Tyra banks

[Karl Johnston]

What is the hype behind tyra banks? Why is she one of the wealthiest supermodels today? I've been looking online at her images and portfolios and while her work is amazing, I just don't understand why she is so well sought for. It kinda reminds me of the Ansel Adams hype. Everyone talks about studying the work of Ansel Adams, likewise, Tyra banks is another one of those stock names that equally is renown in a similar fashion in the modeling industry.

What i'm asking is; what is it that she does that other models don't that makes her so sought after?

[cskn0125]

It's called marketing. Answer me this; If you weren't into photography - would you know who she was? Of course you would. ANTM and The Tyra Banks Show to name a couple have put her in this direction. True, lots of her hype is from her modeling days, but even more comes from what she is doing today. She's sought after because of her marketing.

And regarding her actual modeling career, she did(does still, just not as utilized as it used to be IMO) in fact have a look that most couldn't pull of.

I personally like her :)

[Karl Johnston]

And regarding her actual modeling career, she did(does still, just not as utilized as it used to be IMO) in fact have a look that most couldn't pull of.

I personally like her :)

Thanks for the response, I want to know what it is she does as a model, specifically, what is it that's prevalent in her style of modeling that makes her sought out?

Is it really just marketing?

Maybe..but I hope to believe there's something more there rather than what her agency does for her that makes her one of the industry topguns.

[LBaldwin]

Have you ever seen a print MADE by Adams? or even one of his darkroom assistants? Not a post card, poster or litho, but a real honest to goodness print made by the master himself.. They are somthing to behold. The quality of the darkrrom rivals the image itself. There are thousands of copies of his work out there, but to really get an idea iof his work you need to see it first hand. I am good friends with one of his former darkroom workers, and he has shown me images that are not published except if portfolios sold by Adams. They are incredible compared to a cheesy litho.

Tyra Banks has taken her skills as a model, married it with tech and entertainment savvy and turned it into a conglomerate. So tell me what is Oprah's talent? Same issue.

[cskn0125]

Thanks for the response, I want to know what it is she does as a model, specifically, what is it that's prevalent in her style of modeling that makes her sought out?

Is it really just marketing?

Maybe..but I hope to believe there's something more there rather than what her agency does for her that makes her one of the industry topguns.


Ah. Well, the marketing is more specific to today's world and why people know her for who she is today. I think that when she was a model (note - she's still a model, I'm just referring to her 'peak' time) she really had something to deliver that all of the other girls didn't. This 'look' I'm referring to was something she did herself - mostly with her eyes. The now very common 'smile with your eyes' term. I'm not old by any means, and am probably apart of the youngest who frequent potn, but in my time, I've seen this term, and this look become more influenced. Not that it wasn't used before, everyone tried to do it, tyra's version just got more noticed.

As far as why there are specific models who are so popular, it's sort of hard to explain. To me, it's all about repuatation, bankability and skill. It's sort of that saying - 'once you've got it, you've got it'. All of these girls are popular because they can bank and deliver (for whatever reason). That comes from experience and from experience they get skill and from those both they develop repuatation. If a model is able to do this consistently, they will essentially be the 'next popular model'

Hmmmm. Just my two cents.

[Karl Johnston]

Hmm makes sense..I guess it is all just marketing, that's sad. I was hoping there was some kind of magical technique or ritual of ...er...modeling she had.

[DrM007]

Based on what is written on her wikipedia page:
Banks began modeling in the 11th grade. She later went to Paris, France to do some runway modeling. Within Banks' first week in Paris, designers were so entranced by her presence on the runway that she was booked for an unprecedented twenty-five shows - a record in the business for a newcomer.
No matter what the marketing around her was/is, this number is pretty impressive to start with. She was nobody then and no matter what would her PR (probably her mom back then) say or do, if she couldn't bring it, she wouldn't get booked.

It is hard to point exact thing on her that makes her great model. In top fashion it usualy has to be the whole package. Of course you need great body. And pretty face. If any of you follow ANTM, she once pointed out that her main thing were her eyes. "The look". From my experience that is one thing that is the hardest to learn. There are armies of good runway coaches, and any girl can learn to walk in high heels, but if her face looks boring or she can pull only one look over and over again in all her shots... she won't get much more. This is where Tyra excells. Her facial expressions are just phenomenal.

Also If I remember correctly, when she was around 19, her breasts and hips started growing too big for "conventional" high fashion model, so she was "forced" to go for stuff like Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, GQ, Victoria's Secret...
And since she was good runway model to begin with, her new curves just helped her become even more successful in "new" environment (as opposed to other busty chics, that just look good - and I don't mean any disrespect here).
Since photomodels (or supermodels - like the "Original Six" Naomi, Cindy, Claudia, Elle, Linda, Christy) are more exposed to general public (covers of magazines, commercials etc) than runway models, they are more talked about...

There is of course a lot of marketing behind it all, but marketing isn't creating her job opportunities - it is mostly causing her paychecks to be much bigger than they would be without it...

I didn't want to sound like Tyra's no1 fan, just tried to give my 2 cents... I hope I helped with my view.

[Karl Johnston]

It does help, thanks, the fashion and runway is all ambigious to me.

A girl I know was going to get a contract with a southern modeling agency where she was to specialize in fashion but they denied her, as she had just become pregnant and said she would be of no use to her if she was going to gain weight. I thought that was a crock, considering what I can do in photoshop to dramatically change someone's appearance, I can only dream of what real pros can do.

I'll have to read into that, i'm interested to know why it's so competitive and where on earth all the money comes from/who brings it and why they bring it and what kind of profit they can overturn.

This coming from a small town portrait artist, bear with me for my ignorance.

[subtle]

They're called boobs.

[FlyingPhotog]

Based on what is written on her wikipedia page:

No matter what the marketing around her was/is, this number is pretty impressive to start with. She was nobody then and no matter what would her PR (probably her mom back then) say or do, if she couldn't bring it, she wouldn't get booked.

There is also a physical dimension too. There is an "ideal" build, size, figure, whatever you want to call it.

Tyra has it, Heidi has it, Iman had it, Elle had it, Cathy Ireland, Cindy Crawford and so on...

There's a reason department store manequins are built more like Tyra and less like Oprah.

[LBaldwin]

It does help, thanks, the fashion and runway is all ambigious to me.

A girl I know was going to get a contract with a southern modeling agency where she was to specialize in fashion but they denied her, as she had just become pregnant and said she would be of no use to her if she was going to gain weight. I thought that was a crock, considering what I can do in photoshop to dramatically change someone's appearance, I can only dream of what real pros can do.

I'll have to read into that, i'm interested to know why it's so competitive and where on earth all the money comes from/who brings it and why they bring it and what kind of profit they can overturn.

This coming from a small town portrait artist, bear with me for my ignorance.

Then she needs to market herself!! Agencies are very fickle, what sells now is not what they want next week. Set her up with a zed card and see what happens. If she markets herself correctly her pregnancy can become an asset not a liability, there has to be parenting magazines, kids clothing companies and other ad agencies that have a need filled here. It is all about using the net to find and fill those needs.