A Confident Model is .............

Easy to Spot

You can always tell which people walk around with confidence versus those that don't. It's the way they carry themselves, the body language used and the way they interact with others.

Confident models walk with heads held high, maintain eye contact with others and stand tall instead of slouching. There is an air about them that can't quite be explained or expressed except to say that they walk with confidence--whether it's into a casting call, modeling assignment or just running errands on an ordinary day.

Not Deterred by Rejection

Confident models aren't immune to rejection. What makes them truly confident is still possessing the same amount of confidence in themselves even after they've been rejected for an opportunity. Instead of breaking down and feeling sorry for themselves, they know it is only a temporary setback and are further motivated to do better next time. Because they understand that there are plenty of "next times."

Not an Ego Beast

There is such a thing as being too confident. Being arrogant and egotistical is not only unbecoming, it isn't what makes for a true model. Humility is one of the most prized traits for any model to have, regardless of the amount of success they enjoy. Humble and confident models recognize their good fortune but don't use it to put others down, criticize the competition or engage in shameless and unnecessary self promotion (aka "bragging").

Approachable

A model who isn't threatened by the presence of another model is a prime example of exhibiting confidence in the industry. Confident models have no problem getting to know the other models during casting calls or shoots, are comfortable making small talk and--in many instances--even making friends. Catty divas and those who would rather cut eyes at colleagues rather than return a warm and genuine smile are anything but confident and are often the ones with the lowest self esteem.

A Positive Thinker

When you focus on putting out positive energy, positive things will come to you. Confident models know this and embrace it. They go into each go-see or casting call with the belief that they're the best candidate for the job. If they snag the opportunity, they're proud of themselves. If they don't, they still pat themselves on the back because they know they performed to the best of their ability.

Instead of griping about what they did wrong, making excuses or spending too much time on the "what ifs," they look forward to the next opportunity and believe that the missed assignment must mean they were meant for another gig that's bigger and better. Mind over matter is what confident models live by.

A Role Model

Anyone who is confident--model or not--tends to produce a great influence and affect on others. When you see somebody who is confident, it automatically makes you want to be, too. When people ask someone, "How do you stay so confident? What's your secret?" it opens up the door for the person being asked to positively influence others with their reply.

Confident models tend to be great leaders as well as role models because they serve as a living example of how life can be when you believe in yourself. And there's nowhere else this point carries more weight than in the modeling industry.

Nigerian- Canadian Based Jewellery Label Shar Oke, Presents “SMOke By Shar” Collection

For more information, visit Website
Twitter: @SharOke
Instagram: SharOke
Facebook: SharOke
Shoot Credits
Photographer: Jennifer Conley Images
Models: Sarah Faraone& Claudia Stone
Stylist: Tara Ocansey

Models, your portfolio is your most important asset.

Your portfolio is your most important asset. It represents you and the type of work you do. It may seem as simple as putting together some pictures into a book but there are a few key things to keep in mind.

If you're a newbie and haven't done a photo shoot before, you don't have to worry about that hurting your chances if you're looking for an agent to sign with. They love to sign undiscovered talent and will set you up with shoots for your portfolio right away.

If you are already modeling, then this post will most likely be more helpful to you but newer models can definitely take note as well!

The first thing your portfolio must do is reflect the type of work that you fit. In this particular case, only include images in your professional portfolio that you meet the requirements for. If you have an agent already, this will help them immediately submit you for bookings that are appropriate.

You do your agent no favor by being a 5'5" commercial/print model who only has high fashion images in your portfolio. That doesn't mean you can't do pictures that are outside of your field in the industry, because by all means you can, but when it comes to your agent and being considered for work, keep it to the themes your agency is representing you for.

If you are a commercial/print model, then your portfolio should contain that type of theme throughout. This goes for all parts of the industry. Of course there's no harm in including a little variety but make sure to communicate with your agent and get all of the photos you decide to put in your portfolio approved by your agent first.

In the age of online technology, many agencies now post online portfolios instead of having hard copies but you may still be required to have a portfolio book with printed hard copies of your images. This will definitely be the case for high fashion models. The ideal size for printing out your images is no bigger than 8"x 10". And make sure that you get a good quality, sturdy portfolio book or case that accomodates the size of your photos without wrinkling or tearing them.

Include no more than 20 photos. If you can, try to limit it to 15 photos. You never want to overwhelm the client with too many photos, unless your images are all stunning. Include both color and black and white images. If 15-20 photos sounds like it wouldn't be enough, keep in mind that over time models always update their portfolios with new shots so it's not like you'd be showing clients the same 15-20 pictures. 

The most important thing to remember when it comes to your portfolio is to only include the BEST photos of you. EVERY SINGLE IMAGE IN YOUR PORTFOLIO SHOULD MAKE THE VIEWER GO "WOW"! Not, "okay", "cute", "nice", but "WOW". Each turn of the page should make them want to see more and ultimately, book you for their gig. Put your best photos on the right side of the portfolio book and the really good photos on the left side. This will allow them to catch your best images first and make them want to keep going through your book.

Never put an image in your portfolio that you have any doubts about. You need to be proud of your work and show your client and agent that you have what it takes to get the job done and that you are the one they should choose.

House Of Tehilah Unveils "Tehilah" Fall 2013 Collection

Photo Credits
Photography: Urkelace
Stylist: Tehilah Abakasanga
Makeup Artist: Tehilah Abakasanga
Assisted by: Tiffany Egeonu
Models: Arafat Aboyeji & Theodora Odikpo
Designer: Telihah

For more information on Tehilah,visit;
Instagram: @tehilahdesigns
Twitter: @TehilahDesigns

Introducing Onyinye(Best Model Nigeria 2013).....Model of the Day.

 Name:Emeasoba onyinye

Statistics: 33, 26, 36

Height: 5'9ft

info: onyinyeemeasoba1@gmail.com

DynamixPrime Presents "TIPS 2"

                                  A One day Intensive training for upcoming and aspiring Models in Nigeria
                                                  
                                                     -1 Day - 7hours - 4 facilitators - 100% practical

Models would learn to do MakeUp, Do Catwalk on the walkway, Styling and learn more ideas on photography poses.

For More enquiries:
08030861847, 08186731987
Dynamixfotofashion@gmail.com
BB: 23781603

Rejection should stop nothing..

I get countless emails from ladies not just asking for advice about becoming a model but asking for my opinion and--in many instances--i can tell within a few sentences whether an aspiring female model has confidence in herself or not (or too much!).

I will say right now that modeling isn't easy, especially in a developing country like Nigeria, nor is it for everybody with these goals. However, if you're going to jump into this just growing industry, being equipped with confidence is going to get you through a lot of tough times. Whether you want to freelance, get represented by an agency, are pursuing a fashion career. I can only hope that this post will help change negative mindsets for the better and understand how important confides to women of all ages, shapes and sizes.

we all have flaws...I've heard every type of self complaint there is:

I'm too fat, I'm too skinny, i am too short, I have pimples, I have bad skin, My nose is too big and on and on and on.

Recognize your flaws, work on what you can and then work on embracing the flaws you can't do anything about. The day you can look in the mirror and not say one critical thing about yourself is the day you've truly embraced the person looking back at you.

Realize There is Only One You

Unless you have an identical twin, chances are there is no one that looks, acts or sounds like you. And that is something amazing, believe it or not. While there is a standard type of physical look that certain modeling categories call for, such as runway and fashion, there is much more to being successful than appearance alone.

Confidence is about believing in yourself and what you have to offer an agent or a client. They see tons of models each and every day. After a while they all start to become one big blur. But the model with confidence always stands out.

You know what's great about yourself and it is up to you to sell that to agencies and clients. Not realizing your true worth and how you stand out from the crowd is the fastest way to become one in a sea of many generic model wannabes.

It Isn't Personal, It's Business

Losing out on a modeling job or being turned down by an agency sucks. I'm not even going to sugarcoat that. But you know what? Modeling is a business. Although it is a business that analyzes, judges and criticizes, the foundation for those things isn't to tear people down and make them feel terrible about themselves.

The decisions made by clients and modeling agencies are solely for the purpose of business. I wouldnt say theres a lot of money that goes into the modeling industry and that's what it's about: who can make us the most money? Who will designers and clients fight over to work with? Who has what it takes to guarantee a long career and plenty of paychecks for all involved?

When you're being judged, it is not on the basis of who you are as a person but who you can be and what you can do for an agency or client. Sounds superficial doesn't it? But that's the good thing...it IS superficial and a big sign that it's nothing against you personally.

Rejection is a regular part of the job and you have to learn how to adapt to this part of the business. Being turned down doesn't mean you weren't good enough, it simply means you weren't the right fit.

That's not to say you shouldn't feel bad when you do get rejected--it's a normal human emotion to feel sad, upset, angry or even cry. Express yourself however you feel comfortable but only give yourself 10 minutes to throw a pity party. Once those 10 minutes have passed, pick yourself up and stand even taller than you did before.

Focus on Your Strengths, Not Your Weaknesses

Mind over matter plays a huge role in the modeling world! There will always be someone you consider taller, thinner, curvier, prettier, blah, blah, blah. You're not them so why are you so focused on who the competition is and what they're doing? Focus on you and what you have to offer.

One of the biggest mistakes aspiring female models make is to look at the competition and automatically believe they are not good enough by pointing out all the reasons they don't make the cut. For every negative thing you think about yourself, think of TWO good things.

Make a list of your strengths if necessary. In fact, I encourage those dealing with issues of self confidence to put together a list of the things you like about yourself or that you find to be a strength. This could be personality related or something dealing with your physical appearance...whatever works.

Now take that list and memorize it. Make copies and put it in front of every mirror you own so that it stares you in the face each and every day as a reminder of why you're deserving of the utmost confidence in yourself.

Regardless of how your modeling career turns out...whether you become super successful, find that it's not something meant for you or if you don't have any real luck with it at all, maintaining a healthy level of confidence throughout is essential and a trait that will take you far in life.

You don't have to be a model to be beautiful, successful or admired by others. Confidence alone can help achieve all those things. And don't let anybody else tell you otherwise.

Modeling and Stretch Marks...........

Stretch marks...ugh. No one likes them and if you are a model or want to become one, this may seem like a huge setback to your goals. However, if you know about stretch marks and how to handle them, having these unsightly marks doesn't have to be detrimental to your modeling career.

Unfortunately, there are many myths and so-called "miracle treatments" that promise to get rid of your stretch marks forever. Before you invest any time or money, it's important to know the real deal.

You don't have to be overweight or pregnant to get stretch marks: This is a common misconception. The skinniest of people can still develop stretch marks and it affects both men and women, although women are more likely to suffer from it than their male counterparts.

Stretch marks occur when the skin is stretched over time. This happens not only during pregnancy (which results in stretch marks on the stomach and breasts), but also during growth spurts and even weight lifters that build up a lot of muscle will notice their new bulk can also be a common area for stretch marks.

Beware the miracle products and treatments: Because stretch marks develop in the middle layer of the skin, this makes it very unlikely for a topical ointment or lotion to penetrate deeply enough to completely eliminate your stretch marks.

However, applying such products or cocoa butter can help to lighten the color or slightly fade your stretch marks (this is especially helpful if you have those terrible purple/reddish type of stretch marks).

Even though laser treatments have been shown to reduce some stretch marks by 20-50%, this method according to medical experts is not a fool-proof way to be stretch mark-free. Laser treatments are most effective on reddish/purple stretch marks and ineffective on light, white, older stretch marks.

Take action sooner than later: The key to this is to begin treating the area as soon as you get your stretch marks. The sooner you take steps to tackle the problem, the better the results. If you've got stretch marks that have been there for years then chances are you won't be able to make much of a difference--even with expensive products and costly treatments.

Tanning for stretch marks is very far fetched: Some swear by using indoor tanning as a way to make stretch marks blend in better with tanned skin but this couldn't be further from the truth. The reality is that stretch marks are located in the middle layer of skin and contain its own pigmentation (color). Stretch marks don't actually tan, which can make them stand out more against your tanned skin.

What does work in some cases is the use of self tanning products (tanning lotion, fake bake tans, etc) because these actually create a layer of pigment that sits on top of your skin. But the results aren't always guaranteed. Remember, tanning under the sun or in a tanning bed is bad for your skin anyway so avoid it if you can!

Stretch marks don't mean you can't be a model: Just because you have stretch marks doesn't mean you can forget about pursuing a modeling career. It all depends on what kind of modeling you want to do. If you want to become a swimwear model but have really bad stretch marks all over your butt, stomach or breasts, then you may have a difficult time breaking into that field.

But if you've got minimal stretch marks or really light ones, these are easy to retouch in Photoshop and generally won't be a problem. Fashion models don't always show a lot of skin and are all about showing off the clothes so in those instances, stretch marks won't work against you. In addition to retouching pictures, many makeup artists use body makeup to cover up stretch marks.

In a nutshell, stretch marks can be worked around and vary on a case to case basis. Some clients don't mind working with a model with stretch marks, while others do. When it comes to modeling agencies, be honest and see what they have to say. You aren't the first person with stretch marks they've seen and you definitely won't be the last so don't over analyze things. As long as you take care of your skin to the best of your ability, you can continue your modeling career without a hitch.

Super Model Oluchi Graces Cover Of Style Mania’s Latest Issue

COVER
Photographer: Kelechi Amadi-Obi
Stylist: Dimeji Alara
Make-up: Bimpe Onakoya
Hair: Ugo Igbokwe

BLAST FROM THE PAST
Photographer: Kelechi Amadi Obi
Stylist: Modela
Make-up: Onidiri & Zubi
Model: Oluchi Orlandi

Truly Made in Africa! Diesel + EDUN unveils their Final Studio Africa Collection for Fall/Winter 2013

Photo Credit:
Photography: Brad Ogbonna
Models: Spoek Mathambo, Faarow – Siham and Iman Hashi and Olugbenga Adelekan
For more information and how to purchase a piece from this collection, please visit www.diesel.com/diesel+edun.

Yemi Phillips Debuts Her Christine & Christophe SS14 Collection Tagged “Playfulness Of Leather”

For more information visit Website
Twitter: @CandCrtw
Instagram: @ChristineChristophe
For stockist information Email: sales@christineandchristophe.com