Introducing Model & Mode Magazine’s Latest Covergirl: The Stunning Liudmyla Tkachenko

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Liudmyla Tkachenko is a stunning Ukrainian model who is currently based in Los Angeles. She grew up in a picturesque town stretching in the western region of Ukraine. Ever since she was a little girl, she has always dreamed of becoming an international model someday. Unfortunately, the economic situation in Ukraine was bad at the time, and since she had no connections in the fashion industry – becoming an international model seemed like an almost impossible feat. But Liudmyla was persistent though, despite her situation, she was determined to turn her childhood dream into reality.

Liudmyla’s first taste of the modeling industry came in the form of a modeling contract that was offered to her to work somewhere in China. Although China has always been considered as one of the most dynamic, and vibrant countries in the world, moving to work in China can often seem daunting because of the language barrier and cultural differences. However, Liudmyla really wanted to make things work with her modeling career hence the reason why she felt that she needed a deeper cultural immersion in the Chinese ways for the sake of her career. She decided to hone her Chinese language skills first so she started taking Chinese language classes. Eventually, she came to the point that she was actually quite fluent in Mandarin.

Since working as a full-time model in China, She has appeared in several high-profile commercials and magazines in Asia. Liudmyla worked as a full-time model for a few years in Asia mainly around Hong Kong, China, and Thailand before deciding to move to the United States to further pursue her modeling career. When she moved to the United States in 2016, she didn’t speak a word of English which was tough because she had to start from the bottom again. She, therefore, decided to study English in a New York-based language school while pursuing her modeling career at the same time.

Liudmyla’s persistence eventually paid off when she started scoring one good gig after another. Since working as a model in New York, she has appeared several times in New York Fashion Week. She has walked for high-profile designers such as Dan Liu, Terraza, and Oxford Fashion, among others, and she has also done photoshoots for high-profile fashion magazines such as the L’Officiel magazine, Marie Claire, MD Trends magazine, Imaginary magazine, and Marjen magazine. Furthermore, she was involved in several catalog shoots as well as a number of exciting projects. Her photos from the New York Fashion Week shows have even been featured in Vogue, Elle, as well as Harper’s Bazaar.

After modeling for two years in New York, Liudmyla decided to try her luck at acting by moving to Los Angeles. Since moving to Los Angeles, she has appeared in a Nike commercial, as well as a few alcohol commercials, and she also scored a role in an upcoming film called “The Nowhere Inn.” The movie is set to premiere in the Sundance film festival 2020. Currently, Liudmyla is studying at an acting school called Beverly Hills Playhouse hoping that this can be her ticket to more projects in Hollywood.

Starting from a humble background, Liudmyla was initially faced with poverty as well as other problems, but she learned how to overcome all that fate threw at her. She moved forward with a single-minded determination to achieve success. Having reached her goal of becoming an international model, she’s definitely a classic example of the results of hard work and determination.

Model & Mode magazine recently caught up with Liudmyla to discuss her journey in the modeling world and here’s what went down:

Could you please provide background about yourself and how were you actually ‘discovered’?

I’m originally based in Ukraine. I got started as a model when an agent from a modeling agency in Ukraine came up to me whilst I was in the middle of grocery shopping. The agent told me that he saw potential in me as a model. I, therefore, decided to visit their office the next day and that’s when I got signed up with my first mother agency.

What does it mean to you to be a model?

It means always being a role model for other people as well as spreading positivity and good energy.

What sort of person usually follows you? Who’s your main audience?

I actually have a lot of male and female followers so there’s a balance. People who love traveling as well as an active lifestyle always follow me as well.

What’s the biggest challenge to modeling?

Don’t pay attention to rejections. Stay strong and focused.

Have you always wanted to be in the modeling industry?

Yes, it has been my dream since I was a little girl.

What’s your personal mission in life?

Make the world a better place. Spread positivity and good energy.

What has been the most memorable experience of your career so far?

When I walked for high-profile designers such as Dan Liu and Terraza during the New York Fashion Week. The photos from their shows have also been published in Vogue magazine.

Who have been the most interesting people you’ve met so far?

I have met so many talented and creative people that it’s hard for me to choose specific names. The fashion industry is full of interesting, and creative people.

How active are you on social media?

I am quite active on Instagram. I love posting new content daily.

What is your favourite social media platform?

Instagram is definitely my favorite social media platform.

What will you advise other models who may wish to follow your footsteps?

Always believe in yourself. Be focused and enjoy every moment of the journey!

What are your future plans? Inside your career or out of it.

I am planning to get into acting.

The ‘LIGHTNING FAST’ Round:

1. Last good movie I’ve seen: Hollywood.

2. What do you consider beautiful and why? Beautiful minds of people, beautiful nature, and beautiful life. Life is beautiful because it’s full of blessings.

3. What haven’t you done yet that you wish you could? I want to learn surfing.

4. Complete this sentence: “If I had no fear, I’d…” surf in Hawaii.

5. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself? My positive energy and kindness.

Meet The Beautiful Women Behind The Cover Of The Latest Issue Of Model & Mode Magazine

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Set at the Rydges Parramatta on the 28th of February 2020, eight extremely motivated and inspirational women took on the challenge of competing for five prestigious titles. After months of training and doing charitable work, the five beauty queens have finally been handed down their respective titles by the Australian International Pageant National Director, Ferial Youakim. The International Pageants system is a unique system that differs from other pageant systems due to the authenticity in its aim to strive to serve others in the community. It simultaneously creates an opportunity for women to become self-empowered and empower others. Now let’s meet the 2020 queens (Photos courtesy of Ruby Adamson):

Laura Ratliff (Mrs. Australia International 2020)

Laura Ratliff sparkles for every child. She’s a wife, an entrepreneur, a public speaker, and a philanthropist.

When Laura was a child in school, she was actually shy and she struggled with confidence. Through the support of her mum and dad, she eventually received the tools and guidance that helped her overcome her challenges. From a young age, growing up in Sydney Australia, she has a passion for the performing arts, racing motorbikes, circus arts, and having fun. But her constant thought was – there must be something more and there must be a reason why she’s here. Through the combination of all of the skills she developed in her childhood, she laid the foundation of her business, Fairy La La Land. In 2014 Laura became an international businesswoman when she found a fantastic company called “Send Out Cards”. That strengthened her belief in the power of appreciation and building relationships that led her to find the man of her dreams and a fairytale wedding in Salt Lake City.

Her decision to enter the Mrs. Australian International pageant started when she was looking for charity organizations to help children. Laura and her husband Barton were eating lunch in SLC when she read an article about Robin Towel, the current Mrs, International 2019, and the work she does for Teen suicide prevention. Robin inspired Laura to follow in her footsteps and allow her to inspire and help even more children through this wonderful platform. Her mission is to inspire children to reach their full potential through health, fitness, and a positive mindset. Over the past ten years, she has had the privilege to make children smile and in the process, promote a healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude. She is now the support for children around the world living in poverty. There are 730,000 children in Australia and 15 million children in the USA alone, living in poverty. She is on a mission to lower those numbers and provide programs to help them have a bigger, brighter future.

Laura instantly connected with the McCabe Foundation and its mission to provide education and support to inner-city youth, where they can grow and develop positive personal development skills needed as they grow into adulthood. The McCabe Foundation is partnered with Nancy Lieberman Charities to bring these tools to the youth through competitive sports, mentorship, and various educational opportunities. By partnering with the McCabe Foundation who support the Nancy Lieberman Charities, she is able to bring awareness to this problem and raise funds for multiple sports and leadership programs that deliver opportunities for children. By donating one dream court to the Nancy Lieberman charity, she’s able to give children living in low-income areas the chance to learn new skills, learn about a healthy lifestyle and build relationships with their local peers giving them focus, skills, and a network of positive influence who will help to change the cores of their future. It is her goal, as Mrs. Australia International 2020 to create 2 dream courts; one in Sydney, Australia, and one in Utah, USA that millions of children in low-income areas can benefit for years to come. To follow Mrs. Australia International 2020, Laura Ratliff’s journey, you can visit her official website (www.laurajaneratliff.com).

Sindu Varathan (Ms. Australia International 2020)

Sindu Varathan was originally born and raised in India but she decided to follow a career opportunity in Singapore and now she has been in Australia for the past decade. She is an IT Technical Consultant by profession and she is also the founder of ‘Hasi Splash’ – a not for profit which strives to bring a splash of love, hope, and laughter with acts of kindness into people’s lives, in their community and beyond. Education has played a very important role in her life and has been one of her key tools to navigate through the different transitions in her life. She believes every child has a right to a safe environment and a right to education. This is what inspired her to enter into the world of pageantry and join hands with the Save The Children organisation as her platform who works hard “building a better world for and with children.”

Life eventually unfolded into some very uncertain turns in what Sindu thought was a perfect life. She says that becoming a single parent opened her eyes to the vulnerability of a child during those difficult transitions and advocating for child rights became her passion since then. Sindu currently lives in Victoria and is actively involved in her local community raising awareness for her platform. She loves her beautiful sash and crown but she believes that her mission is much deeper than the surface. She is determined to make the most of her title to make the most of these opportunities awarded to her by helping those children that really need a voice.

Tiffany Shen (Miss Australia International 2020)

Tiffany Shen is an ambassador for The Sunlight Foundation – an organisation focussed on putting a stop to child trafficking.

Inspired by the sacrifices of her mother, Tiffany decided to act selflessly on an issue close to her own heart. Sadly, the loathsome crime of child-trafficking is rising, especially in Asia, where girls and boys, often no more than six or seven years old are sold as trophies to sex-tourists and other pedophiles, then passed on to suffer more obscene violence in the brutal sex slums of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. When Tiffany traveled to Vietnam, her eyes were opened to the terrible industry and she is now determined to make a difference and create a change within the government to tackle this issue.

Adelayde Mckellar (Miss Teen Australia International 2020)

Adelayne is the newly crowned Miss Teen Australia International 2020. She is a fourth-year hairdressing apprentice from Queensland and she decided to use her voice to raise awareness for the escalating issue of domestic violence after a tragedy in her family’s life sparked her need for change.

Sadly, Adelayde lost a beloved family member to domestic violence and that’s when she knew something had to be done. She is definitely a young woman on a mission.

Michelle Fleming (Goodwill Ambassador Australia International 2020)

Michelle Fleming was the reigning Ms. Australia International last year and she earnt the title of Goodwill Australia International Ambassador just recently. She’s a 45-year-old mother of three children (Tiarna, Blake, and Ruby) and she resides in the Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales. She works as a care worker/nurse in her local community.

Michelle’s passion and mission for her platforms, homelessness, and farmers are much deeper than her crown and sash. Her passion for rural Australia stems back to her childhood, but it grew deeper with the effects of the drought. She has spent the last seven years being a role model; advocating and working closely alongside vulnerable souls in her community, and empowering others with her inspiring life story. She also survived a traumatic brain injury leaving her with epilepsy, speech, and memory issues, resulting in her, becoming a single mum and homeless. Her life story is about hope, determination, resilience, and faith.

Michelle gains a unique sense of purpose by helping others. She helps her homeless friends and farmer families settle into a life of love and support and assists them in securing accommodation and employment. She has initiated hundreds of successful fundraising events over the years to assist her community. The most recent fundraiser “Queens Heart N Soul 4 Kids” is a team effort with her Australia International Team. Each queen has pledged to walk/run 50km in August with the goal to raise funds of around $5000.00 for Westmead Children’s hospital.

“The fulfilling feeling of giving back and contributing to society is unparalleled. I believe we can make a positive difference and restore hope in the lives of others and ourselves through caring and giving, I recommend everyone to immerse themselves in their community and surround themselves with people who are dedicated to making a positive difference in the world.” Michelle actually encourages women to join the prestigious Australia International pageant system. “It truly is a sisterhood of genuine, beautiful, empowering women with diverse backgrounds, advocating for great causes. Ferial Youakim our Director, leads by example. We are family, making a positive difference in the lives of others.”

Michelle is dedicated and determined to make the most of her title and to embrace every opportunity to empower others to join her movement to make a positive difference in the lives of others. In fact, she has forged a life committed to helping restore lives and hope for others. She works tirelessly to unite communities in order to break the stereotypes and break barriers surrounding homelessness, so everyone can feel valued and have a sense of belonging. She lives by the motto “always stay humble and kind” and “we give hope to others through caring.”

7 Important Steps to Becoming a Successful Model

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If you have aspirations of becoming a top model then you need to read this article. Sure you might have the body and the height of a top model, but what about everything else? Here are 7 tips every upcoming model needs to know about:

1. Research the market

Although you’ll be showcasing the clothing as a model, you also want to have some knowledge of the industry. Find out who the big designers are, study their inspirations, keep up with trends. This is a great way to stay focused on all things modeling. Don’t limit yourself to just the runway. Learn what makes the market tick- it could be what makes you unique in the competitive industry.

2. Prepare yourself

Dress up, play with makeup and practice your runway walk. You want to know how to present clothing because that’s the focus! Use a 3-way mirror and see how you look from all angles. Be sure that you know how to make the right impression and hold yourself in the best ways.

3. Focus on your portfolio

Your portfolio is your calling card. You showcase the various looks you have when you show it to a new designer. Be sure that you’re offering plenty of variation. Remember that your potential bosses will be from different segments of the fashion market—sportswear, formal wear, casual wear, etc. Make sure that you showcase what you can do in every element.

4. Be yourself

What makes you unique is going to be your main selling point- guaranteed. Don’t try to cover it up. Sure, there may be designers who pass because of it, but there will be designers who will seek you out because of it too.

5. The headshots

Even though you are going to be focusing on various looks, be sure that you include some headshots in your portfolio. Industry professionals say that a headshot, a profile and a smile-shot is enough. Make sure that every single one is a stand out!

6. Be confident

Speak up when you’re at your go-sees. Let your personality shine through so the designer knows who you are and how you feel most comfortable. They want to best showcase their clothing, so they want people who are comfortable in their own skin first. Let them see the real you by practicing. Use your family and friends as test go-sees to hone your speaking skill when on the spot.

7. Read everything

If you are presented with a modelling contract, read it! You’d be surprised at how many new models see the contract and the dollar signs and jump at it! Sure you’re excited but you need to know the exact specifications and requirements of what you’re signing. Have a legal professional review it with you to make sure you’re getting the right deal. Just because you’re new doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a say in what you want.

If you’re an aspiring model, be sure to take these seven tips seriously. They can help to set you up as the next big thing in the industry!

Modeling 101: How To Look Your Best When Posing

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Image via Shutterstock /  conrado

Posing can be a struggle both to the model and the photographer. This is because some of the less-experienced model tends to wait for the direction of the photographer before striking a pose. They normally freeze in front of the camera and are mostly clueless on what to do. This situation makes it difficult and troublesome for the photographer to produce good photos.

The preparation for any modeling job starts even before the photo shoot. You need to be aware on what kind of shoot it is. You can start looking at the related fashion magazine on the type of pose that they are doing. Not all of the tips here will work for everyone since the right kind of pose will vary in every genre.

1. Your Mirror is Your Friend

Stand in front of your mirror, take a pose and see how you highlight the shape of your body. The mirror is an ideal tool to show you the thing that the camera can produce. Consider the features and things that can be seen depending on the angle. For instance, in case you put your feet closer to the lens, then there is a possibility that your feet will look larger in the photo.

2. Create a Space on Your Limbs and Body

Squashing your limbs closer to your body will make you appear look fat. Separating your limbs from your body will also create a slimmer appearance. This is a tiny cheat in the modeling world that can make a huge difference.

3. Understand the Light

For instance, in case you raise your arm on the light, it will basically look brighter compared to your face. There is also a possibility that it will cast shadow on your face and body. A simple way to counteract this is by using your other arm. You may also adjust your arm backward to avoid the casting of the shadow. Having an understanding on how the lighting falls is a basic necessity in modeling. Ask the photographer about the key light and think about how you can work with it.

4. Elongate the Neck

In order to show class, poise, and height, elongating your neck would be a great solution. It is also one of the most difficult things to remember when modeling since this action feels a bit unnatural. Look in front of the mirror and stand in a normal position. Let you face come forward by rolling your shoulder backward. By now you have seen the huge difference in the neck’s width. You may even advance your pose by popping the jaw in front of the camera to create shadow that will highlight your jaw line.

Hopefully, the modeling tips that we provided above can provide some help for our aspiring models. These are just some of the tricks that most professional models wish they knew when they were just starting out.

Get To Know Instagram Superstar Stephanie Hunt

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Being a model can be difficult, often requiring people to make tough sacrifices. However, it can also prove to be a highly rewarding experience. For Stephanie Hunt, modeling has allowed her to travel around the world, get involved with high profile names such as Guess, Revlon, designer Melba Aros, Lady Jayne, Toscow Jewelery, celebrity hairstylist, David Babaii and magazines such as Camilla, RUSSH, Cosmopolitan, and FTV as well as meet a lot of interesting new people.

Stephanie has certainly proven that she can rely not only on her looks for her success but also on her focus, drive, and ambition. Added to that is a healthy dollop of good sense! ‘Challenges’ are a normal part of working as a model (“Modeling has definitely thickened up my skin!”) and to Stephanie, one’s attitude towards them will define you, “love and believe in yourself! I know that sounds so corny, but it can be really tough being around intimidatingly successful and gorgeous people and still feel as though you fit the bill.”

According to Stephanie, the biggest factor that determines how successful you will be is how much you want to succeed. Along with this strong passion, you should have a strong sense of integrity. Often, these values will have a bigger impact on your potential success than your looks. You should also take as many opportunities as you can, which will allow you to build your network. For many young models, a strong network is more important than seeing financial returns. In addition, it’s key to master social media. This is becoming increasingly important, allowing you to send a clear message to your fans. Once you’ve chosen your brand, use each post to re-enforce it. Social media also allows you to build a strong platform to get more people interested in your brand. You should use this tool to connect with your audience.

Stephanie’s early struggles with low self-esteem have served to spur this young entrepreneur ever onwards. She not only juggles her modeling career with her fulltime job but she also regularly volunteers at an animal shelter! It “serves as a great reminder of what my priorities should be, and what really matters in life. Having a  healthy balance between work, my personal life, and my volunteering has been the key to staying grounded for me.”

That healthy balance seems to be her recipe for success as well with many plans in the works for this talented (she speaks French and plays the piano!) young lady. But to Stephanie, it will always be “that with self-belief, hard work, dedication and a lot of resilience, you really can achieve anything.”

3 Grooming Habits Of Impeccably Groomed Models

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Being a model is, undeniably, about presenting the best version of yourself in order to shine the most brilliant light onto the designer, brand or commercial enterprise that you are representing. Modeling agencies are very particular about aesthetics and usually will want to hear about any variations in your vital statistics so that there are no discrepancies and the particular needs of their clients are always met.

Therefore, keeping yourself looking good and maintaining health and fitness are always going to be on your mind. So, you can understand why being a model is often very stressful! Keeping well-groomed goes a long way in achieving excellent personal presentation. Here are some handy pointers to help keep you looking picture perfect and shoot ready at all times:

Great Skin

Taking care of your skin is of utmost importance to ensure your face provides the optimal canvas for a makeup artist. Always ensure that you remove all traces of cosmetics every night before you go to sleep (no matter how tired you may be from a day of shooting).

Sleeping in makeup clogs pores and you need to leave your skin fresh and clean while it restores itself during the night. Follow a daily and nightly routine of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. Protect your skin during the day with an SPF to reduce sun damage and associated aging. A weekly scrub will help to remove dead skin cells and a good quality night cream (and consuming enough water) will help to keep your visage looking as plump and smooth as possible.

Beautiful Hair

Making sure that you get regular trims and treatments is important when you are a model. Hair can be put through the wringer via the work-related styling that it has to endure. All that heat damage and potential colouring (if you are a hair model you will relate to this) can have your hair looking more like straw than silky strands. Taking time out to treat your hair can be invaluable in order to restore its quality and shine.

You may opt for an in-salon treatment (the accompanying head massages are the best) or there are some simple at-home ways to give your hair a little pamper sesh. A simple mix of avocado, egg white, and coconut oil contains enough natural emollients to provide a nourishing masque. Simply pop on while you relax in the bath or perhaps while you are undertaking other beauty routines simultaneously. A savvy model always knows how to multitask!

Impeccable Nails

It’s quite necessary to keep your nails looking perfect if you are a model. Portraits involving hands require nails that are uniform and aesthetically pleasing. No one wants to see some ugly claws next to a beautiful face in a photograph. Acrylic nails may be the easiest way to achieve this, however, they can result in unhealthy natural nails. Shellac on natural nails can be a slightly less damaging alternative. If you are going to go natural then regular manicures are a must. Invest in a nourishing treatment for nails and perhaps a strengthener to keep them going day in and day out without chips and breakages.

Facebook Influencers: Should You Use Them For Your Brand Or Not??

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Last year Facebook introduced some new features to promote social media influencers. Their new features make it so that influencers tag the brands they are promoting directly in their posts, meaning that campaigns come completely from the influencer which means that their followers trust the post more. Obviously, this is Facebook’s way of making more money via its influencers however, this does not mean that your brand can’t make money too. Here are a few ways that Facebook’s new features could benefit you as a brand.

More Targeted Audiences

One thing that Facebook’s new algorithm does for brands is that it allows them to have more control over who can promote their name. Now, instead of simply sharing an influencer’s post about their brand, they can choose to boost it, exposing their name to far more potential customers than before. They can also choose carefully who is allowed to tag them and use their name, protecting their brand from misrepresentation.

Better use of Trusted Influencers

Facebook’s new algorithm also allows for the better use of smaller influencers. You may think that when you hear the word influencer, people think of celebrities like Demi Lovato or the Kardashians, however, micro-influencers are proving that they can do just as much, if not more for brands these days. Having a smaller influencer may seem counter-productive as they will have a much smaller follower base, however, they tend to be more closely related to their audiences and people feel they can be better trusted to be honest. Also, paying for a few smaller influencers makes it seem like a lot more people are talking about your brand, rather than one big influencer, further increasing the hype.

Facebook is Less Likely to Kill Ads

You may have heard recently that there has been some talk about Facebook killing ad campaigns for people who do not pay enough to keep them going. However, this seems highly unlikely because Facebook relies on its users to keep the newsfeed moving and alienating its users and influencers will ultimately hurt the platform. They know that influencers generally don’t focus solely on one platform and that if Facebook becomes difficult to work with, they will simply move to Instagram or another site to make their promotions.

So, for the next few years, influencers will become more important to brands and companies as the general public pulls back from wanting to see advertisement campaigns. Sites like Facebook and Instagram are the way to go if you are looking for influencers to promote your brands. There will obviously be pros and cons to any features that these sites bring out, but they are definitely the way to go in the future for brands and promoters. Finding the best way to marry an influencer’s audience and style with your own ad campaigns, and the sites amplifying capabilities is the new way to get to the customers you need.

The Model Diet: What Models Eat To Stay In ‘Camera Ready’ Shape

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Dieting like a model and dieting as a model are statements that are often found to run together but couldn’t be further apart. The perception that dieting like a model is one step off from anorexia is a perception that has been created through the last few decades but is, in reality, tapering off. As we all become more aware of healthy eating habits and wellness habits that lead to model bodies, there is a lot less passing up of great food and a lot more focus on eating healthy and we’ve all seen some of the fantastic things we can do with healthy food!.

Everything in Moderation

The phrase that literally everyone preaches, and almost literally, no one practices. You can eat what you want but within the scope of reason. If you crave burgers – sorry to say that you can’t have a burger every day, really there isn’t anyone that should unless you face death by burger deficiency then, have at it. Work to find a few “go-to” foods that are good for you and that you actually enjoy eating. By creating healthy favourites you can enjoy food without being mindful of exactly how often you’re having that meal.

Think Hearty and Energy

Often the first things to go in a diet are those foods that feel really heavy. Potatoes of any kind for example, however, sweet potatoes and yams are great cousins, that are delicious and super nutritious. They are also filling, and a good source of energy. Finding foods that work for you that leave you full but also not slowed down and sluggish is a great sign that you’ve found a “go-to” for you. What you want to cut out are the foods that don’t hit at least one of these marks.

Remove Sugar, Add Water

Everyone, everyone knows … at least deep down… that sugar is not good for you. Swapping out your sugary favourites for snacks or even full meals can be really difficult but simply cutting out this one factor will make a world of difference. If you’re questioning whether anything is too high in sugar then you need to review the label – Is it reasonable? Is it loaded with sugar substitutes? Because these are just as bad.

Now, you’re not actually swapping a sugary product for only water. Instead, you should be adding a lot more water into your daily habits. Also, a lot of the sugar we consume comes in beverage form so these two kinds of go hand in hand, but they aren’t purely dependent on one another. By removing soda, sugared-up coffee beverages and juice that has a lot of sugar as well, you’ll make room for most of your hydration needs to be satisfied with water.

Exercise

This goes for most people who need to maintain a model physique. Exercising will permit you to eat more of the things you love whether they are healthy or not as you are expelling more energy. It will also give you a healthy boost to your energy levels and keep you nicely toned!

Freelance Model Rates: How Much Should You Really Charge??

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As a model working and attempting to remain competitive in an industry that is inundated by hopefuls (and by those who are even willing to work for free) you may find yourself facing an increasingly difficult situation regarding how much you can get paid. There seems to be no end to the current situation where models willingly put their hands up for work that is unpaid in return for mere “exposure”.

However, if you are an experienced model you should never sell yourself short, always keeping in mind that you are performing a valuable service and end product for a commercial enterprise. If you are a model working for a business making a profit you are legally entitled to a minimum rate of pay. Otherwise, the commercial enterprise that has employed your service may be in breach of legislation and liable to prosecution.

Fair Work Legislation governs the minimum casual rates for models. Modeling for still photography, TV or movie appearances attracts a full day pay rate of $450.18 and for up to an hour attracts a rate of $92.76. Modeling work at trade shows or parades attracts a full day pay rate of $204. 69 and a single evening show (1hr) attracts $77.18 Casual models are also entitled to double pay on public holidays.

If you do not have an ABN these pay rates apply as you are effectively working as a casual model. This means that if you are paid a rate that isn’t in accordance with the minimum rate that you can complain and that employers are liable to legislation.

If you are working under an ABN you need to keep in mind that you are operating as an Independent Contractor. You need to set yourself pay rates that are fair (it would be wise to follow the minimum rates outlined on the Fair Work website, plus you need to factor in an extra percentage for GST and taxes). Also, so that you are covered for and injuries resulting from your job you will need to ensure that you take out your own Public Liability Insurance.

Valuing your work as a model is incredibly important. This is not only because you might actually be able to pay your bills if you stand firm on your worth but also so that the industry can continue to exist. Free work/work for “exposure” erodes creative professions, undervaluing the work of talented models (and also entertainers and artists) by not allowing them to thrive, or even in most cases, to merely survive.

For more information and all details regarding minimum rates always refer to the Australian Government’s Fair Work website: http://www.fairwork.gov.au/pay/minimum-wages/pay-guides#sthash.6MrrCr1t.dpuf

Further advice, support and relevant information: http://www.aussieelite.com/news/model-payment-rates

3 Essential Steps To Building An Effective Model Portfolio

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So, if you’re reading this you’re likely one of two things: an aspiring model or an accomplished professional in the field. In any case, what’s of prime importance to you is the standard of your portfolio (or keeping it maintained). It’s what gets you noticed and keeps job opportunities firmly coming your way. In short, it’s your calling card. So, what are some tips for a good model portfolio?

1. Quality over quantity

You may feel tempted to include images that you have gathered from almost every shoot you have ever been a part of, but you have only one chance to make a first impression. Therefore, don’t include photos that are of poor quality.

It’s better to have a handful of outstanding images than a whole lot of average photos in your portfolio. Think of it this way: you could have one Rolex or a whole bunch of generic, plastic watches. Which option would you choose?

If you are a new model it may be difficult to source quality images. Remember you get what you pay for. Look for a reputable photographer who produces visually stunning work and make an investment. Sometimes, it takes money to make money.

2. Keep it relevant

Not only should you only include images of high visual quality in your portfolio, but it is wise to keep them limited to a representation of work within your niche field. If you are a high fashion model, then littering your portfolio with bikini shots might not be the best idea.

You want to think about the sort of career that you wish to establish or maintain for yourself as a model and fit your portfolio around this. Be realistic, however, to the specific physical requirements that are inherent to particular fields of modeling (catwalk requires a minimum height of 5”7 for example).

A good thing to remember is that you should include at least one headshot without makeup in your portfolio to give those who cast you an idea about your real, unaltered appearance. As a model, you are in effect, a canvas – being transparent about your bare features is always a requirement. Also, shots that accurately depict your current appearance are necessary. If you change your hair colour, for example, you will need to reflect this in your portfolio.

3. Market yourself

A model portfolio is undoubtedly important, however, marketing and distributing it effectively is the other essential part of the equation. If you have a good agent having a good portfolio should mean that you are finding work – they should go hand in hand. If you are a freelance model, then it is absolutely imperative that you employ methods to market yourself.

You can join various casting sites and can also set up a social networking page that displays prominent links to your portfolio. Facebook and Instagram are great ways to get exposure for free, however, keep in mind that being Insta famous in not quite the same deal as the real thing. Align yourself with opportunities that stay true to the type of modeling that you are pursuing, and wish to pursue in the future.

You have to look at yourself as a product. Your particular look, style and talent are potentially desirable to specific brands that are aligned with the same aesthetic. Always keep this in mind when creating and maintaining your model portfolio. Remember that your portfolio is a representation of yourself as a product – it’s almost as though you are the merchandise. Employ a business-minded approach at all times to succeed to the best of your ability in the industry.