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Why don’t photographers back up their pictures? I’m really done with this whole modeling shit in Botswana. I’m done with literally every vein in my body.
Fed Up.
Fed Up.
A photographer will either just not give you your pictures or tell you their gone (collabs), and they’ll be so calm about it disregarding how you, the model who spent so much money on getting shit ready for the shoot, feel.
It’s emotionally draining. They ghost you, they say pictures will be done in a week (every time you ask), the hard drive broke, the lap top crashed... and many more. I am done 
I’m a law student, imagine the work load I have from school, and yet I still make time to shoot, make time to get outfits ready, spend money on outfits and make up, I do it all. Just to be disappointed. It’s so fucking frustrating
I don’t even get paid for this shit, it’s out of passion. But Botswana has made me completely HATE the one thing that used to make me smile.
I HATE being a “model”. Especially in this country. Nothing that isn’t dealt with in an office just isn’t sufficient.
I could write a book about how tired I am, but I am done.
Next thing when I start being stingy with my time and efforts I’ll be labeled as the arrogant, uptight model that’s hard to work with. But I’m really just protecting my peace and avoiding disappointment.
Just in general, my journey as a model in Botswana has been pure shit. SHIT.
What you see v what it really is will shock you.
What you see v what it really is will shock you.
My experience?
1. I almost never get paid for anything I do, if I get paid, it’s around P300 from small business and around P800 for big businesses. What am I to do with 300? A ride from my house into the city is 120 as it is. That 300 payment literally covers transport. What w-
1. I almost never get paid for anything I do, if I get paid, it’s around P300 from small business and around P800 for big businesses. What am I to do with 300? A ride from my house into the city is 120 as it is. That 300 payment literally covers transport. What w-
-ould I have benefited exactly? The 800 we are told to be happy for, what am I to do with it? After spending the whole day making content that will bring thousands to a business, I get 800. I’m not even a real model, but in SOUTH AFRICA, models who do what I do get paid K’s.
As I said, MY experience.
2. Most times, probably 80% of the times, I am my OWN creative director. I think of what to shoot, what visions should be in tact, what to wear, make up, IT ALL. I do almost EVERYTHING on my own. It’s rare for someone to come with an insane concept, th-
2. Most times, probably 80% of the times, I am my OWN creative director. I think of what to shoot, what visions should be in tact, what to wear, make up, IT ALL. I do almost EVERYTHING on my own. It’s rare for someone to come with an insane concept, th-
- ats why I appreciate photographers who actually come to me with concepts that are actually different. (Shout out to you all) .
I’ve been doing this for about 6years now, you can’t keep coming to me with the same ideas every other model is doing. I’ve done them all when I was about 13 and all.
To me it seems as though it’s about just posting and creating content, not the type of content they create. I don’t care if I post 3 shoots in a year, as long as those three are the best you will find from the country. That’s ME.
3. I enjoy working with photographers who are starting up because it was never really about the money for me. Had more to do with seeing the creative industry in my country grow. Scratch my back, I scratch yours. But tell me why it’s as though they are doing me the favor?
4. Absolutely no one, none, appreciate the work I put in. Where do they think I got make up from? Transport? Hair? Clothes? Kante Nna ele gore Ke nyela madi?
5. If we decided to COLLAB, then we decide on EVERYTHING together. Meaning, unless you are PAYING ME, do not post photos we did not AGREE on TOGETHER. Because you do not OWN them. If you want to post as you please, PAY ME.
Batswana have drained all that passion I used to carry. All of it. It’s like this country was designed to make sure that in terms of creativity, no matter how AMAZING you and your content are, you will end up in an office, because nothing else works.
The most painful thing is that my greatest disappointments have all come from shoots I enjoyed partaking in. Shoots I could feel IN ME that THIS ONE? That’s my ticket to being international.
These days when people call me a model, I correct them to say law student or future lawyer. Because honestly the truth is I’ve given up. It feels like I am never ever going anywhere with my modeling career. Stuck in one spot forever
