client | Hold the Glamour

San Francisco sessions

I recently returned from San Francisco, CA were I was working on a shoot with a new client. I flew the six hours it takes to get to the west coast from New York and I must say, I love San Fran! It has been over ten years since I was there last. I have missed it. The sun, blue skies and mild winter weather welcomed me with open arms. I could live in San Francisco in a heartbeat. I really enjoy the west coast of the USA.

Once on the ground, I caught a cab and checked into my downtown hotel. I stayed at the Hotel Diva and I’m sure the hotel has seen many a Diva walk the hallways. The small boutique hotel was clean, comfortable and the staff were helpful and friendly. I requested a ‘quiet’ room and fortunately got one. Sometimes it is hard to get such a room in a place like this.

I slept really well – the bed was so comfortable I barely moved. I love a good, big, comfy bed and the right pillows are crucial. I slept with four body pillows of a soft to medium firmness. Just right! I was in heaven.

I caught up with one of the two models I was working with – Molly, in the foyer of the hotel. We shared a cab to the studio where we were shooting the following day. We had a fitting for our outfits to ensure they fit correctly and properly. Tailors were on hand to have the clothes fit our bodies. Not too many clients do this these days unless it’s an advertising job, campaign or the client simply has a good budget.

San Francisco – Ivana, Molly and I at our fitting

San Francisco - the clothes on the rack for the eight day shoot

San Francisco – the clothes on the racks for the eight-day shoot

After our fitting was done, Molly and I went to Tan Bella for a spray tan. The client wanted our skin tone to be a little warmer (colour) so off we went inside our very own spray tan booths. We were instructed how to stand and position our bodies in four different poses to ensure an even coverage all over.

San Francisco – Tan Bella for a spray tan

A machine sprayed me for the first time and it was a very good and even tan. There was no bronzer applied with the tan so it didn’t rub off onto our clothes etc. We kept the tan on overnight and showered in the morning so it could process. We had to keep the spray tan on for at least six hours.

I have a client who requests a spray tan all the time, and usually a woman with a spray gun applies the tan and instructs you how to stand and move inside a little room. The tan from Tan Bella is hands down the best I’ve ever had anywhere in the world. I was impressed.

Molly and I return to our hotel not long after. I call my family and say good night to my angels – there is a three-hour time zone difference from the west and east coasts of America so I had to call before their bedtime.

Then, Ivana and I step out for a quick and yummy dinner in a nearby Japanese restaurant. It was delicious and it was lovely to have company and someone to share the experience.

The next day, the shoot goes smoothly and the very large production team are happy with our progress and results. I shoot single shots of my outfits then doubles with either Molly or Ivana and then finally the client wants options with the three of us in the same shot. The more models in a shot, the longer the shot takes and the more frames you have to take, generally speaking. You see, three of us have to look good in the same image which is harder than one might think.

San Francisco – Hans our photographer is all smiles during our shoot

We finish early and the three of us head straight to the airport hoping to catch the last flight of the afternoon, before the red-eye flights we are booked on, heading to the east coast. We don’t make it and that’s just what happens sometimes. I just go with it.

San Francisco – Molly, me and Ivana on our way to the airport

The American Airlines terminal at San Francisco airport is one of the cleanest, nicest, newest, widest I’ve ever seen! As I passed through security, I spotted a Yoga Room inside the terminal! Are you kidding? I have never seen a Yoga Room in an airport before… Welcome to the west coast people! I love it.

San Francisco – the Yoga Room at American Airlines terminal

I sat in the Airline lounge comfortably waiting for my 10.40pm flight to New York. I ordered a meal from one of the organic/natural deli’s in the terminal. It was so up my alley. There was fresh, healthy food choices every where I looked. I wish all airport terminals were like this one. It was so civilised.

San Francisco – American Airlines terminal

What amazing or crazy things have you seen in your travels?

What airport terminals do you love to frequent? Why?

What suggestions or recommendations do you have for better services inside airports?

Women of the world

I arrived in Minneapolis 11.15pm local time (that’s 12.15am EST). I was picked up from the airport and taken to my hotel along with a straight-sized model Lana that I worked with earlier this year and with another client. We were busy sleeping on the plane so we caught-up once we were in the car and on our way.

Our hotel room was nice and clean. I unpacked, got my work bag ready and fell in to the big, comfortable bed by 12.30am local time. When the alarm sounded at 7am, I was pretty sure I hadn’t moved all night.

On the ground floor of the hotel, I meet the four other models I was working with over the next few days at Starbucks – a very necessary start to our day. I knew Lana already and my dear and stunning friend Barbara Brickner was the other full-figured model on the shoot. The other two lovely ladies were straight-sized.

Minneapolis – Our shoot on location

We hit it off right away, discussing family (husbands & children), work, travel, schooling, fashion and of course the juggling of it all. It was a common thread amongst all five of us and we had a lot in common. We didn’t stop talking, asking questions and sharing advice whilst the camera clicked away. It was so refreshing to be amongst women of the world who had come from all four corners and traveled it well both personally and professionally.

Minneapolis – Behind the scenes

That evening, our client took us out for a delicious Japanese dinner. We all loved it and ended up in bed a little later than we had anticipated. See what happens when women get together and spontaneously have glamourous fun over dinner and a glass of wine?! It was a great way to start the shoot and it gave us the opportunity to get to know each other, including the client and producer.

Minneapolis – The stunning Barbara Brickner laying one on me!

One of the models had ‘googled’ me since it was my first time working with her, this client and the other four models. They other’s have been regularly working together over the last year or two. I thought it a little odd at first. I can’t say I’ve ‘googled’ another model prior to a shoot before – perhaps it has become more of a common thing these days. Well, she knew a bit about me before we started shooting anyway – it started the conversation rolling amongst the crew.

One of the questions that was asked of me was, what editorial was I most proud of or that I liked the most that I have done in my career. There were two that came to mind – one was the jet-setting feature I did in the Australian Cosmopolitan magazine about five years ago and the other was in the Australian Women’s Weekly. I must say, the women’s magazines in Australia really support curvy, beautiful women of all shapes, sizes and ages. This is wonderful, exciting and rewarding at the same time.

Wouldn’t it be fabulous and fantastic to have more editorials for women who are curvy and of all shapes, size, colour and age represented by more, if not all magazines around the world – a representation of WOMAN not just young, slim and pretty?

What are your thoughts?

Hold the Glamour

Tag: client

March 19, 2013

San Francisco sessions

July 18, 2012

Women of the world