Nigel Barker to aspiring models, photogs: Be confident, use social media

Nigel Barker—once America's Next Top Model's noted fashion photographer judge—is turning himself into a force to be reckoned with. In his second book, "Models of Influence: 50 Women Who Reset the Course of Fashion," Barker highlights trend-setting, even game-changing models from the 1940s to today as photographed by  the world's most famous fashion photographers.

Each entry includes an explanation of how the model made her mark in fashion and pop culture while giving a glimpse of how the beauty business mirrored an era's society and vice versa.

"One of the interesting things about the book is the historical references about how [and] when fashion changed, and how it affected the economics of that time and the politics of the time," Barker said during a book signing event at the Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City on Monday.


Among the famous faces included in the book are Lisa Fonssagrives, Dovima, and Dorian Leigh, who reigned during modeling's golden age in the 1950s; Twiggy, Veruschka, and Jean Shrimpton, who represented the free spirit of the 1960s; the 1980s' million-dollar faces Christie Brinkley and Elle Macpherson; '90s supermodels Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss; and 21st century stars like Gisele Bündchen, Coco Rocha, Cara Delevingne, Karlie Kloss and Kate Upton.  

Most of these famous faces are white, but the situation is changing, albeit slowly. Any change in introducing more diversity in the fashion industry can come from public opinion, which is becoming weightier than ever thanks to social media."Never before has there been a time like there is right now where the people themselves are saying who they like," said Barker in the book's trailer. "There are so many more models of color, models of diversity, models of different shapes and sizes. It's [no longer that] there has to be one look here and now in our time."

Get yourself out there

He advised aspiring models and fashion photographers to harness the power of social media, where models can showcase themselves—and hopefully get noticed.

"It is a tough business. It is a tough industry. It is not easy to break into," Barker said during the book signing event.

Social media can make people famous. "It is because we're following them, because we're liking them that these people are landing on the covers of magazines. For the first time ever, we have the power to make the people we really like appear in advertorials or magazine covers," he explained.

For fashion photographers, he said that social media could be their portfolio.

"You have to get yourself out there. Use social media as a gallery for all your work for the world to see. Then tell the story of how you do it. You have to be giving. You have to be open," he said.

A reminder though: "Don't write your name on pictures on social media. That does not look good. You don't need to do it. If someone copies your idea or use your picture, you should be flattered."

Social media may kick off a model or a photographer's career. But in the end, it boils down to confidence. Barker said that confidence shows in a model's eyes, while photographers need to believe that they have the picture.   

"It is about confidence. You have to believe in yourself. That goes for photographers and models," he said. — BM, GMA News