One of the best kept secrets of making it in modeling is creating a great bond with a photographer that you trust and love to work with early on. I was trying my hand at modeling school and still getting nowhere. I noticed that the most successful girls seemed to always be hanging around with a photographer---even when we went out for drinks. Some were in relationships which at first I wondered if that was ok but then I realized they were so bonded together and worked so well together it made sense. It didn't matter the age difference, backgrounds, race, they shared the same passion and created a special bond that I had never seen before. They had more than a photographer---they had a friend, a mentor and someone that seemed to care enough about them to help them succeed. Not only that, the more they got to know a photographer the more they just seemed to work well together. The more personal you get the more professional you get. Ever wonder why they say "more business get's done on the golf course than anywhere else"? Because it's true that people do business with people they like and much more likely as it becomes personal. That's one of the reasons you never want to bring someone else on a shoot. You won't connect as well even casually with the photographer and you will definitely miss some great shots. I wasn't getting the shots I wanted and they were! It wasn't planned but I met Barry. He was like my knight in shining armor. He took me under his wing and I realized that the more personal I got with him the better the shoots became. He was much older and wiser and of course I probably started to fall in love. He was kind and always looking out for me and probably the first man in my life that wasn't selfishly always trying to get something from me. I was really shy but knew he was the only one I could work with for my first lingerie/boudoir types. In fact, I had to beg him to do those shoots. We were both rather conservative but I knew I needed at least a few examples or I wouldn't have a real portfolio. He actually helped me later on and visited for my next big professional lingerie shoot for a magazine. I knew if he was there I would be comfortable and natural. But the main point is do not be shy about getting to know your photographer. I can promise you this, without Barry and my personal relationship with him I never would have made cover on VOGUE! I would have lost out on millions if I didn’t have an intimate personal relationship with him. Now I have virtually every door opened to me in the entertainment industry!

My Journey