Model Pages International Agency, SL Fashion and General Modeling Information

What is Your Strength?

by Eliza Mint

I truly do not believe being an SL model is something anyone is “born” with.  It’s not RL where we are born beautiful with perfect bone structure and skin, etc, etc.  Here in SL, we all have the possibility to become excellent models.  Does everyone have what it takes?  Of course not.  We’ve all met a couple people along our modeling travels that just simply do not “get it”.  They simply do not take the time to scrutinize themselves or take advice well or simply are not professional enough to do well in the SL modeling world.  Could they change and improve?  Sure, with some work.

Some people are “natural” SL models.  Perhaps they were serious gamers in a previous life and can strut along the runway just as easily as they can walk on their own two RL feet.  I, personally, was never a gamer and as a noob, I could barely walk up staircases.  One good friend used to be so kind as to teleport me to tops of stairs, I was so challenged.  I’m still impressed by models who can glide up and down complicated runway structures, stopping on a dime.  Over my 2.5 years in SL, I’ve gotten better.  Other people were builders in SL before coming to modeling.  They know their way around prims.  I’m proud to say that I once ran a clothing shop and while I truly kind of stunk at designing, it taught me a lot.  I can make simple pieces to finish a styled outfit or edit jewelry to get it just how I need it.  This is not something that comes naturally to me, but the more I work at it, the better I get.  Some people are fashionistas in RL and it translates well into SL.  They can make any outfit “flow”.

There is a saying, “Fake it until you make it” and it certainly holds true in SL modeling.  What’s your strength?  We all have one.  Maybe you are great at picking poses; being a little daring to get just the right pose to rock that outfit on the runway.  Maybe you have a great attention to detail and have the patience to cam around yourself a million times, editing and rotating those clothing pieces until they are perfect.  Maybe you’re a brand new model and all you have is some Lindens and your personality.  🙂  Well, that works too.  Then be the professional and sparkling personality you know you have and work it!  We’re all not perfect.  Not in RL and not in SL.  Most of us are still learning, day by day.

I haven’t been modeling very long.  I started my first class in January.  I’ve taken two courses so far and I’ve been friendly enough to make a good number of friends I can count on.  I think they have been my greatest asset in the modeling world.  People I can say, “Where can I get a light purple ponytail hair with sparkles?” and they give me some clues or LMs.  Friends I can brainstorm outfits with.  It’s only from each other that we learn.  We learn of new styling products, new modeling tools, and new techniques.  A friend that can give us a final look over and remind us that we forgot to shrink our ass!

You have a strength…and you’re not perfect.  How can you use the skills you currently have to grow as a model?  What strengths can make you stand out?  Only you can answer that.  So the next casting you have or class you attend, go in thinking positively about the ONE skills you have that no one can take from you.  Even if it’s “I’m friendly enough to make one friend today in class,” or “I know every prim on my avatar is perfectly placed”, then do it!