Pinup Reality - My Outlook As A Pinup Instructor

As an instructor, you're main goal is to teach people, who want to learn. As a stylist, that's not your main goal. It may not be a goal at all. Every stylist is different, just like every client is different. In school, all my instructor's, have been different. Most stylist definitely want to see their clients happy and thrilled, and they want be paid. When it comes to teaching, it's about more than money, it's about more than making my clients happy, with my styling skills. After styling and teaching a client, especially one that enters the pinup modeling industry, many times, I do expect them to have learned a lot. I do expect to see, that they've developed essential skills, then improved on them. If you're an amateur pinup, believe me there are always new skills to learn, then improve on those skills, over time. There isn't just one or 2 things I to learn, and improving on skills you've already learned, is ongoing. To see progress, is the point. I've styled dozens of gals over the years, and every single one was different, from another. I had gals, who knew nothing about pinup, or didn't know much, no prior training, no prior experience, or very little, but blew me, totally out of the water! Their skill level was astonishing! It's like, I just sat back and watched, because they needed very little direction. I've had clients that purposely booked posing classes, not to get dolled up and take images, but to learn, then they practiced at home, and I saw a visible improvement, during their shoots. Confidence is key, and usually when you obtain knowledge, and develope skills, your confidence level is higher. I've had clients that developed a few skills, did minor research, rarely or never practiced at home, never booked a class or classes to learn, did dozens photo shoots, and to this day, lack in many essential skills needed to be a successful pinup model. Some people just don't naturally get stuff, or pick up a skill as fast as someone else. Everyone can improve. The areas you excel in, my other client may need additional training. You may need training in one area, that another client may have mastered long ago. School, at least with me, as a student or teacher, isn't about competition. However, if you can't take constructive criticism, feedback that isn't always going to be positive, and actually want to improve, then you'll never be prepared to compete in the industry. Every single, popular and successful pinup model, started somewhere, usually from the bottom, being brand new to the industry. Now, why is it they had so much success? Well not everyone achieves a certain level of success, at the same rate. But, the formula for success, is very similar, with top pinup models. It's easy to say, because of finances, someone's success rate is much faster than yours. 1st off, we all gotta pay, photo shoots and high quality isn't free. 2nd, just because someone achieves more success than you, at a faster rate, does NOT mean you'll never achieve it. 3rd, just because someone has dough, doesn't mean they have passion, drive, dedication, etc. EXACTLY the same as being attractive. That has very little to do with skill, knowledge and experience. You can have the time, the money to invest, be a pretty gal, and have ABSOLUTELY no confidence. No back bone. So, while other that do have confidence, are focusing on developing skills and improving on them, you have to 1st deal with the emotions associated with your lack of confidence. Then develope skills, then improve on them. That's why passion and dedication matter so much. If something is too difficult, if its going to take a long time, or actually be real work on a regular basis, and involves getting feedback and constructive criticism, you must have dedication and a back bone! Stylist's, get booked to do hair, and or makeup. You set up an appointment, show up, get your hair done, pay, then leave. Or you pay them to show up at your home or shoot location, style you, then they leave. There is nothing additional, like posing coaching, helping you with wardrobe, instructing you the entire time. That'll be up to you and your photographer. Just like with photographer's, it can be similar. You book an appointment, you show up camera ready, fully styled with your own wardrobe, they may pose you the entire time, here and there, or not at all. Your styling skills, your choice in wardrobe, your skill level, your confidence level, WILL APPLY! A photographer, who caters to the public, isn't necessarily going to be extremely selective or selective at all. They honestly don't need you to be their type, this is about biz. They don't need to think your drop dead gorgeous, extremely attractive, beautiful or even pretty! Paying client's, ONLY need to book an appointment, show up on time, in most cases there's a deposit required to book, pay to be photographed, then leave. If you're paying for a full service package, then styling and wardrobe are provided. If you're doing your own styling and or have your own wardrobe, then your responsible for those things, plus showing up on time and paying. I'm telling you the honest to God truth! Unless it's a photographer who is selecting models for a project or production, or a company looking for professional models, your looks do NOT, and NEVER will matter. It's about being professional with their time and paying their fees. When a photographer or company is looking for models, they're looking at the total package. Professionalism, communication skills, level of commitment, planning skills, someone beautiful and SKILLED! If you're responsible for your own styling, your skill level is essential and it will SHOW! I just can't relate to knowing I need improvement, because someone whose an actual PROFESSIONAL thinks so, and refusing to apply myself. I've seen gals book shoots, hire a mua and hair stylist, have wardrobe provided, and had posing coaching during each shoot. Then, a few stopped being able to hire a mua, and they needed improvement on their skills, but failed to practice. Same, as when there's a pinup shoot, where no clothes are provided. Do you have pinup or vintage outfits and accessories? Do you have them for every single pinup shoot you do? Do you know how to piece pinup looks together, what hairdos match what style clothing, and what garments fit you best? I mean, just what happens, if and when you instructor can't be there to pose you, has limited time or has to go, before the shoot ends? What if they get a phone call and have to step away, or they have other clients, at the same time? What then, after a dozen shoots, you can't manage to pose well and use proper facial expressions, because you failed to develop skills, THEN improve on them?! What happens when your stylist isn't available, but you still have a shoot or event to attend? Learn the basics, at least. What happens when you book a shoot with a photographer who had no knowledge or very little on pinup, or doesn't pose models, the entire shoot? Learn basic skills, then PRACTICE to improve. What happens when the only opinions your getting on your hairdo or wardrobe, is from folks who know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about pinup, or very little? Do you really think your mate knows? Do you really think they will tell you, you look horrible in an outfit? If they would, do they even know about pinup style clothing? Do you really think they'll tell you, you need improving on your makeup skills, hairstyling skills, facial expressions and poses? People are telling you their personal taste and not a professional's opinion. Some people are also telling you what YOU want to hear. In biz, that won't always be a reality! As an instructor, it's just sad, idk like disappointing, almost depressing, to see a past client, you worked with countless times, tried to teach and give knowledge, tried to give professional advice and feedback, then to see them, either doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, in the pinup industry, or doing stuff at a low quality level. How can you do something over and over, physically be there, and not develope skills, then not eventually improve on them?! If you have the dough, to ALWAYS book professional's, and they're always available when you need them, then I guess because you're not a model, you can just rely on them. Many of my past clients, stopped doing pinup shoots, simply because they could no longer afford them. Even at my low rates. Many, that could afford them, at MY RATES, can't afford other professional's rates, so they do less shoots or none at all. I've said this, so so many times. I get no happiness from seeing folks doing bad. Especially, if we ended our biz relationship on good terms, why would I want to see you looking or doing bad?! If you want to eliminate someone, such as a stylist that did styles on you, you adored, either be prepared to replace them with another PROFESSIONAL, someone equally skilled, or more advanced, or be ready to do it yourself. I don't consider it, successfully eliminating someone and replacing them, if you're lacking in skills, they excelled in, and you replace them with yourself. If you have no intentions of developing those skills, and your former stylist was giving you discounts and charging a low rate, be ready to come up with additional funds, more or way more than you were paying them, to hire someone else. Beauty and money, I'd say they're both important in modeling, but without knowledge, skill, experience, passion, dedication, drive, and confidence, they mean very little! Everything above, is important. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, where you need to improve, and be willing to accept the fact, that you need training, just like anyone else. I tried giving advice about makeup skill improvements, to a certain gal. I styled her hair and wardrobe, more times than I can count. Although, skilled in other area's, makeup was something she needed improving on. I saw images from, like the only shoot she's done in like a year or more, and it pained me, to see her makeup skills still haven't improved and it was obvious she did not hire a professional hair stylist, and did her own! I didn't think it was funny or entertaining. I'm puzzled. I just can't relate to paying folks to do stuff, then when I can't afford them, I do things myself that I can't do well, yet! Gals really need to sit at home, train and practice! Forget about styling yourself for actual photo shoots. Don't go from high quality to low quality. You can learn the basics, you can develop skills and improve on them, you can gain knowledge, and THEN apply it all, to professional shoots! Let's briefly talk about the biz side of the pinup industry. For those that play pinup for the day, in occasion, as a fun hobby, there's still money involved, learning, improving, dedication and more. The only major difference is, you're not in competition with other models. Models that have the total pinup package. There's virtually no competition, and very little involvement in the biz side of the industry, when your a non model, whose a paying client. I think back to conversations with a professional pinup photographer that specializes in pinup. He said 70%, 80% of his paying client's, are not professional pinups. I interviewed a top pinup photographer, and was asking credits of her models I'll feature in my article, and she says they were her clients, and not models. Once you decide to dip into the industry side, wanting to gain publication, wanting to be featured in the top pinup magazines, what to be selected to represent and model for various companies, and more, there is ALWAYS going to be qualifications, requirements, skills needed, knowledge needed, experience needed, confidence needed, dedication needed, etc., because your competitors have those things to offer. Maybe it can be solely based upon beauty and attraction. Why is it, certain photographer's, who never offer trade to the general public, rarely offer ongoing clients trade, yet they offer trade or pay, to certain, individual models, only? I feel it goes way beyond the model being beautiful. Why is it, some photographer's produce special projects, or get things like paid work for models, and choose certain one's? Why would a photographer make you their main model, representing their brand and company? Skill! Professionalism! Your knowledge! Your experience! Your dedication! I would venture to say, they are also chosen because they are easy and fun to work with. Do you know just how many beautiful women, of all ethnicities, walk the face of this earth?!!! Do you know how many are trying to become professional models?! Do you know how many are professional models, all at different levels?! Do you know how many actually train, practice at home, take styling courses, research heavily, and are ACTIVELY pursuing their dreams?! Do you know how many are, have been, and will NEVER stop investing in their career's?!!! If pinup is a hobby, ok fine. If it isn't,..... welcome to reality. Working with stylists, working with other models, working with different magazines, working with different photographer's, working with different companies, soooop much communication, sooooo much planning ahead, sooooo much research, sooo much training, soooo much time and effort, and sooo much investing cold hard dough, period!!! Welcome, to the industry side. This is REALITY! I hate to say never, but,..... I'll never manage an amateur pinup, ever again! It'll have to be, that one, exception to the rule. I'll never select an amateur pinup to represent my brand and business, ever again. I'll never work an amateur, on productions that are major and therefore important, ever again. I'll never connect or hook up, amateurs with professional photographer's and companies, ever again. Now, if you see me doing any of the above things, that person IS THE EXCEPTION to the rule, and for valid reasons. I stopped my pinup academy, because 80% of the gals, had no interest in learning. Yet, it was a pinup academy, smh. I stopped working with an abundance of amateur pinups, and photographer's, because they didn't have the same goals as me, and frankly the amount of drama caused, was NEVER worth the little peanuts I was charging! People think they need and want a manger, but have little to nothing, to manage. They think they want a manger, but can't afford one long term, which is essential to creating success. People think they want a manger, but can NOT take constructive criticism, what so ever! Or they rely more on the opinions of friends and family, and non professional's, which leads to bad decisions! I can't really sum up this blog. I just know, I've learned a lot, and still learning. Be realistic! Know why you want to do things, like get involved in the pinup industry. As an instructor it's easy to feel down about past clients who aren't doing shit, lol. Or doing things at a low quality level. As a stylist, I get paid to do a job. Believe me, it's totally awesome, so refreshing and exciting to see, any of my past clients, doing well, succeeding, doing major, high quality stuff! It also reinforces the fact that, I do teach well, and many gals learned so much, then applied it, because THEY actually WANTED to learn! Same me, my same knowledge, skills, and experience,.... different clients, who have a different outlook, different goals, and passion, verses no passion, dedication, verses no dedication. Vintage Stylist Dianna Prince The Pinup Master Course 

The lovely Ginger Strawberry, the official pinup of The Pinup Master Course.