Inez Lewis Photo Blog

How To Improve Your Catwalk Skills.

Are you ready to become a model? Here are some great tips to get you started:

If you want to be a runway or high fashion model you will need a killer catwalk. It’s a must. The walk on the runway is what sells a designer’s clothes and if you have an awkward walk or look uncomfortable it will have an effect on the clothing. Suddenly a gorgeous garment will appear strange or slightly off. For this reason a designer will never book a model for a runway show unless they can really attack that walk and sell the clothes. So break out the stilettos, a video camera, digital camera, tape, and grab a good friend, because it’s time to practice.

Try out the shoes
Always practice in high heels. Mix it up between stilettos and regular high heels as well as clogs and shorter shoes. You need to learn how to balance in each shoe and comfortably take a stride. The more shoes you try walking in the better because you never know what a designer or stylist will put you in.

Posture
Work on your posture. Push your shoulders back and tilt the pelvis forward and upward. You should be leaning back slightly. This is the correct posture for walking the runway. Hold this posture for several minutes at a time before relaxing. The more you practice the more natural it will become.

Tape the floor
Use masking tape to create a straight line down a hallway, outdoor patio or across a long room with a wood floor. Walk on the line one foot crossing in front of the other. You want to lead with your hips and extend your walking leg out fairly far so you are taking strides, not baby steps. Land on the toes and press your foot into the floor through your toe, ball then heel. Don’t walk with the weight on your heels, keep it toward the toe with the rest of the weight falling on the center of the foot.

Whip out the video camera
Set up a video camera to record your walk. Do several passes then watch the tape. Are you staring straight ahead? Did you keep to your feet on the line? How does your body line look? Are you holding the correct posture as you walk? Analyze your features then try it again and see if you made the necessary changes.

Trust your friend
Have a friend watch you walk. Ask for their constructive criticism. Then have them take digital photos as you walk like paparazzi, magazines and other photographers would during an actual show. Look at your body lines and posture in the photos. Do you look good or do you still need work. Continue to practice and watch your body and you’ll be a pro in no time.

OMG I’m so excited to post photos from our latest and greatest shoot with Plus Model Magazine!

Clothing by Torrid.com

Styling by Reah Norman

Makeup & Hair by Artemis

Model Brittany Elizabeth from Heffner Management

I have some really excited news to announce for plus models on the West Coast.  Plus Model Magazine is having their first ever West Coast Model Search!  There are many great prizes but the one I’m most excited about is that I get to shoot the winner for editorial and cover for Plus Model Magazine!!!!  The model search will take place at Hollywood Now’s, Love Your Body Day on Oct 24, 2009.  Please click the flyer below for more info!

I ran across this article and photo in Glamour magazine that is causing a bit of contriversy.    The article below was taken from Photo Distric News

“In the warped reality of magazine publishing, a fashion and beauty title can actually cause a stir by publishing a flattering picture of a woman who is not extremely thin. Even when it’s a small photograph on page 194.

The latest issue of Glamour features a photo by Walter Chin showing 20-year-old model Lizzie Miller. In the picture (seen here at right) the model appears radiant, beautiful, and (shock!) a little curvy in the tummy and thighs. The photo ran with a story called “What Everyone But You Sees About Your Body.”

Glamour readers are responding to the picture with sustained applause. On the magazine’s Vitamin G blog, editor-in-chief Cindi Leive writes:

“It’s a photo that measures all of three by three inches in our September issue, but the letters about it started to flood my inbox literally the day Glamour hit newsstands. … The emails were filled with such joy–joy at seeing a woman’s body with all the curves and quirks and rolls found in nature.”

The comments on Leive’s post are plentiful and full of praise. “That picture literally brought tears to my eyes,” says one reader. A commenter who identified herself as the model’s mother adds:

“When this picture came out Lizzi and I discussed what an opportunity it was to get people talking, even though some of the comments would be painful for her. When Lizzi started her modeling career her goal was to redefine what was normal and beautiful. Her goal was to help young girls look in the mirror and love what they see-whatever size they are. She still has that goal and we are amazed and humbled at the huge response this picture has gotten. Lizzi is someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s girlfriend just like all of the readers are.”

We were starting to feel warm and fuzzy, until the Jezebel blog brought us back down to earth:

“Any shot of body confidence readers got from seeing a woman with an average-sized body presented as sexy is quickly neutralized by the magazine’s other 295 pages of diet tips, workout recommendations, and images of women with all their natural bumps and rolls airbrushed away.”

READ MORE ON THIS AT GLAMOUR.COM

A few months ago we did a half day shoot at a beautiful property in Beverly Hills with actor Michael Jai White. Michael is currently promoting his new film Black Dynamite which is currently playing throughout the film festival circuit and is scheduled to be released Oct 16, 2009.  Here is what Sundance had to say about Black Dynamite.

“When “the man” kills his brother, pumps heroin into the local orphanage, and floods the ghetto with a secret weapon disguised as Anaconda Malt Liquor, there is only one brother bad enough, strong enough, and brave enough to take them on: the legendary Black Dynamite.Black Dynamite is a throwback with an attitude. Hilarious, campy, hot, and sexy, it plays with every cliché from 1970s film and television, with a few new ones thrown in for color. Director Scott Sanders doesn’t need to show his hand to get his point across, making it even more fun to watch. He has miraculously assembled a huge cast that all perfectly tread the line between satire and spoof. Crazy kudos need to go to our leading man, played by Michael Jai White, who offers a pitch-perfect performance in every take. Art direction and costumes are flawless, and the flocked wallpaper holds it own against the faux fur and poly-blend wardrobe. Black Dynamite has something for everyone: chase scenes, gunfights, a house of ill repute, some karate action, and a star with a killer body who takes on bad guys with—and without—his shirt on. And if this isn’t enough, Sanders does the near impossible: he sustains the comedy while taking a nice big sucker punch at the underlying politics of our time.”

Check out the trailer!

Here are more photos from that shoot.  Makeup by Dee Dee Kelly, Styling by Laura Galli, Photo Assistant Tia Jai.

When ever you are we all want to look our best.  In front of the camera it is especially important.  The camera lense picks up things we normally can’t see with our naked eye.  Ever pore, blemish and wrinkle shows up on camera.

One of my favorite makeup artist Artemis just emailed me this great site called Total Beauty.  There are offering discounts for up to 80% off.  In addition, use promo code BEAUTY25 to save $25 off your next purchase of $75 + over the next 30 days.

Thanks Artemis!

In January Inez Lewis Photography was hired by 3 time Tony Award nominated fashion,  architectural and interior designer Ginger McGann to shoot product/fashion photography her new couture jewelry line.   We had the pleasure of shooting 3 different themes over the past few months.  One a garden party theme, three fabulous studio shoots and Gingers own headshot/promotion photos.  The project culminated with fabulous launch party at the new L.A. hotspot Live on Sunset.

About Ginger McGann:
A graduate of both USC’s prestigious School of Art and Architecture and Harvard University’s Executive Graduate Design program, Ginger McGann has a celebrated career in the fields of architecture, interior design and fashion design. Credits include the personal residence of Avery-Denison CEO in the Netherlands, the personal residence of Deloitte and Touche’s West Coast Managing Partner and the personal residence of the CEO of Silicon Valley Giants, Foundry and Consentry along the Southern California Coast, among others. Her recent foray into the world of fine art and jewelry design is another facet of her artistic expertise and is the focal point of her career today.  www.gingermcgann.com

Here are a few photos from the jewelry shoots.

1st studio shoot

2nd shoot

3rd studio shoot

You can find more photos from our shoots at my website www.inezlewis.com.

***Los Angeles Plus Models*** I just got a call from hi-end plus boutique owner. She is looking for plus models to model live on Good Day LA 7am Aug 4th.  Specifically the owner is looking for more mature models size 20 to 24.  Please email a beauty shoot and full body with your stats to ilcreative@gmail.com or send a link to you website and I will forward the info. I’m NOT casting just sending in info.  This boutique was featured in the Jan issue of Plus Model Mag with model Katie Reed.    Here are a few of my favorite photos we did from the shoot.