Today we’d like to introduce you to Gen Venom.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started taking an interest in fashion and modeling when I was 15, I’m 22 now. I remember being a sophomore in high school and I started to dress different than everybody else, not on purpose, but because I began my journey on figuring out who I was and what I’m into. I’ve been thrifting since I was a little kid because my dad used to take me (I used to hate it), but then I actually started getting back into it that same year and most of my outfits started being fully thrifted. I started taking pictures with the outfits that I would curate which eventually progressed into modeling with local photographers. Fast forward a couple of years to 2018, fashion and styling have turned into one of my biggest passions along with modeling. As a model, I’ve grown and learned a lot to the point where I feel extremely comfortable behind the camera, it just feels like home. A lot of my progression in modeling has come from working with different kinds of photographers because they each have their own aesthetic and vision which makes me have to mold my poses and facial expressions to complement their work. I also style all my shoots with my own wardrobe and do my makeup according to the photographer’s mood board which I love doing because it makes me feel like I bring more to the table than just being in front of the camera! Sometimes a photographer will tell me to do my makeup and outfit as I please because that’s what originally made them reach out to me. I look forward to every shoot because I always get excited to see the outcome of how the pictures turned out!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, it has been a pretty smooth road because I have been blessed by amazing local Miami photographers that reach out to me to collaborate so we can expand both of our portfolios, and brands contact me to model their garments. One struggle along this modeling journey has been not being able to get signed by an agency. I’ve been to a handful of agencies in Orlando, Miami, and New York City but they tell me either I’m too short for a model (I’m 5’6), too edgy, or too commercial, or not what they’re looking for. I try not to let it bother me because regardless modeling is something that I love to do and not being signed isn’t going to stop me from doing it. Of course, I would love to be signed by an agency one day because I’m classified as an “alternative model” and I definitely feel that the modeling world needs more alternative looking models out there to break some boundaries. Also the modeling industry has changed in the sense that a lot of it depends on your social media exposure which is unfortunate because that shouldn’t have an effect on whether you become a signed model or not.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
When it comes to my work (whether it’s modeling, styling, or makeup), I feel like my open-mindedness, versatility and unconventional style/look contributes to my success. I like to be really “extra” and eccentric when it comes to any of my 3 passions because it makes me feel super confident! Also it’s one of the main reasons that photographers and brands wants to work with me which means a lot to me! Being open-minded and versatile is extremely important when it comes to modeling because you never know what type of shoot you’ll be doing next. Every shoot has a different mood to it. I really love that the photographers and brands that I’ve collaborated with this year have all been so diverse and have made me come out of my comfort zone and learn new things that I can incorporate into my work thus making me grow as a model.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genvenom/
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