The Alternative Model Directory

Model: Orchid Fayerye
Photographer: TonyCambs
Shoot title: Faeland Pixie 

TAMD: Tell us about yourself.
Orchid Fayerye: I am 43 years old and happily married. I am based in London. I only started modelling when I was 41 years old. My full time day job is admin in an office. I love art and writing and love being creative through modelling. 

TAMD: What about modeling interests you.
Orchid: I got the bug when my wonderful friend, and model, Dark Morte started taking me to her photo shoots as a chaperone. After a few photo shoots, as a bit of fun I started posing as well. I was surprised how much I enjoyed myself. I was very impressed with the photos from Daniel Pettit. We met up with the fabulous photographer Jim Nemer and he produced beautiful photos. When I met up with my main photographer, Tony Cambsphoto, on my own I was very nervous because I was an inexperienced model, but we worked well together. Modelling is such an enjoyable experience I never looked back.

TAMD: What do you in your free time, besides modeling?
Orchid: I read fantasy & horror & science fiction book. I enjoyed comic books when I was growing up. I love art and even studied at the London Cartoon Centre. A group of students published a comic book, The Forbidden Planet, which had 2 pages spread of my art. I also write short stories. I am published in my writing groups magazine, and I am working on a novel at the moment. 

TAMD: Who in the modeling world inspires you?
Orchid: At the moment 2 models inspires me. I have always been inspired by my beautiful friend, Dark Morte as she got me started modelling. She is so talented and I am amazed how she can change a photo with just a look. 

Joan Nakamoto (Joan V) also inspires me. She is so beautiful and elegant. The dark romantic gothic look suits her so well. 

TAMD: Tell us about the photo you submitted.
Orchid: This photo was done in Fairland Valley Park in Stevenage by the talented photographer Tony Cambsphoto. I did the Faeland Pixie shoot because I have always love faires and their lores, and that is why my model name is Orchid Fayerye. 

 To see more from this shoot, click on the photo.

TAMD FEATURED MODEL: Annabelle Lee Poe 

Photo Details
Models: Annabelle Lee Poe & Arcanelust

TAMD: Tell us about yourself?
Annabelle: Well I’m 24 years old and I grew up in Delaware, USA, or Dela-WHERE? as most people like to say. And no, it’s not a city in a state, it IS an actual state. I’m a huge English buff. I live for proper grammar. I actually buy grammar books to read for fun. My day job consists of working as administrative assistant and on Thursday nights I sell shots at a bar during their goth/industrial night called Asylum 13, which I love because they don’t make me wear pants! I love to sing and am working on making it into more of a talent than just a hobby. I love art; I haven’t drawn or painted in awhile and can’t wait to start again when I get a little more free time. I absolutely love to write. I have so many thoughts running through my head so often that writing is often the only way to get them in order. 

TAMD: What do you want out of modeling?
Annabelle: I only started modeling a year ago after a friend of mine who is a photographer, MattMathewMateo, told me he wanted to do a photo shoot with me as a birthday gift. After that, some other photographers wanted to work with me and it just kind of spun into its own thing. After the first shoot, I’ve realized just how much I really love modeling and every shoot thereafter has cemented how much more I truly want to make this into more than just a hobby. I feel as if it’s starting to become more than that and while I never went into this expecting it to become more than something fun I do which I’m passionate about, I’m hoping it becomes more because modeling has grown into a fantastic experience that I’m absolutely in love with.

TAMD: You’re a poet; give us a sample of your work.
Annabelle: This is poem from my blog entitled “Above.” [Source: http://annabelleleepoe.wordpress.com/] Just a quick note that a lot of my poems are a bit, er, more controversial and darker than this poem so those who wish to read more of my work should go with a bit of caution.

I am more than your labels.
I am more than your feelings of right and wrong;
Your black and white.
I am more than your wants and needs;
More than your desires.

I am my own reality.
I live in my own plane.
Do not include me in your stereotypes,
Your generalizations,
Your similarities;
I am beyond them.

I am unique.
I am a combination of the moon and the stars;
The sun and clouds.
I am part of the universe
And it, a part of me.

I live in a world you have yet to imagine.
I take with me every man, woman, and child.
I hide here when I cannot fathom
The world that you, the antagonist,
Try to subject me.

I reject your conformities and your societal mean.
I take back my own body and my mind
And lock it away where your judgments can’t touch.

I am the Giver.
I am the Hollywood Starlet.
I am the one who holds you up
And lets you fall.
I am the mountains.

You cannot know me because
In an instant,
I am gone.

I am the wind.
I am the highest peak you’ll never reach
And I hold with me, the wonders of the world.

I will not be weighed down by your hate;
Your opinionated scolding.
I will not bear those chains
Of one who follows what they’re told.

I will make my own rules,
Learn what is right,
Follow my own heart,
And become whom I wish.

I will be, in time, a voice.
A voice in which you hear
Not only what you seek,
But what you need to console in.

I have disowned this lifestyle and instead,
I have decided to live in my own.

So take pleasure in cutting me down;
Drying me out.
Get your laughs from seeing me sway;
Watching me fall.

Because no more, will you have that chance.
I am beyond your years.
I am beyond this world.
And you will not hold me down.

TAMD: What can we expect from you in the future? (Not just limited to modeling)
Annabelle: I’m currently working with a producer friend (Giòvane Fòrtuna) to collaborate on doing vocals for some of his songs and of course, working on writing more poetry. Ideally, I’d like to have a published book of short stories and poems in the future. I was offered the lead female role in a music video the other day so hopefully that works out. My co-model, ArcaneLust from the photo and I are talking with a woman doing some video projects. And as for modeling, I’m currently talking to a couple of photographers about different shoots, as well as a couple of models about collaborating with them on some shoots. Honestly, I feel very lucky because I couldn’t have imagined being so fortunate to have so many people who would support me and want me to work with them a year ago.

TAMD: Who or what inspires you? (In life or in modeling)
Annabelle: My inspirations tend to overlap. Emilie Autumn is my current muse. If you took pages from my diary and wrote them into an album, you’d have Emilie’s album, “Opheliac.” And her style is simply perfection. I’ve incorporated a number of her style elements into mine lately! Writing wise, Marya Hornbacher has been a huge inspiration. Her books, “Wasted” and “Madness” are so open and honest, they’ve inspired me to write more candidly and not be worried about what others will think. I can only hope that what I write will touch others as much as Marya’s work has touched me. And of course, my parents are a constant inspiration. For what they’ve been through, I have no greater source of constant support and positivity, even if they don’t always agree with the content of some of my shoots! Their support means everything to me. Also, I’d be nowhere without my darling boyfriend who constantly lifts me up when I feel down about myself. 

TAMD: Finally, tell us about the photo you submitted.
Annabelle: This photo was done at Birds Eye Studio in Smyrna, Delaware by the fantastically talented photographer Kenneth L. Matteson. This was part of a vampyre gothic shoot where my co-model ArcaneLust and I seduce, then murder our two innocent boy victims. I love this photograph because it’s showing Arcane and I’s true colors as blood-thirsty lesbian vampyres, and it looks sexy as hell; rawr!

Welcome Zeke to the directory. His port is not to be missed, it’s full of amazing photos! 

Click on the photo to be taken to his Model Mayhem, where you can see more photos. 

TAMD FEATURED FEMALE MODEL (3/1/2012)
Model: Lena Leather
Photo: Cinda Costner Photography
 

TAMD: Tell us about yourself.
LL: I am a 23 yr old nerdy mom who drives a mini van I named Bruce Vanner if you dont get it I feel sorry for you. I have been modeling since about the age of 18 off and on. I enjoy comic books, video games, dnd, munchkin, and anything nerdy. I like to spend a lot of my time trying to promote myself when I’m not working, and contributing to the Modified Dolls, who are a great group of charitable girls, and helping my chapter. Also I like to consider myself quite that sarcastic type which helps me work though the day. 

TAMD: Why were you drawn to alternative modeling?
LL: I first started alternative modeling because of my older sister who was the model for Chastity from Chaos! Comics, and its basically has stuck ever since.

TAMD: How does being a mother affect your modeling? 
LL: In all honesty the only thing different about being a mother and being a model is I have to go around a tighter schedule or make sure she is watched. Besides that nothing is different except for the stretch marks haha thank god for photoshop!

TAMD: What is the nerdiest thing about you?
LL: I couldn’t pin point a single thing that would be considered the nerdiest thing about me haha. I work in a comic shop, I read comics, play video games, table top, all that stuff every day. I enjoy going to comic conventions when possible so my life is the nerdiest thing about me haha.

TAMD: If you could control every aspect of your photo shoot, how would it go?
LL: First off I would be able to get there on time! Making decisions is also horrible for me so I would have everything planned out from eyeshadow to shoes haha. It would have to involve the nerdiest of things with a mixture of pure sexy maybe add a bit of cosplay. As far as anything else I like the way things work now so I couldnt pick what I would want control of. I enjoy the bit of improve that comes with different shoots.

TAMD feature (2/16/2012)
Model: J. Michael Kent 
Photo: Liz Besanson

TAMD: Tell us a bit more about yourself.
JMK: I live in New York City, which is such a dynamic place full of fashion and inspiration. My parents are both from Europe, where I have enjoyed traveling to in the past, and hope to travel to again. I love movies, particularly horror films, and am a big lover of animals. I already have several pets, and will soon be adding a miniature potbelly pig to the mix.

TAMD: What about modeling interests you?
JMK: What interests me about modeling is that i am able to explore different sides of my personality and become a different character in front of the camera. Also, modeling allows me to push myself creatively when trying to convey emotions or tell a story in a photograph.

TAMD: What are you looking to get out of modeling?
JMK: What I’m looking to get out of modeling is success. I would like to be the best that I can, and hopefully one day see myself in a major magazine or on a billboard. Meeting and collaborating with talented and creative people is also something great that comes out of modeling.

TAMD: What would be your dream shoot?
JMK: My dream shoot would be for a clothing company that is known and admired worldwide, such as Dolce & Gabbana, or Gucci. Not only would it be an honor to be the face of such a big-name label, but it would bring positive recognition and career growth as well.

TAMD: Who inspires you? 
JMK: Someone who inspires me is Arnold Schwarzenegger. He is a self-made man who worked hard, took on many roles in many fields, and became successful in all of them.