Interview: Model Tegan Elizabeth (UK)

Can you tell us a little about you? Hi I'm Tegan, I'm a part time model from the UK with 11 years experience. I've been lucky enough to work with some amazing creatives and have been published not only in the UK, but also in Europe and America, in magazines such as Elle. My favourite type of shoots are creative/ conceptual shoots, I'm not a fan of studio portraiture as I find it limits things. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? Oh gosh, where do I start, there's a lot of things I'd change. People think that because I do "Modelling" I'm really confident, but actually, I'm not. it's the total opposite. I have insecurities the same as everyone else does and it still baffles me to this day why so many people want to take my photo. I'd change my nose (to make it smaller) and my teeth (to make my two front teeth smaller) and also my bum and thighs. How did you start modelling? I stumbled into modelling by chance, when a photography studio contacted me on Facebook and asked if I'd come in for a "Test shoot" as they liked my look. They sent the images we took into a newspaper, they got published and it all spiralled from there. My name got out there and other photographers started contacting me to work with them. What do you think of the work as a model? I love working as a model, as I said, I only do it part time because I also have a full time job. I think if I did modelling full time it would ruin the creativity for me and it would lose it's value. I also enjoy picking and choosing what I do and who I work with. I feel very privileged that I get to do what I do, I've worked very hard over the years and have built my reputation up so that it now speaks for itself. Modelling allows me to be creative and it's also a lot of fun! What is your beauty regimen? So my beauty regime consists of cleansing, toning and moisturising. I wash my face with water only, as soap dries out the skin and does more harm than good. I also do an overnight peel once a month so that my skin is refreshed and any dead skin cells are removed, followed by a face mask. My skin isn't really prone to spots but I do find that if I'm wearing heavy make up/ prosthetics on a shoot it can sometimes cause my skin to become irritated so I like to keep on top of my regime in order to minimise this. What are your personal qualities which distinguish you from others? My work ethic, I like to think that I am where I am today and people continue to want to work with me because they know I'm professional, experienced, reliable and enthusiastic. I always give 100%. Also, I was born with heterochromia, which means that I have two different coloured eyes. My left eye is Blue, Green and Brown and my right eye is Blue. What are your plans for the future? It's hard to say what the future holds, but I'm going to keep doing what I love for as long as I can, gaining new experiences and having fun! I'm hoping to be back in America at the end of the year to do some shoots out there again which i'm really excited about! What are some of your favorite experiences so far? Some of my favourite experiences so far have been: * Shooting at sunrise on the beach in Florida right next to Cape Canaveral - watching the sunrise was just beautiful and the images we took got published too so win win! * The Viking themed workshops I do with the beautiful Birds of Prey and Wolfalike dogs I get work alongside - I mean not many people can say they've done this. Do you have any advice for those who want to start modelling? Yes, don't be naive. Its a sad reality these days most girls aspire to be "Insta Famous" or a "Celebrity" and unfortunately there are some people out there who will use this to their advantage and exploit it. Not all people within the industry are professional, nor are they who they say they are. It's very easy with technology to create a fake account/ persona. Never leave yourself vulnerable, be smart!! Always take a chaperone with you if you're working with someone new and are under 18. If someone says you can't that should tell you all you need to know. Always ensure that if you're approaches by someone wanting to work with you that you check the legitimacy of their website, references, Instagram and other social platforms etc. Following these simple steps will ensure your safety. What do you think of the magazine? The magazine is great, It helps models like myself, MUA's, Photographers etc to gain more exposure and showcases the work of other creatives within the industry too! I'm flattered that you asked to feature me in your magazine!!