I’ve been wondering why so many SL residents aspire to be models. According to the SL Wiki site, this is an unskilled job, along with Dancer, Shop Attendant, and Bouncer/Security Agent.
Model
Another very glamorous unskilled job is becoming a model. Hiring is done in a similar way as with dancers, but the truth is, there are not many modelling job opportunities. There are a few modelling agencies around, and clothes designers usually contact them to organize big fashion events, just as in real life. These attract very large crowds and are certainly one of the best and more fun ways to present your clothing lines to the Second Life public.
To become a professional model, you’ll have to do a serious investment in yourself. To earn a large amount of L$, you not only need a gorgeous avatar, but highly-priced items like a special skin, hair (often prim hair, which is expensive), good make-up techniques, and catwalking animations, preferably unique (thus, often you have to pay someone to create them for you). To become a famous model, expect a recurring investment in more animations. Still, the job usually pays well. And you get the glamour and fame that comes with the job.
The above description is so inaccurate!!! I personally cannot name any SL famous models and I’ve heard that the pay is terrible or they’re only paid in stuff. I guess modelling could be considered a role-play activity, the chance to partake in an activity that’s ‘glamorous’ and be in the same place with other people.
My advice for newbies, or people who want to be a model for the money or fame (lol) is to start a blog instead!
Bloggers
Skill required (for fashion blogging)
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Models
Skill required (for modelling)
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Being a blogger isn’t that complicated, but neither is being a model. I’m sure there are more “skills” required to do both well, but I only have blogging experience and anybody can start a blog!
To start blogging, just buy stuff, wear it, take pictures and publish it on a blog.
To start modelling you have to buy stuff, wear it, find someone to hire you or join a modelling agency and pay them a ton of money… and maybe they’ll find someone to hire you.
Are you a model in SL? Do you want to be a model? What’s the best/worst thing about being a model?
Are you a blogger in SL? Do you want to be a blogger? What’s the best/worst thing about being a blogger?
If you’re not a blogger or a model, what do you think of these two jobs?
**** Most bloggers blog for fun, it’s not really a “JOB”
About Post Author
I find a lot of the modelling world overwhelming and a bit surreal. However I love fashion so I applied for the Modavia open casting. Modavia, to me, is unlike any other environment for models. It’s such high quality, and the runways and the print that they produce are so exquisitely done that its like being a part of a piece of art. The photographers who work there especially, like Graphic Dix – they are mind blowing. The other models all seem to be really friendly and down to earth, they help you if you trip on the runway (or crash lol), but importantly they understand their role as a model is to make the product look the best it can look, and they’ll change their hair, their skin, their shoes, whatever, to make sure it looks its absolute best, AND THEY MAKE SURE IT FITS THEM.
I don’t go to fashion shows often (except MFW) but when I do and I see models who are wearing outfits that don’t fit, in my mind they are not a model. That is laziness. That is taking a designers money just to walk 40m. Your not doing them a service or their work a justice, and it takes only a little bit of effort to fit the clothes and make sure the poses work with the items.
True models, the ones I’m happy to be amongst at Modavia now, are very similar to professional stylists in what they do, and personally, I can’t wait for the day when Graphic puts me in one of his pieces of art.
** Whilst I am a Modavia model I must state that this is not my primary ‘job’ within SL and I don’t do it for money.
This comment isn’t so much about what I think about blogging or modeling, but more so that it really irks me that it is out there on the SL wiki that being a dancer is not a skilled job. While overall, yes it is unskilled. Anyone can put on something pretty and slap on a dance HUD. But being a good PERFORMER in SL takes a certain skill set. I am the general manager of three large neo-burlesque venues for Viva La Glam. We have original creative acts and large flashy stage shows that are more than just boobs. You need to be able to keep peoples attention, be eloquent and entertaining. We are builders and scripters and artists. And we love what we do. Sorry for being so off topic.
But as for blogging and modeling, I’m lucky enough to be get to do both. Just not as much as I’d like to 😉
I’m a blogger! o/ For me, the best thing of being a blogger is actually wearing and showing off what I spend money with! lol When I don’t blog, I usually don’t even change clothes very often. I never blogged to get free stuff. Actually when I started blogging on “Free Second”, invited by Suri Christen, I didn’t even know people would give free stuff for us to blog. It was a freebie blog, so I really never thought about review copies. When I started my own blog, some designers actually started sending me stuff, and I was amazed. So, that said, the worst thing of being a blogger (for me) is when I get review copies and don’t have time to blog them. Sounds very unfair to me, because I love the designers who trust me as a blogger with all my heart. But again, I don’t blog to get free stuff, so I won’t act like blogging is a job. It’s NOT. I spend A LOT of lindens in SL, I don’t have a SL job, I don’t make stuff, I don’t sell advertising space, so I don’t earn a linden.
I blog what I like, what I want and when I have free time to do it with the quality I usually do my posts (imo of course).
That’s it. 😀
xoxo
“you not only need a gorgeous avatar, but highly-priced items like a special skin, hair (often prim hair, which is expensive), good make-up techniques…”
haha! If you aren’t wearing the ‘expensive prim hair’ you’re doing it wrong.
In all seriousness though, modeling has hit a great divide in SL, to a certain extent it has lost its glamour. The few and far between quality agencies and production companies are miles ahead of most of what is out there, and the number of Fashion events that require models have pretty much vanished. If you love SL Fashion your time and money is far better served by simply styling your avatar well, and focusing on photography and/or blogging. There is no money to be made in modeling and never has been.
lately, I’ve been thinking about making a blog for SL, but I’m not yet sure if it’s for all the *right* reasons, and I have a pretty busy schedule.
So far, I only have a tumblr towards it, which I update on a occasional basis.
I feel as if I grow to like it more than just doing Tumblr, then I’ll take the dive and make an official blog.
Hi!!…
first of anything sorry for my english!! lol
i just wanted to say… i just started a SL fashion blog… cause i started to see the power they have.. i found really nice stuff, shops and people, on every post i´ve seen.. and i must say urs Gogo.. is one of my favs..
i wanted to be a model in Sl.. but just like in real life, the shapes are impossible to wear!!! no curves, no butts, no boobs!! no nothing!!!… and its too difficult to find a good job, and too expensive sometimes…
On my blog i try to show differents styles to help people find theirs.. so i think its much better became a blogger than a model, but its just my opinion… a noob in blog themes
kisses to all!
Nikki
Hi!
I just recently started blogging too, and it kinda is a job. I put a lot time into what I do, hunting down items, making sure the whole look comes together. I started blogging cause I wanted to do something with my time. I find it fun, and I get to meet a lot of designers and interesting people. Mmm..the worse thing about being a blogger, is being worried that whoever sent the items, might not like the pictures, description, etc. of what you did with their work. The best thing about being a blogger, is someone saying, omg I loved what you wore, I am going to buy it, or the designer loving what you did. I have enjoyed doing it, and I think I am here to stay.
I agree with you! While I don’t consider my blogging a “job”, I still take it seriously, so it is like a job! 🙂
When I said I don’t consider blogging a job, I meant I do it for fun, I don’t want time schedules, pressure and obligation to blog everything. I already have enough of those things in my real life. And I agree with you, I take it seriously too. Just saying. 😉
This was an interesting read Gogo.
I do blog though and I consider myself to be a blogger, even though I use tumblr.
To me, the best thing is the challenge that I get from it to use the new and old things that I haven’t used before, and to find a way to mesh them together. Being able to share what I like/love that others might not know about is also wonderful to me too.
As for the worst thing, it is tied between two things, pressure and stats.
The first time around for me, blogging was pressure. Trying to blog new releases (that I was given) a little bit after they were released was a little crazy for me and it is even worse when they start to pile up and I’ll feel too slow with blogging. Sometimes that time, I also felt like I was trying too hard to make a super cool look XD
When I had a WordPress, I was watching stats all of the time. As soon as I make a post, I would find myself sitting there, refreshing the stats to see where people are coming from and what they are reading. To try to stop this, I tried Blogspot, and I found out that it was worse. For some reason, Blogspot tracks your page views unless you ask it not to do so, and in order to disable that, you have to go to stats, and there we go, looking at stats again. The new look doesn’t help with putting the number of views on each post published either.
I feel like I wrote way too much, but basically, feeling pressure for blogging new things, and feeling like you should always check if someone is reading you or not, is the most annoying part of blogging for me. How I fixed that last one was using tumblr! You only see likes and get notifications of those. The amount of likes that a post has, and the amount of followers I have are not in my face so I never really think about it or dwell on that anymore.
From what I’ve seen, looking good is not a requirement for modelling.
LOL Chantelle
I’ve been blogging for 5 months and I love it. I don’t do it for free stuff or fame. In fact, when I started blogging I had no idea what I was doing and also no idea that one could get free stuff by being a blogger. I did it (and still do) for my own amusement. At first, I blogged every day, but then it started to feel like too much of a job, so I cut back. Now I blog when I have time and/or have something I really want to show. Do I want people to read my blog? Of course I do, but that’s not my primary motivation. I can’t imagine modeling in SL. My view is that bloggers are kind of like magazine models and SL ‘models’ are more like runway models. So…I guess by that interpretation I *AM* a model! 😀
i just like to have fun…read blogs, shop and take snapshots of all the beautiful and visually stimulating places in sl…..I JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN…..so models of sl…..have fun…live your fantasies…be realistic….i enjoy sl because it is fun….anything is is purely by accident….
I LOVE YOUR BLOG ….IT IS MY FAVORITE…ALL BLOGGERS HAVE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES, CLOTHES, AND WELL JUST BLOGS.
..the fact that “you get free stuff” is at the top of either of those lists is sort of irking …but not surprising.
You know the list is sort of a joke right? Obviously bloggers or models MAY or MAY NOT get anything free! Some models have to return the items after an event is over, and some bloggers do not receive any review copies. It’s never a good idea to start any activity with the goal of getting ‘free stuff’ but my point is… IF someone wanted to be a model to get free stuff, they should also consider blogging, which is easier to get into 🙂
I dont understand on the fact why the Models have to return the items or why bloggers are not given review copies..I mean it is not like the designer`s supply of that item will be reduce. It is copiable in the designer inventory for God sake.
Perhaps my design are not the same standard or as good as other brands of clothings in SL that I should feel the need to protect the quantity of the distribution so that my clothes are rare and priceless!
Like you Gogo, I take designing clothes or do videos very seriously but for fun and art. And it is such a pleasure to see people wearing our products.
You don’t *get* free stuff blogging or modeling. What you do do is try to earn the respect of designers for the look you do create with their fashions.
They don’t give you things and expect nothing. They want representation from you. It is work and it takes some doing to earn that respect.
Blogging and modeling, I’ve done both, is work and neither are *unskilled*. Don’t do either to get *free* stuff or you are actually …doing it wrong . Do it because you love it, it’s Second Life….if you are NOT having fun what’s the point?
I have been a fashion model and a burlesque artist in SL since 2006 and I could not agree more with Boo Eberhardt and Anessa Stine. It’s never been for the fame or the money (I would have been dreadfully dissapointed lol) – it is basically a labour of love all the way. The opportunity to be or do something that you could never do in RL – isn’t that what SL was originally for? Focusing solely on the earning aspects or fame can kill a dream, while being in the moment and enjoying the company of others as well as lovely visuals is a blast. What I’m trying to say is: if it is your dream do it, but only do it for fun.
Well said Honey, it is most definitely a labor of love 🙂
SL model? No it was never something that interested me. But blogging does. I read several and I’ve learned SO much from all of them. Here’s the thing: those blogs I adore are SO DAMN GOOD! Even the ones with less than perfect pics have some major LMAO factor in the copy or include some amazing stories/descriptions. I feel there isn’t anything left for me to bring to the fashion table, and that’s ok. So I just sit back and enjoy everyone else’s contributions. Just like Starved MAGIC up there, I read, I shop, I take the occasional flickr pic and just have fun! (^^)
I have been blogging since May 2009. I think in all these months, I have received a couple of free items to review appart from the ones I get from my 2 creator friends (shapes and poses), I have had 45000 visitors on my blog, no one knows who I am, I never got paid for advertising, I did organize a hunt and that was a fun nightmare and I do blog what I want, when I want.
Blogging to me is more about sharing my findings, discovering new sims, new creators and items. It is a never ending hunt and after 522 posts, I can say I do enjoy doing what I do despite the behavior of some creators, getting kicked out of groups, completely ignored by some divas out there, hardly ever getting words or encouragement….
So blogging is a truly selfish activity on SL that does require time, patience and dedication, a dose of curiosity, self-motivation and self-discipline, and total commitment. All in all, blogging is about sharing your passion….
I got into blogging to promote my picture taking; I’ve started getting more free stuff (I’ve been “official blogger” for a few things) but I feel the same sometimes-pressure to blog things more often when sometimes I just want to dress myself up all pretty and snap pictures somewhere. Or I’ll have a favorite creator, but won’t have dressed in her or his clothes in a really long time, then feel guilty about that. When I feel guilty, I feel less like I want to blog, so it ends up being a balancing act.
I’ve loved getting to talk to different creators, though, and I got accepted as an official blogger for a store I think is awesome (and I’m semi-official for a few more) so I have to say it’s more on the positive than the negative side for me. I still sometimes feel guilty, though.
I just recently started blogged about a month ago. I had always wanted to start one but either never had the time or the know-how. I was in-between jobs in RL and needed something to fill my time other than running around the grid like crazy spending all my lindens lol. Although I did not start one for fame or to get free stuff, I ended up getting friendly with a pose designer that was looking for someone to blog her new releases. Of course I accepted since I am such a self-proclaimed pose whore 🙂 I try to post every day because I am so new. Plus it helps me learn how to take photos better and smooth them out in PS, which I am still learning. I would say the worst thing is my inventory looks like crap now lol. I never put anything new away for fear I won’t find it again to blog.
Trixie Cliassi
http://huntingwithtrixie.blogspot.com/
I started my blog because I wanted to practice with my modeling styling. So blogging and modeling come hand in hand for me. Well if you said blogging is a job, I see too many new bloggers don’t do well in their job because their picture and styling make me feel like urgh… I hope they start blogging not for the sake of getting free stuff (I know some people do that). I don’t get free stuff for blogging or getting money for ads. Seriously..blogspot, tumblr and wordpress are free website, why people pay for ads for being published in free website.
As a model, yes you must have perfect pose for the outfit. For those sl models who wants to be model because of the money, you need to have your mind check. I do it because I like it. Being in non-Europe/USA timezone, I have to be awake in oddly hours for practice and shows. The lag will be another thing you need to embrace. Like it or hate it, all models have to deal with the lag.
Being a blogger you have time in your hand but being a model is what I call my roller-coaster fix. At the end is what you present to the audience and readers is the proof whether are you professional or not.
Goshh.. love to check all the comments you get everytime you write down any topic (already read all of them :P) I have to say that I started at a freebie blog like long time ago, I use to do it for the opportunity to take nice pictures and help people (the blog had a group inworld as well) Later, I found out other things to do and started to take pictures just for fun until one day my sl daughter asked me to help her on her blog. I admired her and her friends matching these cute outfits, now I’m a part of it for many months already and I’m having the time of my “second life” by taking my pictures and gettings all those “OMG how cute!!” or “I’ll buy that, you just made me say yes” from the designers and followers. It’s actually very fullfilling hear this after each post; not only did I find something fun to do with my time but I met lots of creative people who (thank God) appreciates my work and still trust me their designs 😛 (btw sorry for the english.. it’s not my main language, so imagine how difficult is for me to blog in english lol)
For the love of all that is good and pure in this world, please tell new bloggers to learn how to take a good PLAIN picture to show what they are blogging before they try all the jazzy background and lighting tricks. Some of what I am experiencing on the feeds lately is enough to make me retch.
I agree with you, SunShine. My shopping list is made from what I see in the blogs. When the lighting is dark or items are hidden in shadows or fog, I pass them by because I can’t see the textures clearly.
I can certainly understand the skill and creativity behind the photography and wanting to express that, it just doesn’t work for me when shopping the blogs.
Still, it seems I find enough to buy. Just got my credit card statement and I spent over $300 in SL last month. Sigh…
I really wish someone would change that description of a model. Being a model myself, I believe that there is skill involved in being a model. You will often find that because models learn a lot of different skills, they often become fashion designers, pose makers, photographers, teachers, script writers, magazine editors, and a ton of other things that they wouldn’t had been otherwise had they not done modeling.
Most models don’t see modeling as a job, because a job means you expect to get paid a decent amount of money for what you do. Models know they will have to spend a lot and may not get enough monetary compensation back. But we see modeling as fun too, just like most bloggers. I love modeling because I love fashion, and modeling is the vehicle to show off fashion to the public.
The most basic type of modeling is “live modeling”, where you model the clothing in a store. Editing prims to fit your shape and coordinating colors and accessories to match is no joke. As a manager of a clothing store, I have turned down people who apply to be models because they don’t have those skills down. Granted, most people learn how to edit clothing prims through practice, but if modeling was truly unskilled, someone can do it as soon as they enter Second Life, no? And then more advanced skills like walking down the runway can be daunting, because you have to coordinate poses and walks to make the clothing look good. And don’t even get me started with handling lag when there are 50 people at a show…lol.
When people blog often, they learn these basic skills because they make the clothing look good in photos (unless they are doing a review, which then they can point out some of the items’ weak spots). I believe fashion bloggers are comparable to print models. In order to be a good blogger, I believe one would need to be a good writer and photographer as well. I love blogging because I like to write, so I see blogging as a way to put fashion and writing together in one place.
As for being a famous SL model, of course there are well-known models in SL – Mimmi Boa, Serene Faith, and Miaa Rebane are just a few. The problem with SL is that probably no one is “famous” (famous meaning everyone knows about them) outside their circle of influence except maybe Phillip Linden. In real life the majority of people owns a tv, read the paper or listen to the radio. How many people in SL even have a residence so that they can rez a tv? And then who watches tv, read SL magazines or listen to the SL radio stations? And in comparison, bloggers can’t be well known to people who don’t even read blogs…get what I mean?
Sorry that was so long! But yes, I think both modeling and blogging is fun, and both require skills that are not hard to learn if you like it enough.
also to be professional model you have to pay for modeling classes which i THink is STUPID. and it costs a butt load of money…ridic
As a compromise I suggest: Become a stripper
Skill required (for stripping)
Be literate
Look good
Wear almost nothing
and earn between 10.000 to 50.000 L$ in 3 hours.
The funny thing, the more literate you are, the more you earn.
O.o where on the grid would that stripper work? Most clubs in sl are so sucky and if it’s packed everyone stands around and never talks. A escort can barely earn that more or less a stripper. At least now-a-days in SL. People cheat at emotes too and use notecards. People want a freaking book for a 50 to 100L tip (the male strip clubs I’ve worked at as hostess, girls would flip out if a guy took over 10 mins to write about 5 paragraphs of emotes for them…like dude really? It takes a lot of time to write that much). And even know the male strip clubs don’t do so hot.
I run a strip club in and dancer’s school. I’d agree with Lara about most of the skills, but I’d disagree that a stripper can earn 10K to 50K in 3 hours (maybe I’m misreading that?). My dancers earn between 1000L to 10,000L a week – and the differences are due very much to talent (when you strip out timezone and hours put it – no pun intended) – and literacy is indeed a major factor.
In our classes (Absolute Dance Academy), we teach style basics and colour matching, amongst other things like motivation (the right reasons are rarely money), choosing skins and shapes, basic and fine editing, emoting and communication skills, selling, marketing and even customer psychology.
Never having been a model, I don’t know how many of those skills you’d need, apart from the first half of the list. But I agree that blogging is where it’s at and I loved the comment as to how bloggers are the new fashion models of SL! Maybe I should start a blog about exotic dancing? hmmm thanks for the great ideas, and thank you Gogo for a blog I can’t stop coming back to.
Umm, where are you going to? I’ve worked as an escort for two plus years and even as a dancer make a good amount. Maybe not in 3 hours as the previous person said because that is just crazy lol. I’ve never used cheats and notecards either. It’s an art of seduction. They are right though, the mroe literate you are, the more you earn. If you aren’t use to fast typing or being indepth with how you say things…or RP…then it might seem like alot. I do pretty darn good for my SL actually that I soo couldn’t complain. Now as one I’ve definately have made 10000-15000L within 2 hours. Sometimes you can make more in an entire day and sometimes you can make less. Just depends how hard you work at it. It might seem easy but it takes work and some people just don’t have it.
I was a bit offended that dancing was considered a “unskilled” job. But, wish I had been up with the posts before…nice reading everyone’s responses because I just recently had a talk with a model about just this thing actually haha.
And you need a very good computer to be a fashion show model. Every SL fashion show has one of the models walking off the stage in lag, lol – BUT – you should manage to stay inworld and don’t freeze totally when the sim is full and overheated with scripts. You are no good if you crash constantly and can’t change outfits in between. Store models, as mentioned by Monica does not require such an good computer. You often stand still on a posestand and just have to look good. And that will mean a good skin/shape combo and many good hairs.
I think that model description is really old, when was prim hair new? 2005 maybe?
Bloggers should also have a computer with a graphic card that at least can have preferences at ulta and learn some tricks about taking photos. Some post pictures with very jagged edges. I doubt that so many bloggers get free items. It is probably only the most popular 20 of 3-400 blogs. (I have no idea how many SL fashion blogs there is, I am just guessing a number)
I had the idea to start a blog a while ago. But last week I finally made the decision to start one, but i have not made a post yet…..
Free stuff is not my goal, I make plenty of money in SL with a job as manager. My favorite thing to do is finding new and / or not so well known stores that I think deserve to get more traffic.
Big known stores like Truth ( Don’t get me wrong, I love Truth ) get a lot of coverage and attention while some of the other great hair shops don’t always get so much attention.
Same goes for fashion brands & stores…
Plus I love to mix and match outfits, it’s so much fun.
Lara, if being a stripper is that damn good, please leave a list here of places where you have been doing this and getting paid that much, because seriously, 90% of the clubs is as empty as it can get.
I have been in SL for very long, and here is what I see – this is going to cause a ruckus, but it is not like I already don’t do this for a living in RL:
1. Blogging shouldn’t be a method to get “free stuff”. Back then, blogging was a fair trade: goods from the creator, in exchange for ADVERTISEMENT. Advertisement means three things, compare to real life: a good presentation of the product (a kick ass photo and / or video that makes the product look good). A good REVIEW of the product. 5In RL, usually a narrator; in SL, a written review). And of course, a decent and accurate contact info. Obviously with either SLURL of the shops, or even better, the creator’s name in case of moving shops, etc.
2. Blogging became a scam for free stuff when the “trade” doesn’t happen. Bloggers promise a review and put a bad photo and no credits, much less a review. Bloggers publish only what they want when they want, and 90% of the receiving items remain sitting in inventory and worn or not, it never gets its advertisement. Not saying every blogger does that, of course, but the scammers who use blogs as excuse surely do.
3. This is why creators nowadays put in the profiles things like “don’t send me blog notecards! I don’t want!”, or “we are not giving review copies at this time”. Good bloggers now have to PAY to advertise because of the scammers and the old fashioned, honourable concept of trade is long gone.
4. Bloggers have a RL and have the right to blog what they like. So, they should get into an agreement with a creator and decline what they don’t like. There is nothing wrong or mean to say “no thanks”, or “no I can’t”, or on the bold honesty, “your clothing is not my style”. It’s surely far better than receiving goods and ignoring them, leaving the creator anxious, hanging, expecting.
It is all a matter of compromise.
As for MODELING… When I joined SL, I wanted to be a model. My AV is tall, curvy and beautiful. But I couldn’t. You know why? Because “model agencies” charge over 5K to teach a person how to hop on a poseball, how to use an AO and how to attach an outfit. Hell, we learn that, free of charge, when we join Second Life! I’d rather pay this money for a whole modeling AO.
So what is the money all about? Bribery of course. They pay people to put you in a fashion show. No they don’t reach a model to have “taste”, because “taste” varies from person to person. Some find tiger stripes with orange dots really sexy, dome find it indescribably ugly.
Like iRL, it is easier to dress a stick than a real curvy woman. Unlike RL, all the models have the same face. I can name several “famous” models, and being a journalist, I have a photographic memory. All I remember of the fashion shows I covered in SL was the clothing… Not a face. In RL, everybody still remembers Cindy Crawford and Kate Moss for their faces. In SL, all faces seem cloned.
Fact is, who wants to pay to relearn everything they already know? What is the deal with putting five or six “academy certification” on the profile? it means only you paid to learn to hop poseballs five times. :p Should some agency model want to prove me wrong, contact me in world. I’d love to do a full covering and post here a “I was wrong, this agency here works differently”. But so far, out of the five ones I saw, all were the same: you don’t pay for anything but contacts. My offer stands.
Miss Lane
Reporter in both lives.
Ps, sorry for grammar mistakes. I am not a native English speaker (matter of fact it is my third language!), but my graphic corrector didn’t get the errors for some reason. I should replace it for a Babylon.
I love dressing up my avatar, but I wouldn’t want to be a model because I won’t change anything about my avatar to suit someone else’s idea of what she should look like. My avatar is more curvy than most models, so I would have to reduce the breasts, bum, and hips. I like her the way she is. I’ve spent a lot of time and thousands of lindens getting her to look the way she does. The great thing about SL, is you don’t have to have a model-perfect avatar to enjoy wearing clothes, hair, and taking pics.
I would like to blog, but I’m not sure if anyone wants to read my babbling and rambling lol
I just sit back and enjoyed reading the bloggers’ comments here. But you, Tracy, is the commenter that I can relate the most with.
Why does NOBODY THINK OF THE MODELS?!
I jest, I had nothing sensible to add. I blog, i’ve never “modelled” except for ads or hair, and tbh I don’t think i’d want to, I blog for fun, when and if I can, and what I like.. and I kinda like it that way! 😀
Becoming a blogger to get free stuff = doing it for the wrong reasons.
Your post is one of the reason why bloggers are seen as greedy people who only want free stuff and only blog for that purpose. I’m proud to say I purchase 99% of the stuff I show on my blog. I blog cuz I love doing pictures and cuz I love SL fashion, period. I can spend a few hours on a post, searching for the right item, putting an outfit together, taking and editing the pictures and write my post in 2 languages. All for free.
And guess what? My blog is still running after +1 year cuz I do it for myself. 🙂
My list isn’t the reason why people think bloggers are greedy or only do it for “free stuff”. I think people think that anyway, cos bloggers have been disclosing what items are “review copies” by marking them as such on their own blog. I don’t label review copies here, but I also don’t accept unsolicited review copies, cos I don’t want to feel like I have to blog someone, especially if their items are not my style.
Any veteran blogger will tell you that designers do not just shower people with free stuff merely for having a blog. It’s why people who start a blog for “all the wrong reasons” do not last very long.
Also, I hope people understand that my list is to poke fun at people who want to model or blog for “free stuff” — if that’s what they want, they should choose blogging over modeling, cos anyone can start a blog.
I don’t really think there’s anything wrong with enjoying getting some “free stuff”- as long as it’s done in the right way (ie, it IS a style the blogger likes and wears, and advertises on their blog with a great photo and contact info). I think that designers in SL can probably tell the difference between a veteran blogger with a lot of readers and traffic to their profile, and someone who is just trying to be greedy. So I’d like to start blogging, but I know at least at first, I’d have to pay for things and gain readership before I can expect to receive any free review copies. BUT if, once a blogger has established readership, a designer has an item they’d like reviewed/advertised and they contact a blogger, and the blogger does want to display that item, should the blogger then also have to pay a bunch of lindens for said item? I think not. Therefore, fair trade is completely acceptable and I don’t think wanting to get some cool free stuff is WRONG as long as you do it in the right way… so i really don’t think you should criticize gogo’s post cuz she clearly didn’t mean it in a greedy way. =)
I think (for me) that’s the most interesting “discussion” i ever have read on a blog. I started blogging in August 10 because i always loved it sharing informations where i got my stuff from. But i realized that blogging is not that easy as it seems to be. Somebody without any graphic skills (like me -lol-) has to spend hundreds of hours in front of the computer watching PS youtube videos -.-…As written in the other comments i always never did it for getting free stuff, but I’m any time very thankful if the designers like the “work” i do and trust in me doing some advertising for them. And in fact beeing in some Bloggergroups i still spend thousands of L$ in SL.
Even that I wasn’t ever a model in SL i was part of a “game” in October/November called “Second Life next Topmodel”. So i could have a short look into the modelbusiness until i was kicked out at the 4th show. I think beeing a model in SL is the hardest job in this world, because you have to be perfectly dressed and styled in every minute you are online, and i recognized that this was nothing for me so i prefered it beeing a small (lol) blogger.
I think at the end you have to do what you like and love, beeing a blogger or model or maybe both…because only this makes any sence login in every day 🙂
(English is not my first language…so sorry for maybe some weird mistakes :P)
Ive done Modeling for a little over a year, its hard not an easy task. Some one once told me to start in contests to get my name out there and work up from there. Ive done so many, and won a few Ads for clothing items too, plus I did a few shows too in the process when joining a model agency. But again I was told unless I was willing to pay for the bigger agencies I wont get anywhere. I cant afford to dish out 5k or higher in one shot when I am such a skin and hair addict. I did start a blog too at one point and people loved it. I loved to focus on free high quality items not everyone loves just junk from hunts and group gifts. But there are really great ones out there and I enjoyed showing that. I would love to continue my blog I stay on top of everything fashion wise and always give advice to others in need. But right now if someone asked me that question of what is better modeling or blogging. I would go for blogging u can be very creative with backgrounds and poses to make it pop more then in modeling. If someone wanted the fame and fortune in modeling I feel bad for them takes a lot to get there. But it seems like now a days all the models seem to look close to the same so it seems like u only have to look a specific way. Plus the amount of poses u have to have and then get together some good ones if u walk in a show, thats expensive in its self!!!
Anyways, I wish all bloggers would do more then just take a pic and post, yet alone only put on their post where one thing they have on is from. I cant stand that makes me not even want to read some of those. I know u mentioned that before and I am a constant blog reader so I can stay up with whats new, hot, free, group and where I can send people to get stuff from!! And above all I got to look good myself!!! I love Blogs!!!!
Hi Gogo!
As you know I love your blog and always read it 🙂
In SL I do a bit of both.. I blog outfits I love….I dont write much text cause I usually don’t know what to say and I dont like prizing outfits or each item as if it was the most amazing cause I believe that sometimes a picture is worth 100 words, or whatever that’s saying goes.
And also since 2008 i’ve been a model. For some people it might sound easy or silly, to walk the runway, pose, edit your prims. Anybody can do that… sure! but you need practise and know how and where to do things. Someone mentioned modeling schools about being just paying for contacts.. well.. the few ones i know (cause i’ve attended or friends have) actually teach you things you need to know to be a model. Basically skills, tips, ideas about posing, how to move the avatar smoothly, how to style, how to present yourself to castings, etc. And sure, you get to meet people who are already in the business and have been for a while, but in my opinion that’s a good thing as they can teach you and tell you how things are done. And while I do agree some are quite expensive… it’s also people who are investing their time and knowledge on you. And as with any other job.. I dont see it as a bad thing that is paid. Of course, some experienced models coach new ones because they like that… not really charging them.. others do. Each has a valid point and in the end.. is our SL and we choose how and where to spend our L$.
Anothing important thing in modeling is networking… but i think it helps in any aspect of a SL or RL…. we are in a society and we need others. If you stay in your skybox all day… you will never be a model… you need to go out there and meet people, be nice, respectful and have fun 🙂 The same way you can have your blog.. post amazing blogs and pics in flickr… but.. if you dont have a single reader, arent in any feeds, or have people in Flickr looking at your pics.. it might seem that you are just blogging for yourself.
Oh and I agree with the comments above… being a model doesnt make you rich… and you end up spending more money to get the things you need to style for a show, poses, accessories, hair, skin, shoes, makeup….
I’m a model cause I love fashion, being able to work with so many talented people, and at the same time, the challenge of putting together outfits to show the creations the best way possible for a show, a print job, or even for my blog.
I dont think is one vs. the others, as most models have a blog and enjoy showing the outfits they create. Personally I sometimes show the outfits I had to wear on the runway… or mix them with other things… or just whatever my mood is that day. Nowadays models have to be amazing stylist, know how to combine things so that the outfit stands out and makes people want to buy it…. Good bloggers achieve this too and that’s why it not one vs. another but can be one with the other.
As for bad things about modeling for me is the amount of as* kissing people around that believe that by doing that they will get more jobs, invited to more agencies, win more contests. Sadly, some will do, but I believe in working hard, being unique, original and true to yourself. You dont need to be an as* kisser to become a good model. Your sense of style and the amount of practise you do to master the necessary skills will do it.
I probably went a bit of topic hahaha but well… Hope this have helped a bit
<3 Leah
I blog mainly because the focus involved is a good way to keep my mind off life’s stresses and the creative results are rewarding. I also like to keep my inventory minimal so it’s a great way to record all the clothing items I’ve enjoyed for a while then trashed. There’s only a few designers whose work I keep and to be honest I freak out a bit when designers send me stuff for review. But it often turns out to be a healthy pressure that keeps me on my toes styling-wise. Many times I feel a bit jaded with it, but my enthusiasm always returns eventually. I guess I could say that I find prettying up my avatar soothing.
I agree with someone who posted above with the stripping dancing escorting lol
Its good money if u are good at it, Yes u are incredibly creative with how u want to look and what u wear. Ive been stripping for 4 yrs and escort here or there cause I need the Lindies. I wouldnt own half the awesome stuff I have if I didnt dance for the cash. Also bad part is if u do get into modeling u are kinda frowned upon whether they think your cheap , sleazy, or wont be a good model. They are completely wrong might I add cause my dancing was never a problem or made me anything other then myself and a good hard worker in the industry. I do love modeling but I love meeting people more!!! I dont know if thats more then awesome skins and hair lol jk
I have wanted to write a blog for ages and I am completely paralyzed by fear. I will not be as good as the people that have been doing this for a while. And I would never claim I am because I know there are lots of things to learn , I have never had a blog in my life or have written much, specially in English given my mother tongue is not English. I feel there are way more people trying to bring you down than give constructive criticism. It never crossed my mind to blog for the free stuff, yeah it’s always nice to get free things that are nice but that’s not the point. And of course I would love to have people read my blog but I am too much of a coward to do it . ‘sigh I have come up with about 10 looks for the newbie Challenge you posted here and didn’t have the guts to post it. So I guess for me the worst thing about being a blogger is being put down by people.
Hi Julia! Don’t be afraid to start a blog, I think your English is great. Also, you don’t even have to write it in English, just write it in your native language and we will use Google Translate 🙂
Julia,
Your English is good so go for blogging. Simple baby English is preferable cause international readers can read you. If you can produce a good clear graphic/photos without being Photoshopped, I believe there are new designers who would love for you to review their designs.I know I would.
Thank you for the words of encouragement Nova and Gogo =)
I got the guts and did it. It’s all here http://www.all-julia.blogspot.com I’m hoping I’ll learn with time all the ins and outs. I don’t even know what a blog roll is and how to put my blog in the feed blog. For now I am just glad I started it . I am sure the rest will come with time. Ty (hugs)
I’ve modeled in SL since 2007 and did that full time up until 2010. I still model now and then and blog periodically and both are creative expressions. I’d like to point out that while the modeling industry can seem vapid and highly competitive these days, it’s still a community experience and despite the lack of work, the surplus of agencies/schools and all the hype having the experience of being with other models and working towards goals cannot be discounted.
For me it was never about the fame and glamour but about the fact that I could express myself with styling and even if I had very little to actually independetly style in a show, I still got together with people I knew and people I would get to know and go to rehearsals and chat about the show and whatnot. I made many friends and acquaintences that way and that was invaluable.
But bloggers have their own community as well and more freedom to style and that is very appealing. My own personal blog isn’t necessarily about showing fashion or photography but the creative process is what I aim for. Although blogging styles vary greatly and I think designers get far more exposure through bloggers than just modeling.
I commend both models and bloggers because ultimately it’s a passion and both experiences can be truly rewarding with the ups and downs associated with each. Great topic!
I find most model avis to look horrible. Proportions that promote and even more distorted view on femaleness than many models in real life do. My avi is set at 6’0 SL measurements and those models usually are about twice as tall as my avatar (with heels). Personally, I say way, way, way more beautiful, goodlooking even sexy avatars on blogs than those beauty ‘ideals’ promoted by modeling agencies in SL. They make me cringe and so I won’t support that sort of ‘beauty ideal’.
I like blogging a alot. I always wanted to do it, but I always hesitated to jump head ahead into the sharkpool that calls itself Fashion-Community in SL. 😛 But one day…I just started, and ever since, it has been great fun. I found my niche. I love supporting stores that I adore, I love offering help or inspiring others. I love being creative. So now, my blog is my new outlet for creativity besides role-play in SL. 🙂 I am trying to get better over time and I have a couple of people like Elle, Tera, Silent Sky and others helping me greatly…and most important: I am having a good time. I love what I do and I do not care wether or not everyone likes it.
@ Julia: It took me forever to start blog, too. Then..I just did it. 😀
Let me start by saying I love your blog.
With the good shit outta the way now. I think this post was a big ignorant. Your flaming the modeling industry which is well respected and, not in so many words, stating we are merely hamptsers. You are also encouraging other people who might be interested in modeling to shy away from it and do what is comfortable to you.
While it is true. We are told when to be somewhere and what to wear. Such as practices, fashion shows, print work, live modeling and ect. But, really, isnt being an adult and showing up on time, for anything, kind of expected.
Modeling is a skilled job. Its not a very well paid job. But agencies do pay there models with both money and the designs they wear. Usually this money is invested back into there avatar, however. Might I add, this is no more expensive than buying clothes to showcase on a blog and paying for the domain and hosting.
I agree with Keira. Modeling can be overwhelming at times. And its definitely harder than slapping some pretty pictures on your blog and calling it a day. I know, I do both.
Might I add that you posted incorrect information. It would be a scam to pay an agency to add you to their roster.
Again. Love the blog. And blogging is also fun. However, I don’t see much money to be made in it.
XO
VI
Sorry Violet, the post is not meant to flame the modeling industry in SL. It’s just my opinion that a lot of new players try to become models, but in reality, it is much easier for them to just start a blog and brands in SL do often ask bloggers to pose for their print ads or walk their shows, etc. It’s actually a better way to get to know designers and build contacts.
Slapping pretty pictures on a blog takes some patience and actually it took a long time for me learn to take “pretty pictures”. If you go back into my 2007 archives, there are some pretty fug fashion choices there LOL!
* laughs *
Its true – new avatars with not a lot of money would be best starting out by blogging. I’m not debating that.
Modeling is defiantly an investment to start. And You must keep investing in yourself with all the new fashion, hair, skin clothes, shoes. Not to mention modeling schools. Which break the bank.
Most of us models don’t model for fame or money. We love doing it. We love fashion and we love the designers we work with.
🙂