5 Minutes With... / Martina Sukupova / A Professional Model
This month we spent five minutes catching up with Martina, who is a professional model for commercial photoshoots. Martina has been modelling for a number of years and has worked with some amazing photographers, including LPA's very own Michael Heffernan.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself Martina?
Hi all! I have been a model for a long long time now and I absolutely love my job. A lens to me is like a light to a moth. I’m just an ordinary girl next door, love gardening, baking and anything and everything dog related, but I sure do love to dress up!
How did you get into being a model?
It was a complete fluke. I had a friend take some photos of me and the rest is history!
Who was your first shoot for?
My first shoot was for a hairdressing journal. I have been hooked ever since! I had the most beautiful hair and make-up that completely transformed me into a goddess, clothes that I have only seen in magazines and I got paid for it?! Dream job or what!
What’s your favourite part of the job?
The moment I’m on set and all is ready to go. I can then be anything and anyone, the possibilities are endless.
What do you find the most challenging part of modelling?
The castings, the not knowing if I did a good job or not there and then.
What’s the most unusual shoot you’ve been on? Ever had to dress up in any strange outfits?
There was one shoot where I was covered in white chalk and had to pretend that I’m a statute. It is one of the most memorable shoots I've done, I got so into my 'role' that I couldn’t move afterwards!
It was a shoot for a florist and rather then draping the flower arrangements onto a marble statute, they decided to go for real people (that they turned into statues). I've never had a job like that since!
You modelled for us on a shoot for Berkeley homes working with our producer Anna, stylist Charlie Cave and photographer Michael Heffernan. Did you enjoy it, what was your favourite thing about this shoot?
The Berkeley Homes shoot will forever stick in my memory for being one of the most creative and super friendly fuzzy feeling shoots I have ever done. The whole team worked like well oiled machine, my 'kids' were in tears when we called it a wrap, so was I. Even so, a lot of work, planning and thinking on our feet (typical British Weather issues) went into this shoot, the whole team just made it effortless, from the beginning to the end. I love shoots on location, especially if there is great catering, which we had. Good lunch puts a smile on everyones face!
Do you have any tips for any photographers on how to put the models they’re shooting at ease? What do you find puts you at ease on set?
Smile, simple as that. Michael knew exactly when I needed a cheeky grin.
And lastly, tell us something about yourself that people might not know?
I love DIY! Making something out of nothing, or fixing something destined for a skip fills me with a great sense of achievement!
