Always wanted to write for a magazine...

I was wondering if you guys wouldn’t mind lending your support to a fantastically talented and dedicated model that has featured on this blog recently. Those of you who try and keep up to date with goings on at the altgirlbotherer blog will no doubt remember a special two part interview I did with a model called Whiplash. Well right now Whiplash is involved with a facebook based voting extravaganza to crown a new “Street & Skate woman” in Attitude Clothing Co’s model competition. I know I’ve posted promo pieces in the past, but this one is kind of special, as Attitude Clothing is the reason Whiplash got into modelling in the first place. Knowing that, I for one have a lot to thank Attitude Clothing for, as they inspired an artists and model that I greatly admire. Since she began her career, Whiplash has appeared in one beguiling shoot after the other. I won’t go into too much detail, as her previous work, her story and her passions are all laid bare in the interview we did together recently. All I ask is that you click the link below, and hit “like” on the picture to help Whiplash in this competition. I’ll be very grateful to everyone that votes, and I know it may be corny, but you can be safe in the knowledge that a vote for Whiplash brings her a step closer to an achievement she has dreamt about since she started in the industry. Thanks for your time, and if you could just head to the facebook link below and click “like” that would be awesome. Thanks to everyone for your support.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=383251045045725&set=a.383244401713056.77294.109625999074899&type=1&theater

Image above comes from Pathways Studios.

Q: You’ve modelled in a number of different styles and genres, from latex and fetish to more mainstream clothing lines and beauty. What would you say is your favourite style of shoot, and is there a particular type of shoot you’d like to be involved with?

B: I adore working with latex as it’s easy to become a character when you’re working with it, and some of my favourite shoots have been when I’ve been working with fetish gear. But I don’t want to end up getting pigeonholed so I also like to work on other projects too. I enjoy working for t-shirt companies and also doing high fashion-style shoots just to make sure my portfolio is diverse. If you end up with too much of the same photos, with the same kind of style, you can potentially ostracise yourself from an entire niche of modelling, and that’s the last thing I want to do.

Q: What is Whiplash like on set? Is she a character you become when shooting, or is it still Becki but with a cool title?

B: She’s a right bitch! Haha, nah I’m just kidding! I never show up to a shoot and demand that people call me Whiplash because that would be so ridiculous hahaha! I’m still always going to be Becki when I’m at a shoot, but Whiplash when I’m promoting myself. It’s still really weird for me sometimes to think of myself as a model, as I don’t go around telling people about it and a lot of my friends only know I’m a model because they found out for themselves. I think it’s really important to keep your ego in check and to realise that you can’t model forever, so while you are modelling there’s no point in sacrificing your real personality in hopes that it will impress people. I work hard at what I want and where I want to get, but I don’t use that as an excuse to flaunt myself or act as if I’m more important than anyone else. Despite that, I do see Whiplash as being another side to me – probably the side of me that I wish I could be all the time, but am too self conscious to be all the time. Because, chances are, you’re not going to see me walking around the local post office in latex gear haha!

Q: You appeared recently in the pages of Bizarre magazine. It’s a publication I think you are ideally suited to. Was it a thrill to see one of your pictures used, and are there any other publications you’d love to be featured in?

B: It was the weirdest experience of my life! I remember being sat in my room on my facebook fan page when a really lovely model I know congratulated me on being in Bizarre, and I had no idea I was in it. It was only about 3 minutes later when one of my friends, who orders the subscribers edition, tagged me in a screenshot of the mag’s pages that it really sunk in. I just remember screaming really loudly until my housemate ran upstairs to check and see if I was being murdered! It was so surreal and I was so over the moon that I can’t even describe it. The picture was taken by Biskography and I had sent it off to Bizarre with no disillusions and fully expecting them to just bin it considering they get so many applications. And seeing as I hadn’t heard back from them in months I didn’t think anything had come of it. I think the weirdest moment came about a week ago, when a complete stranger came up to me in my local pub and congratulated me after saying that they’d seen me in Bizarre. I’m still getting over that! I really am aiming to get into a tattoo magazine this year – without a doubt, that’s the next publication I’m going for. Fingers crossed!

Q: Speaking of tattoos, you have some gorgeous artwork on your body Becki. Could you give us a brief rundown on your ink? Where did you get your designs, and what were your inspirations? Is the sleeve you currently have a work in progress?

B: Why thank you! I love every single one of my tattoos because I have a rule where I don’t get a tattoo until I’ve had at least a year to think about it. With my sleeve, I’ve had ideas in mind of what I’ve wanted, so I kept them in mind for a year while I found the right tattoo artist and then when I’ve been sure it’s something I wanted I got it done. I really don’t like it when people just get a tattoo right off a flash sheet just because they think it would look kind of cool and don’t think that in a year’s time they’ll have the same design as about 20 other people who picked the same one and that it won’t be cool anymore – that really cheapens the art aspect of having a tattoo. The sleeve I have started off with the roses on my forearm because they’re my favourite flower ever since I was little, and then there’s the cassette tapes that are there because I’m still very old school at heart and music is one of my biggest passions, and then there’s the lock and key I designed myself, and then there’s Frank who’s my giant octopus on my upper arm. Don’t ask why he’s called Frank – it just felt right to call him that, so now the name has stuck! I have him there because I love the sea – I’ve always been fascinated with the ocean, deep water monsters and the intricate beauty of tentacles. Octopuses are actually really amazing creatures, and I won’t bore you with the cool facts about them, but you should definitely look it up because they are fascinating. Frank has got to be my favourite tattoo so far and I got it done at Extreme Needle in London by Javi, who is an AMAZING tattoo artist but, funnily enough, when he first tattooed me he barely spoke a word of English and I had to have a translator! Although, the last time I saw him his English had improved and I didn’t need someone to translate, but it doesn’t take away from how good he is as an artist – I would recommend him to anyone. The next tattoos I have in mind, depending on my money situation, will be a lotus tattoo on my right arm that has a personal meaning to me, and hopefully I’ll be able to get my feet done soon.

Q: The tape depicted on your arm brings us nicely to your work in the field of music journalism. I read on a profile of yours that you dabble in music writing, and you obviously have a passion for it. Where did this love come from, who are your musical inspirations, and can you shed a little light on your writing work please?

B: Well as I said, I have a huge passion for music and I also love writing so it just made sense to combine the two. I currently freelance for an amazing site called Sonic Shocks and I’ve interviewed some amazing artists and reviewed festivals, it’s been a blast. I have such a strange taste in music as I love a bit of everything. I was raised on a strong diet of Motown, Disco and electronic 80s music, but then when I hit about 13 I got addicted to bands like AFI, Good Charlotte and Atreyu, and I never looked back haha! I am also a huge fan of hardcore and grunge, and even though they’re two very different (and similar) genres, they just work for me on different levels. Frontmen like Layne Staley, Matt Caughthran, Sam Carter, and Buzz Osbourne are just so badass it hurts. I’ve always said that if I went deaf life wouldn’t be worth living anymore, and I still stick by that.

Q: As well as modelling you also have your own line in women’s jewellery. Many of your photographs show you sporting your GutterQueen pieces. How did this company come about, and where do the designs come from?

B: GutterQueen Jewellery came about through modelling really. I used to go to shoots with clothes from designers and realise that I didn’t have any suitable jewellery to go with it. I’ve always been a very hands-on kind of person and so I decided to just make my own stuff to go with the outfits. I started making hair fascinators and studded bras and people started asking me where I got them from, and asked where they could buy them, so I thought that I’d turn it into a business! Also, I found it difficult to find studded jewellery anywhere that didn’t cost hundreds of pounds, so I realised that I could just source the studs myself and make some! It also helped that I had connections from modelling, because finding model friends to help me by using the designs in shoots has been a lot easier than it would have been if I hadn’t known anyone in the industry. I also have a lot of other models shooting garments for me soon so I can’t wait to see the upcoming pictures! So far it’s been great, and the company is starting to find its wings so hopefully it will only get bigger and better from here once people start noticing the name. I haven’t set up a website for it yet, but the jewellery can be found here: www.facebook.com/GutterQ

Q: How much work goes into making an individual piece? Do you work from requests ever, or are they all your own designs?

B: A lot of the studded pieces take a while, and things like hand painted anchor necklaces can take hours, but I really enjoy doing it – it’s almost therapeutic! They’re all my own designs, but I do take on custom orders and like to make things in a variety of shapes and colours, based on what customers want. All the designs I come up with are really just things that I make because they’re something that I’d like to wear, and I really only like to make things that you can’t buy anywhere else. There are a lot of jewellery companies I know of that have problems because they all source their materials from the same place, but as most of my designs are hand painted there’s no chance that they can be the same as anyone else’s pieces!

Q: You are an entrepreneur to say the least Becki, and must be very busy with all your projects. Where do you find the time? Or do you enjoy being busy? How do you divide your time between each different business?

B: I’m not going to lie, it can be really tough. For example, I just finished my final year of university and the past week has been absolute mayhem while I worked on my dissertation – to the point where I would spend all day working, including about 10 hours at my university’s library, get about 4 hours sleep and then wake up to do it all again! So during that time I had to stop shooting completely and orders of GutterQueen had to be halted. But now business on all fronts has resumed and I cannot wait to start shooting again. Without university work it will make it a lot easier for me to divide time between the jewellery and my modelling, as it is really hard sometimes when I’m trying to figure out which one I should be promoting more or trying to get published more, but I think I’m figuring out a balance.

Q: Before we end the interview could you please tell us where we can see your work in the near future? What shoots have you got coming up, and who are you excited to be working with?

B: Well… now that I have less uni-based responsibilities I have about a HUNDRED things and projects in mind. The months of May and June are filling up fast, and I like it that way – this year I’m going to work my hardest yet! I am doing a very exciting video shoot for LatexGirls HD in about a week’s time with Laura Hince Photography which will be amazing, and then the week after I’m shooting for a clothing company called Cyanide Kiss alongside the model KayKay Sakura which will be really fun as she’s lovely. I shall also be working with the very lovely Rudigo soon on a collaborative project that involves Starwinkle Photography and a few others. And I will soon be in an issue of Elite Online Magazine with a shoot I did a little while ago, plus keep an eye out for GutterQueen as it will be springing up all over the place once I’ve worked with all the model collaborations I have in store. I’m also in talks about shoots with Danny DeSantos, Biskography, Hellcat Latex and a group model shoot with three other, very well-known alt models which I can’t discuss yet as it’s a secret! That, and MUCH more still in the works - But watch this space, you won’t be disappointed!

Can we end with Bernard Pivot’s questionnaire please Becki?

What is your favourite word?Fisticuffs

What is your least favourite word? Oozing

What turns you on?Guys with nose rings, in suits

What turns you off?Over dramatics and arrogance

What sound or noise do you love?The sound of my mum’s laugh

What sound or noise do you hate?People cracking their knuckles or bones

What is your favourite curse word?Cuntsmurf 

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?Drugs counsellor

What profession would you not like to do?Pilot or flight attendant

If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the pearly gates?Thank fuck you’ve arrived – it was starting to get boring up here!

 

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, I’m a massive fan of Miss Whiplash’s work, but more than that, I am a massive fan of Becki the woman behind the model moniker. A sweet and generous individual, whose passion and willingness to succeed in her chosen field is incorrigible. Reading through this piece I was inspired, not only to be as passionate about my own craft, but to also work with this lady as many times and as often as possible. As always, thanks for reading.

MM: www.modelmayhem.com/789062

Photos used were provided by Becki, and are the products of the following talents in order of appearance:

1^st DR Photo, Ezme Thomas MUA, Latex Honour latex

2^nd Mendoza

3^rd Starwinkle Photography, Hayley Stott MUA, GutterQueen jewellery

4^th Pathways Studios (Colin Grist)

Conducting interviews for this blog is always a pleasurable experience. I get to talk with some of the nicest, most intelligent and talented women around, sharing their terrific work with my audience. This next interview is no exception to that, in fact I would go further and say this next interview was a dream come true for me. I say dream come true firstly because I got to work with the wonderful Becki, aka Whiplash; an alternative model whose images I have admired for a while now and whose work in the latex and fetish field is some of the most enjoyable around. I describe it as a “dream” also because of the personality and enthusiasm of my interviewee; she made the entire process a pure joy, with constructive and inspired contributions that were out of this world. The wonder of Whiplash is not only held within her modelling portfolio however, this lady is a powerhouse of ambition and creativity, with interests in producing her own jewellery and music journalism occupying her time. But my first introduction to this remarkable woman was via her photographs, where I beheld a truly unique beauty, with the talent and knowhow to best showcase a distinctive look and produce truly more-ish visuals. Getting to talk and work with such a model has been a privilege, and I could have written page after page with her incredible contributions. I hope this two-part special will suffice.   

 

Q: Greetings Becki, aka Whiplash, welcome to my blog. Whiplash is a fantastic model moniker, how did you come up with/decide on it?

Becki: Hi there, thanks for having me – it’s an honour! It’s a strange story really – it started out in school when I was about 15 and I used to really be into art and had decided I wanted to be a tattoo artist, so I started “tattooing” some of my friends with a pen during class. It soon spread to the point where a lot of kids wanted me to “tattoo” them, until the school got wind of it and told me I wasn’t allowed to do it anymore! Then one of my mates suggested that I should have a tattoo artist name and started calling me Lady Whiplash. So when I got into modelling that was the first name that came to mind, and years later I dropped the Lady, and here we are!

Q: There are so many areas of interest when talking about you and your work Becki, but can we start with your magnificent modelling. Can I ask where it all began for you in the modelling industry? Where did you get your start in the business, and what do you remember from those first few shoots?

Becki: I honestly never thought I’d get into modelling, but somehow I did and am still clinging on – even though there are days where I want to give up because it’s so stressful! I think I started about 4 or 5 years ago because I had a friend who was an alt model and she suggested I give it a go, and after a few shoots I soon found that I actually really liked it. But I think my first proper shoot was a disaster because when I was first getting into it I was rather naïve, I only managed to get about 3 photos back from the photographer after waiting for 3 months! Obviously since then I’ve learned how to seek out much more professional people, and I don’t stand for as much rubbish as I used to! It’s so weird to look back on where I began because that was so many years ago and I’ve learned so much since then.

Q: With modelling being such a vast industry, did you have a specific area you wanted to work within? Were you an alternative model from day one, or were the early days spent finding your niche?

Becki: Without a doubt I knew that I wanted to be an alt model. I would’ve never fit in with commercial models, and I didn’t want to. It’s nothing against them, but there is so much more that is expected of you in that part of the industry. As tough as it is to be an alt model, you still have so much more freedom and artistic creativity that you’re encouraged to express and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Although, I’d definitely say that I did spend some time finding an alt niche – in the early days I did a lot of shoots in my day-to-day clothes or big dresses and corsets, and it was really only last August that I started doing more latex and fetish shoots, and I honestly haven’t looked back since!

Q: Did you have any preconceptions about what being a model was all about, and what the job would entail? Or were you jumping in headfirst? If you did have any preconceptions starting out, how have they changed later on in your career, or have they changed?

B: When I first started out I was just doing it for the fun really – I NEVER expected anyone to pay me for what I was doing and I NEVER thought I’d get published. I was really just doing it for me to be honest, because I loved the fun of being someone else for a few hours – it felt almost like playing an adult version of dress up! I would never have thought that I could be a legitimate model, as I was never very confident when I was younger and (cliché alert) I was really chubby and quite ugly. And I mean it, trust me - braces, glasses and hair bordering on an afro are not a good combination when you’re 13! I had really bad self confidence issues, a lot of which I still carry around today, so if someone had told me back then that I’d be modelling one day I would’ve laughed in their face. I think another thing that hindered me when I started out was that I barely knew any other models or designers and I hate to think about how much money I spent on getting to shoots and paying for outfits haha! But in the past year or so I’ve become far more focused and far more serious about it – don’t get me wrong, it’s still so much fun but now I actually want to get somewhere and have my work recognised. I just wish I could go back all those years and tell 17 year old Becki to pull her bloody socks up – could’ve saved myself a lot of time!

Q: Modelling to me is always underestimated. It’s a job that involves far more than just looking good. What drew you to the work in the first place, and how did you learn your craft starting out? Do you practice posing and expression in your own time, or is all your learning done on the job, from shoot to shoot?

B: It’s very weird because it’s not something that I’ll practice really – I think it’s just something that I’ve picked up. The best way to do it is when you get photos back from a shoot look at all the horrible ones, take note of what doesn’t work and figure out different angles or facial expressions that do so you don’t make the same mistakes. It’s all about angles and lighting and if you can work within that, you start to get better. I still think that I have a lot left to learn and I doubt I’ll ever be satisfied with every shoot I do, but that’s just the process of learning. And I’m glad that you see how underestimated the profession is! Everyone seems to think you just stand around twiddling your hair and “looking cute”, but for some reason after every shoot I’m SHATTERED! And for any model who isn’t shattered after a shoot – you’re not working hard enough!

Q: You have a very unique look if I may say Becki. I always find myself lost in your pictures. You have such intense eyes, sometimes accentuated with eye make-up, but always naturally interesting and beautiful. Are your eyes a weapon you consciously use when engaging with a camera? Are you picturing connecting with the photograph’s audience when you shoot looking into camera? Or is it the photographer you look to, or some other inspiration in your own process/mind?

B: Aww, shucks! That’s very sweet of you! Out of all my features I do like my eyes best, but don’t be fooled – they can be a pain in the arse! My eyes are quite deep set so from the wrong angle or with the wrong makeup they can look really narrow, or sometimes slightly cross eyed hahaha. I have a bit of an odd heritage which is probably what I can thank for my eyes – my dad is Dutch and my mum is from the Caribbean, so I think that’s why my features aren’t what you’d see conventionally in an alt model. A lot of alt models (at least when I started out) have pale skin and light eyes, and I have darker skin and dark eyes, which is fine for me because I like standing out. I’ve always been proud of my background and wouldn’t ever change it – it just means that I have to work a little harder sometimes. I don’t normally think about what I’m doing when I use my eyes, and when I look into a lens I’m not thinking about anyone in particular or about the photographer. But I do think a big part of getting inspiration from a shoot is feeding off the energy of the photographer. Some of the best shoots I’ve had have been when I’ve worked with a photographer who knows how to bring out a side of me (or even an alter ego) that I don’t normally have. One photographer I’ve worked with a few times is Biskography, I have no idea how he does it, but he is the one photographer who somehow captures something in my eyes where they look like they’re lit up. And it’s definitely nothing to do with me because I’m not adjusting the light or focus - he just has an amazing way of lighting up the whites of my eyes, and I think it looks ace!

Q: You are one of my latex icons, and model the material superbly. I have a real soft spot for work with latex and love to see it shown off well. What is it about the material that has drawn you to work with it so often? What do you think it does to those who wear it?

B: Oh wow, that’s one of the loveliest things anyone has ever said about my modelling – that has just made my week!! I absolutely love latex – I’m so glad that I started modelling it because, as much as it can be difficult to put on, it’s such a versatile material. There’s something very sexy about the way it looks when it’s on and I think that’s what draws people to it. It used to be a form of clothing that was once considered sleazy, but is now gathering more of a following and becoming more sleek and sophisticated, and I know of more and more people who are buying latex garments and wearing them out to club nights/fetish nights etc. It sounds strange, but when I’m wearing it at a shoot it really does make me feel like a different person, and it can look amazing with the right creative team. Saying that, it does mean that I have to be a bit more careful with my body and it really keeps me on my toes when it comes to diet and exercise. As I said before, I come from a Caribbean background, and I was raised in a family where food was a big deal, so I love to eat! But now instead of just eating everything in sight and then having seconds (which I still do occasionally!) I just make sure I eat healthy and keep fit, because latex is unforgiving!

Q: I always ask this when talking about latex. Do you have any tips about working with the stuff? How to get it on seems to be a question that many people struggle with. Could you give us some guidance based on your own experience please Becki?

B: My top tip would be: Use lots of talcum powder! What I normally do is make sure I get a lot of the powder on the inside of the dress/skirt/etc, get my legs in and then slowly roll it up until it’s on. Don’t pull too hard or be too hasty as latex can be very temperamental, so patience is definitely handy when working with it. Also, I’m an excessive nail biter (literally) and have been biting my nails since I can remember – which is surprisingly helpful when it comes to modelling latex. I’d hate to have to worry about getting my nails caught on the material, and hear that awful ripping sound!

Q: You’ve worked with some impressive photographers already in your career, I especially love your sets with Terry Mendoza, Adam Saunders and James Ellis. What do you look for in a photographer ideally? Do you like to be directed, or left to be more improvisational on a shoot?

B: Yeah, I’ve been really lucky that such amazing people have wanted to work with me! It was great working with all of them as they know exactly what they’re doing and are really friendly, which is why they’ve made such a name for themselves. Now when I look for photographers I generally look for people who I know are going to be reliable, professional and yet are going to be a laugh to work with. There’s nothing worse than showing up to a shoot and finding out that you have no chemistry with the photographer or that they’re going to be in a sulk the entire day. Lately I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with some really lovely, talented people and have gotten on with all the photographers – which is really easy to do, so long as you’re friendly and outgoing, and you show up on time and work hard. The alt modelling industry is such a small world that if you piss everyone off that you work with, word spreads fast and you soon find that no one will want to work with you – so I always show up to a shoot with a positive attitude and so far I haven’t had any negative feedback!

 

To be continued…

 

Photos used were provided by Becki, and are the products of the following talents in order of appearance:

1^st Immortaleye Photograph

2^nd Chris Ruggio Photographer, Jean Fernand MUA

3^rd Biskography

4^th Laura Hince Photographer, Pandora Deluxe latex