Marilyn Monoe got in the Car as a Nude Model

I have been thinking a lot about models now and then. Marilyn Monroe is titled bimbo perhaps, but I see her as a rare breed. Perceptive, able to handle her dreams, and chased them. Andre De Dienes worked with Marilyn for many years but their first encounter could have been just as risky as some girls who pursue modeling today. Although the difference is Andre called up the usual modeling agency called The Blue Book Modeling agency, which he used often,asking for any new models for nudes, what he got was Norma Jean Baker, a new model, who would become Marilyn Monroe, and their first photoshoot together was Norma Jean's first or one of the very first shoots she ever did.

Even asking for a nude model then must have been a shock to mothers' around America. First Norma and Andre shot at the beach and then a ritual of shooting would begin with Norma and Andre. He offered to pay her 100 dollars a week, and he would provide the clothing and accessories for the shoot and they would drive off in his Buick Roadmaster to the desert, the mountains, from California to Nevada, to Arizona. Maybe she said yes because he was a photographer she worked with through an agency and felt safe, assured and protected since they met through the agency. In the book called " Andre de Dienes," the photos show a Norma Jean with chipped red nail polish and a very raw and beautifully flawed Norma Jean. The book is a diary of the experience Andre had with her and the love, laughter and enchanting photography that followed.

Although I find the difference here between what happens over the web with aspiring models today is that they met through an Agency. Even though after the first shoot at the beach it lead to an exclusive road trip, and later was to be a nude shoot and taking places in other States, it still was with a photographer who had amazing taste, a great eye, and who captures Norma as a natural model and at ease. The photographer had credits, experience and a passion for photography, not just women, and he loved to create a story and this book shares the thoughts of a photographer so detailed and artistic. I find many times that models work with photographers they know nothing about, they only judge them from their photoshopped images and rush to their apartments and throw their panties on the floor and start shooting before they even can pronounce the photographers' name. If you want quality, ask questions, and if you don't feel the photographer is going to enhance your career with photos that you can really use to either get more work or submit yourself to magazines, or help you manage your career then don't bother. Andre treated Norma Jean with beautiful photos and she was paid for her time. Don't settle for working with people who are just GWC, ( guys with cameras).

If you follow the poses from the 1950's, you also will see how the models "aren't trying" so hard, they are just being themselves and even in a pin up shot they are the girl next door which is what many of us models really are!