thePULSEAlive and Well and Sexy as Ever
By Tine Roycroft
Ah, the unparalleled artistry of the Pin-Up ~ glorious photos that feature women who have classic and almost unreal beauty in provocative ~ but not necessarily nude ~ positions. Think of a 1930s gal ~ the classic Vargas ~ with luscious curls, big expressive eyes, a tight little waitress outfit, bent over a diner table serving fries. Her bottom is slightly visible… and your imagination takes it from there.
Sure, the photos that have hung inside the lockers of pubescent boys since WW I look flawless and easily attained ~ but immeasurable energy from model and photographer is behind each click of the camera. In other words, don’t try this at home with your disposable camera, kids.
Zadie, 31, is a pin-up model from Uxbridge. She loves the creativity, the electricity on the set and the end product after a day of hard posing. Zadie had previously dabbled in modeling , but has recently revived her desire to be in front of the camera.
“I went to modeling school when I was 20,” Zadie said. “But modeling wasn’t my focus at the time. Then I stumbled upon Model Mayhem (a networking site where model and professional photographers connect), I ended up hooking up with a great photographer right from the beginning and I just started modeling. It’s fun for me and I love working with people who inspire me.”
Zadie’s work ranges from classic pin-up looks to modern. She credits her success to working consistently with a few specific photographers who have helped her improve on her poses and styles, such as self-taught photographer and make-up artist Manny Rego.
Rego, 35, has been shooting pin-up models for 14 years and he knows how important the chemistry between the photog and subject is. He has worked with Zadie often and always has a blast with her, mixing the old school pin-up charm with a modern twist.
“I met Zadie last year – she’s like my sister,” said Rego. “One of the best shoots we ever did together featured Zadie in an actual diner. That was pretty comical because as we were shooting it, there were people around in the diner and we had to work around them. One of the customers, this little old lady, came up and hugged me because she thought what we were doing was the coolest thing in the world.”
But not all shoots go as easily as that. Rego works with lovely, talented chicas, but sometimes disaster can strike
“There was one shot where a model was swinging from a vine and – I kid you not – we took that shot 20 times,” remembered Rego. “The poor girl couldn’t hold herself up on the rope we were using. At one point she nearly fell off and I had to run to catch her!”
And like all modeling niches, pin-up modeling is not for every girl. According to Rego, the girls who succeed in this business are the ones who are not waif-like and instead have yummy curves to flaunt on film. A bold personality, or a little background in acting, also helps as one of the main characteristics of a pin-up gal is a very emotive face. Maybe she’s shocked because the wind has blown right up her skirt, or puzzled about how fix a falling stocking. Whatever the emotion is, it’s got to be big.
These days, the beautiful Zadie is working part-time as a model. She recently did some calendar work produced by Eidos Interactive and soon to be featured in the XBOX game “Battlestations Pacific.” She’s has been offered a number of jobs that would take her virtually around the world to model. For now, Zadie intends to stick around the Worcester area and perfect her craft with Rego behind the lens – but who knows what the future of pin-up holds for either of them.
For more information on Zadie, check out her profile at www.modelmayhem.com/659624
For more information on Manny Rego, go to www.theloftphotographic.com
