Antonia Howard

Blog

  • It’s really not about the money.

    It’s really not about the money.

    I am not one to go on a public rant but I think this needs to be heard.

    A designer reached out to me about two weeks ago asking me to model some dresses.
    Am I a model? No
    Did she know that? Certainly so.
    Has she seen me on tv before? Absolutely.
    Is that why she asked me to model for her? Possibly.
    But I didn’t care about any of that. I told her I rarely have time to do other things besides work so it was better for her to give me the date and time of the shoot so I will let her know if I am available.

    She agreed to do that and asked me to come in to fit the dresses. I gave her a time that I will be available for fitting and I was there, bang on time – Didn’t waste her time, didn’t push her around. She asked, I was there. We fitted 5 dresses

    We agreed the shoot will happen the following Saturday at 10 a.m. Unfortunately it was raining that morning so we moved to 11. Again, I was there bang on time. In fact I arrived a few minutes early: not because I love photo shoots; not because I love wearing dresses; not because I wanted my makeup done or was excited to have my pictures taken “for the gram”. No, nothing like that.

    Anyone who truly knows me knows:
    a. That I am not a fan of photos – story for another day
    b. I am not a fan of social media – also a story for another day.
    Even the designer in question mentioned in our conversation that my friend had told her I don’t like photos.
    But I was doing this shoot as a favour – yes, a favour, because my friend was part of it too and she is acquainted with the designer.

    Despite this being a favour and me having the understanding that there will be no financial or any other form of gain for me for that matter, it was a matter of principle for me to show up on time as I had given her my word.

    So I sat there in her office for over an hour waiting for the makeup artist to arrive.
    Did I have other things to do? Absolutely.
    But did I put up an attitude? No.
    Did I complain? Not even a sigh.

    Rather, I sat there together with the designer and we had a friendly conversation about tardiness and other bad habits people tend to have. We had a laugh.

    The makeup artist finally arrived. She used my brushes because one has to be corona conscious, she used my foundation because I prefer mine, she used my lash glue because she did not have hers and we finished some minutes to 2pm. I boarded the designer and her assistant in my vehicle with a suitcase full of the dresses my friend and I were to put on.

    You might be wondering why I’m nit-picking but you’ll understand soon.

    The venue had to close at 6pm so by 5.30 we were rounding up and it had started pouring anyway. The designer said we didn’t do all the dresses she planned to shoot and she would need me again which left me confused because I fitted 5 dresses the other day and I had graciously shot way more than 5. Nonetheless, I told her everything would be up to what day/time she decides to do the next shoot. Again because it was pouring, I boarded the entire team of 4 (designer inclusive) and drove them to their various drop off points.

    Now,
    Did I expect to wait for the makeup artist for over an hour? No.
    Did I expect to shoot more than 5 dresses? No.
    Did I expect that the shoot will take up the whole of my day? No.

    If the makeup artist had been there on time we could have started the shoot by 12.30 latest. And if we had stuck with the 5 dresses as originally agreed, we would have finished earlier.

    Anyway that’s done.
    But here’s where the story changes.

    The designer reached out to me again saying she wants me to model some other items and wants my measurement.
    I asked “are you paying this time?”. I told her I didn’t mind doing the first one free of charge but if you’re asking again then we have to discuss money. I’m using resources too – I used my shoes for the shoot, jewellery, fuel – which she benefited from, I picked and dropped her off. In fact everything I did was to her credit.

    Her response shocked me. “Are you a professional model?” she asked.

    I answered no, doubtfully, as in what is she driving at? She knows I am not a model, why is she asking me this?

    And she says “then I don’t understand why you’re asking me to pay you.”
    She went on to explain about how many people she has running after her to do photoshoots in her designs and how she doesn’t pay people to model for her.

    I said “but madame you know I am not a model and you knew this before you asked me to pose in your dresses.”

    It’s not like I’m being greedy. I literally just did a shoot for you, FREE. A shoot for which I had to wait over an hour for a makeup artist, a shoot for which I used my own shoes, a shoot to which I carried you and your crew to and fro, a shoot for which you said 5 dresses but I did more than 5.
    Did I complain when your makeup artist wasted time? No.
    Did I frown my face in your photos after the 5 dresses? No.
    Did I ask for money when we got to dress number 6 because you had said 5? No.

    I had been top notch professional and courteous since day 1. And despite her demeaning remarks, that wasn’t going to change. I told her again, I too am using resources to make this happen so it’s only fair that I get some kind of compensation this time. I said I am really not getting anything out of this, it is all in your favour.
    And she says to me “are you sure you’re not getting anything out of this?”
    I paused to think and the honest answer is NO I AM NOT!

    I am really not one to gloat but sometimes certain things need to be said.

    If this is about publicity, I work for the most popular media company in Sierra Leone. My face appears on tv every other day, not to talk of their various social media platforms with hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers altogether. I freelance for one of the biggest global media cooperations, the biggest in the UK and possibly Europe. My face has appeared on screens across the globe. What exactly am I achieving with 10 or so photos on your instagram page that I am not already getting publicity wise?

    If it is for career building, I AM NOT A MODEL — You said it yourself! — and I don’t plan on being one. So I am not going to have a portfolio of photos of me in your designs that will build my career in modelling or “take me to the next level”. So again, this adds no value to my career.

    If it is about the experience, miss, yours is not the first photo shoot I have done.

    So someone please tell me what I’m getting out of this, maybe I’m missing something.

    Sure it would be good to have nice professional photos. But I can do that any day I please, in any of my own clothes and with any of the many talented photographers we have in this city. So again, am I missing something?

    Anyway, I concluded that perhaps she doesn’t understand how to do business or maybe she was just plain selfish. She might not know it but she came off to me as disrespectful, unprofessional and ungrateful.

    Now let’s talk about that word – ungrateful. See, it’s not like she didn’t say “thank you” after the shoot on Saturday. She did and said we should have lunch one day. But her actions following that show that she is unappreciative of the sacrifices I had to make that day for which I received nothing. I say she is ungrateful because she seems to lack the ability to resonate with the sacrifices others make on her behalf.
    I am a known personality and she did not hesitate to question my worth, I can only imagine what she says to others who are not in a public career but would have made equal or more sacrifices for her and dare to ask for pay.

    I was tempted to ask her to forget using the photos taken on Saturday but I made the decision to do that photoshoot for free out of good faith and I didn’t want to go back on it. I also wasn’t going to let her demeaning remarks make me act out of character. So I let her be.

    But this goes out to young designers and anyone doing business – DON’T BE A USER!
    Yes, you might not be able to pay your models but a kind gesture might suffice – a blouse, a belt, % off on an item, anything. It is okay to say you cannot afford to pay or maybe you can afford it but don’t want to pay because that’s money which could be spent elsewhere. That’s absolutely fine. Just don’t act like it is out of place for people to ask you to pay especially when they’ve worked hard and to your benefit. Recognise others’ sacrifices and show gratitude.

  • What I have learnt about being a foreign correspondent

    What I have learnt about being a foreign correspondent

    If there’s anything I’ve learnt about being a journalist it’s that things are quite often not as simplistic as they seem. They might get even blurrier when reporting from societies other than yours. A different environment or culture and even a different language might all seem too much of a change to handle when trying to tell stories. Then add meeting unending demands of a 24 hour news cycle, quenching the ever-present thirst of social media and conquering every other facet of the technological age, whilst maintaining professional and ethical standards. It’s exhausting even just thinking about it. So how do you do it? How does one immerse oneself in a completely different environment successfully enough to find and deliver truths to the world?

    Number one, you begin even before you get there.
    To understand the dynamics of any society, one has to develop a keen sense of curiosity or desire to know. In a classroom lecture, I had the privilege of asking BBC Latin America/Middle East Correspondent Wyre Davies how he got to understand the deep rooted conflicts in the Middle East and become confident enough to report on them. “The simple answer is research” he said. He explained that consuming as much information as he could about a topic or place helped him understand the unfolding events. This includes reading previously published material and keeping abreast with daily reports. So even before you arrive at your location your mind is prepared and you are in touch and quite familiar with the issues.

    But certainly, reading about something and being physically present in the situation are completely different experiences. And sometimes what you read only reinforces certain stereotypes about a place or its people. So foreign correspondents must try as best as possible to avoid stereotypes or try to add a fresh perspective through their journalism. Cardiff University lecturer Linda Mitchell says journalists should be careful when re-presenting reality for audiences. This makes sense particularly now when access to media content is infinite and media campaigns seem to be shaping public action and discourse more everyday. However this doesn’t mean you must hold your tongue when it is time to speak truth to power, you only have to be responsible about it.

    One area that requires much responsibility from foreign correspondents is religion. Looking at modern-day journalism it is quite impossible to ignore religion given the rise of ethnic conflicts and religious insurgencies. The subject is very much relevant today but still remains one of confusion and controversy. BBC Wales’ Roy Jenkins believes this presents a new challenge for journalists everywhere as they must try not to oversimplify or generalise ideologies of religion.

    Several research show an increasing trend in reporting religious conflict especially in Western media. Former BBC journalist Michael Munnik supposes this is because news itself is focused on negativity or conflict and so the media ends up reproducing negative assumptions about religions which are found in certain individuals or cultures. For better coverage of the subject Roy Jenkins proposes “an understanding of the world through the eye of religion”. But what do you do in a position where both the religion and the world are quite complex to comprehend?

    In places like Mexico where religion is co-opted and employed by ultra-violent criminal groups, foreign journalists find themselves in a dilemma. On one hand these groups support the community but on the other hand they commit extremely vicious crimes. And when journalists insist on telling these stories they are often flooded with death threats and in worst cases are kidnapped, tortured and/or killed.

    What makes such environments even less desirable to work in is when authorities resign to the status quo, allowing criminal groups to operate with relative impunity. Freelance reporter Ela Stapely reckons Mexico is one of the most dangerous places for journalists. During her time there her worries stretched from typical struggles like protecting sensitive information to unfathomable life-or-death experiences. The advice she gives to emerging journalists is to take digital security and safety very seriously.
    In today’s technologically advanced world simply turning on the location of any mobile device could get you into trouble. Stapley advises foreign correspondents to undertake courses on digital security, emotional self-care or even the basic first aid training. Such training exist in organisations like Global Journalist Security (GJS) or the Rory Peck Trust.

    The truth is the risks faced by journalists reporting conflict or crime anywhere is increasing. So some might prefer a relatively safer but equally interesting beat like business/economics. The key to becoming a master in this area (and in my opinion journalism itself) is to understand and use language in its simplest form. One key struggle for journalists – perhaps more so foreign correspondents, is to not only find the right words but also use them in the right way. In this field one wrong word can kill the impartiality of an entire story. Global media organisations like the BBC train journalists in the language of news reporting and impartiality.
    Speaking of language, a second or third language is quite useful for foreign correspondents. It makes interaction easier and is therefore one less thing to worry about.

    Frankly, when I examine in its entirety the role of foreign correspondents, I am amazed by how they put it together so seamlessly in the end. I have learned that the industry requires not just “good journalists” but diverse individuals who can think on their feet, multitask, embrace change and keep up with new technology relevant to contemporary foreign news reporting. But as fulfilling as the job may be, I’ve learned to know when to stop and breathe. Self-care is important.
    Foreign news reporting is usually considered the peak of a journalism career. It might take time to get there and the job might be difficult but you also get to experience some “once in a lifetime” events and even more importantly tell the stories you believe are worth hearing and shed light on hidden truths. Think about that!

  • Playing the Piano as Prayer

    Playing the Piano as Prayer

    Rosy
    Rosy Polisicchio 

    Several scientific studies have shown playing the piano can stimulate the brain in a way no other activity does. But can this brain stimulating exercise help build spirituality? I have been speaking to a lady who prays by playing the piano.

  • Homelessness in Cardiff

    alcoholic beer cars city
    Photo by rebcenter moscow on Pexels.com

    Homelessness is one of the growing problems in the United Kingdom. This month, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism revealed 449 homeless people have died in the UK within the past twelve months. I spoke to a few people in Cardiff to find out what they think about the problem.

  • The South African/Boer War Memorial

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    Boer war statue – Cardiff

    Between the Cardiff Crown Court and the City Hall  stands a statue to remember the South African War. The South African War Memorial, which is also called the Boer War Memorial, was erected in 1908 and unveiled by General Sir John French on 20 November 1909 to honour the victims of the Second Boer War. It has the names of all the Welshmen who fell during the war. My friend Priya and I have been talking about it.