Feature: Below Dark Water

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	Chest	Waist	Corset	Hips	Height	Weight
Imperial	30"	25"	19"	30"	5"6'	103lb
Metric	76cm	63cm	48cm	76cm	168cm	47kg

GGotW: In some of your images you have black hair in some red, are you in truth blond?
BDW: Yep, caught me! I'm a natural blond, I'm really thankful for it too because it makes changing hair colours so much easier without the hours of bleaching and touch-up's, so it's in really good condition. It's been blue-back for over 5 years, so I decided I needed a change and went cherry!

GGotW: When did you start to model?
BDW: I started modeling when I turned 17. After wearing my friends self-made clothes in school projects and friends photo-shoots, and after being asked for a shoot or two by local photographers as a result, I decided that this was what I wanted to do and really got into the modeling scene. When I saw an alternative jewelry line online looking for alternative models, I jumped at the chance to do some more professional work. It's all really taken off from there, one shoot at a time.

GGotW: Why alt-modeling?
BDW: Since the age of about 15, I began to realize I wasn't really in tune with my current friends. As much as I fake tanned and suffered through Video Hits and pool parties, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was pretending for everyone. When I found out about alternative girls, girls who were different and relished it, it just felt like coming home, though I lost a few friends over it because they couldn't see the appeal.
But I fitted right into the scene, I felt normal. I think that's why I love alternative modeling- you're something that's a taboo, someone most people don't like to admit they enjoy looking at. But at the same time, you're just being you. You don't have to pretend, the viewer will do that for you.

GGotW: Is there a lot of opportunity to model in Australia?
BDW: Because I haven't modeled overseas yet, I don't really have much to compare it to, but Australia does have a rapidly emerging alternative scene. When I started modeling it was rather hard to find photographers in my area who were as into my somewhat strange shoot ideas as I was. But there are more and more alternative models and photographers and designers popping up all the time, I think it's fantastic. There certainly are some amazing veterans of the Australian alternative scene who've been here for ages keeping it growing. I really admire them. I just wish we had more alternative agencies!

GGotW: Who have you shot with?
BDW: I've shot with stacks of fantastic photographers, both local and those who've traveled here from overseas, other alternative models, make-up artists and hairstylists, and alternative designers like Tentacle Threads, Dusk Moth, Asylum 7 and Obsidian Lace, who've all given me fantastic opportunities like runways and promo shows and publications, I really owe them a lot. I'm looking to do more runway work at the moment, just for variety.

GGotW: How often do you get to do a shoot?
BDW: During the beginning of the year, for some reason the Sydney alternative scene is a little quieter, and it's harder to find regular work. Around now, in the middle of the year, it really picks up and there are so many shows and runways and shoots to go to, it can get quite hectic! At one point, I've done 5 shoots in one week. For me, that was absolutely exhausting.

GGotW: What do you do when you're not shooting images?
BDW: I'd love to say it's party central, but I'm also an art student at University, so when I'm not shooting, my time is either spent writing essays, painting things, or with my boyfriend. Until the holidays come, it's shoot, work, shoot, work! But I'm not complaining- being an art student sort of gives you inspiration for shoot ideas, it all overlaps and affects the other in some way.

GGotW: What are you taking in University?
BDW: I'm currently undertaking a Visual Arts course, majoring in textiles. Despite all the sewing and the cutting and the styling, all attempts at making my own clothing always seems to go horribly wrong!

GGotW: Do you have any interesting projects coming up?
BDW: I'm actually part of Miss Alternative 2010, Australia's first beauty pageant for alternative girls. Hopefully if I get through, I'll be representing NSW in the state and possibly national finals, I'm really excited for it! But there's some really amazing competition so all I can really do is keep my fingers crossed and hope whilst voting commences.

GGotW: What's involved in the competition?'
BDW: At present I'm uncertain of the 'talents' section of the pageant, but after voting, the top girls from each state of Australia go to the semi finals, and after that, the winners from that continue on to the finals in January next year, held in Sydney, both involve being on stage in-front of a panel of judges. It's pretty much for girls of goth, pin-up, rockabilly, burlesque, tattooed, punk and every other alternative genre you can think of, it's fantastic that some people in Aus are getting behind this. Hopefully this really takes off!

GGotW: What was your most recent shoot?
BDW: My most recent shoot was in Sydney, 2 weeks or so back outside a Cathedral in Sydney. It was a sort of 'Tim Burton' styled shoot, we were going for very elongated body and legs, sort of elegant and dark. We even had a body-painter for the day, it was brilliant until it rained and ran everywhere!

The church security guard didn't seem to like our appearance as we were sheltering inside the church until it stopped raining, and actually kicked us all out into the rain, but let everyone else stay inside! That's what being a goth in a church does for you!

Two new images from Below Dark Water, for the end of the year 2010.


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