Saturday, March 21, 2015

Morals & Modeling

As a Professional Consultant teaching classes and having experience in the professional modeling industry I thought it would be a great topic to address Morals with respect to modeling. A couple of questions I was led to answer were the following:

1) How do I decipher between work that is morally degrading and work that is ethically fulfilling?

There is an Ecclesiastical saying that states, "All is vanity" and in passages of Corinth conveyed in love include that "all things are lawful, but not all things edify". How would this answer our question at hand? Well, we can take any project or work that we choose to, but the practicality becomes what will come of the work that you complete as a model lead to? More valuable work or more degrading work? And MOST importantly, HOW DOES THIS PROJECT MAKE ME FEEL ABOUT MYSELF AS A PERSON? Work that is valuable holds to working with quality, valued professionals in the industry. Does this mean that every photographer,  creative director, make up artist and team that you work with will be as experienced as others reputation of their work also produced should match you moral and ethical standards. You have seen the over saturated social media models and "aspiring, amateur photographer who shoots and captures ANY and EVERYTHING".  A great balance to maintain is that quality work eventually leads to paid work with your integrity in tact!

2) How do I maintain my integrity in a flooding industry of inexperienced models professing professionalism?

There is a major MISCONCEPTION that getting into the professional modeling industry that you must have a professional portfolio. This is true to a certain aspect in your process. At some point you WILL develop a professional portfolio. In saying so to guide in answering this question at hand, integrity is morally and ethically maintained individually. This is a CHOICE! We are living in a social media driven industry that couples itself with the paparazzi around modeling. The professional industry comingles for more prestige of the "behind the scenes" aspects of modeling that are not televised or print commercial aspects of being seen by the public eye so this has encouraged the drive of amateur models, photographers, and make up artists alike. So there is NO need to take on work and/or expose it to the public eye IF it's quality speaks for itself.

3) What should/can an aspiring model glean from a professional model?

An aspiring model can glean very valuable experience from professional models and professional models can also learn from aspiring models. This is as much a two way street as the roads we travel in life!  Aspiring models can learn what makes themselves unique, how they can acquire similar aspects of themselves to the skill set of the professional model as well as from the mistakes and shortcomings of them as well. NO ONE IS PERFECT NOR FLAWLESS. These are simply terms of CLICHE in nature utilizied in the industry!

A couple of featured elements of interviews with fellow seasoned professionals will added in the near future as well for a diverse response. Feel welcome to join the conversation as well!

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