I am a mother, a model, a bartender, and a music business major. I love all of the things I do and they keep me busy! Family, my daughter especially, and music are the two things that hold me together and give me drive in life.
What inspires your passion and what excites & motivates you about modeling? Love Lee: Everything has its pros and con’s but for the most part, modeling is fun! That’s what’s great about modeling, you get paid to do something that you love. I believe that actually taking time to experience life, instead of rolling through the motions day after day, is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves; so to me, doing what you love is important.
What do you think, is it important to attended fashion modeling courses? Do they really help newbies to get a foothold in the Fashion Industry? Love Lee: Modeling courses are a gimmick. The only way to learn how to model is via experience time behind the camera. I learn something new with every photo shoot. Modeling courses are created by people who just want your money and targeted at people with too much of it.
How do you communicate with other netizens, especially your subscribers? Are you patient? Polite? Friendly? How often do you reply to them? Love Lee: I ALWAYS try to respond to my subscribers. I want to make sure they all know that I appreciate their support on a personal level. Also, I want them to know that there is a real person sitting behind the pictures they’re seeing. The only time I will not respond to a message is if it is inappropriate.
Has modeling changed other aspects of your life? What does your career do for you? Love Lee: Modeling, if you do it right, is just another way to express yourself. It involves creativity just like any other form of art. Everyone needs an outlet and that’s one of mine, so at the end of the day, it affects every aspect of my life.
Is there anything you dislike about modeling? Love Lee: I actually quit modeling after my first year because I came to an ultimatum between modeling and being myself. The pressures to conform got really high, a lot of photographers or agencies weren’t wanting to work with anyone with tattoos, or anything else other than the all-natural look, which was a problem for me. Two years later I found alternative modeling and picked it back up.
And what are some things you dislike or want to change about the fashion industry? Love Lee: This crazy assumption that you have to be anorexic or bulimic to be successful in the fashion industry. That’s ridiculous. Not to say that there is anything wrong with super skinny women, just that no one should have to go to that extreme. You need to be comfortable with your body type and know how to showcase it well, that’s all.
How do you prepare yourself for a modeling shoot? Love Lee: That entirely depends on what you are shooting. If it’s a themed shoot you might research it, just so that you know how to play the part. If it’s a live event you might plan what you are going to say or do and practice it. Of course, you will make sure that you have everything you need wardrobe-wise for the shoot, and make sure that you’re looking your best.
What are your favorite types of outfits to model in? What are your least favorites? Love Lee: Leather! Or band t-shirts. I know someone who cuts them really well so that they look unique and awesome when you’re wearing them. I don’t like anything that’s too revealing. If you aren’t comfortable with what you’re doing in a shoot it will show in your pictures.
Any ultimate goal to fulfill as a model? How do you see yourself progress in this field? Love Lee: I’d really like to do a few things in the music industry, represent a few big names. I’d feel successful having accomplished that but if it goes further than that I’d be happy too.
What kind of shoots would you like to work on in the future? Love Lee: I have some really cool concepts I want to try, but some of them are pretty original so I guess all I can say without giving it away is you’ll just have to wait and see!
What do you like to do for fun & entertainment? Love Lee: I love music. Concerts or live music of any kind is probably my favorite pastime aside from spending time with my daughter.
What is your perfect day, morning through the night? Love Lee: It would involve family, our children, music, laughter, good food, and an autumn day.
Excluding all complicated beauty & fitness mantra, what do you think to be the easiest way to look pretty and glamorous? Love Lee: Confidence, hands down. People don’t realize how important that is. The better you feel the better you are going to look, and likewise, if you don’t feel like you look good, that is going to show.
What is fun and rewarding about modeling? Do you have any advice for other aspiring models? Love Lee: As I said before, modeling is just like an art form. You work towards and create something and in the end, you get to see a finished product and go, ‘wow, that’s me, I helped make that’. And that in itself is rewarding. For other aspiring models, all I can really say is know yourself and don’t lose yourself, there’s beauty in this industry but it will take you under. It takes a strong person to do this the right way. Set goals but also set boundaries and don’t compromise too much of yourself to please other people.
What fashion magazines you like reading? Love Lee: As cliché as this is I have always really liked Vogue. I used to hang the high fashion ads from them on my wall. Vogue is the only magazine I know of that has ads like that in them.
Tell me about your favorites: favorite model, favorite photographer, a favorite song, musician, etc? Love Lee: Sam Negrete from ICON is my all-time favorite photographer, he’s like a friend to me. Our shoots are a lot of fun because it’s more like hanging out than anything. I’ll have to shout out to Veronica Gomez as my favorite model, she’s really helped me with a lot. I think it’s impossible to choose a favorite musician/band with all of the artists out there. I have a favorite song though, it’s actually from the ’60s. The Sound of Silence by Simon and Garfunkel, it never gets old, especially live. Picking a favorite was really hard for me, that’s why I chose a classic.
How do you access the Internet? What device do you use: Is it a tablet, smartphone, or laptop? What, according to you, is more comfortable? Love Lee: Normally, I’m on my smartphone. But I do have a laptop that I use for the more important things. I honestly prefer my laptop, but the smartphone is just more convenient sometimes.
Do you own a domain? Do you have your own fashion blog? I mean, where netizens can grab the latest news updates about you? Love Lee: Absolutely! Please like my Facebook page @ www.facebook.com/hlovelee and follow me on Instagram @h_love_lee ! For photographers, I can be found on Model Mayhem at www.modelmayhem.com/2462694 . I’ll have a Twitter and a website coming soon as well.
Your ultimate message for netizens? Love Lee: BE YOURSELF! And if you don’t know who that is, go out and figure it out and then, be whoever that is. Because that’s good enough. In fact, it’s better. The more real you are as a person the more confident you are in yourself, the better you look, the better you feel, and the happier you are. Nothing is more attractive than a woman who knows AND loves herself. There’s a lot of pressure out there to be just like everyone else but I promise you that’s the worst move you could make.