Milan - Ingram Campaign (my first campaign!)

Hi all,

Back from Milan after shooting my first campaign job since I started modeling. Its a cool Italian company called Ingram (I had never heard of them to be fair) and it was just 2 shots! 4 models white shirt, black tie, black trousers and black shoes on teh top of some stairs. The building we worked in was absolutely incredible, all Italian art and the walls were just that classic old Italian look. Never seen paintings like it either (all the weird pictures of naked children and mothers that I dont really get) ha.

So this trip actually highlighted some of the amazing parts of modeling and some of the worst too. First of all flights delayed after mad rush from 3 castings to get to the airport in time. Arrived in Milan, after a traumatic landing of the plane (well over exaggeration I know but I dont particularly like flying and absolutely hate landing), hunting round finding a train that I needed to get on. I was very fortunate an Italian lady saw me looking around and helped me find the right train and happened to get on the same train as me. She was lovely, a make up artist who spoke perfect English. When I got to the station she walked me round to where the taxi's were, wouldn't get this in England I tell you!

Arrive at where Im staying and it soon becomes obvious that im staying the night in a model apartment. Luckily I've got my own room in a 3 bed apartment, but its a single bed, warm and not particularly very fancy in the slightest. Straight to sleep sound asleep then at 4am the other lads in the apartment arrive back after clearly a heavy night. Loud, shouting, slamming doors, one being very sick very loudly, one opened my door and then shut it again, you name it. I was absolutely fuming, kept awake for an hour. Had to be up at 8am, so decided to make as much noise as I possibly could in the morning, slamming doors, running water you name it! ha. Mean yes, necessary yes! ha

So arrive at the shoot after a traffic filled taxi journey, find the right building, straight up to where the clients and everyone is working is. No one spoke English! All everyone said was 'ciao'. So a lot of waiting around, hair getting cut and having to clean shave something I only do if its necessary for a shoot and get changed. A german guy model arrives and he was the nicest guy ever. So friendly, spoke perfect english and put me at ease. Then both of us had to stand there changed for 5 minutes while the clients and photographer and make up and hair artists all scrutinised everything about us in Italian of course. Couldnt understand a word of it and was such an ackward situation its untrue. 5 minutes for that is a long time trust me!

Anyway, shoot went well and as the day went on everyone started to relax a lot more and spoke better English too. The shoot was successful and finished early. Which gave me the chance to explore round Milan and it was fantastic. Myself and the German model, Ben walked around the city had a few beers saw some great sights and got to know each other. What a nice guy he was too. 29 year old, married with a child and one on the way, successful! That was the ultimate thing for me highly successful model who has worked all over the world and done some big campaigns. Good luck to you Ben for the new lacoste campaign, sure you will get it and looking forward to seeing it!

Then it was back to the airport and home again, short and sweet and to come back and got a big contact lens job next week to look forward too! So extremely happy.

James