“For me it doesn’t matter how good the pictures are in the end as long as I had a great day with fantastic people”
Alessa, how did you start modeling? At what point did you decide you wanted to be a model? I started my career behind the camera, taking pictures and never imagining that I would be considered looking good enough to be a model. My first shooting was with a friend who needed photos for an application as a photographer. I loved to pose in front of the camera. Because I wasn´t on full age and lived with my parents at that time I couldn´t work with other photographers except of my friends. But since I was eighteen I did a lot of jobs around Germany. Because of my special hair colour I had the chance to work with great artistic photographers very soon. I tried to get better and better and send applications to Artists I loved. I spent a lot of time traveling on the roads in Germany and loved every bit of it. Because of my height (I am too short for normal agencies) I basically initiated all the shoots myself.
What keeps you excited about modeling? The new people, new places, beautiful dresses and the great adventures you can experience. I love to meet new people, driving to great locations and talking and laughing with the most different kind of people the whole day. For me it doesn’t matter how good the pictures are in the end as long as I had a great day with fantastic people.
When do you feel most glamorous? When I have great make up and hair and can wear one of these beautiful long and heavy gowns. One time I had a shooting in the 50s style with great Make Up, beautiful dresses and classic cars. I felt like Grace Kelly or one of the other 50s Divas.
What’s your beauty regimen like? Do you have a skin care routine? What are you doing to prepare yourself for a shoot? I live on a vegan diet and take care of my skin. I don´t wear make up every day, but I wash my face twice a day with good products. And I visit a beautician regularly. When I get prepared for a shooting I wash my hair in the evening before. In the morning I use my normal moisturizer and do my make up when there isn´t a make up artist on the set.
In your opinion, how important is it to have an established relationship with the photographer who captures your image? I think it´s really important. You can work with people when you don´t have a good relationship, but the pictures will be never as good as with ones which you really like. I have some photographers who perfectly know what I imagine and I know what´s on their mind. It´s funny and relaxed to work with them, you feel more comfortable and you aren´t that strained. As a professional it´s important to work with nearly everyone as good as you can, but when you have a good relationship it´s way more relaxed and the results are better.
Do you always encompass a character when you go on set? Sometimes. It depends on the set, the dress and the concept. But I am acting since I am a little child, so I don´t have problems with looking sad, fragile, strong and so on.
What was the craziest thing to happen to you at shoot? Once I had a shooting on a farm and since I love pigs I really appreciated to work with them. I was standing in the middle of the pigs stable and suddenly all the little pigs came and wanted me to pet them. When you pet pigs, they sat down and finally lay down, so you can pet the belly. Imagine me, full dolled up in the middle of a pile of pigs which wanted their belly petted.
Which of the projects you have worked on are you most proud of and why?I think it´s one of my shootings in the beginning of my career, but I had the chance to work with one of my most favourite photographers Au-Contraire. It was a really exciting day with great people, beautiful clothes and a picture from this shooting was hanging on her living room wall for a while.
What’s the best advice you have ever been given by a photographer? How to pose easy. You have to learn to pose, but one photographer gave me the advice that you don´t have to go from one extreme to another, you can just move a leg or a arm and there is a new pose.
Alessa, is there anything you wish you had known when you first got into modeling? Not really. I was always strong and independent and clever. I didn´t do anything I regret.
We can we see more of your works and get connected? The most shooting stuff you can find on facebook: ModelAlessaGhoulish. More personal on my instagram: alessa_ghoulish. And I have a blog with making offs, traveling pictures and so on: www.modelalessaghoulish.blogspot.de/
If you could have your next dream job, what would it be? What’s something you haven’t achieved but hope to in the future? I would love to work with more photographers outside of Germany. It would be lovely to do a shooting tour trough the U.K.
Also I would love to work with famous photographers, but since I am too short it´s really hard. But I hope I can have a editorial shooting with owls soon.
What advice do you have for new models? Don´t take it personally when photographers or designer doesn´t want to work with you. It´s a hard business, sometimes it´s just a wrong shade of your hair colour and you doesn´t fit into the concept. You have to work a lot and if you´re not lucky enough to find a agency, you have to invest money in clothes or traveling. Save example pictures you like and use it as a inspiration. But find you own style, if you don´t feel well in clothes or shooting ideas, you can see it on the pictures. Always be careful when working with photographers. Listen to your heart and instinct. If you feel uncomfortable while writing or during the shoot, feel free to leave. They don´t have the right to touch or catcalling you.
Do you have other ambitions outside of modeling? What do you think you would want to be doing if you weren’t a model? Of course! I am a psychology student and want to become a psychotherapist. I love to take pictures and want to do more shootings behind the camera again. And I have a list of 100 books of classical literature I want to read.
Tell us one thing about yourself people might find surprising. I know more about Star Wars than the most boys. I am a absolute geek. I also have a Star Wars Tattoo, watched every episode of Stargate and I love playing computer games, Trading card games, tabletop and so on. I love the faces of boys when they talk about something nerdy and I come along with my opinion and my knowledge.
Thank you, Alessa.
