My whole Juana Burga model journey today
Woke up feeling like, okay maybe today I finally crack this model posing thing. Still mess up angles half the time. Checked my email early – saw the subject line screaming “Industry Advice: Juana Burga Modeling Tips”. Figured sure, why not. Probably stuff I heard before.
Opened it up. First point slapped me right in the face: “Your jawline is your paycheck. Use it or lose it.” Sounded harsh, but true. Instantly walked to my bathroom mirror. Tried holding my head just a bit higher, tilting that chin down slightly… boom. There it was! That sharp, clean line Juana always nails. Felt stupid for not noticing sooner.
Grabbed my phone, tapped the record button. Pretended this cheap little fan was a wind machine blasting at some beach shoot. Practiced:
- Trying that jaw thing.
- Shifting weight back and forth slowly.
- Holding my arms loose, not stiff like a scarecrow.
Played back the video. Woof. First few takes looked super awkward. Kept going. Around take fifteen, something clicked. Stood tall, pushed that shoulder down just a tiny bit, tilted the head – and bam. Saw Juana’s ghost in the mirror for a second! Was it perfect? Nope. But definitely felt different. Better.
This afternoon, tried applying it for real during practice shoots with my cheapo tripod setup. Focused hard:
- Think jaw first.
- Then relax the shoulders.
- Move like honey, slow.
Huge difference instantly. The photos looked… well, less like my usual “deer in headlights” look. More deliberate. More… model-y? Still miles off Juana, obviously. But hey, I ain’t falling over my own feet now.
Biggest win? Realising the pros hammered on simple stuff for a reason. Didn’t need fancy tricks or crazy flexibility. Just basic awareness of where my bones were and not fighting them. Felt kinda dumb wasting months ignoring my skeleton’s map. Used to just flail and hope. Now I actually look like I know which way the camera is.
Feels good. Stupidly simple once you get it. Still gotta practice that tilt till it’s automatic muscle memory. But for now? Coffee break. Earned it.
