stumbled across this ... hopefully this is the right forum for it. It's a longer read but not a bad one. https://linascheynius.wordpress.com...heynius-for-zeit-magazin-english-translation/ "I am 16 years old. I live in a small town in Sweden that nobody has ever heard of. School is easy and boring. I am not popular with the boys, and I don’t think I am attractive. That’s not completely true. When I look at myself in the mirror, I feel like there is something to my looks. But I am skinny, pale, shy, and awkward, and I don’t have boobs. I desperately need someone to tell me that I am beautiful. Like so many girls, I dream about the modeling industry, this fairy tale where you make a fortune being flown around the world and celebrated for your beauty. One time a girl in my class tells me I can be a model. When she says it, I pretend I don’t care, but inside I am glowing. I write a letter saying I am 16 years old, 175 centimeters tall, and weigh 51 kilograms, that my eyes are green and my hair is strawberry blonde but dyed brown. I balance a camera on a pile of books and try to pose like the models in the magazines. I send the letter and the pictures to the first modeling agency I find in the phone book, Avenue Models in Gothenburg, and hope for the best. A week later, the phone rings. “Hi. This is Danilo from Avenue Models. I want you to come to the agency so we can meet in person.” I hang up terrified. What have I gotten myself into? Can I even trust this man?"
holy moly that's so intense... especially the part about how she was so anxiety ridden but wanted to photograph herself so that she could see how she was looking from different angles... It's not that often you get to hear the uncensored perspective of someone who didn't make it big time in high fashion, but was still present for so long. Really made me wonder what her life would have been like had she never sent that photo in. Thank you for sharing!
She isn't a well known photographer but she is relevant and good.. I really liked that she parlayed a mediocre modeling career into something that she's passionate about... but also her frank no frills no giant blame game writing... it all seems really honest.
