Just smile and suck it in darlin...

I remember my first photo shoot.. it was not fun, I had no confidence, I carried business suits to impress potential model agents and the shoot was done by none other than Peter Beard the man who discovered Iman (if memory does not fail me). I was way too over weight, too young, had very bushy eyebrows and even bushier hair (yep, I did the thing of having a perm when it was in fashion). I went for the shoot because Evelyn Mungai, my mothers very good friend, knew Peter and she made the shoot happened. I have to thank the likes of Evelyn because if it wasn't for her and people like her I would have gotten no where in the modeling field.

I was awkward, gawky and just not receptive to a camera lens in my face. You could clearly see this in the outcome. After that, things got better, not great, but yes, better. As with anything, practice makes perfect. At any given opportunity I would do a photo shoot just for the experience. I got more comfortable with the camera, the person behind the camera and I do know some secrets that make you look great once the shoot is done and dusted. I am lucky to have since shot in South Africa for the Cosmo cover, I have also been lucky enough to grace  numerous covers in Kenya and done shoots for fashion designers in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya and have shot in the UK with top photographers as well as in India with, as they would say 'Bollywood' photographers.

Today I would drop everything for a photo shoot - they are fun and I like fun, they are super creative - I like creativity and the outcome is simply stunning. Today, technology is far better, lighting is spectacular, make up artistes are amazing. You can make a day out of a photo shoot. You get there and there is food waiting for you, hair and make up get to work and then the stylists pull out looks that one could only ever imagine looking good together.
Kenya today knows its business in the industry and can boast some serious ass photogs, make up stylists, stylists and hair peeps. I am impressed.

My tip for a fantastic photo shoot - sleep well the night before, hydrate (this always shows if you do or you don't), be comfortable with the looks they pick out for you, talk to your make up artist about what you know you will confident in then when the lights go on, smile baby and suck it in -that is no industry secret- and have fun as you are in for the ride of your life.

Check out some snaps from my day with Barbara Minishi about two weeks ago..it is magnificent what some great make up and fantastic lighting can do to one's ego!!
www.thebarbaraminishi.com is her site.

By the way for more insights into what a real glam photo shoot is ALL about, I highly recommend you read the book BossyPants, by Tina Fey.

PS these photos may be for commercial use so have just used some of the shots that I had permission to share.