't and I got an e mail that I had been booked for the job.  I was so excited because booking a job is practically a miracle.  That's how I see it anyways.  It's just such a crap shoot because there are so many variables that go into it.  Either it's a giant casting with a million girls that all look a like and you wonder how they ever choose one or everyone is so different that you have no clue what they are looking for.

Hair & Make up // Wardrobe // Display monitor while shooting // Beach Shoot Day 2

The shoot was at Groovy Like a Movie Studios.  It had been so long since I'd been able to do this that I was soaking everything up from the moment I got there.  I was so early they were still setting up.  You NEVER want to be late for a shoot.  It's unacceptable.  It happened to me once for my very first shoot ever.  It was at the beach and I got lost.  It was awful and my agent forgave me but I never wanted that to happen again.  The make up and hair person showed up and the fun began.  I went from the make up chair to the hair chair.  The client kept asking if we were almost done so they were rushing.  As soon as they finished I quickly changed into the outfit they had ready for me.  It was a basic top, sweater and capri's from Target.  In commercial print it's not about the clothes it's about the product.  Most of the shoot clothing comes from places like Target, JC Penny's or Marshall's.  And some of them like you to leave the tags on in case they want to return it.  I rushed over to the set to meet my son.  He was an adorable 5 month old baby boy and the next few hours were spent cuddling him while they took pictures.  It was really tricky.  You can't always get babies to do what you want them to do when you want them to do it but this baby was such a little pro.  He never cried even though he got passed around from person to person for hours.  Then my fake husband did some shots with our fake son and then all three of us did shots as a fake family.  The idea of course is that it look convincingly real.  There is a lot more acting in modeling then people may think.  And it's a painstaking process.  The baby's diaper is showing in one shot and my sweater is falling open in another.  It was always something and yet everything has to be perfect.

There is always a little bit of pressure because there is a room full of people watching.  This project is important to the client and I'm being paid to get good shots for them.  I want to do a good job.  It was a little confusing because the client told me to show more expression when the photographer had just told me not five minutes earlier to tone down the smile.  The monitor where the pictures pop up was actually facing towards me which I found unusual.  I'd never been on a set where I could actually see how the pictures were turning out so that was kind of helpful.  The hair stylist was obsessed with my pony tail.  She kept popping up next to me with her brush and hair spray.  My hair was basically shellacked by the time I was done.  The make up person was always right there checking out my face and giving it a swipe here and there.  I had one outfit change and a hair change throughout the shoot. 

Day 2 was at the beach.  I'm not the biggest fan of outdoor shoots because you have to deal with the elements and logistically it can be a pain in the butt.  I'm usually either too hot or too cold.  There might be dirt or itchy grass.  I just don't like it.  My call time was 7:30am.  The hair and make up station was a park bench and wardrobe was under a tree.  Once the clouds burned off it was a perfect day.  It was exhausting because I had to smile while lifting and carrying the 5 month old from yesterday all over the playground. My arms felt like noodles by the time we were done.  Then I worked with a toddler and they are even more unpredictable then babies.  We sat in the sand and tried to get this kid from dumping out all the sand onto his pants.  My fake husband was late.  I felt really bad for him because he showed up all flustered and the client was obviously mad.  Apparently there was a mix up with his agency about what his call time was.  I did some shots with him and another toddler on a play mat and then it was over.

In the grand scheme of things this gig was small potatoes but modeling opportunities for me are few and far between so any chance I get means a lot to me.  Even if it rarely happens I always feel lucky that  I've been able to do it at all.  There is a lot of waiting around and it can be really hard work but it's so much fun.

That was five months ago and what I got in the mail reminding me that I hadn't blogged about it was a fat paycheck.  It's real nice to get paid generously for doing something I actually enjoy.  What a concept!  It would take a 40 hour work week at my day job to get paid what I did for just 6 1/2 hours of modeling.  Don't even get me started on how depressing that thought is.  If modeling could be my real full time job we'd be rich.  It's pity I can't do it more often.  It really is great work if you can get it.

Throwback modeling pic

More about my illustrious modeling career here.

Dinner and a Casting

Last month one night before bed Mj handed me his i Phone and told me to check something out.  Fresh off the indignation of having Valentine's Day thrust upon him yet again he stumbled upon something called Steak & Knobber day.  If you have a curious mind and wanna google it go ahead; I dare you.   It's basically the little known male version of Valentine's Day except in typical male fashion the expectations are very specific.  It doesn't quite have the er, commercial potential of Valentine's Day so it won't ever be as popular as V Day but I guess I don't blame the guys for wanting "their" day with their little man spin on it since women seem to be the V Day focus.  He didn't ask me if I'd go along with it but I took it as a hint that he bothered to show it to me at all and since he indulges me on V Day I decided to return the favor.  

Mac & Cheese with Crumbled Bacon on top

Like Valentine's Day Steak & Knobber day fell on a not so date night friendly Tuesday so Friday night downtown would have to do.  I gave him five places to choose from and he chose the most expensive one of course.  Greystone The Steakhouse only made the list of options because I managed to turn some airline miles into a $25 restaurant gift card.  He ordered Steak with Crab on top and I ordered a side salad and a side of Macaroni and Cheese.  I have never ordered Mac & Cheese at a restaurant because next to Fettuccine Alfredo which is also on my do not order list I can't think of any other pasta that is more fat and calorie ridden.  I was craving it for some odd reason and they had it so I splurged.  It was so delicious.  It's comfort food after all so it totally eased the discomfort of paying $11 on for a glass of Wine.  Hold up.  Now that I think about it...how is it that my Mac & Cheese was just $1 more and my side salad was actually $1 less then wine? Oh well. 

After dinner we walked about a block to our casting.  I don't model anymore.  Castings and shoots are during the weekday and it was getting too hard to juggle them with work.  I technically do still have an agent and every now and then she'll send me a casting-which I usually can't make.  This time it was a print add for Microsoft.  They were looking for people between the ages of 25-45 and models were encouraged to bring their significant other.  How could I pass up a casting that was happening from 6-10pm down the street from a restaurant we were already planning to go to?  Well, this never happens so obviously I can't.  The timing was just too perfect and the fact that we could do it together was a bonus.  It was a typical casting.  Fill out your information sheet, wait your turn and smile for the camera.  This time they asked us to make a crazy face for the last shot.   Why?  I don't know but it's not even the weirdest thing I've ever been asked to do on a casting.  I thought it was so cute to see him standing there with his number and smiling for the camera.   Awww....his first casting.  It was at this really cool new Gelato Cafe/Bakery/Bar/Restaurant called Cremolose that I'd never even heard of before.  Of course we got some Gelato on the way out and ate it at the bar.

I already explained to him that since I referred him that makes me his manager so if he gets booked for the job I get a 10% cut.   As for the Knobber part of Steak & Knobber Day...well, I'll leave it to you to decide if I delivered on that one.

Top Model Girls Are Back

Top Model Hopefuls [photo credit: CWTV.com]

America's Next Top Model is back and the girls are skinnier then ever.  Just looking at these girls makes me feel fat.  The prizes for the Cycle 15 winner are better then they have ever been.  In addition to the $100,000 Cover Girl contract the winner will also receive an IMG modeling contract and a high fashion layout in Italian Vogue.  Normally Tyra throws a plus size model or two in there to shake things up a bit and so far they have made it pretty far with Whitney being the first plus size model ever to win on Cycle 10.  This time around there is no plus size model among this gaggle of skinnie minnies.  My guess is that Italian Vogue has something to do with that.  Glamour Magazine may have gotten on board with size acceptance for their models but I doubt that Italian Vogue is even close to making that leap.

There is already drama going on of course.  One girl read the diary of another then soon after admitting that she blatantly invaded her privacy accused her of being a racist.  The show features the tallest contestant ever at 6'2" who also has the smallest waist ever.  I can only describe this girl as a walking skeleton.  Not only might she be too tall for modeling she also might be too skinny.  The usual group of characters showed up for their shot as official Top Model cast members.  The diva.  The shy weird one.  The girl with an attitude that won't quit and another who is way too cocky.  There are a few small town girls sprinkled in there and even an Ivy League rich girl.  There are two mom's and neither one with a single stretch mark to speak of and stomachs that don't look like they ever held a child.  Two of the girls are sisters.   This cycle also sees the biggest bra size ever with one girl at a 34G.  I can't wait to see who cries during the make over episode.  There is always at least one.

The season premiere was just last week and the final girls chosen from last week will move into what is sure to be a killer house mansion on tonight's episode so there is still time to tune in and watch the drama unfold.  I love this show!  I've been watching since Cycle 1.  I've got it programmed into my DVR and will be posted up on the couch every Wednesday at 8:00 pm watching from now until the very last photo shoot and runway stomp to the death.  A new show called Hell Cats about a College competitive cheer squad comes on right after on the same channel that I can feel myself getting sucked into but the jury is still out on that one.

Just Wanna Go Home

I'm a creature of habit. I like to stick to my routine, I like things to make sense and I really value my time at home after I get off work considering it is so limited. So that's why I was hugely annoyed when I learned there would be a scheduled training for a promo job that I agreed to work this week. By the time I get home it's about 5:30 pm and I like to come home, shower, put on my comfy casuals watch a little bit of TV and relax. Needless to say I was really put out when I found out the training would be on Tuesday on 7:30 pm for 45 minutes. You mean to tell me that my entire evening is now spoiled for a training that we probably don't really need in the first place?

This is already a busy week for me. A 7:30 pm training downtown means that I don't have time to zig zag back and forth across town and go home. I am stuck without anything to do for a couple of hours after I get off work when all I wanna do is go home. Wednesday I have a hair appointment so I won't get home until close to 8pm and then Thursday the promo job runs until 10:30pm. That's three long days in a row and I don't like it one bit. I know. I'm such baby when it comes to this and I know I should just get over it but for some reason I couldn't and I was just so mad.

When I really think about it I am lucky that I get to do this kind of work at all. It's a better paying part time gig then anything else I can think of. I don't get to model much anymore and doing promos kind of keeps me involved and maintains my relationship with my agency. I can't always do these considering I work full time but the general rule I have with myself is that if the agency gets me booked for a promo job I will do it if I can work it into my schedule. I could use the money and I enjoy it so to do otherwise would just be lazy. Fine. But a training? What's the point?

It's not like promo jobs are all that difficult. We are paid to look good and promote a brand. I don't consider it "real" modeling but they pay well and goodness knows I could use the extra money. The jobs range from boring, awful or exhausting to fun and easy.  Often a lot of back breaking standing on your feet.  You usually never know what you are doing until you show up. One of my fav's was years ago when I got to watch Beyonce in concert for free and get paid for it! I feel a little old for the alcohol promo's but not too much of that comes through the agency anyways. I am usually one of the "older" girls which is fine by me because despite my creaky knees I can pass for younger and no one really notices that I'm probably a good 10 years older then the youngest!

Resigned to my fate I drive downtown and manage to find free parking. I sit in my car for about an hour or so reading a magazine and wishing I was at home. I decide to venture out to kill more time and trip on something in the sidewalk to the point where I almost break my sandals. Irritated, I walk towards the hotel where the training is and realize that it's right across from this little tourist spot with shops and restaurants right by the Marina. I take a little walk by the water and take in the smells of the different restaurants. I was disgruntled and not expecting any photo ops.  I didn't have a camera with me and my phone is a million years old so I couldn't take a picture of all of the pretty boats bobbing up and down in the water or the cool horse drawn carriage waiting for customers to carry downtown. I wander into a few shops. The light breeze feels good on my face. I live in a beautiful place and I don't take it for granted but I do sometimes forget that all of this is right here in my backyard.

The pic I would have taken if I'd had a "real" phone. Courtesy of google images.

Suddenly my mood has lifted and I am no longer upset about this whole change in my routine. I got to lay my eyes on the pretty marina and take a nice walk. It was refreshing. Just walking through the hotel was an experience because it was so grand and beautiful. I couldn't help but wonder how much a wedding there would cost! Then, I actually enjoyed meeting the event organizers and the other models-two of which I have worked with before years ago.  Yeah, we probably didn't really need this kind of prep but the marketing company running the event is really organized and wanted to go that extra step. We picked out our sizes and found out a little bit about what we would be doing. I'm actually really excited about working Thursday's event.

Sure, I'd rather have been at home in my jammies watching the latest episode of "If I can Dream" on hulu and I'm tired now because I didn't get home until 9:30pm and got to bed late but it wasn't so bad. I wasted so much energy being angry. I can be so set in my ways sometimes. It just goes to show you that sometimes no matter how hard you try to disregard that silver lining sometimes it hunts you down and taps you on the shoulder anyways.

That Model Chick

It’s been about 3 months since I told my OC agency to put me on indefinite hold status and way longer since I last did any work.  It stirred up of this odd mixture of desire, sadness and stress every time they'd call and ask if I could go to a casting and I'd have to say no. I could tell they were irritated but it was simply too difficult to make myself available. I’d have to get out of work for the casting which is typically 1-2 hours away and then if by some miracle I somehow managed to book the job then I’d have to figure out how to get out of work again. Logistically, it was next to impossible to juggle it so getting those calls and saying no every time was just a source of stress. Although I was a little sad at the same time it’s been a relief to put an end to the phone calls. The nail was already sitting in the coffin of my acting and modeling but this basically drove it in with a resounding thud. I still have a local agent but there isn't much work to be had down here.  I am OK with it though because it's time to move on.   I prefer to GO for it or not go at all and with a full time job I had to shift my priorities.

When I look through my modeling portfolio it’s almost like a different girl staring back at me. She had long hair streaked with brownish red and stars in her eyes.

From my first portfolio shoot

She loved the fun and the challenge of acting classes. As reserved as she was in her real life she thrived on memorizing lines and getting in front of the camera to perform or pose.  She got paid work doing random industrial video's. She really enjoyed the fun of hanging out on sets for hours getting to know new people all the time and checking out the craft services junk food table that was a fixture on every set. 

She had three agents and spent many a days running off to auditions where she saw the same familiar faces all doing the same thing.  She'd spend 5 hours on the road there and back in traffic for print castings where all the girls there look like her and someone snaps a pic with a digital camera in 2 minutes.  She went to LA for commercial and film auditions too.  She walked in fashion shows. That girl was not afraid of walking into a room full of people to be stared at and judged or to strip down to a bikini for a fashion show or photo shoot.

Fashion show

Beyonce Concert Promo 2007

Submitting for work and checking her inbox for responses was a daily part of her routine. She was brave enough to finally quit her much hated 9-5 job of 8 years and work part time for a while. She did all kinds of promo model work too. They were sometimes fun, and sometimes long and exhausting but the money was good and it helped her keep the bills paid.

Promo Job

She was passionate about what she was doing and kept hustling in the face of rejection. She didn’t let her age or height stop her from giving it a shot which is really all she ever really wanted. The awkward nerdy girl she once was was gone and in her place was a woman confident enough to put herself out there and try something she never in a million years though she could ever do.

I will always associate that time in my life with the joy and freedom of getting to work just 24 hours a week. For 1 1/2 years my schedule was flexible and I felt like my own boss.  Getting to LIVE and enjoy life again without being chained to a desk for 40 hours a week was liberating. It was ultimately what allowed me the opportunity to be available for auditions and shoots. I was recently divorced, I was on my own and It was scary to leave the security of full time work but it felt so good that I was finally putting my myself and my dreams first. 

It was so much fun to be a part of that world in even the small way that I was. Rejection was never fun but there are a lot of great moments that stand out.  I was so happy when I finally booked my first job and got my very first paycheck from my agency for a Babies R Us catalog. I couldn't believe that I was actually getting paid to have someone take my picture. I didn't believe it for a long time but it meant that I was actually a real model and it was pretty cool to be able to say that.

1st agency booked gig.  Babies R Us Catalog.

I got booked as an "Under 5" for a short lived soap opera that was broadcast around the world and got to actually see myself on network TV. Under 5 is basically a nice way of saying you have no lines but I was happy just to be involved and got paid more for 2 days then I probably ever will again in my life for the same amount of work!

I LOVED photo shoots. Believe it or not modeling is hard work. Sometimes the shoots are physically demanding. I've been freezing my butt off, forced to hold awkward positions that hurt, ride a bike, or go up and down stairs for hours among other things. Outdoor shoots could be particularly draining.  Either too hot, too cold or dirty but you always have to make it look effortless and natural.  No matter what it was, I just loved being in front of the camera and felt lucky to be able to do it at all.

I was a Commercial model. Not being 5'8" or taller and over the hill in my late 20's I couldn't really expect to be a high fashion model or travel to exotic locations for shoots. You couldn’t find me in fashion magazines or billboards but it was still pretty exciting that my face was on a book cover in Wal-Mart’s and other book stores across the U.S. When I went to the store to buy it myself it was bizarre and so awesome.

Book Cover

It was fun how friends and family got such a kick out of it when they randomly saw me in an add. I was spotted in a Hilton add at a Florida airport and of all places in a little bit piece in The National Enquirer.

Hilton Add

Me in the National Enquirer

Black Singles Add

I was even spotted canoodling with my "boyfriend" on an internet dating website.

I remember how excited I was when I FINALLY managed to get an L.A. Agent. I got to do commercial and print auditions for Old Navy, Target and other such big name brands. Had I been able to keep going who knows, maybe I eventually would have booked a really big one!  Among the catalog shoots I got to do one of my absolute favorites was for a cheerleading company. As a former cheerleader I had a ball playing dress up in these adorable uniforms all day. I did the shoot alongside a bunch of teenagers and thought it was hilarious that no one even knew that I was so much older then the other girls.

Broadway Cheerleading Catalog

Best of all is that I will always have that beautiful moment when I found out that I was a top five finalist in the Joe’s Next Model Contest. It is a feeling I will never ever forget as long as I live and I will always have the fondest memories of that entire experience.  It was just a contest but for me it was my last chance to do anything like that.  What a thrill it was to find out after each cut that I was still in the running.  It was a dream come true to make it so far out of so many people.  It was a HUGE deal for me and I had such an amazing time in LA.  They treated us so well and I got all of that great Joe's Jeans merchandise.  It is so fitting that it was to be my last photo shoot.

Joe's Next Model Shoot

I must say it was fun while it lasted.  I may not have made it to the pot at the proverbial end of the rainbow but most important is the wonderful experience that I had reaching for it.

America's Next Top Model Cycle 13 Petites: Nicole vs Laura

Nicole & Laura at the Final Runway Show

This was the first cycle ever dedicated to petite models 5'7" and under only. I thought it was great to see having always been a "short" model myself. I think it proves that you don't have to be 5'10" to look amazing in a high fashion photo. The fashion industry is stubborn so I don't see the industry standards changing any time soon but it's a start. You don't even have to win America's Next Top Model to become a successful working model. Tyra Banks has gotten so many models discovered and working who might otherwise have gotten lost in the shuffle. Her show has been a great innovator in terms of pushing the industry towards acceptance of different looks, plus size and now she is doing it again with petites.

The stakes were really high this season. There are always tears in the initial episode where the group that actually competes to be the top model is decided but this time it was even more devastating for these girls. Short models face an uphill battle and for many of them this was their one shot to ever have a chance of making it.

Nicole's transformation from beginning to end was nothing short of incredible. In the early episodes she talked like a stoner and had the personality of a rock. Her monotone voice showed even less expression then her face and she was so socially awkward. The lights were on but nobody was home. Compare that to the final episode where she is bubbly, laughing, confident, and full of smiles as she challenges for the top spot in the final runway show. She seems like a totally different person. She takes beautiful photos and once she came out of her shell there was no stopping her. Being on the show not only turned her into a model but a well adjusted woman with confidence that simply wasn't there before.

Laura is a sweetheart. She's your down home small town girl with dreams and a heart of gold. She truly is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside and that is such a rare and special quality. Her personal style was just about the worst ever seen in Top Model history but her personality was so charming and endearing that she made it to the final two anyways. It was amazing to watch her overcome her dyslexia and deliver such a likable Cover Girl commercial. Her commercial from last week's episode was horrible but she totally turned it around surprising everyone.

Neither one are exceptional on the runway and being 5'7" that probably doesn't matter so much anyways. They did a good job in the final runway show but I couldn't see either one in fashion week and not because they are petite. It would have been nice if the first petite top model winner was also amazing on the runway so she could challenge in that area as well. Looking at their photos from all prior shoots in panel it was clear to me that Nicole took better pictures and has greater range then Laura because of her high fashion edge. She is just a natural model with a fierceness in her eyes and carriage of her body that stands out in photos.

Although, I do think that Nicole is the better model based upon photos and range Laura was my sentimental favorite to win the whole thing. Also beautiful, Laura has this Polyanna like happiness and innocence about her that I envy. Nicole has the red hair but Laura is the Annie who believes that the sun will come out tomorrow. In her own words she is poor, from a small town, and has been told she is stupid yet has gone farther then anyone ever expected her to. It's a great story and it was so sad to watch her burst into tears as Nicole was announced the winner.

What a life changing and wonderful opportunity. Both girls are so lucky and fortunate to have this chance and I think they will both be very successful in their careers.

I have watched every single episode of every single cycle of America's Next Top model and Cycle 13 was no exception. I never grow tired of watching dreams come true and that is exactly what happens on this show. Reality TV has a bad rap for a lot of really good reasons. Some shows on the air are absolutely ridiculous. There are some really bad shows out there that I watch anyways but shows like this are different. Who can really trash talk a show that gives people a chance to have their dream? To me, this is the upside and the true potential of reality TV from American Idol to Project Runway or Top Chef. Sometimes people just need a chance and these shows give it to them.

And Then There Were Five

I am filled with excitement as I board the plane to LA. I am in a great mood and just sort of taking in everything around me. After landing around 10:30 am I call the car service and soon after a black stretch limo pulls up. I felt like such a jet setting VIP as I step inside. I could really get used to this!! Three of the other male models are already inside the limo and before we head to the studio we pick up 2 more.

We arrive at Smashbox Studios in Culver City where our shoot will take place. It is this huge hollow open space with stark white walls that have no corners. The 4 other female models are already in hair and make up. They seem so tall and glamorous. There are flurries of activity coming from everywhere. Make up artists, hair stylists, crew, Joe's Jeans staff and a bunch of other people are all over the place. There is loud music playing making it a very upbeat atmosphere. There is a videographer floating around taking footage of everything.

Finally, it's time for me to get my hair done. I find out I will be given extensions to make a high very long pony tail. It is so tight I can feel the skin in my scalp stretch when I smile. My hair is now ruined and disgusting from all of the thick Crisco like wax used to slick down my hair. I have this pompadour thingy put in the front of my head. Definitely not your everyday look but it is so cool to being made up so differently then my usual [slightly boring] self. My wardrobe consists of black ripped tights, a long black sleeveless sweater top, and a cool biker type denim jacket. The shoes are stiletto Christian Louboutin boots that are super sexy but hurt like hell. I wait until the last minute to put them on. My eye make up is pretty dramatic with winglike eyeliner extending out from the corners of my eyes. There is a lot of waiting as the other female models shoot before me. I am starving by now. It's 2 pm and lunch has arrived but I don't want to ruin my lips and I am too keyed up anyways, so I don't eat yet. The photographer is Jiro Schneider. By the time I get on set I am no longer nervous-I'm just ready to get started. I catch a glimpse of one of my pics on the monitor but when they see me looking they turn it away from me. I know there are people watching but I am really not aware of it because I am so focused on listening to the photographer's directions and the bright lights make it kinda hard to see anyone. I am standing in front of a plain white backdrop. There are no props and you can't just stand there. You have to do something interesting with your body which isn't easy to do when you can't see yourself. I shake my ponytail, pose, and prance around. There are no smiles on this shoot. It's high fashion. I am having fun and then before I know it my shoot is over. I keep replaying the shoot in my mind trying to figure out if it went OK but I can't really know anything for sure until I see the pictures. We do group shots and then it's a wrap around 6:30pm. We have champagne, chocolate and strawberries to celebrate. The hard part is over and now it's time to let loose and have fun.

We are taken to The Standard Hotel in downtown LA where we'll be staying. The rooms are funky and very modern. There is a platform bed with a bedroom that shares a glass wall with the bathroom shower so you can literally see right through the wall and into the bathroom from the bedroom. Joe's is treating us to drinks and appetizers at the rooftop club/bar at 8pm. It is cool getting to know all of the models that up to now I have only seen on the website. Everyone is really nice and we are all having a good time. I can't believe I am out drinking and dancing on a Thursday night when I am normally in bed!! The night is warm and we have a great view of the high rise buildings that surround the hotel. I am soooo exhausted by now but having so much fun that I really don't want it to end. We hang for a bit longer then we all go to our own hotel rooms. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next morning we meet at 10am for breakfast on the rooftop. The mood is somber. The loud chatter and excitement of the day before is replaced with quiet murmurs as we all lounge around eating and waiting for the rest of the Joe's Jeans staff to arrive. One by one we are taken to meet Joe. He asks me some basic questions like where I'm from, what size I wear and how tall I am. More waiting. We are all getting pretty antsy by this point. It's well past 11 am and we just want to know who the winner is.

I am asked to go back over and talk to the owner of the Photogenics Modeling agency. She asks me a few more questions. I am only one of three who was asked back for a second chat-the other two are the winners. They say it was really tough decision to make as they ask all 10 of us to line up in front of the Joe's staff and judges and they announce the winners of the first ever Joe's Next Model Contest. Madeline and Craig will be the faces of their newest add campaign. We are handed plastic envelopes with full size prints of the pics they selected for us and told that we will be extended a gift credit to shop at Joe's Jeans online (in addition to the pair of jeans we were allowed to keep from the shoot). I am really excited to hear that!

Of course I am disappointed not to win. This was my last chance at an opportunity like this. I was hopeful but at the same time I had no expectations except to do a great shoot, have a good time and make my family proud. I'd say I accomplished all three. Madeline's shots were gorgeous and she is 5'11". I am honored just to be in the running with all of these other good looking people. I am much older then the youngest of the bunch but I fit right in and held my own. How cool is that? I am proud of myself for having made it this far. I had such an incredibly good time. Did I bring my camera? Yes. Did I take any pictures? No. I was a little bit devastated when my camera turned up missing. Unfortunately, one of the make up artist hijacked my camera by accident. She packed it up with all of her other supplies and took it. It figures that would happen to me!! She is kind enough to mail it to my home address but that doesn't do me any good right now when I am in LA. It really sucks that I didn't get to take pictures to document this amazing experience like I wanted to.

But I will always have my photo shoot pics. They are not your typical smiling beauty shots. I can't believe it's me looking like an add out of some funky fashion magazine. It was so out of my element but I think I pulled it off pretty well.

I am so tired right now. I am not a partier so just one night of being out on the town has worn me out along with the long shoot and the excitement of everything that's been going on. I am killing time in the hotel lobby while I wait for my 4pm ride to the airport. I am so glad that this is going to be a quick flight for me. I will have the car all to myself on the way to the airport which will be a nice way to wrap up this amazing experience. Joe's Jeans has really treated us so well and ran a great contest. I am just so, so happy to have been a part of this. I said that I would be OK if I didn't win and I really am.

Sephora Pro Beauty Runway Show

Photo Set

Me & My Make Up Artist

The 80's Look

I pull into the resort unsure of which way to go until I see a gaggle of tall thin girls heading towards me from the opposite direction. Ahh, must be some of the other models. So, I guess I'm in the right area. Then I see a large black Sephora sign with white lettering posted on the building to my left so I look for a parking spot. As I walk to the Veranda Room a young woman wearing a black Sephora T-shirt says to me, "Are you CeCe?" She says she is my make up artist. She must've recognized me from the photo that my agent sent over. Soon after I am ushered to a white back drop where my lovely "before" shot is taken. Then, over to my make up artist's station to work on wardrobe. My make up artist is Jelena and she's got the coolest Puerto Rican accent. I love the way it sounds when she says "Miami"-which is where she is here from.

This is the Sephora Pro Beauty Competition. Thirty make up artists from all over have been chosen to compete for 12 spots on the Sephora Pro Beauty team and each one has it's own model. We wait around for a while before we head over to the ballroom where the show will be held for the rehearsal. Each model's image is projected on two huge screens on either side of the runway as we walk and we can see this from backstage. I can hear the other girls making comments about each one and I can only wonder what will be said about me as I take my turn. We only have time to walk through it once before heading back to the Veranda room.

Once everyone is in place at their make up stations the games begin. The artists are given exactly 2 hours to complete their look. This includes hair. Jelena goes to work. I sit still and take quick sips of my soda between brush strokes. She doesn't talk much and I can tell she is really trying to focus. She applies these funky blue and black false eyelashes to my lids and can't seem to get them right. Not too long after that I hear her say, "I'm not gonna make it." Someone yells out that there is one hour left and before I know it only 5 minutes remain and she hasn't even touched my hair. She hurriedly pulls my hair into a high side pony tail right before they call time. She is obviously disappointed-she felt she didn't do her best, but I am impressed. My face is a rainbow of colors and my eyebrows are downright sculpted. Not your every day look for sure, but very artistic. The judges come around and inspect all the models. They are wearing black and white looking very serious as they confer and take notes on each look. I sit there awkwardly not knowing where to look as they stare intently at my face.

We all line up for our "after" shot and then we break for dinner. Models DO eat!! Well, at least the ones here. I saw it with my own eyes. Some plates were piled pretty high and I even saw a model with 2 pieces of cheesecake. Our lipstick is totally ruined of course after chowing down. The artists do touch ups and we sit for more judging.

Next, it's showtime!! We are shuttled over to the ballroom and line up in order. We can here the crowd going crazy in anticipation and there is loud music playing. There are six different eras being showcased from the 50's pin up girl to the 21st Century. I am in the 80's group. I am wearing a green spandex short halter style dress, fluorescent green ankle length spandex and bright yellow chuck taylors. Some of the other eras have much sexier outfits. The disco girls were on gold roller skates! It's kinda hard to feel sexy and strut down the runway in that funky outfit and flat sneakers. I sure could've used some extra height since I am a shortie on the runway, but this show is not about me. It's for my make up artist so I do the best I can to make her look good. Oh, and the worst thing ever is that my not a stitch of make up looking like I just rolled out of bed "before" shot is now displayed on the huge screens for everyone to look at as I walk to the center of the runway. I had this bad feeling they were going to do that to us!! Some of these other girls are sooooo tall, soooo thin, and sooo gorgeous that I feel a bit like an like an oompa loompa in comparison but I don't let that stop me from feeling good out there and enjoying myself. I strut down the runway with confidence and my before shot is replaced with live action of me workin' it. I pause at the white tape mark towards the end which we were told is the "sweet spot" for photos and look at each of the judges. After that we all walk out onstage side by side with our make up artist to a lively cheering crowd. The Black Eyed Peas song "I gotta Feeling" is blasting and everyone is on stage clapping and having a good time.

After that the models are free to go. So, as I leave that night I don't know how my make up artist fared. I gave her a hug and wished her the best of luck. This is her dream and I would love for it to come true for her.

Most of the other models were younger and are probably doing modeling full time. That's not the case for me. I don't get to do this very often so when I do I just drink it all in and really try to enjoy it. This was such a fun show to be a part of. It wasn't looking like I was going to do any modeling or acting jobs this year which I would've been OK with because it's just the way it goes, and now I end up with two jobs both within days of each other and I've still got my big Joe's Jeans casting next week. I'm going to be able to actually save a chunk of money for a change and maybe spend a little of it too! I earned it right? And I had fun doing it. Pretty cool if I do say so myself.