I recently joined ModelMayhem, the world’s largest social networking site for models, photographers, stylists and make-up artists.

“Joining the Mayhem” is something you really need to be do if you’re starting out in fashion photography as I am. You get to work with professionals of varying levels of experience who are striving to hit the big time, and therefore often offer their services for free in return for hi-res photos to add to their portfolios.

The name ModelMayhem itself is definitely appropriate for the site! The guidelines say that a new member’s profile can take up to two days to approve. So after nearly a week of constantly checking my inbox for confirmation, all I could do was assume that the moderators were spending a lot of time scrutinising the four initial photos I had to supply with my profile. Or were all lording it up at a fashion show somewhere, which I thought was more likely. But I can’t lie: I was nervous. I really want to break into fashion and this seemed to be the main conduit into it. If I didn’t get approved, what was I going to do? Sure I had met a dozen models at a recent model search and become facebook friends with most of them but those things only happen a few times a year. Plus a few of the models and stylists from the event had recommended that I join ModelMayhem so I was really keen to get on board and get shooting.

Eventually the wait was over. The confirmation email arrived after a week, welcoming me to the Mayhem. This was it – my chance to break into the big time and maybe eventually star in a Zoolander sequel! And then the site went down. Yes, the chaos of the fashion world had infected the online space. No not really, it was a hacker bringing down the site’s security, causing it to shut down for a few days while they bought a few more digital Dobermans.

Fortunately I hadn’t yet put all my hope and dreams in ModelMayhem and had arranged a shoot in Bondi with Renny, one of the model search finalists. Renny is a part time model with Platform Models and aspires to go full time. Until that happens she’s loving her role as a chemical engineer, designing drilling equipment for mines! What was all that talk about models being airheads?!

Renny came all the way down from Newcastle on a sunny Sunday and together with my stylist friend Ali, we spent four hours having fun shooting at a handful of locations that I had already scouted. Renny was a true professional and needed little direction, effortlessly moving from pose to pose. At the end of the shoot I advised Renny to get onto ModelMayhem as well. But to wait a few days first!

If you’re on ModelMayhem look me up at www.modelmayhem.com/miltongan