Best Money I Never Made

Yesterday I shot for an editorial spread of a fashion magazine in DC. I must admit that initially I was nervous about the concept for the shoot. I hadn't heard much about the magazine and because it was a print for tears shoot, I questioned coming down from New York to do it. FYI, print for tears just means you get magazine tearsheets or pages as your compensation instead of money, which can be just as valuable depending on the job. I arrive on set a little late due to a detour and really needed some Starbucks and breakfast. I bypass my belly aches and go straight to the location to be greeted by the male model, some of the lighting crew, and the manicurist...yes I said the manicurist. Let the pampering begin lol. The rest of the team straggled in one by one and what should've been a 9am start turned into like an 11am start. The entire crew was very laid back and full of positive energy. With the exception of the photographer and one crew guy, the team was African American...even better.

After our group meeting to discuss the concept and go over wardrobe, hair, and makeup I felt relieved. The clothes were some of the hottest fall fashions I'd seen and way out of my budget so I was getting a treat all around. Off to hair and makeup we go. I have the manicurist perfecting my nubs and the hairstylist curling my stresses while the makeup artist engages me in conversation with the stylist too. After we all start sharing our stories, I discover that while I live in NY, the other ladies all travel to NY on a regular basis for work. Awesomeness... I think I just found my new glam squad. We all shared our challenges with being single females holding down multiple jobs, juggling dreams, relationships, health, wealth, and free time. We all quickly agreed that it was refreshing to hear other woman share the same frustrations in this industry. Its even more comforting that we are all black woman from different areas of the industry experiencing the same tests of life. It helped reassure me that I'm not in this alone, others go through the same struggle and wake up each day to do it all again and have Faith. It was laughs and giggles all day on set and that was just the therapy I required. I needed a refreshing experience in the industry, a positive experience. It was great to share similarities with other females and get a sense of reality. To snap out of my slump and get back to business.

I networked with a great team that I'm sure I'll be seeing again in some capacity. The male model, photographer, crew member and myself went out for sushi afterwards and continued to share the positive energy that was displayed on set. We laughed so hard at dinner with all our story telling, it was the best. I returned home to my dads house, after a 12 hour day, much happier than I left that morning. My doubts about giving up a week in NYC were long gone. I couldn't have thought up a better day on the job and it was surely the Best Money I Never Made.

Peace yall!

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