Pixel-Magic Photography wrote:
Hey AJ,

Sure, maybe 2 are prettier, and 1 walks better, but you're not only pretty, and cute, but there is not a single mispelled word in your post, nor typos, and your grammar is top notch. You write really well. Not just technically, but well -it reads beautifully like a little story by a professional writer. You have a knack for writing. I suspect you got more between your ears than at least 4/5 of the models and photographers in this place.

And you've seen through this whole crasy, insane, unfair, but sometimes fun, business called modeling, or marketing or life?

Anyone who says don't compare yourself to other people is  full of it. You should, you need to -the whole idea of being a model is for people to look at you. To examine you closely, every dimple, every blemish is a factor.  Now if you are a writer, what you look like makes no difference whatsoever, as long as you write really well. 

Would you tell a photographer to never compare her/his photos with those of others?   

You are way ahead of a lot us when we were your age. You haven't bought into the BS. Now that you see what it's really like,  you can still do it, but now you can relax, because  you  now see it in perspective. If it irritates you too much, or bores you, or doesn't pay enough, you can do something else. Maybe write about your experiences!

I'm already a fan of yours, jus like that.

Dan

I agree!

AJ Bella wrote:
Do you ever feel this way? Like you just can't help but think you have to compete with the person next to you?

It's the same in photography, but in photography you have much more time to sit and brood about how good or bad you are compared to your competition...

AJ Bella wrote:
So I am sitting around at yet another fasion show waiting as usual for whatever is supposed to happen next: maybe hair and makeup, maybe another walk-through or some more fittings. Or maybe this time the show coordinator will be nice enough to give the models something more to eat besides watermelon.

Anyways, I start to realize looking around at all the other random models there backstage that there are at least 5 who are prettier than me, 2 who walk better than me and 1 who is my closest competition (tall, slim, dark skin tone, same goal to get into cormercial work) And I really begin think of how brutal this buisness really is.

Sure, they say 'don't compare yourself to anyone else' but at the same time we're our worst critic and when the girl sitting next to you is chowing down the last piece of watermelon and gets fitted for the evening gown that the designer decides to let her wear instead of you, which means you get stuck with the see-through strapless mini dress that all the other girls declined to wear; you can't help but wonder if you'll ever be as good as the next person.

Do you ever feel this way? Like you just can't help but think you have to compete with the person next to you?

I'm not sure you have to be a model to feel this way. I think it's just life. There will always be somebody out there who has it better than you do -- there's always someone with more money, more power, more charisma, more good looks, a cuter/smarter/more loveable partner, a better job, nicer friends, a cooler car, a bigger house, more talent, and on and on and on it goes.

Somewhere in there is the secret to happiness -- a delicate balance between the ability to be happy with what life gives you, somehow combined with the drive and ambition to make yourself a little better every day.

I used to think to myself -- be happy that you're not like one of the little forest animals -- that you don't wake up in the morning, wondering who is going to swoop down out of the sky and try to eat you for breakfast.

Now I realize I AM one of those animals -- there are bigger animals trying to eat me every day, and I have learned to be happy an content, despite that fact.

So we do our best, take what is given us, ask for more, and be satisfied with what we get, knowing we did our best. That's all I know!!

Paul

bang bang photo wrote:
I used to think to myself -- be happy that you're not like one of the little forest animals -- that you don't wake up in the morning, wondering who is going to swoop down out of the sky and try to eat you for breakfast.

Now I realize I AM one of those animals -- there are bigger animals trying to eat me every day, and I have learned to be happy an content, despite that fact.
Paul

I love that analogy! Well said!

UCPhotog wrote:
Have you thought that any one of those other models was thinking the same thing as you posted? Thinking she (you) are prettier or have a better walk? Don't forget, while your opinion is important to you, beauty is an opinion, and we might think you are the prettier model

Yeah, that is so true. I think a lot of that goes on backstage. All the girls are so "nice" and go that extra mile to strike convo with you but in the back of their mind there all thinking the same thing "Who does this b*** think she is hogging the only full length mirror back here?"

AJ Bella wrote:
Thanks although I wish there was a "Caution" sign somewhere. It really is brutal out there. I think I'll get some rocky road icecream and watch reruns of Sex and the City (at least Carrie's love problems are worse than mine)

I’m not sure this helps with your insecurity but if it any consolation, I am having a real hard time getting passed the image of you in a see-through strapless mini-dress licking a rocky road ice cream cone.