This is me, asking you for money
I have been blogging for 3 years. Starting out as just a 15 years old girl who loves doing fashion photography, and then a 17 years old girl who is learning how to make clothes, to a 19 years old that blogs. When I started out, the online world has already been overloaded with bloggers. Everyone told me it was a wild dream to live off blogging, that we don't need another person walking around in fashion week begging for a photo. I know they was right, but I also know what I stand for, who I am, and exactly how I was going to blog.
Fast forward 3 years later, I stayed true to everything I have promised myself from the start: I didn't sell out. I might have my ups and downs, I might have my doubts, but I did not sell out. I refused to work with unethical business, support small ones and local organic ones, reply to every thin tea and beauty apps marketing director a "fuck no". And guess where do that take me?
Every other beautiful path but the money one.
I have got to meet so many amazing people around the world, and got to do, to influence beyond my wildest dream. To travel the world, to learn, to create, and to love.
But I got home, and I am hungry, and I got nothing on my plate.
Brands do not care. They really don't. When they contacted me and ask "if we could work together", and I send my prices, they either reply with "We just give free clothes" or "We just want a selfie, can you make it cheaper?"
1. You do not give me free clothes. You are asking me to work for free. If you really truly wants to work with me, you should have known, I take pride in my works. 3 years, not a single photo has been taken with the same concept, the same outfit, or the same location. It is brain, blood and tears. Making photos requires money, to pay for my photographer, to rent location, to buy props, and it is fucking expensive.
2. Read above
I am currently working in a team of 2. My photographer is also my best friend, a year younger than me, and we are doing this full time together. Our pay splits in half is not enough to cover our livings.
If you are a small brands and we are supporting each other, it's cool and I love you, but if you are a cooperate who earns so much money and refuse to pay, that's fucked up.
In the beginning of my blog, I wash dishes at a Singapore hotel 10 hours a day to "live the blogger life". I dress fucking expensive, but also share a room with 8 different others in a shitty part of town. At the (hopefully not) end of my blog, I am still smiling for the tips.
I understand the illusion of image. I tell someone I am poor, and they will laugh at my face.
"You owned an iphone, how can you be poor?"
Yeah, I bought it years ago used, so was my macbook and camera which is dying from all the work I do.
"You have so many shoes, how can you be poor?"
Yeah, my shoes, my clothes, my shampoo and toothbrushes, my lipsticks and eyeshadow, hair dos and tattoos, everything EVERYTHING was given to me for free, in exchange of work. I live in a world without money like some cartoon episode. Haven't bought a thing in 2 years.
"You travel so much, how can you be poor?"
I went to Russia for a music video filming. Air ticket paid, no salary, camped out at my friend's house. I went to Europe to do a contemporary dance show with my deaf mute dance group, air ticket and hotel sponsored by Unesco, no salary either. I went to America to work with Dollskill, air ticket paid, hotel paid, you get the idea. NO MONEY WAS EVER MADE OR LOST in any of this.
Crazy , yeah? I wear Vetements, Miu Miu, KTZ, and I don't even have the money to buy a wardrobe to hang them clothes in. A fridge full of sponsored spices and salad dressings with no food, and about 30 wallets with denied credit cards.
The money that I actually made from brands who actually pays, has to go to make more photos.
"Why don't you go to school?"
I have a degree in America, and in Singapore. Graduated 2 years ago. Was offered full scholarship for Master, didn't do it.
"Then why don't you get a job?"
I got 3.
Now, I will tell you why I got 3 jobs and no money. I don't want to play the "poor me" card, but I have disorders, and disorders are fucking expensive. 350$ an hour to talk to a therapist about money issue. Fucking awesome. When I was in IP all i can think about is the long ass bills I need to pay. Also, I live in Vietnam, where depression and eating disorders treatment are not fucking available, so I fly to America to have treatments. Sick in the USA with no insurance, you get the idea.
So, I am asking you for money.
Let me make it clear here first, I am NOT asking you for money to make me have a comfortable life.
I am asking for your donations so I can make more art.
I have 2 books, a movie and an installation that was supposed to come out this year, which was all put behind so I can make a living. That's what I am asking your money for. To make art, I need money. I need equipments and materials to create. I will not use your money to buy myself a nice meal, because that is my own responsibility, to feed myself and be independent. I will ask you to think of this donations as paying to see a art gallery, or as purchasing a nice painting. Simple as that, supporting me if you like art, pay to see more of it.
I hope this does not come off as rude, or desperate, or pathetic. I was trying to be honest, I need help, and I hope you lend a hand.
Donate at www.paypal.me/plaaastic
I have been blogging for 3 years. Starting out as just a 15 years old girl who loves doing fashion photography, and then a 17 years old girl who is learning how to make clothes, to a 19 years old that blogs. When I started out, the online world has already been overloaded with bloggers. Everyone told me it was a wild dream to live off blogging, that we don't need another person walking around in fashion week begging for a photo. I know they was right, but I also know what I stand for, who I am, and exactly how I was going to blog.
Fast forward 3 years later, I stayed true to everything I have promised myself from the start: I didn't sell out. I might have my ups and downs, I might have my doubts, but I did not sell out. I refused to work with unethical business, support small ones and local organic ones, reply to every thin tea and beauty apps marketing director a "fuck no". And guess where do that take me?
Every other beautiful path but the money one.
I have got to meet so many amazing people around the world, and got to do, to influence beyond my wildest dream. To travel the world, to learn, to create, and to love.
But I got home, and I am hungry, and I got nothing on my plate.
Brands do not care. They really don't. When they contacted me and ask "if we could work together", and I send my prices, they either reply with "We just give free clothes" or "We just want a selfie, can you make it cheaper?"
1. You do not give me free clothes. You are asking me to work for free. If you really truly wants to work with me, you should have known, I take pride in my works. 3 years, not a single photo has been taken with the same concept, the same outfit, or the same location. It is brain, blood and tears. Making photos requires money, to pay for my photographer, to rent location, to buy props, and it is fucking expensive.
2. Read above
I am currently working in a team of 2. My photographer is also my best friend, a year younger than me, and we are doing this full time together. Our pay splits in half is not enough to cover our livings.
If you are a small brands and we are supporting each other, it's cool and I love you, but if you are a cooperate who earns so much money and refuse to pay, that's fucked up.
In the beginning of my blog, I wash dishes at a Singapore hotel 10 hours a day to "live the blogger life". I dress fucking expensive, but also share a room with 8 different others in a shitty part of town. At the (hopefully not) end of my blog, I am still smiling for the tips.
I understand the illusion of image. I tell someone I am poor, and they will laugh at my face.
"You owned an iphone, how can you be poor?"
Yeah, I bought it years ago used, so was my macbook and camera which is dying from all the work I do.
"You have so many shoes, how can you be poor?"
Yeah, my shoes, my clothes, my shampoo and toothbrushes, my lipsticks and eyeshadow, hair dos and tattoos, everything EVERYTHING was given to me for free, in exchange of work. I live in a world without money like some cartoon episode. Haven't bought a thing in 2 years.
"You travel so much, how can you be poor?"
I went to Russia for a music video filming. Air ticket paid, no salary, camped out at my friend's house. I went to Europe to do a contemporary dance show with my deaf mute dance group, air ticket and hotel sponsored by Unesco, no salary either. I went to America to work with Dollskill, air ticket paid, hotel paid, you get the idea. NO MONEY WAS EVER MADE OR LOST in any of this.
Crazy , yeah? I wear Vetements, Miu Miu, KTZ, and I don't even have the money to buy a wardrobe to hang them clothes in. A fridge full of sponsored spices and salad dressings with no food, and about 30 wallets with denied credit cards.
The money that I actually made from brands who actually pays, has to go to make more photos.
"Why don't you go to school?"
I have a degree in America, and in Singapore. Graduated 2 years ago. Was offered full scholarship for Master, didn't do it.
"Then why don't you get a job?"
I got 3.
Now, I will tell you why I got 3 jobs and no money. I don't want to play the "poor me" card, but I have disorders, and disorders are fucking expensive. 350$ an hour to talk to a therapist about money issue. Fucking awesome. When I was in IP all i can think about is the long ass bills I need to pay. Also, I live in Vietnam, where depression and eating disorders treatment are not fucking available, so I fly to America to have treatments. Sick in the USA with no insurance, you get the idea.
So, I am asking you for money.
Let me make it clear here first, I am NOT asking you for money to make me have a comfortable life.
I am asking for your donations so I can make more art.
I have 2 books, a movie and an installation that was supposed to come out this year, which was all put behind so I can make a living. That's what I am asking your money for. To make art, I need money. I need equipments and materials to create. I will not use your money to buy myself a nice meal, because that is my own responsibility, to feed myself and be independent. I will ask you to think of this donations as paying to see a art gallery, or as purchasing a nice painting. Simple as that, supporting me if you like art, pay to see more of it.
I hope this does not come off as rude, or desperate, or pathetic. I was trying to be honest, I need help, and I hope you lend a hand.
Donate at www.paypal.me/plaaastic