My live.space is an extension of my website, therefore naturally Photography & Fashion based. So my blogs tend to revolve in this area. I have found my niche in the job satisfaction market & am happy doing something I love & adore-taking photos is a hobby & also a job for me. Sure I tried many things over the years but have learned if you love something, make it your career too. My other love is fashion-I adore clothes, I love shopping, I love style & trying to second guess the next season’s style & colours. Another reason I love photography, I can use that as the perfect excuse to visit the clothes show & various fashion weeks that are put on! I get asked by lots of aspiring models “How can I break into the fashion market for a career?” Firstly I try & put all prospective models off a modelling career, It’s not what it appears, it can be dark, difficult to know whom to trust, you really do need someone on the inside to help you. Unless you are exceptionally stunning & have the right attitude, you won’t earn much money & will fall into the trap nearly all the girls fall into. You tell your friends “Hey I’m a Model!” Welcome to the dark side. WTF? I hear the models say?

REALITY. Your friends will now assume you earn £2000 a week. You need to wear the right clothes, accessories, handbags, shoes, hair extensions, make-up etc & you look a million $! & so you should, you're a model.

EXCEPT. You won’t earn hardly anything; it takes ages to become established, so you borrow to keep up the image & quickly fall into debt. But your friends all envy you, they want to hang out with you & every boy says they have been out with you. The jobs just don’t come in. How can you now tell your friends? After all, they all envy you, you’re on that pedestal, and you ARE the girls in the magazines, for you will become famous. How can you possibly tell them you have lived a lie & it's all a sham, you're also terribly in debt?

PREDATORS. This is where the dark side rears its ugly head, the unscrupulous men that are waiting to exploit you, for this will seem to be a life-line, the high paying jobs that will bail you out & allow you to clear your debt, perhaps buy a sports car! BUT IT’S NOT MODELLING. Trust me, I work in this industry, I see the dark side, I see the girls time & time again, the pit falls etc. Forget modelling. Read the advice on my website if you are a potential model. www.xintense.com  If you still want to become a model & theres no stopping you, just slow down, seek genuine advice & avoid the dark side at all costs! My colleague Sarah will answer any questions you may have, her email address is clearly displayed on my website.

FASHION. Become a fashion designer. That’s if you have a love for the fashion industry. Sure it’s hard to break into but so very rewarding & there are some great like-minded people that will help you every step along the way, once you have chosen your path. It certainly does help to take a degree, but aim for one that offers work placement too. Visit your local Connexions & have a chat to them. They will prove invaluable. Remember this, 2,500 people a year go into the Rag-Trade, you need to remember that you’re special, determined & will be better than them. Once you enter the industry, you will quickly discover there’s so much more then basic designing to learn. Like Drawing, Presentation, Illustrating, Pattern understanding & cutting, good communicating skills, modelling on the stand, Research! Etc.Then there are the many different areas too, Kids, womensware, mensware & many more. You also need to have natural aptitude for fashion. I say that because I have been amazed at some of the young girls that have a space dedicated to fashion-with a clear & amazing knowledge, it’s an art & some of you are amazing.

Don’t let the thought of having to take a degree put you off if you’re not in the least academic! Google this man Helmut Lang if you have talent trust me, people will know & helmut didn’t take a degree.

So if you’re very keen & you feel you have something to give, start with a visit to your careers tutor, or Connexions you