"Glimmers of Light: The Man Behind the Model"

How did my modeling journey begin??

I owe it all to this fabulous photographer turned mentor and now a friend that has adopted me into his family!

Ron Ranere is an incredibly talented fashion/art photographer from Boston MA.

Our paths connected during a shoot that another photogrpher had hired me for ...but as a dancer, not as a model.

Thats right! Just a dancer... I didn't even know being an art model was a "thing" you could do or make into a profession.

Jon, the photographer who hired me, contacted me through a Boston dance photographer's site (he took the headshots and performance shots for the dance company I was a member of) and asked if I was interested in being hired for a dance shoot that included silks.

I was giddy with excitement and couldn't believe someone was offering to pay me!

I enthusiacsticly said YESSSS :D

Ron's studio was selected by Jon because we needed a rig for the silks to safely suspend from as I went through my dance movements and his studio space was one of the few that had this option.

At the end of the shoot, Ron asked me if I'd take a few portrait shots and I excitedly said YES!

He told me that it was just a headshot so I could relax from my chest down but naturally I posed my whole body because it just felt right to keep the energy flowing.

He decided to take a few full length shots and then said to me " have you ever considered becoming a model?"

I laughed! Me??? Little 5ft1 me??? At 32???

He responded very amused by my reaction "well, I have alot of time, so if you'd like to come by the studio and talk about it, let me know!"

I went home and mulled it over!

After almost talking myself out of it, I decided to go forward with a photo session followed by an informative meeting.

That day we went through several life style and fashion looks.

He told me about Patreon as a platform to build an audience and post my work.

He told me about this thing called "art modeling".

I felt like the curtains had been lifted from my eyes and that suddenly my whole world made sense.

Truthfully, I was thriving in my dance career and living in a city I adored.... I was doing what others said was impossible for me to accomplish as a single mother trying to follow my passion in the arts.

But I always knew there was something out there beckoning me to find it.

A feeling almost like a tight grip on my heart.

A happiness that hadn't been quite fulfilled.

I just didn't know what it was yet.

Something deep inside of me knew that this was it.

The only question remained: Was I brave enough to go for it?

Ron and I decided to meet once a week to help build my portfolio, practice modeling and watch youtubes lessons on working with the light.

I enjoyed every moment.... every shoot was like a gift to be unwrapped and something new revealed itself that I found fascinating!

But time was ticking!

 I had to make a decision about returning to my career as a dance teacher for the fall/spring schedule.

I knew if I wanted to pursue this modeling career, I'd have to let my dance teaching career go.

If I was going to become an art model, I had to give it every ounce of effort I had.

So I met with Ron and told him that I was leaving my safety net and jumping off the cliff into these unchartered waters! I was going to change my life in ways I never imagined!

He brought out some wine!

We clinked our glasses together as I sent my resignation e-mails to all the studios that had hired me for the next season. It was time for new beginnings!

That was an incredibly unforgettable moment in my life.

I was extremely terrified.

But I was even more afraid not to.

And that made the ALL difference.

I'm not afraid of many things.... including death.

I'm absolutely terrified of not living.

Afraid to be alive and not live this life to its fullest.

To miss disocvering all the glory, beauty, pain and adventure that is waiting.

I continued to work with Ron weekly for the next six months along side of slowly gaining the momentum of paid shoots.

After six months, I also resigned from my job as a barista at starbucks.

I've never looked back.

I've never wanted to.

Regardless of the roller coaster rides I've encountered since this career began, I have never once regretted leaving that life of mine behind.

And I have Ron Ranere to thank for opening my eyes to this magical world and then offering me the opportunity to grow in it.

Since then, Ron and I have become like family. He has encouraged me when I needed it, continued to create with me and made sure his doors were always open during the holidays.

I've become friends with his wife, children and grandchildren.

We've thrown mixer events together to help models and photographers find one another in efforts to help grow our fabulous community.

This is also a message that following a passion is worth it.

But only if you are willing to the hard work, put the bravery into learning and humility to in understanding your begin from the bottom.

If I didn't give it my blood, sweat and tears... this whole story would be different.

There wouldn't be a story to share.

The universe wants us all to thrive and find our happy.

But we have to be willing to do the work to accept this gift and turn it into magic!

Ron Ranere- Boston MA

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