In the second half of our conversation with life model, Rachel, we’re discussing the reasons why the model recently decided to foray into photoshoots, her perspectives on the body positivity movement, the ways her life modelling is opening up conversations and making these classes more accessible to others, her creative plans for the future, and more!
Britain Uncovered: In part one, we spoke in depth about your origins as a life model, but in more recent times you have also modelled for a variety of intriguing photography projects. What were you seeking to explore via your involvement in these shoots, and did they feel like a natural extension of your life modelling work at the time?
Rachel: My first photoshoot, which ended up as a black and white photoset, was with my friend Claire Angel, who is a food product photographer. I’d been saying, “I'd really like to do reference sets, but I've only got the camera on my phone”, and Claire said, “Well, I'd really like to start shooting people, so let's get together and do that”!
So from that, not only did I want some beautiful photos – which is guaranteed because Claire’s amazing – but it also made me realise that I'm going to have to start working in a slightly different way, and I needed to figure out whether I like doing that, and if that's something that I'm comfortable with.
I feel like I could go to a life drawing class without having gone before and I think I’d kind of know what I'm doing. Whereas with a shoot, I feel like more out of my depth in terms of photography – but in a way, that's why I want to do more of it. But I would say I approach them differently, for sure.
The last time I did a photoshoot was in June with a friend of mine, Alyssa, who is also an amazing photographer. She has a space in Stockport, and we just decided to get together to see what happened. We shot in her studio space in the late afternoon and evening, and got some shots in the dark. It was very chilled, and the shots are amazing.
I think the photoshoot for Britain Uncovered is the first time that I've done a nude shoot with someone that I haven't known for a very long time. It's been a really cool experience.
BU: How did you feel when you first saw the resulting images, when perhaps you weren’t really used to seeing yourself in such a light? When you're modelling in person, you don't see images of yourself afterwards, and you’re just in the moment – but does seeing yourself in these types of photographs give you a different perspective on yourself?
Rachel: I'd actually never really thought about it like that. At first I’d think, “Oh my god, is that me?” Either in a good way or a bad way. I think the permanence of the photographs is something that took me a little while to get my head around. Like, they're there! But I think I quite enjoy that now.
Doing the photoshoots is definitely still something that, to me, feels very new. And I think because they've all been so different as well, and the images have been all for such different things, they’ve always resulted in quite different reactions from me.
BU: Which would you consider to be some of your favourite photoshoots to have been a part of thus far?
Rachel: The black and white ones I did with Claire, which was my first photoshoot, made me think, “Wow, this is cool.”. And then some of the ones that I did recently with Alyssa in Stockport too. Her confidence has skyrocketed in terms of direction, and she knew exactly what she wanted me to do. She sent me the images and I was like, “Wow, is that me?”
BU: You were seeing yourself from a different perspective?
Rachel: It was almost like I was looking at myself through – and I know I kind of am – but through somebody else's eyes. Sometimes you'll have pictures and you will accept that, “Yes, that's what I look like, I know that's me”. But there were some of them where I thought, “If I didn't know that that was me, I wouldn't think that that was me.”
BU: It’s interesting to hear you’d react that way, because so many of the artists we’ve spoken to have mentioned about people reacting this way after they’ve been drawn or painted – so it’s interesting to hear that photographs of yourself evoke a similar reaction. In terms of your modelling, it seems to bring things full circle and shows that despite the inherent differences, they’re just different ways of approaching creativity and expressing the body.
Shifting gears slightly, what are your perspectives on the body positivity movement?
Rachel: I think people can be a little bit intimidated by the phrase ‘body positivity’. It's a little bit like how people talk about toxic positivity don't they? And sometimes people aren't ready to say, “I love myself”. Or it feels inauthentic for them to say that, and it kind of makes people disengage because they’ll think, “Oh, that's not where I'm at.” So yes, I think body normalisation is definitely the right approach.
BU: Because people say that you can't get out of bed every morning and talk yourself into feeling positive if you don't.
Rachel: And it's not healthy to either, I don't think.
BU: So it's more about what your body does for you, rather than what it looks like – and I think that's a key message we’ve been trying to deliver through our content here on the website too. How do you feel about that notion?
Rachel: Yes, 100%. I think appreciating your body more for how it allows you to go about your life is a much nicer way of thinking about it. Think about how many millions of molecules it is made up of and how amazing that is. The fact that you're even here at all is incredible. You maybe have a day where you look at yourself and just don't like it, but you're still here. You're still doing things. It is amazing.
BU: I think focusing on what the body can do for you, rather than what it looks like, is such an important concept – and being grateful for its capabilities, as opposed to merely how it appears, can be such a beneficial mindset to adopt.
We’ve previously spoken to people about the ‘before and after’ photos we see on social media – but do you find these types of comparison photos helpful for you personally? Can seeing the posed versus unposed shots side-by-side be a force for good?
Rachel: I think they’re really important. I was having this conversation with my housemate, and we were talking about how we feel really sorry for kids growing up now who, when they hit their early teens, will look back and all of the photos of themselves will have been filtered. And they will either have applied that filter themselves, or their parents will have applied it because that's just what people do.
And you're thinking, that child will have this distorted view of what they look like or ‘should’ look like, and sometimes it's not necessarily that they've done it to themselves – it's other people. And sometimes you see it when it's a baby with a filter, and I’ll think, “It's a baby”. It’s so, so damaging.
BU: Although you're normally the model at a life drawing class, do you ever get to experience sessions as the artist, rather than as the model? And do you feel that events with social nudity can be beneficial in helping to normalise and desexualise our perceptions of bodies?
Rachel: I've been to three classes as a drawer. I don't really draw as I’m a printmaker, so I don't tend to draw a lot. But it was great, not only because I'm seeing my pal in their element, but I get to see how they do their work, which was really exciting. But yes, watching somebody that comfortable with themselves does rub off on the whole room. During the break, you put your gown on, you go around, and you chat to everybody. I think it's very contagious, and I feel like you take it out of the room with you. It kind of comes home with you.
BU: We can definitely relate to this too. After attending life drawing classes we find that we're all very much in our element, and having been through it all together, it's quite a nice bonding experience as well. Because what happens behind those closed doors brings about our sense of community and connection, I think, which you don't always get in other spaces maybe.
Rachel: Obviously at a life drawing class people are giving artistic feedback, but as part of that, there’s a lot of people giving compliments to each other. And people don't say nice things about each other enough, or at least not to the person. You might say it to somebody else, but surely the person that needs to hear that is that person. Why don't you just go and tell them!
And I think you get that when you're doing these events, because not only are you seeing the compliment of the artwork, but you have people saying, “I really liked that pose that you did”, or this, that and the other. And you very rarely get that much positive communication in one go from so many people, in such a healthy way.
BU: What else do you most enjoy about being a life model today?
Rachel: I think you've got all the classic things that people enjoy about being a life model – like the feeling good about yourself, and the artwork – but I also love the dancing and little things like that.
But something really interesting to me is that I'll be sitting there and people will be thinking that I'm the vulnerable one – whereas in my perspective, I think it's the other way around. Because the people drawing are baring their soul on the page, and everyone's going to go around and look at it. So I enjoy kind of observing the bits and the interactions that maybe not everyone gets to see, and just being in those spaces.
And also, when people ask me, “What did you do yesterday?” I can say, “I did this”! And people go, “Wow”! And then they ask all the questions, and you just get to change people's opinions a little bit.
BU: Although it’s unintentional and likely a side-effect, you’re definitely helping to normalise these types of events via your involvement – and if people who know you learn of your participation, it will likely seem like it’s less niche and potentially less of a taboo also. By doing this, and by opening up conversations about these types of classes, you’re removing that barrier and making them more accessible for others to get involved in.
Rachel: And there's something about the spaces that these kinds of events happen in that is quite nice. They're usually not particularly polished. They're artsy spaces. Most people are there to draw the person posing , but I get to have this very unique perspective of not only being the model, but it feeds my artistic practice. And you can read into it whatever you want really, because it's open to your imagination as to what happened in that space or what could happen in that space. And then there's all the psychological stuff about the kind of ritualistic nature of what happens in that room. I just think it's fascinating.
But yes, I am providing a glimpse into a closed door, I suppose. And it still doesn't give people the whole story, but it gives them a sample of what kind of thing would take place in there.
BU: Along these same lines, earlier in the year you shared an image of yourself posing as the life model at a hen do with all the attendees around you – which made for a really fun photo! We loved the body confidence on display and how natural and nonchalant everything seemed – and you seemed very much in your element and at ease in such a setting.
When you pose at more traditional life modelling classes, the artists are likely used to seeing bodies and appreciate the intentions and artistic merit behind it. But with a hen do, you've possibly got a mix of people who may not all share this same mentality, or may be unfamiliar with life drawing or potentially even uneasy about the nudity element. Is it interesting seeing the different reactions in that environment – especially from those who have never attended a life drawing class – and do you think people leave feeling differently about what life drawing classes are once they’ve given it a go?
Rachel: Definitely, definitely. So I did model for the hen do, and it was interesting actually, because the mother of the bride had specified she wanted a female model. Which I was intrigued by and I wanted to ask her why, but I didn't get a chance. Maybe she was just a little bit concerned it was going to be more of like a ‘strippery’ thing than a life drawing thing, which is fair enough and does happen. But yes, that session was loads of fun.
Rob, who was the tutor and a life model himself, is also a stand-up comedian. He's amazing at putting people at ease, as he cracks a few jokes and it was really very relaxed and really good fun. In the feedback afterwards, the girl who had organised it said that two or three of the girls had actually decided that they wanted to start life drawing after that, which was really nice.
BU: It’s amazing how sessions like this can be so uplifting and infectious – and it’s great to hear that it had such a positive effect on so many of those who were involved!
Rachel: And it wasn't just, “Okay, Rach is going to sit here for an hour and you're going to draw her” – there were games and little exercises to get them out of that head space of, “This has got to look like a person.” I did six 30-second poses, in a really dynamic way, and they made them into a comic strip, decided what character I was, and gave me a little back story – so just things to break that conception of the space being a ‘stuffy art room’.
BU: I’m sure it’s easier for people to engage when it’s fun and interactive like that, rather than it being deadly serious and purely about the quality of the art.
Rachel: Yes, and 99% of the time you're way better than you think you are anyway.
BU: It means people who don't even really think of themselves as artistically minded can still engage and participate. And even if it's not the greatest work in the world, you can still enjoy the process without having to make amazing art.
Rachel: Yes, and I think there's something about physically making something with your hands. People don't really do that day to day. When you see that people have made something, it’s almost like you see this childlike joy on people's faces, and that's why I love running the workshops so much.
At my printmaking classes, I'm not expecting people to make something great. It’s a bonus if they do, but people go, “I've made this and I'm really happy with it, and I'm going to take it home and it's going to go on my wall”, or, “I'm going to gift it to someone I love”. You see a similar thing in people's eyes when they come and they draw a person, which is so hard! I’ll say to them, “Do you have any idea how difficult the thing that you've just done is?” There's a reason that people train for it their entire lives.
BU: Thinking back on your journey as a model to date, what advice might you offer to any aspiring models, and is there anything you would go back and say to a younger version of yourself that may have helped you with your modelling work?
Rachel: So the advice I would give someone wanting to model would be to practice. Practice your poses, because there's nothing worse than getting into a pose and 30 seconds in thinking, “Oh, I'm in so much pain”. And if you're anything like me, you'll just power through it and you'll injure yourself rather than stop. So practice your poses, stretch, and find out the things that you enjoy doing as a model.
For some people, their whole thing is the long poses, or their whole thing is the short poses, or they really like using props, or they really like to be in costume, or they prefer online or in-person classes, or whatever. So take the time to figure this out, because there are so many ways of doing it now. Figure out what it is you enjoy. But also, don't be afraid to just say ‘yes’ to stuff. I'm very much a ‘say yes to the thing’ person.
BU: Do you think you kind of need that attitude in this modelling world? I think if you’re holding back, it will probably only take you so far?
Rachel: 100% definitely.
BU: I think to be that kind of creative person who wants to explore and push boundaries, you probably have to take a few risks?
Rachel: Yes, you probably take a few risks. There are a few projects that are either ongoing or that have happened that I think, at the time, I probably thought were absolutely crazy to say yes to – but they have been amazing. So say yes to things.
And also, don't be afraid to ask, because I think so much with life drawing is very much based on word of mouth and recommendations from other people. You can ask places if they need a model – don't wait to be approached sometimes. There are so many models, so you have to make sure that you're still present.
BU: Do you find the life modelling industry to be quite a competitive landscape?
Rachel: I would say so. There are a lot of life models, but I think it's still a really supportive community. There are models who will message me and say, “Oh, by the way, I've recommended you to such and such a person”. Or a place will ask me to model and will say, “Oh, this person recommended you”. And I'll say to them, “Oh, I can give you a list of amazing models”. So it is competitive. But the community is so welcoming. That's why I think there are so many life models.
So maybe we're doing ourselves out of work, but who cares, because it's just really nice and everybody's got a different piece of the puzzle as well – and more models just means more scope for duets. I'd love to do a mad session with eight models posing at once and, I don't know if that’s maybe that's something I could do in my studio. But I think there’s scope for lots of models – it’s great.
BU: And it's nice that there's that word of mouth and people kind of cheerleading for you behind the scenes.
Rachel: Yes, there's no agency for life models. That’s a great thing, and actually through the life modelling community – from my knowledge of the Manchester area – everyone's kind of said, “Right, we're all agreeing that we're not going to work for less than X amount”. So wherever we go, we're all consistent, and we all know that we're going to at least be paid the same.
BU: How do you see the next year or two unfolding, and what else might you want to try out as a model? Or are you happy to continue with the work you’re doing and hone your skills on what you're doing at the moment?
Rachel: I would love to go on tour. Occasionally I'll have requests. A lady asked if I'd come down to Bristol, but the travel was just insane. But it would be nice to say, “Yes, I'll come to you and then I'll go to here and then I'll go somewhere else.”
There's also an artist’s retreat that happens in Malta, and it's all life drawing and some amazing life models go and model there all week.
I'd like for it to enable me to go further afield. And I would also like, now that we’re in the studio, to facilitate more photoshoots. I'd like to buy a camera so I can do it myself, as this is becoming more integrated with my printmaking practice. And also do a little bit more with online life drawing classes.
I can get myself set up here for an hour’s session, but I’m going out to artists in Tokyo, LA, New York and worldwide all at once. That online session that I did was so lovely because once I'd finished posing, I was like, “This is weird! I'm not walking around a room and looking at the work and speaking to people”. But the host said, “Sit here and meet everyone”, and there was a guy in Canada, a guy in Texas, people from Manchester, and so on. So there are different options available, but reaching a wider audience, and being able to take my work out on tour, is definitely something I’m looking to achieve in the coming years.
For more from Rachel, feel free to follow her Instagram, @lifemodel.rach, where you’ll see first-hand not only how prolific the model is, but how incredibly diverse Rachel’s projects are likewise. If you fancy trying your hand at drawing or painting Rachel, you can also purchase reference sets to work from directly from Rachel’s Gumroad page.
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