Noelle Arias
Photographer and former Pierce student, Teresa Koehler, has just recently launched her own modeling website called Brokendollmodels.com
Like other modeling and photography websites already on the internet, Brokendollmodels.com allows models, photographers, hair stylists and make-up artists to upload photos and biographies that can be browsed through by professionals and amateurs in the modeling business.
This gives the website‘s members an opportunity to build their books or portfolios as well as the chance to work along side and learn from the industry‘s professionals. “It’s a great way to get my face out there,” said BDM Model Idalia Koehler, who also happens to be Teresa‘s niece.
After using other sites such as Modelmayhem.com, Teresa and her husband, Ken, decided that they should build a similar site but with some minor tweaks of their own. “The broken doll is a high fashion pose used by many models. So we called the site Broken Doll Models,” explained Teresa.
Ken, who is also a former Pierce College student, spent two months worth of weekends building and programming the website which has just launched this year. The website is growing fast with new members joining every week and is quickly becoming a valuable online resource for the modeling business.
Anyone interested in modeling and photography is welcome to join the site for free, however, Teresa will only accept people who will take the site seriously. There is no specific look to become a BDM Model as long as the photos portray sense of professionalism and passion for the modeling industry.
Unlike other modeling websites, Brokendollmodels.com does not allow any nude photos to be posted on the members‘ profiles. According to Koehler, websites that feature nude modeling puts young girls under the impression that posing nude will help improve their chances of signing to an agency and becoming a successful model.
16-year-old BDM Model Kiersten B., who has just signed with Ford Models this past February, describes Brokendollmodels.com as a “safe” website where parents can be sure their children are getting the appropriate exposure to the modeling industry. “You know there are no predators on the site because Teresa monitors it very well,” confirmed Kiersten.
Koehler’s website is all about convenience and efficiency to make things easier for it’s members. “It’s very user-friendly and easy to understand,” said BDM Model Idalia.
Brokendollmodels.com also features a rating system. Teresa personally examines photos and rates models, photographers and stylists individually where they are then organized into 3 levels; “Preferred”, “Better than Average”, and “Has Potential”. Models that are classified as “Preferred” show up first when industry professionals are searching for models to hire. “When we do our ranking it’s all about the quality of the picture”, said Teresa.
According to Koehler, this is a more efficient way to search for models as opposed to going through pages and pages of models that randomly mix together professional and amateur models’ profiles, saving photographers an immense amount of time and effort
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The homepage of Brokendollmodels.com displays it’s “broadcast” where members can post a message with a clickable picture that links to their profile giving them the opportunity to be seen right away when someone first visit’s the website.
On the sides of the message board are two columns; one column shows photos of members that are new to the site while the other shows the sites “Spotlight Members”. The Spotlight Members section also gives Brokendollmodels.com members that same opportunity to be notice right away by the site’s visitors and other members.
Teresa also decided to feature a Picture of the Day, Week and Month. Each of these photos is chosen by click count, meaning the photo that was clicked on the most on a specific day will become Brokendollmodels.com’s Picture of the Day.
Koehler plans to keep improving her website by adding tips for models and photographers and other features such as a Photo Breakdown where she will describe the specifics of what kind of technique and style went into creating the shot for a particular photo.
For more information about the website or how to join, visit www.Brokendollmodels.com.