When it's unusually hot for the UK...

As anyone who lives in the UK will know, it rains a lot, it’s windy a lot, and it’s never particularly warm. Recently however, we’ve been having a bit of a heatwave (minus the past couple of days in which a lot of areas up north have flooded). Considering it doesn’t usually happen, the amount of tourists that flock to the South West and the beaches is huge. Where usually when we went on a photoshoot there might be a few dog walkers, now there’s guaranteed to be at least several families in the quieter places, and it will be chock-a-block on well known beaches, meaning choosing somewhere to go for a photoshoot when you don’t want anyone else in the background can be a little bit harder.

Me, Will and Alex popped to Braunton Burrows on one of the hotter days, where we walked a little so there were no tourists around, and will took some more summery photos of me. That’s also where we found an invasion of jellyfish Will promptly ran away from but check out my last post for more on that!

After a morning there and a walk on the very hot sand, we went to the Meldon plunge pools near Okehampton, in which pretty much every plunge pool was taken up with people, so we had to wait a little until a woman with her dogs left, and we claimed that one. Compared to how hot the weather was, the water was definitely not hot whatsoever, and we got very cold. Or at least I did!

I think you’ve got to make the most of the weather when it is nice here, which seems to be what everyone else does. It doesn’t last long usually and with climate change it seems to be getting more weird and unpredictable. There was a day not long ago where we had a fairly cool morning, scorching heat in the afternoon, and then sudden downpours, thunder and lightening before perfect sunshine again the next day. What’s the weather been like where you are? Let me know in the comments!

The North Devon Coast (and a few surprise sea creatures along the way)!

Recently, Will and I moved closer to the North Devon coast to a town called Bideford. We’re now only a short 15 minute drive to the range of beautiful beaches along the coast, and I couldn’t be happier. Personally, I love the sea, the sand, and waves. When we first moved in, we went to Westward Ho! (Fun fact - it’s the only town in the UK with an exclamation mark!) and sat on the sand dunes, watching the sunset go down and the waves crash against the rocks below.

Although I’ve always lived in Devon, I’ve never seen the coast as much as I have done the past year or so and for that, I’m so grateful. It’s mainly due to Will, and my persistence of wanting to go to the beach (I suggest it several times a week now - I just like the water okay). It’s funny really, now I live closer to the beach, my family goes to the beach more now too with me so that’s always rather comforting.

It is, of course, a great place to get photos too. With the huge range of scenery along the North Devon coast there’s an endless range of compositions you can get within a short drive from each other. Since moving here, we’ve explored loads of new places I had never heard of before (living where I used to, I only used to go to nearby large towns). Clovelly is a great example. The little cobbled streets leading down to the beach are just adorable, and the no cars allowed rule means it’s so peaceful.

We recently went to Braunton Burrows too, with never-ending sand dunes and beautiful views. Strangely enough, when we went there was a large infestation of jellyfish. We had to be fairly careful walking along the beach with our feet in the water as to not step on any. Although they weren’t moving, they could have still been alive, and I really didn’t feel like taking a trip to A&E that day. I went to Westward Ho with my father and brother a few days after, and there were loads of jellyfish there too. It led me to wonder why there was so many, so if you have an answer, please feel free to comment below and let me know why!

Dos and Don'ts of Models Working with Photographers!

It’s always comical to read stories about nightmare models and photographers and shoots that have gone wrong, when they could have been very easily avoided by just behaving in a different way or researching each other’s work beforehand. Personally, whenever I work with a photographer, I have a good scroll through their Instagram, check out their website and I usually message some of the recent models they’ve worked with to see how their shoot experience was. I find this really helps when I’m working out whether to work with a photographer or not, as I tend to on a tfp (time for photos) basis, so I can’t afford to go on a shoot if it’s not going to be worth it, and is just going to end up being horribly awkward and producing kind of rubbish photos as an outcome. As always, some photographer’s styles won’t suit me, but will suit others, and vice versa; My photos and the modelling I tend to do may not suit some photographers, but this is all my opinion so of course others won’t always agree with it. Anyway, here are my do’s and don’ts of working with photographers.

Do:

@willlamerton

Do a background check - I don’t mean stalk them facebook and find out everything about them. Just see who they’ve recently worked with, what their style of photos are and whether you think you would be a good professional match.

Be professional - you’ve got to be somewhat laid back and willing to have a conversation and a joke when necessary so that the shoot isn’t awkward, but this doesn’t mean you can talk all the time and not take the photoshoot seriously - it is work after all.

Be prepared - discuss what kind of photos you both would like, where you’re shooting, what time you’re meeting ext. You don’t want to not be prepared and then end up starting off on the wrong foot.

Be communicative - if there are more people there (e.g. MUAs or hair stylists), make sure you communicate with all of them about what the aim of the shoot is and what kind of photos you’re after. You all want to make sure you want the same goal.

@ollyshoots

Allow directions - most photographers would have done photoshoots loads of times, so would know what looks best in certain angles and lighting. Let them direct you into poses and facial expressions ext. You can’t see your own face when modelling, but they can, so they can see what looks best. It’s not rude for them to tell you to move your head up or smile a little more - they’re just doing their job.

Don’ts:

Expect the world - a photographer is there to take photos, use the lighting to the best of their ability on the day, edit the photos and come away with great shots, but a photographer isn’t a magician; they can’t make you look like Audrey Hepburn. You have to do a lot of work too and let the photographer tell you if they want you to do something slightly different

@abzmystery

Be taken advantage of - you have the right to say no to something you don’t want to do. If a photographer wants you to do a slightly dangerous pose and you don’t feel safe, don’t do it. If you feel uncomfortable and the photographer is being inappropriate, remember to say no, and leave if you need to. A way to combat this could be to bring a chaperone with you, however some professional photographers don’t agree with this, so ask first.

Assume every photographer is the same - each photographer has a different style and way of doing shoots. Some are more experienced than others, so may be a tad unaware of what to do, help them out if needed and suggest new poses ext. Let a photographer suggest what to do however, it may be more suited to them. This is why I always say to look at their portfolio first, to see whether their style suits you, and whether you’ll get photos you like

Accept free work from people you don’t really really want to work with - I tend to do tfp photoshoots with photographers, because I only really work with those I want to. I have to love their photos and imagine me fitting into their style of photos for me to do a tfp shoot with. On another note, if the photoshoot is for brand work, and someone in the project is getting paid, you should too, which is why I never do brand work if the photographer is getting paid and not me.

Overall I think the main thing is to stay safe, kind, communicative, and most of all professional. This is work and you are both doing a job. It usually benefits both of you too, so you would both want the best outcome and for it not to be awkward. You do have to remember to have fun however! This is probably the best job I could have imagined, and every photoshoot is an experience meant to be enjoyed. You should never have to have a job you don’t like!

The cutest petite clothing brands you'll find on the internet!

So as some of you already know, I’m no lamp post. At 5”3, I can just about fit into the children’s section and the adults section for normally sized people, but when it comes to spending a decent amount of money on an outfit I need, I’d much rather shop at somewhere with clothes designed for the shorter physique, especially if it’s online. There’s nothing worse than buying a dress you wanted so much, for it to arrive in the post and the sleeves be slighter too big, or the length being weird on your legs. Therefore, I’m compiled a much needed list of a few petite clothing companies I love, and I’m sure you will too!

Jeetly

@jeetly

If you’re like me and wear a lot of dresses and jumpsuits in the office, you’ll love Jeetly. With their collection of smart dresses, jumpsuits, blouses and trousers, they aim to get the perfect fit for the petite person. They do this by using smaller buttons, shoulder pads, leg measurements and a range of other only slightly noticeable differences to create great workplace attire.

Jennifer Anne

@jennifer_anne_ petite

Described as the ‘petite women’s work wear go to’ by You Magazine, Jennifer Anne use top fabrics that feel fabulous, meaning they last a long time and wear well. Their huge range of tops, trousers, skirts, dresses, blouses and blazers means there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re popping to the office or going for dinner, there’s an outfit for every occasion!

Charlotte London

@charlottelondon_

Specialising in jackets and blazers, charlotte london produces the perfect outerwear for the modern, international and globe trotting woman. The boutique brand aim to represent the elegance of London and the fashion capital of Italy in their clothing. If you’re looking for the perfect finishing touch for your outfit, be sure to check them out!

Precis Petite

@precispetite

The parent company being Jaeger, Precis Petite produce a beautiful range of clothes in bold prints and colours, designed with an eye for detail. Their dresses are perfect for weddings, the office or even just for a casual summery day out, meaning their so versatile and well worth the investment into buying one. Along with their dresses, they also produce a large range of jackets, tops, knitwear, skirts, trousers and accessories, so you may as well buy an entire outfit on their website!

Bomb Petite

@bombpetite.official

Bomb petite are firm believers that petite fashion should be fun. Featuring a collection of exciting designers shown on realistic models, you know what you’re getting if you purchase one of their items. Their huge selection of premium petite style includes dresses, jeans, jumpsuits, trousers, tops, skirts and lingerie, meaning there’s loads to choose from!

Working with Goodeehoo - a vegan handbag and accessory brand!

Working with brands is one of my favourite things to do, especially when they produce products I love, and would definitely use on a day to day basis. I reached out to Goodeehoo simply because I loved their bags, and hence started our collaboration! Their products range from larger tote bags to smaller purses, key-chains and day to day clutch bags. I personally use the Tucuman Tote bag and a matching Tawny Large Pouch most days for when I’m out and about or in the office.

We started the collaboration by producing 10 photos of me modelling a selection of their items around North Devon. Starting at Westward Ho! and making our way to Appledore, we got a range of photos in several different locations, along with some we took in the house before we left for the photoshoot. I also changed outfit twice so that the photos didn’t look too similar, but went with a couple of dresses to fit in with the summery theme and because it was too hot to wear anything else.

When I posted the first post on Instagram, I also ran a competition too (which at time of writing is still running for another week) offering the Tucuman Tote bag and a matching Pacific Large Purse if you won. I also use the purse daily too as it’s a decent size and fits in all my other day to day bags I use. The one I’ve got is grey and blue, so fits with the grey handbag I’ve got that I use sometimes if I’m not carrying much.

All in all, I loved working with Goodeehoo, and hopefully this will be an ongoing collaboration as I can really see my followers on Instagram loving the bags as much as I do! If you wanted to enter the competition, it’s over on my Instagram (@oliviajtucker), and whilst you’re at it, you may as well go check out @goodeehoo too! If you wanted to check out their products, then head down to www.goodeehoo.com where they’ll be releasing new items soon too! So keep an eye out! ;)

How to get photoshoots with photographers

I see a lot of people asking me how I got into modelling, how to go about getting photoshoots or how to contact photographers, and I think, it’s lovely that you came to me to ask, but it’s really not that hard. Once you have a portfolio, it’s amazingly easy to get photoshoots with photographers - although these will mainly be on a tfp (time for photos) basis - and then once you’ve had one with a photographer, it’s even easier to get more.

Portfolios:

The main thing to start out with is having a good portfolio. I understand a lot of people won’t have the budget to make a website, or pay someone to do it for them, so we’ve got to look at the free options. Instagram is the best, I feel, for having a portfolio. With its photo grid format, it’s really easy for someone to scroll through your pictures, see what kind of modelling you do, and decide whether they want to shoot with you.

With that being said, you need to make sure your Instagram (if this is what you’re using for your portfolio), is full of modelling pictures with different photographers, and not full of selfies or pictures of your pets (as cute as they may be). Some kinds of selfies may be okay, for example if an MUA has just done your makeup and the photo is of very high quality. You need to make sure your photos also haven’t got obvious filters on, and all somewhat match. You could do this by putting the same filter on all of them, or displaying similar photos in rows, columns or grids.

You could have a portfolio on purple port for example, but personally I don’t feel that’s very useful. Instead, I would suggest having a facebook page for your modelling, and joining lots of photography and model groups on facebook. I’m part of probably about ten groups on facebook, where I share groups of photos from different shoots which I’ve also posted on my page, suggesting that if anyone wants to shoot with me, they should message me. Facebook groups are also a great chance to find other photographers in your local area you may want to work with.

Contact them:

Another thing I think that is so obvious, yet so many people don’t do, is just message photographers you like on Instagram and see if they’re willing to shoot with you. Once you have a few good photos on your instagram of you modelling, you’re bound to find a few photographers at least who will be happy to do a photoshoot with you, and would suit the style you’re looking for. It also helps to follow the photographer and interact with their posts to show you’re definitely interested in working with them.

You could also contact photographers on Facebook, by commenting on their posts and messaging their facebook pages. Interact with them on facebook groups and they will probably get in contact with you too. I recommend messaging their business pages however rather than their personal facebook account, just to keep things professional and making it easier for them to find work rather than just another friend on facebook.

Ask for recommmendations:

One thing I tend to do every three months or so is put a question on my instagram story along the lines of ‘suggestions of photographers to work with in the South West’, which usually gets a good number of responses. The recent one I posted got about 25 replies of photographers saying they wanted to work with me, and so I’ve got lots of shoots lined up for May and June which I’m very excited about!

One thing I would say, is that make sure you give them the exact dates you’re available, and what you have in mind for a shoot. I’ve had times when a photographer would say they were going to let me know when they’re free for a photoshoot and then never do, and so I never give them the dates I can do photoshoots on. No one would expect you to be free for shoots all the time, but you’ve got to give your available dates so that a shoot can be organised.

If you have any other questions about how to go about getting tfp photoshoots or anything related to modelling, send me a message! I love hearing your thoughts on it all, and answering any questions!

Mini Wales Roadtrip

At the end of February, me @willlamerton, @alexlewington, and @olisqr_ decided to go on a mini road trip to Wales and back. We thought we would go from Devon, to Cheddar Gorge, and then up to South Wales, stay overnight and gradually come back down home, hitting up several photo points along the way. There were loads of locations we visited, and it was my first time going to Wales for photo purposes so it was a chance to see the scenery too.

As you can see from his Instagram, Alex has a red Mazda MX-5 from 1991. It’s a little rocket besides its weird sounds and slight rattling from somewhere in the car - mildly terrifying to be in on the M5. It’s kind of the perfect car for me though, considering it’s so low down to the ground and I’m a very small person. Anyway, it really stood out against the scenery due to its colour, and made for some great photos with me in too.

Our first stop along the way to Wales was Cheddar Gorge, where we drove along the road in between the huge cliffs, making for some really dramatic looking photos of both me and the car. We spent much longer than we thought we would here, mainly just because we managed to get so many good photos from different viewpoints and parts of the road. It’s funny how small the car and people look compared to the huge cliffs of Cheddar - we almost looked like train model figurines.

After briefly having some lunch in Cheddar, we started making our way up to South Wales, stopping at the bottom of the Brecon Beacons on a hairpin road to get some great shots of the Mazda (who Alex has named Megan) winding along the road whilst Will and Oli stood on various cliff sides to get the perfect viewpoint. Whilst stationary, we got some pictures of me and Alex posing with the car. I changed my top up several times to get a variety of photos and settings.

Following a stay in the Brecon Beacons for the night and eating a well-earned curry, we headed to the Elan Valley on Oli’s recommendation, where Will and Oli had a go in the Mazda, and we got some more pictures on a curvy road in front of a huge lake . Alex wanted some pictures of me pretending to drive the car too so we got those done (I would not trust myself driving Alex’s car whatsoever). It actually takes a while to get photos done on a road due to whenever Will got in the right position to take the photos, a car would start driving the other way so we would have to wait for it to move until we could start driving again.

We decided to head back home after that and on the way Oli found a little bridge that looked quite cool on google. We didn’t know however, until Will had started going over the bridge in his car, that the weight limit was only 5 tonnes, that the bridge wiggled when you went over it, and that there was a huge rushing river beneath. Hence Will and Oli went over first in their car, and we followed after, but another large, fairly heavy, Range Rover decided to follow us right behind and so that made getting over the bridge a tad worrying for both me and Alex. However Will managed to get a great photo of the Mazda going over the bridge before we headed back home.

On the way back we stopped at several service stations for coffee and hot chocolate (I don’t drink coffee) breaks on the way and to fuel up the cars. Because of how loud the exhaust was on the Mazda, me and Alex tried to have a conversation but couldn’t hear each other overly well, so it resulted in a lot of ‘What?’s and ‘Pardon?’s. Overall, besides the potential for the cars to break, us to get lost, or other problems, it was a great trip and I think we all enjoyed it. We got some great photos anyway!