`FAKE OPA` another day in the life of a Best Ager Photomodel 2 x shootings.read on..................

 

Another day in the life of a Best Ager Commercial Photomodel began on a Saturday morning early. Packing clothes for two shooting sessions and loading into the car. Driving 1 hour to Vaduz in Leichtenstein through a terrible rain storm along the side of the Wallensee. Arriving in Vaduz and 

following the plan to the studio, yes No.17 on the Industrie area, I found it, but where is the door? Two others were looking for it too and were just as confused. Then we found it,up three flights of outside stairs in the rain. I had so many clothes with me for all the various scenes, and I had to climb these stairs twice with all my heavy stuff!! Okay I arrived and met 12 photographers and the chef. a quick hello and handshake then I explained that I had clothes for the following scenes - street fashion, caribik, city gentleman, gangster 1 and gangster 2. What would they like to start with I asked? - yes as I expected GANGSTER.

 

The chef was explaining how one should handle a photo model as non of them had had experience with one. I changed quickly and then we started our furious two hour photo session where everybody got the chance to try his hand. 

It was fun and we had a lot of really good laughs together, I felt like an entertainer as well as being the bad gangster with the mean face.Gangster scene went well.

Next session was the extra smart and elegant businessman in the Massimo Dutti dark blue suit with pointed black Milan shoes. That`s me in my element again and the photographers obviously enjoyed my performances. It wasn`t easy as I had to continuously changed my pose and expressions and that for twelve people.Trying to give everyone something new and original. As to my expressions I found that I should change a little from those that I had used for the men as now there were two ladies also in the row. With one I chose to flirt a little, just with facial expressions and it worked. I got the little lady so confused she couldn`t find the button anymore to take the pictures. She enjoyed what I was doing but I am not sure what her photos came out like. 

Next session was in elegant Caribik style, Massimo Dutti off white jacket and a fancy floral shirt and white straw hat. It worked and the photographers had fun with me again.

 

That was it and then I had to pack up again and move onto the next photoshooting in Zurich. I was left with just two hours to get there, knowing that I must look for the house in an area that I didn`t know. WoW I took the wrong turning, then looked left and there it was! But a one way street! I found a parking space and then carried my new set of clothes 500 meters up the hill till I found No.29. Great I was there with 5mins to spare.I hate being late in fact I like to get to a gig 30mins before so that I have time to relax and to meet everybody.

The afternoon Xmas shooting session was well on the way, a real family of Mum,Dad and three little children were being featured in different scenes. The kids were unpacking fantasy present boxes and there was a lot of coloured packing paper everywhere. Just like it used to be at home in my family. My part was to play the Grandad/Opa. I was immediately given the name of `Fake Opa` by the children and that stuck all through the afternoon. Time went by and I had the chance to chat with various people like the stylistin, make up lady, line manager and so on. It`s alway nice to listen to peoples stories, how and where they live, what they do and what they want to do in the future. I get my chance too - always having to explain to people how I came to live in Switzerland, having been imported by a Swiss Lady some 43 years ago. That I was born and grew up in London and started my lifes career as a profi musician then moving onto the advertising world.

Hey it`s time to go as my scene is coming up and my name has just been called out. Check make up, it`s okay she said. I asked `and my hair? `that`s good for sure she said!

So in I went, into a wonderland Xmas lounge, a great scene creation with mystic atmosphere. I was told what to do and I did it and the family all played there parts like profis and then suddenly we were finished. A big round of applaus came up from all the support team and that was it. The photographer was pleased with me and the client nodded with agreement also. I saw the possible finished photo on screen and had to agree, it was a very charming family Xmas photo.

 

Time to pack and go back to the car with all my luggage, then drive for one hour home. A great day was now finished and my adrenalin was still very high, I was elevated and that because of the nice comments and praise that I`d received during the day. Four hours driving and two gigs in one day is a lot but I have to take it when it comes and at the moment I`m riding on a high. The challenges are big but it`s always fun and worth the extreme effort.

Being a model is sometimes hard, especially the travelling part but the rewards in terms of making new human contacts everywhere is unbeatable.

Let it continue for a long time. 

jim sullivan

best ager commercial photomodel  

   www.jimsullivanmodel.com