Breaking the rules

As many of you may know, or have by now at least noticed, I work predominately within art nude. Quite strictly in fact. I've strived to make my images as non sexual as possible. Personally, whilst I appreciate the nude form I don't see it in a sexual light. To me it's just a body, you either have what I have or I've seen it before. End of story. I've enjoyed the fact that despite not making 'sexy' images [eg. little to no eye contact and certainly not come to bed eyes, lack of make up etc] people have still appreciated my work. I've tried really hard to perfect posing, spending half my life on my tippy toes, as well as vary my posing repertoire as much as possible. All without things getting too sexy. I've made these rules for myself for a few reasons :
1) I didn't want people looking at my photos cause I was just another girl taking her clothes off.
2) I didn't want people looking at me in a sexual manner.
3) I wanted to show people that art nude can take many forms and isn't just pretty girl in a pretty place.
4) To show people that modeling is a serious job, not just standing around smiling at a camera.

I think I've achieved that to some degree or another and I'm proud of that. I haven't found it limiting in any way and love the challenge of only having my body, photographer and light. No make up, no wardrobe. It's all down to you and the photographer. I think this really helps much your modeling ability. Finding new things to do, learning to work with the light no matter what it's like [studio, bright sunshine, over cast day etc]. Modeling has even helped me face my fear of heights. I might of effed and blinded whilst doing it but I did it. The photos are a memory of strength of facing that fear.

But now I have decided that whilst I will still strive to do art nude in a none sexual light [no met-art / hegre style work here] I am now expanding what I do. I'm sponsored by a boutique,  Nikita Sablier so corsets and fancy dresses are now a regular part of my life as well a latex. Now I am striving to embody more persona's. I have shoots lined up focusing more on lingerie and fashion nude work. Have started making more eye contact etc in shoots. It's not something I am doing all the time, and I am being some what selective about who I am doing it with but I'm enjoying it very much.

I'm pleased I waited until now to do so. Breaking my own rules is one thing but creating them has helped me push myself and learn things. I think you have to know the rules to break them, and I don't see why modeling is any different.

When I first started this job I was 18 and really wanted to show that my work wasn't sexy, but now I'm 21 and I want to show that there are more sides to me. I'm growing up, getting older and want to show what else I can do. My Uncle has a saying "Gather ye rosebuds whilst ye may", something he's always said in regards to my modeling. And I think he's right, although I think you can model at any age especially within art nude where age and body shape shouldn't really come into it in my opinion, I'd like to get pictures throughout my life. A story board of changes in my body, posing style and life.

I've started changing my portfolio already. You can view it on my MM, click this to view > modelmayhem.com