TorontoStreets Feature Model Q&A: Erin Divine

Where are you from? Where are you based now and do you travel for shoots?

I am originally from Harrisburg, PA, and I currently live in Chattanooga, TN. Usually, I travel quite a lot for shoots, but lately, other than day trips within about 2-hours of Chattanooga, I haven’t been traveling due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Who or what inspired you to become a model?

I think it is mostly an inner desire to be seen. I had been posing in front of the mirror for ages. There is something about being nude around other people feels good to me.

How and when did you start modeling?

I started modeling right after breaking up with my boyfriend. I had been wanting to model nude for figure drawing classes for a long time, and once I had no one stopping me, I just did it. Through doing that, I learned about Model Mayhem. It was still a few years until I finally made a profile and started modeling for photographers (I was 34 when I started).

What type of modeling do you enjoy the most?

I love being nude in nature, especially in grand places, like the desert. I also love shoots where there is a whole team of professionals involved; a makeup artist, hairstylist, body painter, other models, etc. When each detail is just on point, it can produce such a satisfying final product.

What do you look for when deciding to work with a photographer?

If my main motivation is to earn money through paid assignments, then I look for photographers who have good references and have some work to show and who will pay my rates, but the skill and quality of the photos aren’t as important. It’s ok to be a beginner and just do this as a hobby sometimes. If I am wanting to create content for my OnlyFans or to add to my portfolio, I look for the quality and creativity of the work.

Which models or other artists currently inspire you?

I am drawn to dance models, like Katy T, Fanny Muller, and viktory. I’m not a dancer myself, yet, but what they can do with their bodies inspires me. I also love Nicole Vaunt, Shasta Wonder, and PoeticMinx.

What would be your dream shoot?

I have a specific idea for a kind of White Buffalo Calf Woman meets Final Fantasy cosplay shoot. The White Buffalo Calf Woman is a figure from Native American mythology that I resonate with, and Final Fantasy has cool, sexy, futuristic outfits. I would need the collaboration of a good cosplay designer – someone who can help conceptualize and then create the wardrobe. Another possibility is to collaborate with an artist who would be good at drawing outfits onto my body in post-processing (but let’s be real, having actual costumes is more fun!).

I hope that this wouldn’t be disrespectful at all to Native American culture (but I am willing to listen if it is); it’s just that WBCW represents to me female beauty that deserves to be celebrated and revered without the need to be repressed and controlled.

How important is social media in your success?

I get a fair amount of bookings through social media, particularly Instagram. That’s just photographers messaging me when they have seen my work. I post my touring schedule there, and sometimes I get bookings that way. I have Facebook and Twitter as well but have focused on them less than Insta.

What else do you like to do outside of modeling?

I am an avid rock climber. I also love to read, garden, prepare super clean and healthy food, do yoga, and play with my dog.

What’s the best career advice you can give to new models?

It is OK to push the edges of your comfort zone and still have boundaries. Boundaries are not just about saying “no” to things; sometimes it is about saying “yes” to what you do want to do or what you are curious about trying, even if there is some fear. It’s also not about always being able to define what you will and will not do ahead of time; it’s about being true to how you are feeling at any moment and making sure that others (e.g. the photographer) will respect that.

To give an example, when I first started to do erotic modeling, I didn’t know what to say when photographers would ask, “What are your limits?” I simply lacked the experience and knowledge of the whole range of possibilities to be able to articulate what I am and am not OK with. But, I could say, “Here is what I am willing to try, and if at any point during the shoot I don’t want to do something, I want to be able to say “no” without fear of not getting paid or being pressured.” I also made it clear for those first shoots that I needed them to not post any of the content without my permission (and the model release reflected that).

Luckily, those first few photographers were great about communicating with me a lot before the shoot and being OK with the fact that I might have to decide at the moment what I am comfortable with. Now erotica is one of my favorite types of modeling because I like to express my sexuality through art.

Check out Erin Divine’s Model Mayhem portfolio to see more of her work. You can also follow her on Instagram and OnlyFans.

Source: MM