Modeling experience

Last weekend I had the incredible opportunity to be an ambassador model for a company I partner with! 

We weren’t told whether we could share the brand so I won’t, but it was such an awesome experience that I wanted to write about it and have the memory captured forever. 

My good friend and I were both asked, so going through the experience with her was so much sweeter!

About a week out we were contacted by the wardrobe team to gather sizes and see some of our gear so she could incorporate our personal style in too. There was a color palate of the brand’s colors that we were asked to include.  

We received a run of show email the day before with our full schedule, and then on shoot day, we arrived by 9 for a meeting and to see which looks and models would be needed in different shots at different times. 

There were two professional models, three of us ambassadors, and a full team for production, photographers, and videographers, hair and make up, wardrobe, and set design. The opportunity to learn how a professional photo shoot works was so cool! It is a lot of fun but a ton of work! 

First we had breakfast and then hair and make up started. We were shooting running, hiking, and biking shots and since it was a cooler day and we were up on the mountain, it was necessary to use fake sweat make up! We had our hair done in an active style and minimal make up but the stylist did touch ups periodically and was on set for each shoot so she could touch us up. 

The first shot I did was by myself and then we did a lot of full group shots where we ran back and forth a million times! We had a videographer catching the video and photographers and a full team holding lights and reflectors and shades all out in the woods at Mt. Hood. It was so funny, people walking by thought we were a wedding party! The producers were so supportive and kind and helped cue us non-models when needed and also cued the real models on running form as needed. We made a good team! The models were so sweet and kind and it was fun to get to know the production team a bit, who all happen to be very speedy runners themselves. One is even dating a pro runner whose book I read and movie I’ve seen! So cool!

Around 3 we finished up with the running shots and were able to stop for lunch. There was a big table full of snacks the whole time and they got us catered lunch as well. Trail runners and hikers coming by looked like they wondered what we were doing and hoped it was an aid station for all! 

Next we moved on  to hiking shots. We put on hiking clothes, touched up make up, and changed our hair a little. It sounds silly but modeling is hard! I kept imagining Cece from New Girl and I agreed with her sentiments about it. I also felt conscious of how I presented because us ambassador models who are untrained were really expected to follow along and do what was asked and sometimes that was tough! The running part was easy but running and hiking at a certain pace in a certain formation, at the right time was a little harder than you’d think! 

After the hiking, they shot the biking and I wasn’t a part of that part, just my friend and one model. We wrapped about 5pm. Whew, what a day! At the end we were all so tired and also felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity! I will share a couple behind the scenes photos but can’t wait to share the real photos when they’re produced!