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Elizabeth Gandy | VIP Member | Verified Credits (34)

Where are you from?  Where are you based now and do you travel for shoots?

I am originally from southeastern USA. I have traveled extensively and lived all over the world. In 2006, while living on Guam, I meet the man that was to become my husband. He was stationed at Ft. Sam Houston and this lead me to move to Texas in 2008. I currently have residences in Austin and San Antonio and divide my time between the two cities. I also still travel for shoots but not nearly as much as I used to. Most of my traveling now is just in Texas and Louisiana.

Who or what inspired you to become a model?

I dreamed of becoming a model from a very young age but it was a dream I had no idea how to pursue. To me, at that time, it seemed like a modeling career was as unattainable as becoming a space explorer! When I was getting married, my wedding photographer was planning a new website and brochure to promote her business and asked me to model for her. Of course, I accepted and it was as fantastic as I dreamed it would be! This photographer introduced me to other photographers that wanted to shoot me, told me about meet-up groups, and of course, Model Mayhem!

How and when did you start modeling?

As I mentioned above, it was my wedding photographer that first made me realize I could really be a model. I did a few shoots with meet-up groups across south Texas. I soon joined Model Mayhem and got my first paid shoots. Not long after that, I was living the dream! I had finally become a model.

What type of modeling do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy all types of modeling. I love it when photographers come up with unique inventive ideas for me to try. I live for creativity.

What do you look for when deciding to work with a photographer?

The first thing I look at when choosing a photographer to work with is their portfolio and bio. Both need to appear professional, creative, well thought out, and up to date. References are also extremely important. There is no excuse for not having references available.

Which models or other artists currently inspire you?

I have been a model for over a decade now and have had the honor of working with many beautiful, talented, creative, and amazingly fabulous models. If I have to choose one that has inspired me the most, I’d have to go with Shannon O. She has helped me tremendously both professionally and personally.

I have also had the honor or working with dozens and dozens of awesomely talented photographers. The photographer that inspired me and helped me the most at the beginning of my career (other than the aforementioned wedding photographer, of course) was Michael De Leon. More recently, I have been inspired by the work of X3NO. I enjoy his art and creative style, and I had the privilege of being photographed by him last month.

What would be your dream shoot?

I have actually given a lot of thought to this recently. I would love to figure out a way to somehow do a shoot for charity. Perhaps to benefit the food bank. I’m really not sure how this would work but I hope to be able to figure it out soon.

How important is social media in your success?

Social media has definitely been important to my modeling career. Without the exposure I have received on Instagram, I very much doubt I would have been able to achieve nearly as much as I have.

What else do you do outside of modeling?

I am a very quiet, private person in my non-modeling life. Mostly I enjoy hanging out at home with my small rescue dog. I love her more than anything and there’s nothing in the world I love more than snuggling with her on the sofa and watching Netflix. I know there are a lot of people out there who are having a lot of trouble at this time (lockdown/quarantine) with isolation. I feel very fortunate because I seem to be built for this.

What is the best advice you can give to new models?

The #1 most important thing for new models (any model, really) is to CHECK REFERENCES! I cannot emphasize this enough. It’s best to get as many references as possible. The next most important thing to do is know your limits beforehand. If you want to pose nude, that’s fine. Many models, including myself, pose nude. If you do not want to pose nude, that’s okay too. Just be very clear about it upfront. If you decide to pose nude, you will need to set your limits on that upfront as well because “pose nude” means different things to different people. To me it seems pretty straightforward, “nude” means completely without clothes. But, I have met some models who seriously seem to think anything less than 100% fully dressed, including lingerie shoots, are “nude.” This could lead to serious misunderstandings. 

Also, know your limits as to how explicit you are willing to be during a shoot and communicate this clearly with the photographer beforehand. When choosing whether or not you wish to pose nude, you should keep in mind these images will be beyond your control and will most likely end up posted online and out there until the end of time. Consider whether or not these images could cause problems for you with a future job, a future spouse or your family. If you think there is even a slight chance there could be trouble, it’s probably best not to pose nude.

When deciding if you’re going to do TFP, always consider if the images are going to be helpful to your career and add to your port. Otherwise, you’re working for free for no reason. If a photographer contacts you for a TF shoot and what he/she wants to shoot is something you already have plenty of in your port, suggest a different idea. Try to come up with something that would be mutually beneficial, that’s what TFP is supposed to be about. If the photographer isn’t willing to switch plans, explain the situation, and suggest a paid shoot if he/she still wants to work with you. If not, just move on.

Check out Elizabeth Gandy’s Model Mayhem portfolio to see more of her work. You can also follow her on Instagram.