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Maleficent - Goth Beauty

 The most important bit of advice I can give is to not let other people’s opinion get to you, or influence what you want to do with your life, which can be easier said than done and takes time. One of the most difficult things about modelling is to not compare yourself to other models or beat yourself up for not looking like the other girls you see on Instagram. The truth is, is that there is not one type of “perfect model” and everyone is different. You don’t have to look a certain way in order to be successful and in fact being unique will do you a lot of favours. Also, don’t take it too personally if you don’t have the “right look” for a specific photographer or agency, whilst some do have preferences for a certain look, there will be people out there that like yours, its just a case of finding them and figuring out what type of modelling is right for you. I’ve been turned down by several agencies for being too short, and whilst it can get me down sometimes I have to remind myself that it doesn’t make me less of a model than taller girls, and as a result I’ve focused more on building my career as a freelance model, rather than trying to pursue agency work.

  1. Tell us something about you

My name is Georgia aka Maleficent, I’m a 24 year old model based in the UK. Some random facts about me: I have a Masters degree in Technical Art History (basically art conservation) from the University of Glasgow, I used to be an intermediate level pole dancer, I’m a gamer, and a big animal lover.

  1. When did you start modelling?

I started modelling about three and a half years ago after a now ex boyfriend had gotten into photography and suggested I try modelling. Until then I hadn’t really been interested in modelling as I was very shy and would never have thought modelling was something I could do. Growing up I had very little confidence and always thought models had to be tall and slim. I eventually gave in and signed up to PurplePort, mainly so my ex would stop nagging me about it. I really didn’t think I would get any response to the first casting call I put out, but to my surprise the response was very positive. After a couple of shoots, I realised it was something I actually enjoyed and wasn’t too bad at! I carried on doing it as a hobby before feeling confident enough to start charging for it and pursing it as a career.

  1. How was your first experience in front of the camera

I was absolutely terrified before my first shoot, I had no idea what to expect or how I would do. Fortunately for me, the first photographer I worked with couldn’t have been more patient or supportive. He was a great choice for my first shoot and really helped boost my confidence about my potential as a model. The photographers you work with are a huge part of your modelling experience and had I worked with someone else, I don’t know whether I would have continued doing it. I was extremely shy growing up and used to have severe anxiety regarding social situations, I really struggled doing new things or talking to new people, but I found embracing a modelling persona (basically acting like someone else) helped me get over this fear. Eventually this fake confidence just became the norm and I now find I’m a much less anxious and shy person in my day to day life, not just behind the camera.

  1. Goth culture. How and when did you start to be a goth

I have always been interested in goth culture ever since I was old to really know what it was. Despite being a bit of a girly girl when I was little I was still interested in creepy things, which is something that has just developed as I got older. I didn’t dress very gothic in school, as I wasn’t confident enough to fully embrace it. It wasn’t until my late teens/ early twenties that I really started to feel confident enough to dress in a more gothic style, and it has developed over time.

  1. Meaning of tats and why you like them

I had always loved tattoos and planned to get several, however I didn’t rush into getting any as I wanted to make sure they were definitely what I wanted. My first tattoo was the heart shaped ribcage on my right arm and it doesn’t really have any specific meaning, it was just a design I really liked and it was my own artwork that I had tattooed. My second tattoo is the semi colon on my left wrist and this one has a much deeper meaning. As a lot of people probably know, the semi colon symbol is used by a lot of depression support groups and long time sufferers. I was diagnosed with depression in my teens and really struggled with it at university, almost having to drop out as I was so ill. I really struggled with self-harm and suicidal thoughts which took a long time to recover from. I decided to get my second tattoo before moving to Glasgow for my masters as a reminder that I could get through any difficult times ahead, as I was already a survivor. I plan to get more tattoos in future, but being an artist means I take a long time on my designs!

  1. Piercings

At present I have 11 piercings in total. I like how piercings offer the chance for non permanent body modification and are a fairly simple way to really change your appearance. I may get more in future, but I think I’m running out of room!

  1. How difficult is being a model

Modelling is much more challenging job than most people might think. It’s not just a case of getting your picture taken, it involves long days, shooting for several hours straight which can be both physically and mentally exhausting even more so if you’re shooting outdoors, you have to able to cope with the cold and the elements. There is also a lot of work outside of just modelling itself, as it requires a lot of upkeep and admin. If you want to be successful, you have to be prepared to put a lot of work in.

  1. When it comes to photo sessions, do you bring up ideas, do you leave everything up to the photographer or do you talk and find the best solution?

It’s usually a combination of both. Photographers will often have a concept in mind for their shoot that I work along with whilst also incorporating my own ideas. Sometimes a photographer will leave the theme of the shoot completely up to me, but I usually still try to find out what ideas the photographer might have, or what sort of style they like to shoot. Apps like Pinterest are really useful for finding ideas and putting together mood boards. In fact, one of my modelling goals is to be more organised when it comes to planning ideas or themes for shoots.

  1. Nude art photography. Tell us about the process when you decide to art nude photos- how much energy and focus do you have to put in that form of art. When it comes to ideas too- how it really works?

Art nude wasn’t something I planned to do when I started modelling, but I gave it a go and found I actually enjoyed it. There is the opportunity to get really creative in art nude shoots and it can still be very classy, as nothing has to be on show if you don’t want it to be. It does take some time to learn what poses work in art nude, but experimentation is the best way to learn. The biggest thing about art nude modelling is that you have to be very comfortable in your own skin and not get phased by being naked in front of people! It also helps to be prepared, that is having a decent idea of what sort of styles or poses you want to do during the shoot and bringing along a warm dressing gown to wrap up in in-between shooting!

  1. Reaction from people close to you and in general?

On the whole, I have been very lucky with how supportive people have been. My mum has supported me doing it since the start, with her only concern being my safety during my shoots. Other members of my family would not be as accepting of art nude modelling, so initially I tried to keep my modelling work and my own social media separate. However, since a few members have found out (and shared their disapproval), I’ve become less concerned about keeping it secret. Its not something that I’m ashamed of, so I don’t really see any reason to keep it secret. Whilst I do get my fair share of judgemental comments the people that are most important to me support me, so other people’s opinion doesn’t really matter to me. Its important to surround yourself around people who support you and not let negativity prevent you from doing what you want.

  1. Advice to girls who want to model but are self-conscious or afraid of people’s reaction.

The most important bit of advice I can give is to not let other people’s opinion get to you, or influence what you want to do with your life, which can be easier said than done and takes time. One of the most difficult things about modelling is to not compare yourself to other models or beat yourself up for not looking like the other girls you see on Instagram. The truth is, is that there is not one type of “perfect model” and everyone is different. You don’t have to look a certain way in order to be successful and in fact being unique will do you a lot of favours. Also, don’t take it too personally if you don’t have the “right look” for a specific photographer or agency, whilst some do have preferences for a certain look, there will be people out there that like yours, its just a case of finding them and figuring out what type of modelling is right for you. I’ve been turned down by several agencies for being too short, and whilst it can get me down sometimes I have to remind myself that it doesn’t make me less of a model than taller girls, and as a result I’ve focused more on building my career as a freelance model, rather than trying to pursue agency work.

  1. Favourite movies/ music/ art in general

As expected, I love horror movies and all things creepy with Silence of the Lambs being my all time favourite film and book. Some other favourites are Aliens, Pan’s Labyrinth, The Shape of Water and any classic horror film. On the other end of the spectrum I also love a good musical, especially Moulin Rouge and I am a huge fan of Star Wars. Music wise I tend to listen to most things but prefer Indie and rock music, things like Nirvana and 80’s rock bands. I’m very passionate about art, having studied it at uni for both my undergrad and masters. I love a lot of art styles but especially those that deal with surreal or creepy subjects.

  1. Links where people can see your work

Most of my work can be found on my Instagram Maleficent_model or on Purplport.com. I have also set up my own website however this is still being worked on and needs some updating.