Submission for 1AM MAGAZINE

Look at my face. Look at how calm and relaxed I am. Look at the denim shirt draping off my shoulder. Look at the breeze gently brushing the hair away from my cheeks. Looks can be deceiving.

I can confidently say that I have never been as cold whilst shooting as I did this night. With just myself, the photographer and stylist (no need for hair and make up when you've got Mother Natures wind machine in the form of Tamarama Beach) we found shelter and a make shift changing room among the rocks. With a 6pm call time, in the middle of winter none the less, we powered through eight different looks. Each one as scantily clad as the next. My teeth began to chatter and my hands started to shake. The stylist, Lena Ross,  did what little she could to relieve some of the cold by wrapping me up in blankets but with the photographer telling me the quicker we shoot, the quicker it'll be done I hurtled back onto the sand just willing it to be over.

I find that when I am in front of the camera I go into what I refer to as "The Zone". Quite literally everything around me becomes invisible and it's just me and the camera. If there are people watching, they simply disappear. If I am freezing cold, it almost melts away as I focus on the job in hand. It was just enough to get me through but when the photographer suggested I run into the water that took it a step too far. Luckily my speech about running into the ocean in the middle of the night not being the safest thing to do saved me from my chilly fate. Although I think I still dipped my toes in, just for the effect.

Hearing those words "that's a wrap" have never sounded so sweet. Layering my clothes back on was a minor relief but I knew this situation called for a scolding bath and hot water bottle. Not all jobs are going to be enjoyable but you hope that all will be somewhat character building. Well this, was definitely that.  

Speaking of character building, several months later it was discovered that this shoot had found it's way onto a porn site. Not ideal and definitely not where I had intended to take my career. With 1am Magazine being an online publication every Tom, Dick and Harry have access to the images. In this case it was every Creep, Weirdo and  Perv. However, I kept my cool and notified my agency at the time who immediately took action and got the photos removed. Makes me wonder how many other photos have unwontedly ended up on the "wrong" website. A note to all my fellow models, a quick search of your name on Google takes five minutes and could potentially save you months or years of grief. On happier note, I really liked the images we shot for the magazine. Just simple, cool and all about capturing a moment. Even if that moment did happen to be seriously bloomin' cold. 

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