An Ode to Kensington Market

In the heart of downtown Toronto, amidst the brand name maze is Kensignton Market. This small area is hidden within China town, just North of Dundas and Spadina, and offers shoppers a unique experience filled with vintage and handmade goodness. From bakeries to butcher shops, record stores to vintage chic, Kensington Market is for explorers and fashionistas alike. My most recent visit to the village was for a photo shoot, and I was able to kick back and have a little fun after we wrapped up the session. We bought fresh veggies from the market, cupcakes from the bakery, and browsed through countless books, sunglasses, and leather jackets. You never know what - or who - you may find at Kensington Market, but its sure to offer a fresh take on Toronto's retail world.

Here's where to find the market yourself:

Main stretch of the market is on Kensington Ave. between Dundas & Baldwin St.

Have fun shopping Toronto!!

xoxo

The Art of Celebration

In less than three weeks, City Nights Entertainment will be holding one of the biggest public events to ever hit the Toronto club scene. "Self Made", an event that is not only being held on the biggest weekend of the year for the city, is hosted by none other than Toronto's own Tristan Thompson - first round draft pick to the Cleavland Cavaliers. Spotty, the event coordinator, predicts nothing less than perfection for the event, and is working every single day to bring it to its up-most potential. In the midst of this chaos, he has been able to put together a campaign for his company City Nights, as well as the "Self Made" event, which includes a professionally produced commercial. The film titled, "The Art of Celebration" features the beautiful Chanel Reyes, getting ready for a classy night out on the town - City Nights style. "I just wanted to take the city on a visual journey of our representation of the ideal night life experience." says Spotty. This is only the beginning of big-time status for this mogul and his team, and with NBA celebrity guests to kick off with, the sky is hardly the limit!

Without further adieu... the official release of "The Art of Celebration"! 

Concept By: Spotty [ @SOOHANDSOME ]
Directed By: Joe Gunner [ @JOEGUNNERTV ]
Edited By: Bobby Fresh [ @BOBBYFRESH ]
Starring: Chanel Reyes [ @_IAMCHANELMARIE ]
Behind the Scenes Photography: Shelby Morell [ @SHELBYMORELL ] 


Of course, I was on set for a majority of the filming of the commercial, and logged the action behind the scenes for all of our City Nights fans!

 

For more information regarding the event "Self Made" please visit the facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=246782785334858

or contact me directly at 647 227 0091

See you there! 

Get Your Foot in the Door

Aspiring models do not have it easy. There are auditions, runway classes, casting calls - and lots of criticism and rejections to top it off. But there are ways to be one step ahead of the rest. First, you have to do your research, whether it be on the agency or the production you are auditioning to be in, you cannot face a potential job with no knowledge of what its about. Secondly, you need a great portfolio. This doesn't mean you need a lot of money and experience, you just need to network and be prepared. Here are a few tips for creating the portfolio that will get you noticed:

1. Have a model composite card made, containing 5 of your best shots in various locations and outfits, with several different angles of your body being shown. Also make sure it has your full name and stats on it (age, weight, height, etc.)

3. Do NOT walk around with a disk or link to your online portfolio - even in the age of technology taking over the world, agencies and such still want to see what you look like on print, 'cause there's a big difference. Make sure your pictures are at least 8x10, and matte finish is best.

2. Put the money into a buying decent portfolio, which you can easily find at Staples or Micheal's. Preferably a black 11x14 or larger folder with clear page inserts for your pictures. Have your name on the cover or, if you have a composite card, put it in the first page.

4. Last but not least, make sure you find someone with a decent camera, or better yet experience doing portraits, to take your pictures. Depending on what you are applying for, they may expect more or less experience, and your pictures are the tell-tale of your experience - they cannot read minds. Make sure your photographer takes photos of you outside and inside, and some with a plain white backdrop (can be studio-style or simply a white wall). Make sure he/she knows that you need one of each of these shots: full body, torso, shoulders up, and 3/4 profile. For these basic shots, do not wear make-up and keep your clothing simple and flattering to your figure. Have your hair out of your face, and be all over camera-ready!

Here are a few examples of my latest portfolio shoot, which I did in my personal studio. I did not edit these or use any fancy lighting, just a camera and a flash. Use these as examples to get your own portfolio started.

 

Now that you've seen how easy it is to make a portfolio, get out there and do it! Photographers are always looking for models to to TFCD shoots (trade your time for a cd of the session) - its both free and great experience. Networking websites such as Model Mayhem bring industry people and models together, so join today and begin your career! (Now I sound like the Everest commercial haha) 

Good luck!

- Shelby xox