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Sarah DeAnna On Working With Photographers

18 Jan

Hi FashionPhotograhyBlog.com readers,

Sarah DeAnna, top fashion model, speaker & author of the book “Supermodel YOU“, is back with us on FPBlog. After sharing her passion helping everyone discover their own supermodel from within in our previous post with Sarah, “Body Image of a Model“, she shares her experience working as a model for both male and female photographers, as well as offering tips for photographers who need guidance in how to direct models to get the most out of their subjects during a shoot. Let’s get the party started. Here is Sarah DeAnna with FPBlog…

FashionPhotographyBlog.com Sarah DeAnna photo by Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

FPBlog: Do you have any words of advice to, either models that want to start in this industry and/or photographers who are starting out? You have worked with some of the biggest photographers… What’s the difference between men and women photographers?

Sarah Deanna: Working with women is great, I do like that. I felt more with women for some reason, like I connect more – I don’t know why. Some of my best shoots have been with female photographers. And I think it’s because we’re women, and we get it. I mean, we understand each other. I mean I love working with men too. It’s always different, but there’s something really intimate working with a woman. I don’t know how to explain that. They always take beautiful pictures. I don’t know a woman that does not know how to take a beautiful picture. I think she knows, she wants you to look beautiful. You (can) look cool and still look beautiful, but, sometimes I think, (in) fashion, you could take a picture of me and I’m like, “Really? You think this looks good?” But, I get it. It’s edgy and cool.

Don’t give them too much direction. (Some) direction is good, like the idea and the concept, but also (let the models) own it for themselves. (If) you’re telling them all the time, “turn your foot to the right, turn your foot to the left, keep your hand there, do this (and) do that”, all of that (can) make you crazy and feel like you’re doing everything wrong. If you’re constantly saying, “move to the left, or don’t do that, or change that pose… it’s so hard (that) you’re going to have a terrible time.

FPBlog: Yeah, because it makes you (the model) look rigid right?

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, and you start to get so self-conscious and it’s in your face, so that’s a big one. Anytime anybody is giving me too much direction like that type of (over) direction; where it’s “body like this”. A little bit I get it, you know. (However) if you explain (it like), “well don’t do that because you’re going to make it (out of the frame)”, and “when you go that way you’re out of the light”. When you explain (it like) that you say, “don’t turn your face to that side because you’re going into the shadow” that makes sense, but, a lot of times they don’t explain it to you like that and you get so (self-conscious and confused as a result).

FPBlog: Does it help if someone just shows you, for example, “I want your hands on your hips like this. Sometimes it looks better like this, or higher up because it breaks through the hip line”. Just showing them, is that type of direction useful?

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, and I like that. I really do, I like both. Sometimes photographers know exactly what they want, the exact pose and everything. If you (the photographer) know exactly (what you want) you (can) tell a girl (model) that. To me I’m not offended, because then I don’t have to think about – sometime (that part) is a lot of work. Sometimes it’s fun and I love it because I get to be part of the creation of it (the image) but if they know exactly what they want then I just get it (understand the concept and then) I just got to nail the pose and…

FPBlog: And work it from there right? Go with the emotion?

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, so it’s just knowing what you want. The worst thing you can do is not know what you want. It can’t just be, “let’s just shoot” unless two people have just great energy and they’re just like, “let’s just go with this” and the model is cool (with it), and you know that’s its going to work out. But if they (the models) need that direction you got to give it to them.

FPBlog: Right. So thank you so much for sitting with me and good luck… I know that you’ll keep FPBlog in the loop.

Sarah Deanna: Thank you!

Did you find the tips from Sarah DeAnna useful? Leave your comments below in the comment section. We would like to know what you thought about this post. If you enjoyed this article, we recommend that you check out our article on FashionPhotograhyBlog.com with Sarah DeAnna on how she began her modelling career, titled “Beginnings of a Model“. If you are interested in grabbing a copy of Sarah’s book, “Supermodel YOU” you can find it here.

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Feature image & image 1: Photo of Sarah DeAnna, courtesy of Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

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Body Image Of A Model With Sarah DeAnna

17 Jan

Hi FashionPhotograhyBlog.com readers,

Top fashion model, speaker & author of the book “Supermodel YOU“, Sarah DeAnna, joins us once again on FPBlog to share her experiences of healthy bodies and body image in the modeling industry and how she came about to create her book that deals with finding identity and beauty within yourself. Let’s note wait any longer. Here is the interview of Sarah DeAnna speaking to FPBlog…

FashionPhotographyBlog.com Sarah DeAnna photo by Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

FPBlog: One of the things that I really admire about you, Sarah, is that you have this gorgeous body. Models have to have gorgeous bodies, but you have this body through good habits and healthy means. You know in our industry, and I often at times I feel guilt about it, is the showing off, depicting the perfect image, body and face, and we then exploit that.

Young girls, who maybe are 5’10” and 115 pounds feel bad about themselves and it can lead to low self esteem or poor body image. Maybe they might try to get as thin as you are through unhealthy measures whether that’s through fasting, drugs or anorexia and that’s really sad. So you have written a book which I’m so happy and proud that you’ve done. Can you tell us about it?

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, it’s called “Supermodel YOU“, and basically it was my response to, like all the things your saying right now. Being in the industry, I just became the “go to girl” for models living in model apartments, backstage at shows or (for) agents (who) would tell the models to call or ask me because “Sarah Deanna is thin and she’s healthy and they’re having problems”. They knew I was eating anything, they knew I was healthy and it just became a passion of mine. Girls would come up to me, I would teach and help them.

So I started researching and I found something (interesting); that they were five keys that determine body weight for every single person and I was able to show how a model, a healthy model (because of our career and because of what we do), how we have mastered these keys. I put it into a book and I have an amazing publishing house (Hay House), support system and writer. I’m just really happy (about it) and it’s out now!

It’s my passion, my dream and I just want to (do it). It’s “Supermodel YOU“ and it’s teaching people how to channel their own inner supermodel. It’s not (about) having somebody else’s body or (the body of) somebody that you see in a magazine, but your dream body, and your body that makes you feel the best, that you’re healthiest at, and I love it.

I cannot wait for people to get it and I hope that the message is understood the right way. (I hope that it is) given how we’re giving it, but (also) understood, that people feel empowered; girls won’t feel like a model is better than them or a person on the street, or a girl in their school or anything (is better than them). I hope they can get how to own their own identity and their own beauty.

FPBlog: That’s great! I’ll read it!

Did you find this interview with Sarah DeAnna interesting? Leave your comments below in the comment section. We would like to know what you thought about the post. If you enjoyed this post, stay tuned as Sarah DeAnna has more insights to share on FashionPhotograhyBlog.com – If you are interested in grabbing a copy of Sarah’s book, “Supermodel YOU” you can find it here. You can also find out how Sarah learned her way through the modeling industry when she first started by reading our previous post with her, titled “Learnings of a Model“.

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Feature image & image 1: Photo of Sarah DeAnna, courtesy of Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

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Learnings Of A Model With Sarah DeAnna

17 Jan

Hi FashionPhotograhyBlog.com readers,

We have top fashion model, speaker & author of the book “Supermodel YOU“, Sarah DeAnna, joining us on FPBlog. After sharing her discovery story in our previous post with Sarah, “Beginnings of a Model“, she is back to share with us her experiences of having to learn the tricks of the trade as a model when she first started out. Sarah offers her insights for photographers to get the most out the models they work with. Let’s not wait any longer and jump right into it? Here is FPBlog with Sarah DeAnna…

FashionPhotographyBlog.com Sarah DeAnna photo by Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

FPBlog: So you been to Milan and Paris. How was that?

Sarah Deanna: Oh, yeah. I came to New York right from LA pretty much, and it was fashion week right away, so I was [frantic] all of a sudden; I didn’t know how to walk, I didn’t know how to dress. I wore pink everyday that people actually called me “pinky” – that and baby blue. I had the most ridiculous style and I had no idea how to walk, I mean, professionally, or dress, or do my hair, or anything (like that). I was in a nightmare, was stressed out and hated it. I was just thrown into it, literally.

FPBlog: Your agency didn’t show you how to walk?

Sarah Deanna: Not really. I mean, my agent in Paris was this guy, Patrick, who was trying to show me how to do it. But it’s so funny watching a guy show you how to walk, I don’t know why. So not really, I mean, they just kind of, “oh, you do this” but (walking the runway) takes a long time (to get right).

FPBlog: So did you watch other girls? Or did you watch videos?

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, like Fashion Network. I’d be watching that (video) and (asking) how does this work? Now, I think I finally got it but I still hate seeing myself, because I think I look like a nerd.

FPBlog: Over the years that you were developing, did you have any negative experiences with photographers?

Sarah Deanna: Many! Of course.

FPBlog: You don’t have to obviously go into it, but, what would be some advice you would give to a starter or a new photographer that’s testing with new models? What kind of things could they avoid doing to keep their integrity on an upper level?

Sarah Deanna: It’s really important to give a model a clear definition and idea of what your vision is, that is, what you want to do. If they just tell them to just pose or just look sexy, that’s so hard for someone to get (it) and just pose, that’s one thing. When you first start out (as a model) you don’t really know how to pose, or so if you (the photographer) tell them instead, “this is the idea and the concept” and (give) a whole lot of ideas about how it should feel so that emotion could come across through to the model – that’s so important, more than you know, for posing.

(Another example would be) if they (the photographer) wanted to do angular (poses) and they say “angles” (rather than) “not soft, you want it to be strong” – just a really clear definition of what your vision is. I’ve (once) been told to (be aggressive), they wanted me to be angry and peeved off, so they were telling me, “OK, you’re a killer. You’ve just killed your family”. We were shooting in Morocco and that was the thought in my head, and I look totally evil in those pictures.

FPBlog: And you went there (to that dark place) – so it’s almost like acting? You had inside your head that you had just killed your family and you got that concept…

Sarah Deanna: Yeah, and you have to. If they (the photographer) wanted you to play dreamy or soft, then that photographer would tell me that so that I feel it too. You create this energy between the photographer and the model and that’s so important (on a shoot).

Did you find the tips from Sarah DeAnna useful? Leave your comments below in the comment section. We would like to know what you thought about this post. If you enjoyed this article, stay tuned as Sarah DeAnna has more insights to share on FashionPhotograhyBlog.com – If you are interested in grabbing a copy of Sarah’s book, “Supermodel YOU” you can find it here. You can also find out how Sarah got started in the modeling industry by reading our previous post with her titled “Beginnings of a Model“.

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image & image 1: courtesy of Melissa Rodwell for Kurv Magazine

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Beginnings Of A Model With Sarah DeAnna

15 Jan

Hi FashionPhotograhyBlog.com readers,

Today, we have top fashion model, speaker & author of the book “Supermodel YOU“, Sarah DeAnna, joining us on FPBlog. Sarah shares her story of how she first started out in the modeling industry and the reasons why she is glad that she started her career late after finishing school. Let’s get started shall we? Here is our interview with Sarah DeAnna…

Sarah DeAnna Interview with FashionPhotographyBlog.com

FPBlog: Hi, I’m here with top fashion model, Sarah DeAnna and we’re going to talk about modeling and working with photographers. Sarah is somebody that has worked in the industry for a while, has risen to the top but started out testing. How old were you when you started modeling?

Sarah DeAnna: I didn’t start until I was 19 actually, I went to school. I started later, but I’m so grateful that I did… I don’t know what would have happened if I was younger and more susceptible to those opinions on me. I mean I still was, of course, but it helped being more mature I guess. Having more experience and an education helped me a lot with being healthy and with not taking things to heart.

FPBlog: With a stronger self esteem and not being part of the bigger scandals?

Sarah DeAnna: Yeah, (all of that), so it’s great that Vogue did an issue of mine where they won’t use younger models or unhealthy models. I definitely think that’s why I’ve been successful… I think it’s because of starting later.

FPBlog: And did you start in LA? Or did you start in the small market?

Sarah DeAnna: I started in LA, I went there to go to UCLA. I was going to get my business degree actually and I was so glad that I started modeling because I love it. Modeling is not my passion but I do love modeling but I would have never went to business school nowadays, so I’m really glad. If I would go back I probably would have studied something like bio-chemistry or something nerdy, something tech.

FPBlog: Right. So how was it when you started? You didn’t have any pictures and you started testing?

Sarah DeAnna: Actually, I was found by a photographer at Starbucks. I was approached before but I never really trusted anyone. And there was a photographer at Starbucks, and I was with a guy (at the time), a guy friend of mine, and he (the photographer) keep looking at me and stopping me, and then he came and talked to the guy (my friend). He was like “I have to shoot her” and “I just love her face”.

He was talking to the guy (friend) to make me feel comfortable. He wasn’t trying to hit on me, or something like that, he was totally legit. He sent me right away to a commercial agent; I wasn’t even doing anything in that industry at all. The first agent was like, “oh my God, we’d love to rep you”, and then the next day we ended up shooting. He did everything; he styled the whole thing, did my makeup, he shot it.

He paid for everything, I didn’t have to pay for anything. Then he tricked me, he said “let’s go”, he wanted to show me the proofs because he loved it (the shoot). He was showing me what I looked like and I didn’t know anything, like there were all these (contact) sheets with all these pictures and then he’s like, “oh let’s go pick up the negatives” and he tricked me. We went into an agency, Photogenics, my mother agent, and they signed me right away. The first official shoot that I did, after that, was for Photogenics, for the agency and that became a Cover Girl magazine.

It was just a promo for the agency and that became a cover of this magazine called Picture Magazine, and then, it ran in Zink Magazine as well, then I went to New York, and then to Milan and Paris, but yeah, I didn’t know anything (at the start). I was so insecure still so I just learned.

FPBlog: How do you think you learned? Just by experience and being in front of the camera a lot?

Sarah DeAnna: Definitely experience, but I’m telling you that this first photographer, he was so good. That was my first time and he told me like how to be with your eyes and gave me this thing in my head to think about. So I always channeled that because that was all I knew (at the time). He liked it strong and fierce and so I think that’s why I’m known to be the strong and edgy girl as opposed to the happy, smiley, beachy girl – I’m working on that one.

FPBlog: It’s funny because in person you have that California girl, beachy appearance, but whenever I thought about you, it’s always edgy and crazy hair and fierce looks.

IMAGE SOURCE:

Feature image & image 1: courtesy of Melissa Rodwell

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Top Model Interview with Sarah Deanna

29 Jan

Sarah Deanna and I got together last week and sat on the rooftop of her Soho loft to discuss her career. She explains what helped her in the beginning when she started out and was testing with new photographers, giving some great advice to those of you starting out in the industry and working with agency models.

I remember the first time I met Sarah Deanna. She came to a casting I held for a NYC handbag client about 4 years ago. I loved her comp card and had wanted to work with her for a long time before I met her. What struck me the most about her was not only was she really beautiful, she was a lovely person. Warm and compassionate, she really appeared to be beyond the outer beauty notion of gorgeous…..she was a awesome girl all around. We’ve worked together on a number of projects since our first meeting and there’s a great chemistry between us. She takes direction well, can move like a champ and she’s as professional as a model can be. The camera loves her, no doubt! She’s done editorials for Italian Vogue, German Vogue, French, L’Official, Amica and Elle. She’s walked runway shows for Dolce Gabbana, D & G, Oscar, Versace, Armani, Donna Karan and Calvin Klein. And her partial client list includes Stella McCartney, Neiman Marcus and Versace! She’s definitely risen to the TOP of her field!!

It was fun to sit with someone in our industry and talk about how she was discovered and how she has made it to the top! And how she wrote a book while doing it! The thing I love most about Sarah Deanna is that she gives back to the industry, helping other models learn how to achieve the weight necessary in the modeling industry in a healthy manner. Her book Supermodel YOU is coming out next year by Hay House! You can follow her on Twitter @SupermodelYOU! I’m so proud of her and I’m excited to share with you guys this short but sweet little interview we did. This is the first interview video and I promise more to come!

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Top Model Interview with Sarah Deanna

30 May

Sarah Deanna and I got together last week and sat on the rooftop of her Soho loft to discuss her career. She explains what helped her in the beginning when she started out and was testing with new photographers, giving some great advice to those of you starting out in the industry and working with agency models.

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2nd Test Shoot | Deanna May

27 Jan

The serenely beautiful Deeana May was a pleasure to shoot. She lives in California but I was lucky enough to catch up with her on her trip to Utah. I can’t thank her, and her husband, enough for taking time out of a busy trip for a shoot!