
In this episode of Magical Mornings, we featured a celebrity model Anna Maria. She is known for posing in a variety of swim wear and street wear brands. She can be often being seen in pools, studios or attending different modeling events. So Anna welcome to the show. Currently living in Los Angeles, she has worked in modeling industry for 12 years now.
Here’s the interview of Anna Maria with UnitePod.
Q. You are such an impeccable presence in front of the camera. Can you share with us how this entire journey started for you?
Anna: So how it all started. I was born in Poland. I grew up in Warsaw. When I was a teenager, I was a golden dancer, so basically I was dancing with the stars all the forms like Cha-cha, salsa, and all of that. On one of the tournament when I was 16, there was photographer. After the tournament, he reached out to me and told me that I have a beautiful presence and asked me have I ever thought of doing modeling, have I ever tried, what do I think about it, there was an agency he could introduce me to. That was the first time this thought was put into my head about modeling. And before I was already in acting agencies for children. So I was doing TV commercials. So I was in that world from the beginning thanks to my mum. But the real modeling started when I was 16. After the tournament, I got contacted from the agency which was one of my first agencies. It was based in Warsaw. I went there and they saw me and took my measurements. We spoke about everything and then shortly after I was signed by the modeling agency. I started having photo shoots and from then on it just rose. My head started spinning, travelling started. A lot of things were happening.
Q. You have featured in so many magazines. How do you handle a situation where a photographer doesn’t properly direct you?
Anna: well, I think that I coming from the dance world, I was very aware of my body and movements. I never really had a big problem with posing according to the directions given by the photographer. Usually the photographers I work with are very helpful and we always catch a good vibe and we always know what we want from each other. Usually at the beginning of the shoot, the photographer or the client shows me the mood board, some picture of the vibe, the feel of the shoot. And then I know how to behave and how to move and what type of expression they want from me. But I had some shoots where I can’t really understand what the photographer wants, some of them are verbal and some are not. I really like when the photographer talk to me and say what they like and give me little directions even though I feel like I know what I am doing but it’s always good to be assured in the way we pose because you never know. If there is something which I am not sure about, I usually go see the pictures and check if everything is looking good. I like to see the perspective and the frame and see where my body is pictured and how the picture look like and adjust my body accordingly.
Q. What has been your favorite location for a shoot so far?
Anna: My favorite location is very close to you guys because it is in Abu Dhabi. It was 3 years ago and it was for polish version of Harper Bazaar. It was shot by a polish photographer based in Dubai. I really loved it. It was shot on one of my friend’s island. I really loved it and the pictures came out really amazingly. And in general, I really love UAE. I haven’t been to UAE in a long time since it’s very far away from where I live now, i.e., Los Angeles. I think it’s a 16 hours flight. But I hope once all the restrictions and COVID is over, I will find my way back to UAE. I hope to shoot some more amazing shoot over there.
Q. Your skin literally glows. Would you like to share with your listeners
your skin care routines?
Anna: Like every girl, my skin is not always so perfect and glowing. Although lately, I think it’s been really good. But I did have some struggles with skin issues when I was younger. Firstly, I would say that when it’s come to skin, skin care routine is very important but also it depends on genetic also. So if you have a good skin you have a good skin. If you have a problematic skin, things will always keep popping up. But what I can give you is a good advice from my skin routine. Well, moisturizer your face, put the suns cream on, suns cream is very important so I always put it on even on the days when it’s not sunny out. Washing your face is very important, so use the right face wash. One that I have been using for many years is La Roche Posay’s from Effaclar. It’s for skin with problems and its anti- acne. I really love it and it dries your skin a little but put a little moisturizer. When it comes to cosmetics and makeup, I think that it’s important to wear light makeup, so you don’t clog your pores. All the natural cosmetics are great for that; organic cosmetics are great for that so we don’t clog the pores. As a result we don’t have that acne. Another advice I could give you is definitely drink a lot of water. Water is essential for everything I do for our brain function and also skin. So water definitely flushes out all the toxins from our body and helps the skin to be glowy and shiny and fresh.
Q. If you could step into my shoes, what would you ask yourself that I haven’t yet?
Anna: I really like to ask other people on e simple question when I meet them that is are you happy. I think it’s a very good question that we should ask everyone because happiness is very important. Without happiness there is not much you can do with ourselves. So I would definitely ask myself are you happy. And I would say I am happy. It’s always a struggle because there are a lot of things happening around us especially now because this last year was very hard on all of us. I think it’s really hard to keep happiness flowing. I think we should look to the bright side of everything happening around us. That is very important. I think the last year taught me a lot and I did a lot of self work. I worked on my mental health too. I had to stay away from my family for a year which was very hard. Spending my Christmas, spending all my holidays without them was very hard and emotional. But thank god for all these technology. Nowadays we have access to phone calls, face time, video calls and it’s very easy to be in touch with our loved ones. I think being happy is very important. So ask your friends are you happy and it’s good to talk to them. I feel good to talk to someone who has struggled.
Q. You are a mental health activist. How do you influence others to stay healthy physically as well as mentally?
Anna: Yes, I am a mental health activist and basically started with my experience because I got to a point when I was not very happy. I was struggling with myself. It’s a very hard lifestyle that we have as model, travelling, having stability, and not seeing my family and my fans, switching places all the times. It’s not easy and definitely made an impact on how I was feeling at some point. I was also in a very tough relationship years ago. It was very bad. After that I have to help myself and I started thinking about how I can help others who struggled in the same way and was in the same situation because I helped myself. I really wanted to make others feel better; people who struggled the same way like me. So that’s how it started. So what I do to help others with is I have a very colorful tool in my hand and a lot of followers. I just use my social media account as much as I can to post some positive thing or some advices on how to stay sane or on how to keep it positive and happy. I like to share things with others. I like to promote myself like any other person. I think it’s really important through our social media to show the reality of our lives normally a beautiful part of our life, beautiful scenery, sunny places, beautiful outfits nut also the real life because e it’s important to others to see that you are not by yourself. You are not the only person with struggles. The problems you are having. Other people also struggles the same thing and we are in it together. And we are here to help each other, to elevate each other. Social media is the platform that I use to help others. In a simple conversation even when I drive in a car or Ubers, I always try to talk to people because you know sometimes a little conversation with someone can change your entire day. And you can make someone’s day much brighter and happier. Also spreading awareness and sharing different people posts, sharing information about mental health for different thing that you can show to other that they can read or listen is also something that I do through my social media.
Q. So finally, what message do you have for our listeners and where can they connect with you?
Anna: What I want to tell all of you is that I hope that I can connect with all of you somehow at some point. And I just want you to be positive, don’t worry too much, and don’t be too hard on yourself. We are all humans and I just really hope that you can elevate from this podcast. You can check my page on Instagram and find some helpful thing. You can connect with me on social media, you can DM me or leave an email, I am very happy to connect. And if you have any questions or you want someone to talk to, I am always there. I just hope that we all have a beautiful year and start this year in a very positive way. I am really looking forward to all these amazing plans we have. Everything is going to be okay. We just have to stay strong and positive and smile and be happy. Enjoy the every single moment you have because it’s very important.
I loved your message. I love your positivity on top of that. Also Anna it was such a great pleasure to have you in this podcast. I really hope that you have an amazing year ahead. Thank you so much.
Anna: Thank you so much. I really loved this little interview and hope to reconnect very soon. I just hope that you have an amazing year ahead.
That’s a wrap of another episode of Magical Mornings in which we featured Anna Maria who is a celebrity model and a mental health activist and have a zeal to help people through her works and posts on social media.
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