I often get asked all about how I got into hand modeling so I figured I would share my story with XOJane!
Check out the full article here: http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/how-to-become-a-hand-model It is a weird job but I'm making it work!
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This was really exciting! I got to share the story of how I became a hand model and some FAQs with MTV! You can check out the full story over on their website here! By Susan Schell Hand modeling is not something I ever expected to be doing—it is something I happened to fall into. Typically people don’t even realize that hand modeling is a legitimate job, let alone how often hand models are used in advertisements or editorials. I certainly had never met a hand model before becoming one, and I didn’t know it was a real profession until I saw the viral hand model lady video on Youtube. However, since working as one, I find myself noticing how many ads on TV or in the subway feature hand models, and at this point, I can even identify fellow hand models by their hands in certain images. Hand models are utilized in campaigns that can range from diamonds to diapers, so I never know what to expect when I arrive on set. It truly is a strange job, and it can be surprisingly demanding physically. The work can vary in difficulty from simply resting your hands on a table to contorting your body into painful positions to get the perfect angle and shot of just your hands. Nonetheless, hand modeling can be genuinely fun and entertaining work—it involves many free manicures, often with intricate nail art, and I am fortunate to work with some of the industry’s most creative and talented people. One of the most intriguing aspects of my job is that it can be quite anonymous—I can be in an ad or editorial without anyone else knowing that it’s a picture of me. It seems worth mentioning that I did not move to New York City to become a hand model. I actually moved here to study jewelry and fine arts at Parsons The New School for Design and I have since been working as a jewelry and accessories designer at Bobby Pin Jewelry for the past few years. I began considering hand modeling because I managed Bobby Pin’s social media accounts, and I would frequently post pictures of my hands wearing rings and bracelets. I started noticing that people would often comment on my nails or my hands in addition to the jewelry. Eventually, I got thrown into a jewelry shoot for TWELV Magazine at the last minute, and that is how I got my first official hand modeling pictures. I decided to send those images into a parts modeling agency to see if I was hand model material, got signed on with them, and have been working ever since! It all happened pretty quickly, and I suddenly found myself being asked by friends and people that I meet a lot of questions about hand modeling. So, here are some of the most frequent questions I get asked: Are your hands insured? Definitely not! I’m not even sure how to go about getting them insured. It does not seem necessary to me for the time being. I am not insanely obsessive about my hands, but I do make an effort to keep them camera-ready. I try to keep them very moisturized and cut/bruise-free, but accidents do happen from time to time. I just try my best to be careful and I use copious amounts of cuticle cream. What makes a good hand model? I would say the most important thing is healthy-looking nails and hands with long, straight fingers. Some hands are just randomly incredibly photogenic! Of course, there are different types of hand models—for example the everyday hand (think dishwashing commercials or chopping food), the glamorous hand (long fingers and nails typically used for beauty shots or jewelry), or the unique hand (someone with tattoos or a distinctive feature.) Is it an easy job? It can be, but it can also be really challenging, sometimes painful, and often incredibly time-consuming. It can require being very still in awkward positions for long periods of time, so being steady and patient are pretty important for a hand model. Patience is essential on any photo shoot—I’ve had days where I had to be on set all day long, but I was only needed for maybe 20 minutes. And steadiness is paramount as a hand model must because a trembling hand will photograph blurry. Do you go on hand castings? Surprisingly, yes I do!…And I’ve booked jobs this way. It is exactly like normal model castings except for your hands. What are hand photo shoots like?
Hand shoots are often a lot like normal photo shoots except, obviously, all of the focus is on your hands. Since it’s all about the hands, it often involves a lot of ducking or leaning out of the way to hide the rest of my body. From time to time, I’ve been on shoots where I got to hold something like a bag or a bouquet of flowers in front of my torso, so poses like that are much more natural and less uncomfortable over time. It is kind of funny that I have had to learn to pose my hands—there are elegant hand shapes and poses that tend to be more flattering and make for better pictures. Have you seen Zoolander or the episode of Seinfeld where George becomes a hand model? Yes, I have! And no, they did not inspire this career path. You can check out more of Susan’s work on her website and be sure to follow her on Instagram! I am often asked about how I got started as hand model. Hand modeling isn't the kind of job you dream of having as a little kid but it can be a great way to support yourself if you happen to be genetically blessed with nice hands.
I was recently chatting with a manicurist and she remarked how hand models are related to each other by only their hands. They come from all walks of life and vary in appearance. A lot of the other hand models I have met were actresses, models, musicians, students, etc. There is such a range of personalities! So it really doesn't matter what you do or really what you look like - if you have great hands (or any other great parts) you should consider parts modeling. The first thing to do is to try and take the highest quality pictures you can of your hands. I would then recommend you send these pictures to local manicurists and beauty photographers to see if you can arrange a test shoot or collaboration with them. This will give you professional looking pictures that you can show to an agent. Check with your local modeling agencies to see if they have a parts devision or can refer you to the nearest parts agencies. It is kind of unusual to be "discovered" as a hand model but if people often compliment your hands or they just tend to photograph well, it might worth pursuing. Photography: Carlton Davis, Manicurist: Jin Soon, Hand Model: Susan Schell Nov 2014/December 2015 Issue - Print, Pages 300-303 A lot of people don't even think that hand modeling is a real job. I certainly had never met a hand model and didn't even know it was a real thing until I saw the crazy hand model lady video on youtube. I am a fairly young and new hand model on the scene. I only signed on with my agent earlier this year but it has been an interesting journey and I figured it might be nice to chronicle some of my experiences. But before I start talking about odd jobs and behind the scenes stuff it seems worth mentioning that I am not just a hand model. I studied jewelry and fine arts at Parsons the New School for Design and have been working as a jewelry and accessories designer for the past few years. I also write for TWELV Magazine and manage their celebrity interview section. So I have three jobs and one of them happens to be hand modeling. I always feel kind of strange saying "I'm a hand model," it just feels kind of weird and it always elicits a strange response. Although people tend to react to what I do with some obvious surprise, they also tend to have very positive reactions like getting really excited and asking a million questions. So here are some of the most common questions I get: How did you get into hand modeling? I was working at Bobby Pin Jewelry and often managed the numerous social media platforms for the brand. I would try on the rings and bracelets and snap pictures of my hands and the jewelry and post them to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. I noticed that people would often comment on the pictures about my nails and hands in addition to the jewelry. I was also thrown in last minute into an editorial shoot that we did with TWELV Magazine so I ended up with some professional pictures to send to an agent. Photography: Chama, Styling: Hissa Igarashi, Clothing: A.F. Vandevorst, Jewelry: Bobby Pin Jewelry, Model: Paulina Panas, Hand Model: Susan Schell http://www.twelvmag.com/people/fashion-story-between Are your hands insured?
Definitely not! I'm not even sure how to go about getting them insured. I'm also not crazy obsessive about my hand care routine. I do try to keep them moisturized and cut/bruise-free but I do hand make jewelry and that is just naturally rough on your hands. I just try to be careful and use a lot of cuticle cream. Have I seen Zoolander or the episode of Seinfeld where George becomes a hand model? Yes, I have! And no they did not inspire this career path. Do you go on castings? Surprisingly yes...and I've booked jobs this way. It is exactly like a normal casting except for your hands What makes a good hand model? I'd say the most important thing is healthy looking hands and nails with straight fingers. Is it an easy job? It can be! But it can also be really challenging, sometimes painful, and often incredibly time consuming. It can require being very still in awkward positions for long periods of time, so being steady and patient are pretty important for a hand model. |
AuthorSusan Schell is a working hand model in Paris and NYC. Archives
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