First Impressions

"I was never the girl next door." ~ Betty Page


Pin up models have been around as long as there has been commercial print, although it may be synonymous with the WWII era, their existence has been documented back to the 1890's. The pin up models that most of our society are familiar with were traditionally found in the lockers of the soldiers at war during WWII when companies became wise to the idea of using these models to advertise their products, such as gillette razors. The traditional innocence of the 'girl-next-store' pin up was lost in the 1970's thanks to magazines such as Play boy and Hustler who became bored with the Betty Page form, and unfortunately opened the flood gates to the emergence of the identically vapid genetically altered fem bot that is still in existence.


Although being a pin up model may have been meant to use the models sex appeal for financial gain, in my opinion, it has become the embodiment of what it means to be a woman. Betty Page, Marilyn Monroe,Lauren Becall, these women were a true representation of what it was to be feminine. Today it seems like all we have are walking talking vapid stick figures, nothing the average woman can really relate to.


Being a part of a retro pin up shoot, will make even the most tomboy-ish girl feel ultra feminine. There is nothing like being able to play dress up, and having your make up done, it truly makes you feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, from the inside out. I was lucky enough to work with Lorraine Murphy and Genn Shaughnessy from First Impressions Pin Ups, to experience my first of, what I can expect to be, my first of many retro shoots.


The total experience start to finish, including the use of all wigs & accessories, make up professionally done by Ms.Shaugnessy, photography skills of Mrs.Murphy, a high resolution disc of all your shots (anywhere from 150-200), gas up to Boston and Parking at the Hyatt, is around $450, if you'd like your own hair professionally done that is an additional $50, and you may also add an additional hour for more costumes shots (you are alotted 3 in your 1 hour time block)for around $100. It may seem like a big price tag, and you may opt not to purchase the high resolution disc ($200) and save there (you can choose to purchase individual prints seprately), but I personally prefer to own all of the prints and be able to buy seperately, especially if you're already going to spend the time and money on a photo shoot like this. If you were going to price this type of photo shoot on your own, it would cost around 3X that much, so I think this is an amazing price :)

http://www.pinupmakeover.com/


http://www.modelmayhem.com/gennshaughnessy


http://www.modelmayhem.com/pinupmakeover