This is Gina, a model I scouted from Hyrum, Utah, who was signed by One Model Management in last night’s episode of the E Network show Scouted. They have been using her in their promo materials all over newspapers, magazines, and TV to promote the show. Here are some other great pics of Gina from the show:

In tonight’s episode of Scouted on the E! Channel, Gina, a model that I scouted from Hyrum, Utah, was signed to One Model Management, one of the top modeling agencies in the world that represents models like Claudia Schiffer, Helena Christensen, Iman, Eva Herzigova, Bar Refaeli, and Bridget Hall.

I have to say I haven’t been more proud of a model on her first photo shoot. Gina was so incredible in front of the camera, it shows that all of her hard work and study of the fashion industry really paid off. It also goes to show that you DO NOT have to pay for an expensive photo shoot before you can go straight to the top of the industry. Gina literally went from the small town of Hyrum Utah straight to New York to meet with one of the top agencies in the world, without spending a dime. She did spend a lot of time paying attention to how models move in the top fashion magazines in the world, and she did put a lot of hard work into being professional and showing confidence and personality in front of the camera, but she didn’t have to spend money. If you want to know if you have a shot, just send me some simple digital photos of yourself and I’ll give my honest opinion. I believe in helping models live their dreams, not making money off of the hope that their dreams could come true. Too many “agencies” around here make their money off of that hope instead of actually being ethical and honest and up front with everyone who walks through the door. I wouldn’t have spent the time working with Gina that I did unless I knew she had potential to model at the highest level. That is how I treat every model that I scout.

I was so proud of Gina tonight, she has a very very bright future ahead of her. I’ll never forget watching her come alive in front of the camera on that rooftop in New York. When a model is really focused on the job, and not just into the idea of modeling, you can instantly tell, and everyone at that photo shoot responded to that. As it was stated in the show, “she made them all fall in love with her in one day”, that is the art of being a model. As Trudi Tapscott famously says (the legendary model manager who I work with at Freshlyscouted.com) “modeling isn’t about just being beautiful, it’s about knowing how to be beautiful”. Gina is young, but she showed in the show today that she already knows a lot about how to be beautiful. Congratulations Gina!

Here is an article about Gina published on the front page of the Herald Journal this morning:

http://news.hjnews.com/news/article_890cddd6-2f71-11e1-9721-0019bb2963f4.html

Watching yourself on TV is weird. There is no way around it. Every time I watch the E show Scouted and see Erin Olson Salt Lake City model scout flash across the screen I have flashbacks to the days when I never missed an episode of Talk Soup with Greg Kinnear on the E Channel and it feels pretty surreal that I’m appearing on that same network. As I watch the show, all of the context behind every scene is running through my mind and I find myself wanting to shout “but that’s not the whole story!!!” “If only people knew what was going on behind the scenes!!!” There were a bunch of moments like that for me in this episode. The truth is, there is only so much you can fit into a 1 hour show, so a lot has to be cut. So if you want to get a little peek behind the scenes and hear some of my thoughts about this episode, here you go.

First of all, as a mother of three children ages 4, 3, and 1, I know what it’s like to worry about my little ones. As a model scout, I learned early on that those motherly instincts are really important in this business. Amber had a bit of a rough start to her trip to New York, her mother literally had a panic attack as they were checking in to get ready to board the plane. The E Scouted film crew literally found out about this as it happened and made sure they were there to film us arriving without Amber’s mother. I felt bad for her Mom because she was genuinely gripped with an uncontrollable fear of flying. I’ve been to New York with models enough in the past to not worry for a minute about this change of events, I really just felt for Amber’s Mom. This kind of thing can happen, and I’m really honored to be the one to help out when it does. I had an incredible model who walked the runway at NY fashion week early this year and I had the chance to spend a week with her in NY, helping her navigate her way around the city to all of the castings all over Manhattan. It is a ridiculously daunting task even for grown adults to find their way around Manhattan, let alone a teenage girl. So I’ve been the mother figure for models before, and I love helping in that way.

Amber was really strong throughout the process of filming in NY. I’m really proud of the way she held up. It’s not easy to go literally from being scouted in a mall and a couple of weeks later standing in front of one of the top modeling agency owners in the world (Scott Lipps) and showing him the pictures that were just taken by one of the top fashion photographers in the world (Danny Christensen).

On a funny side note, Amber is wearing a lot of my clothes in this episode because she had most of her clothes in her Mom’s suitcase which was left home when her Mom couldn’t come. She forgot about that- so I had to step in to loan her some clothes and even dashed to about 5 different stores to round up clothes for the scene when she met the team in the NY office. Sometimes you have to improvise in this business. Amber took it all in stride. Overall, I’m really proud of her, she has the makings of an excellent model with a strong editorial look. I’m excited to see how she does as she launches into the international modeling world as a newly signed model with One Model Management!

Last night I watched the first episode that featured one of the models that I scouted in Salt Lake City. My debut on a national TV show on the E! Channel! I was really excited but a little apprehensive. Valenteen was featured as one of the most promising models that has been discovered in Utah. Cat-like eyes and full of energy, she always reminded me of a young Kathy Ireland.

The modeling industry takes a lot of business sense, persistence, guts, and commitment. There is no way around that. In the 15+ years that I’ve been working in this industry as a model, model scout, model manager, fashion stylist and writer, I’ve been there and I know what it feels like to be a fresh new model just starting to spread her wings in the big fashion world out there. It can definitely be intimidating and scary, it takes a lot more work than you’d ever think by looking at magazines. It’s a whole new ballgame when you’re actually standing in those high heels, shivering on a rooftop, trying to create a magical moment for a top photographer to capture.

In last night’s episode Valenteen, just 16 years old, found herself suddenly thrust into the whirlwind of changes that come with modeling at a high level. Expert hairstylists and wardrobe consultants have a vision for your look and you will in most every case need to take their advice. Of course if you have made it known up front that there are some types of clothes that you won’t wear, that is completely acceptable in this industry, but when it is just a matter of taste, you really need to defer to your expert team.

I’ve been working with Valenteen for 1 year helping to develop her and teach her everything she needs to know to model at the highest level. You could see by the reaction from Bar Refaeli (she is absolutely one of the nicest people I’ve ever met) and the rest of the team in NY, she has a great walk- (that didn’t come overnight ). Unfortunately, when it’s time to face the music like it was for Valenteen in last night’s show, all of that training can quickly go out the window as you’re faced with lots of changes and challenges all at once.

My moment alone with Valenteen, when I told her that she needs to get over her initial distaste for her hairstyle and just shake it off and do her best in front of the camera, was a moment that I’ve shared with countless models over the years– it’s that moment of truth when they just need to know who they are and be strong. At 16 this can be tough, and during the photo shoot I thought Beri Smither was really empathetic when she said “you just need to support the model” when they’re struggling. Beri knows, she has been in those shoes. It isn’t easy, but if you can get over those initial insecurities and the challenges that come from being thrust into the spotlight, you really can take flight. I have no doubt that Valenteen will reach that point of lift off, she has everything she needs except for a little more experience and a few more years to center herself.

I love working with girls like Valenteen, despite the many challenges that come, because she has a pure heart. A little insecure at times, yes, a little nervous and scared, yes, but she is just a 16 year old girl doing her best, and in the end if she keeps doing that, she will go far in modeling and in life.

Photos of Valenteen by Danny Christensen, from the E! Scouted show Monday Dec. 5