Meet Amanda, from Elkridge, MD. I met her when I was in undergrad at the University of Maryland and have been following her modeling career for a while now. She is gorgeous, talented and has an amazing portfolio. Continue reading to learn more about her experience as a model and how you can break into the industry.
Why do you rock?
I rock because I stay true to myself, I reach for my dreams, and I always try to live life to the fullest! I don’t compromise my personality for anybody and I’m not afraid to stand out in a crowd. Everyone can be wearing plain black outfits and I would be the one wearing a full sequin outfit (I’ve done it before, so I know how it is lol). I’m a dreamer; I have aspirations and every day I make sure I’m working towards fulfilling those dreams. I live a busy, hectic life, full of events, castings, outings, etc. and yes I may be tired sometimes, but at least I can say that I’m really making the best out of my life. I would never want to look back on my life and be sad because I never did anything. In my journey to accomplishing my dreams I also take time to reach out and help others. I was once in their place, so I know what’s like to just start out. Remember that life is not a competition; instead we should all help each other out, and in turn, the world may be a happier place.
Do you think college helped you with
modeling in any way?
I definitely think that college
helped me with modeling. I joined a fashion related organization when I was in
college which is where I got the idea to start modeling.
Why and when did you decide
you wanted to be a model?
I decided that I wanted to
model my sophomore year of college. I was first inspired by the models I saw at
the fashion club in school, how they walked with so much confidence and grace,
and how everyone cheered for them on the runway. Back then I didn’t have that
much self confidence and I saw modeling as a way to help me gain confidence and
build my self esteem. Modeling made me feel really good about myself.
How did you get into the industry and how
did you start getting actual modeling jobs?
I started off with a few casual
photoshoots here and there, and I actually didn’t take it seriously when I
started. After several photographers prompted me to look into being more
serious, then I decided to put more effort into breaking into the industry. I
started with going to networking events and fashion industry events, where I
met photographers, makeup artists, designers, etc. When you put yourself out
there, people might start contacting you about certain jobs, so networking is a
very important part of breaking into the industry.
I made business cards for myself
with my photo and measurements on them and went to fashion events in the area
and passed them out. I went to websites like yelp.com, eventbrite.com, or
gregslistdc.com to find out when and where there were fashion events in my
area. Another way that I started getting jobs was from a website called Model
Mayhem, which gets a bad reputation sometimes but it can be very helpful in
finding local photographers to work with to get your portfolio started. I still
use the site from time to time to find new people to work with, and I’ve found
that it’s been a very useful website for me.
Who’s your favorite model and why?
My favorite model is Alek Wek
because she was someone I could look up to when I was growing up. I was always
teased for my dark skin, and to see a beautiful successful dark skin woman on
the runway let me know that my dark skin is beautiful and many other people
think so too.
Where do you want to take
your modeling career/what are your plans for your future in modeling?
At first my only goal was to be
signed to an agency, but at this point I realize that for me, being agency
signed isn’t the most important thing for me. It would be nice to be signed,
but there are also successful models who do a lot of freelance work. I would
just like to be able to work with top companies, be featured in a few ads, get
my fair share of print work, and ultimately just make a name for myself within the fashion industry.
What do you like most about modeling?
I love the feeling of empowerment
and the boost of confidence it gives me. When I’m modeling, I feel like I’m in
another world and I turn into my alter ego, Amanda Finesse. I love doing photo
shoots but when I’m on the runway, I get an adrenaline rush, and all eyes are
on me. I feel so awesome coming off the runway or seeing photos from a shoot I
did.
Modeling is a mood-booster and a way to release any negative energy I
have.
What do you dislike about
modeling?
I really don’t like the
discrimination in modeling; how you don’t see too many black models on the
runway whereas designers pick mostly white models. I’ve been in shows where
designers will choose a white model who can’t walk over a black model with a
better walk, and I feel as though its simply because the model is white. To me
as a consumer I would rather see more diverse models so that I can feel as
though the clothes are meant to be worn by everybody. This world consists of all types of people,
all different ethnicities, and even though we are in a predominantly white
country, I think it’s time for the fashion world to be more diverse. Its way
overdue.
What’s your favorite job
you’ve done so far?
My favorite job has to be when
I was on NBC4 in December of 2012 modeling New Year’s fashions for Carine’s
Bridal. It was my first time being on TV and I was so nervous but excited at
the same time. I was wearing this gorgeous beaded cocktail dress by Theia which
the stylist had to pin because it was a little too big on me. Backstage she
told me not to turn around under any circumstances because she didn’t want
anyone to see the pins, which I understood. However on air it was a different
story. The stylist didn’t relay the same message to the news anchor, so after
the news anchor described my dress she asked me to show the back. I was so
nervous and didn’t know what to do, so I started backing out off camera, and
the news anchor was like “You don’t have to back out!” I knew if I had turned
around the stylist would’ve been mad though, so I did what I thought was right.
After the cameras stopped rolling, everyone burst out laughing on set and
started teasing me about how I was “moonwalking” on live TV. To this day, that
experience is very memorable and such a great story for me to remember. If you
want to see the footage from that TV segment, watch this episode of my web
show, The Finesse Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1ZogyQG8nU
Any advice or tips for aspiring models?
There a few really important
things to remember when it comes to modeling.
1. Don’t give up. You’re going to hear no a lot more than you’ll
hear yes. Don’t let that discourage you; your look isn’t for everyone, and
every job is not meant for you. When somebody tells you no, use it as fuel to
work harder and improve your skills.
2. Network, network, network! In this industry, it’s all about
who you know. Go to fashion shows and networking events whenever you can. Make
sure to carry business cards or modeling comp cards on you at all times because
you never know who you’re going to meet and when. Some of the jobs you get will
be from the people you meet because some jobs only cast models by word of mouth
or they ask people they know for referrals. As a matter of fact, I got to be on
TV because of a PR agent I met at a networking event who referred me to her
client. Networking can get you in where you can’t by yourself.
3. Stay true to yourself. In this industry its easy to get
caught up in what you think a model is supposed to look like, as opposed to
embracing your own look. Don’t starve yourself because you think you need to
look anorexic to book jobs. No matter how bad you want a job, don’t lose
yourself trying to become someone you’re not. Its better to be yourself and be
different.
4. Know your market. There’s all kinds of modeling, not just the
high fashion modeling you see in the magazines or on the runway. Do your
research on the different areas of modeling: high fashion, editorial, runway,
commercial, glamour, swimsuit, fitness, etc. and find out which area you’re
best suited for. You’ll save yourself a lot of headache and energy if you
figure this out first.
5. Don’t be a diva! You’re a model and you’re beautiful but that
doesn’t give you the right to have an attitude like you’re better than everyone
else. Be nice to EVERYBODY. Nothing is worse than a model with a great walk,
great look, and a nasty attitude. Trust me, nobody likes to work with divas and
you can guarantee that you will not be booked again. Also people talk and one
person you may be nasty to may be the one to let everyone know not to work with
you. Again, be nice to everybody!
6. Have fun! No, modeling is not easy, and you may reach some
pitfalls, but you should always remember to have fun no matter what happens.
Modeling is a great way to boost your confidence and feel good about yourself.
No matter what obstacles you may face on your journey, remember why you started
enjoy the process.
What is your favorite item
in your closet?
It’s so hard to choose just one
item! I have a lot of different things that I like, but one of my favorite
items has to be this really cool black Torn by Ronny Kobo jacket that I have.
It has a peplum shape, but its sort of abstract, and looks really architectural
and avant garde. It also has a quilted texture to the fabric of the jacket
which makes it look even more interesting. I always get compliments when I wear
it, and no matter what I’m wearing, the jacket always upgrades the whole outfit.
Everyone needs a piece like that in their closet!
How long have you been
natural?
I’ve been natural for about 2
and a half years. I started a few months after I graduated from college.
Check out her online portfolio here: http://www.amandafinesse.com and http://www.thefinesselife.com to watch her Web show, which features fashion shows and backstage access.
