Iona Lynn wrote:
Hey wait a minute; I'm known for my bizarre poses and my mad contortionist skills.
I got a great complement yesterday of “you do a really great job of doing what I tell you to do even though it should be impossibleâ€?

Yeah, but you're good at it. You're playing to your strengths and your port benefits from it.

Brian Diaz wrote:
I know what you're saying and I agree for the most part.  But what gets noticed online is not what will get commercial jobs.  One really has to understand the difference between the online world and the land-based world.

Words of wisdom here....

Scaramanga wrote:
As an example, you'll look at a MUA's port and she'll have all these bizzarro, avante garde jobs she did, and then there will be one clean commercial picture that she (or he) did really well. The commercial picture is the one that really looks the best, shows off their chops, and has the most comments, but the MUA is endeavoring (futilely) to be "cutting edge."

Same with models. They'll have the most symmetric, beautiful commercial face and perfect body and you see all these pics of them with crazy make-up and styling and exaggerated poses. And again, the one picture with straight ahead styling and lighting is the one that makes them look the best and gets the most notice.

This is why the world needs good agents and managers (and good photographers). Because people often have the wrong idea of what looks best on them. Curvy short girls want to be runway models; thin, commercial looking girls want to be Grace Jones, etc.

So true my friend! I'm cormercial. I've got the girl next door look down pat. I'm not afraid to smile in a pic and its what has gotten me most jobs thus far. But there's always that itch to want to sex myself up a bit. Get all exotic and high fashion looking..but at the end of the day I know I sholdn't try to fix what aint broken.

TG Photography wrote:
i think ur right and wrong at the same time ... cus these abstract images are wat is need for high fashion editiorals and the commerical is good to but i find it kind of boring but still needs to be done .. models, photographer and muas should have a good blend of both .. thats wat i think

I'm not arguing for the banishment of the bizarre or that one (e.g., commercial) is better than the other (avant garde). I'm just saying, know what works best for you (what's going to get you paid work as a model or MUA) and play to it. Stop trying to fit a square peg into a circle.

I'm tempted to post the MM'er who got me to thinking about this today, but I think it would be in poor taste. Besides, there's plenty of examples of it around here.

I know what you're saying and I agree for the most part.  But what gets noticed online is not what will get commercial jobs.  One really has to understand the difference between the online world and the land-based world.

Unless it's just art for art's sake... in which case, none of that really matters anyway.

gsvb wrote:
Internet and the "real " world are planets apart.

True, MM is a hangout spot that you go to after work.

Scaramanga wrote:
This is why the world needs good agents and managers (and good photographers). Because people often have the wrong idea of what looks best on them. Curvy short girls want to be runway models; thin, commercial looking girls want to be Grace Jones, etc.

Agreed. It's hard for some of us, like myself, who don't know what's best sometimes.

gsvb wrote:
Internet and the "real " world are planets apart.

Actually they're closely intertwined... and that's what gets some people in trouble.

But agreed on the topic. Took me forever to realize, 'Hey that looks dumb, maybe I should stop doing that.' or 'OOOO, that's why everyone likes when I do that, it looks good.'

gsvb wrote:
Internet and the "real " world are planets apart.

I agree with you !