"I started modelling about 10 years ago and kinda got lucky in Romance
Industry. I opened my own stock site to make it easier for authors to
buy images. Thanks to Rain for promoting my site as well. I have done 2
Bollywood films, music videos, ads, billboards, soap operas, and now i have done close to 210 Covers." Vikkas Bhardwaj
You walk through a grocery store and see the books for sale, skim down Amazon's book list, looking for a book for a rainy afternoon. On the covers can be a mix of subjects but many have people representing the characters. The right face on that cover can attract you to pick up the book or shake your head and go on. Have you ever thought beyond that glance to the person who was photographed to be there, the stand-in for the hero or heroine?
When I began making my own covers, I remember the odd feeling as I scanned over hundreds of faces, like a kind of beauty contest but about more than beauty-- about the energy that would tell a reader something about the hero or heroine of that book. With time, I got more comfortable rejecting and selecting-- it wasn't personal, after all.
Then came something unexpected. Through Facebook, I got to know some of those models as people. I worried over their babies, wished them luck when they got engaged, felt sad if their relationship didn't work out. The people behind the image became real to me as friends, admittedly distant friends for now, but they felt real-- of the sort that if we ever met, we'd enjoy sitting down to chat over coffee.
Some
of the writers, who go to conventions, actually do meet the models, and they always say how nice these folks are-- behind the pretty or handsome facade.
One of the models, who I have never met in reality but know through his work, is Vikkas Bhwardjah. He has gone from being on general sites with many models, to forming his own site where he brings on models to set scenes with him. His goal is expressed often-- to give writers what they need for an eye-catching cover. When I heard he's doing a newsletter as an expansion of what he shares on Facebook, I invited him to do a guest post here. By seeing a few of his images, you get an idea of the work that goes into these shoots. There are settings for any historic period as well as contemporary.
Vikkas has a close relationship with his family and shares that on Facebook. He also shares his love of India (he now lives in California) his goals, health tips, exercise regime, and videos of his photo shoots. He has said he considers those on his Facebook as extended family. I think that says it well with many of these models, who contribute much to making covers attract readers by the right face to depict the heroes and heroines. When they disappear into the characters a writer has written, that's what makes for a great cover.
Links for Vikkas
Sign up for his newsletter
For Youtube type in :
No comments:
Post a Comment