Pic by Derek Blanks

TalkingWithTami: Hi Casey I met u at the Bravo A-List Awards,on the red carpet in Los Angeles! Tell us how u are handling your new fame since appearing on Make me a supermodel?

I am handling the fame quite well, every once and awhile I forget that I did the show and it takes me off guard when someone recognizes me.

TalkingWithTami:     Tell us how u prepared physically and mentally to be on Make me a Supermodel?

I prepared physically by running a lot, and doing crunches. I am very much of a thinker so I had to do more mental preparation than physical preparation. I just made sure to go into the experience with the mindset that I will be on camera every second, and not to over think each action (which is a habit of mine) because when you over think everything, you don’t act like yourself. Since it was America’s vote, I had to make sure that if America were to like me, they would like the “real” Casey Skinner, instead of the over thought Casey Skinner. 

Pic by Sephora

TalkingwithTami:  You and I have something in common, we both have had photo shoots with Derek Blanks! Tell us how important it is to have a great photographer?

I had casting with an agency in Milan, and he looked at my book and said, “You look way prettier in person than you do in your book”.There is an unspoken chemistry between the photographer and the model or whoever or whatever the photographer is photographing. And that chemistry does depend on the skill of the model at all. Some of my least favorite shoots have turned out to be some of my best pictures. So it not only very important but crucial to a model to have great photographer with that unspoken chemistry between them, because through a great picture in your book you could get signed by a great agency, and through that you could be booked through a great campaign, which is money in your wallet, WHICH IS HOW PROFESSIONAL LIVE!!!!!!!!! So yes, it is crucial.

TalkingWithTami: Since doing the show can you tell us any new projects coming up?

I have shot one movie called, “The Right To Remain Violent” and will hopefully be doing another soon which I prefer not to speak of. But my next big project is my music. For the last year I have mostly been sitting in my apartment writing of my experiences, trying to put down in words what this new life is to me. Music is what drives me. I think in music, when I look around I wonder what the best song would be to match my moment, and if nothing comes to mind, I write a song to fit the moment.

 While I was in LA I record an EP titled Typewriters & Skyscrapers, produced by Stephanie Bulger’s (another contestant of the show) boyfriend and a good friend of mine, Ryan McMohan. Its going to be only four tracks, and will be the beginning of something very beautiful. The EP is about that step between your safe zone and the vulnerability of putting yourself “out there”. Going out on that limb for the tastiest apple or success in my situation with the chance that the limb could break and everything will come crashing down. My original intent was to write an album, but I decided to take baby steps and slowly climb up the mountain of success instead of leaping up it. Wouldn’t want to jump clear over it, then I would miss my peak.

TalkingWithTami:Now that you have cracked open a spot in the fashion industry, can you share some good tips for aspiring models?

Here is the best advice I can give to aspiring models and anyone who just wants to take a good picture. Ignore the camera. Pretend like it wasn’t there, because the best pictures you take are when you weren’t aware that someone was taking a picture of you. Because it gives of this “I don’t care what you think, cuz I am confident in myself”presence (KEY WORD presence), and that’s what makes a good picture. Besides that, everything else will come with experience.