MAPS Studios review: Past experience saved me!

For all of those wanting to get into the industry, I hope you take the time to read through this. Whether you’re new to it and wanting to break in or you want to get reestablished. I am of the ladder of that group. I’m 62 years old and I was looking to get reestablished in the industry. I spent 12 years as a makeup artist and stylist in the Milwaukee Chicago area back in the 90s. And prior to that I’m modeled in the Chicago and Milwaukee area. Through May 20s. I submitted a photo to this company and of course I was contacted like most people are I would guarantee. It was $50 not so much out of my pocket at that point in time so I decided to give it a whirl and drove down to Chicago last week from Milwaukee. Upon arrival, I was ushered in quite mechanically, told to hang up my clothing on a wardrobe rack. I was showed the dressing room in the restrooms. Then the gal who didn’t know it was the makeup artist came over and went through my clothing, which I brought the appropriate basic looks that they had asked for. Jean in my shirt, a body shot which included my workout leggings and a workout top, a casual look, and a formal look. I changed into my white shirt and jeans and was ushered over to the make up area. I realize that it’s meant to be very light natural, but when she began to put on the concealer in a little bit of mascara and a little bit of blush, everything looked dirty and muddy on me. It was a red flag. I didn’t say anything. I did not want to speak out a line even though I’ve done it for years. I was hoping that the Photography would still come out fine. We moved through each look and once I moved over to Alex, the photographer as kind and young as he was, he just seemed very inexperienced. It has been many years since I have been in front of a camera so it took me a little bit before I felt comfortable to just start naturally moving in this young man just didn’t know what to do with that period and kept telling me to do what I felt. We’re very mechanical poses and actually very uncomfortable. I managed to get some comfortable moves in, but for the most part, it felt very mechanical. I was fine with my hair until we got to the evening wear a shot. Where I didn’t mind putting it up because my hair is long and gray, but she just didn’t know what to do with that. She was just taking pins anywhere and it felt like a nest on the top of my head. I’m going to include pictures below. We finished up and then I had to go meet with the consultant. Who happened not to be in her office that day so she did it remotely because she was ill. I stepped into her office. They shut the door and she was on the video screen. She put up all my pictures in which I didn’t even have time to really look closely at. She moved it very quickly at the same time talking about how I could fit a senior age group that I would be able to do some work like for Macy’s or Neiman Marcus just because of my age and my luck and that may be skin care because I just don’t look my age. Which is cool and all, but I wanted to really look at my pictures because what I really wanted was just simply 4 to 6 pictures to make my own comp card. However, you don’t even get a comp card until you’re up to $1600 package. And without really looking at the photos closely, I’m glad that I was able to have a critical I pretty quickly to recognize that there was really nothing there that looked all that great. I told her I felt that the sale was pressured and that I just don’t make decisions like that. So she offered to give me 24 hours if I wanted to grab a package, but reminded me that my spot for my age would be held. At that point I just shook my head and I said well I guess that’s a chance I have to take. I thanked her for her time gathered up my belongings and left. The frustration lied in a few different places. One is at the make up for subpar and so is the Photography. But they do let you know that their service and not a modeling agency. So as a consumer if you’re looking to get into the industry and you need coaching on makeup and wardrobe consulting, they can be very helpful depending on how those services are. They’re not going to tell you what the percentages of you becoming a model. Well I was there. There were a few people that probably would have a very difficult time getting in and that’s just me having been in the industry and I’m not judging they could do lifestyle modeling but if you don’t know what you’re doing it’s going to be very difficult to understand the industry, especially when you’ve got a $4000 bill sitting on your credit card. The frustration factor with all this is that it is a pressure sale and they work on your emotions and they move very quickly to get you to commit to something. This should not be a decision based on motion. It should be based on logic and reason. Even I know that my market is small even as a senior. I’m still only 5 foot 6 1/2 and no what I might be able to fill a niche for. And that’s really important to know before you get into this. So much of this can be found online without having to pay these extra extraordinary prices for something. My experience definitely helped and I just would love to be able to help others and I hope that this post gets to a few of you, knowing that they do make it clear of who they are and what they are so any kind of suing probably wouldn’t go through because they make it very clear. It’s up to the consumer to know what they’re buying. So upon leaving my lesson was I know what top-notch modeling photography is and I also know what top notch makeup artistry, and styling is. What would’ve been helpful is the makeup artist, taking her time standing on, sat near the photographer to be able to clip things check hair make sure shirts are tucked in things like that that the model can’t see while they’re on set. But there was none of that and that was pretty apparent with my shot. I’ve included the evening dress below the makeup look muddy. My friends and family said it really doesn’t look like me where the other one was taken by a friend in front of my window with natural light with an iPhone and no filter. So it really taught me after all these years to step back and recognize those things those elements are so damn important if you’re gonna get into this industry. So what I’ve decided to do is to go back to what I know. I’ve contacted an old photographer that is actually still shooting and is willing to work with me and a very dear friend who is an exceptional makeup artist in style is who is going to be there with me and we’re just gonna take it from there and I’m gonna see if my theory is right. I’m pretty sure it will be.

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