(Information about Kourtney Reppert can be accessed through her Facebook page, or through her Instagram account.)
Consider someone who values a quote from Abraham Lincoln, the humor of Adam Sandler, appreciates the depth of Schindler's List and the lightheartedness of A Night at the Roxbury.
Those
are just some of the diverse influences that a model from
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania discussed recently. Who is the person
behind the pretty face that brightens this articles' words? You are
about to discover what life is like behind the scenes in the
modeling world.
Small
town influences
Kourtney
Elizabeth Reppert grew up in Leesport, Pennsylvania. The small town,
which is about an hour from Philadelphia, is a place where everyone
knows each other. The people who live there work hard and are
dedicated to their families and friends.
Many
people set prudent goals and then move towards them. Some think
beyond what can smoothly be attained and instead strive for their
dreams. Kourtney is one of those individuals.
"I
want to be successful as a model, while also remaining an overall
happy and grateful person," Kourtney said.
Strong
family base
A
solid family environment often allows someone to build their life's
foundation.
"I
have three older sisters (Karla, Kelly and Kristie) who are all
beautiful. My Mom (Kathy) and Dad (David) are very loving and
supportive. They provided me with a great childhood.
"My
Mom always told me that I had a special spark. When I was
three-years-old my sisters would dress me up, put make-up on me and
fix my hair in pigtails."
Role
models
"My
Mom had a tough time growing up because her Mom passed away when she
was young. She always tried to raise my sisters and I the best that
she could. She is my best friend.
"Good
loving parents set people up for a good life. Everything starts with
the family."
Kourtney
had an active social life and was a member of the cross country,
swimming, field hockey and basketball teams when she was at
Schuylkill Valley High School. After graduating, she decided to
attend Kutztown University.
"I
always had good communication skills and did well in sales. So,
initially I pursued a degree in sales and marketing. I also loved
softball and pitched on the team at Kutztown."
Creating
a career
Kourtney
adapted her career goals in 2006, after a number of people suggested
that she had the qualities needed to become a model.
"I
admired many people who were models when I was growing up,
especially Pamela Anderson (famous for being on Baywatch). She was
the girl next door."
Establishing
a career in modeling is not easy. The path involves heavy
competition and rejection.
"I
loved what I was doing and the way I felt when I was doing it. I
wasn't going to take no for an answer. In a world of no's, you can
also hear yes."
In
2007, she joined ModelMayhem , which is a Facebook-style site for
male and female models, photographers, as well as make-up and
wardrobe artists.
Constellation
Energy offered
Kourtney her first paid modeling position. Following that success,
she landed a number of advertising print work assignments.
Friends
and frenemies
Kourtney
worked through the normal trial and error period that everyone
experiences during the initial stages of their careers. But, she
kept moving forward by relying on her well-formed instincts.
"You
have to have a tough skin in the business. It was hard at first and
you have to be on top of your game. The support of my family and
friends has been very important to me along the way."
Kourtney Reppert: A Model's Life – Part 2
Diversifying
her interests
Kourtney
deepened her career potential when she obtained an Esthetician's
license at the Lancaster School of Cosmetology in 2010. The training
she received in the cosmetic care and treatment of skin and hair,
allowed her career to expand.
Obtaining
the designation allowed Kourtney to use her skills and experience to
help women make their best beauty choices. It also empowered her to
offer the Ivo
Pitanguy skin
care line to many individuals.
"My
license allows me to offer a range of professional applications.
Through this work I'm able to make people feel good about themselves,
which makes me feel good about myself."
Kourtney
also noted that Ivo Pitanguy donates one hundred percent of their
profits, from the line that she promotes, to charitable causes.
The
importance of a good photographer
"If
the connection isn't good, it's like a bad date."
At
times, a photographer can get a great shot when a shoot first begins.
At other times, many hours might be needed until the perfect image is
captured.
"dms
graphix photography has
shaped my modeling career. They are amazing people to work with. It's
all about that connection with the photographer and timing when the
pictures are being taken."
Experience
and preparation
Years
of training and focused preparation allows the best professional
experience to take place.
"On
the day of a shoot, I wake up, take a cold shower and do a
mini-workout. Then, I relax for a bit before heading out. Depending
on the job, I might do my own makeup. If a make-up artist is
provided, that person will help me prepare at the site of a shoot."
One
element that can't be seen when looking at photographs that have been
taken is the music that was playing during a photography session.
Music can establish a mood that helps a model transition into a
mental state of preparedness.
"Music
makes you feel. Certain songs affect certain people in positive, or
negative ways. I like to choose my own music for a shoot, because
doing so gives me more energy during it."
Kourtney
puts her self into a state of mind using methods that are similar to
professional actors. She sifts through past experiences that allows
her to generate emotional responses. Those responses then create
different looks that can be captured by the camera.
"I'm
a character playing myself, or I'm myself playing a character.
Modeling is a way to express yourself.
"If
I'm in love, I show it to the camera. If I'm sad, that emotion will
be seen. If I'm happy, my smile is endless."
Sports
highlights
Kourtney's
images have appeared on the Philadelphia
Flyers website and
on a Philadelphia Phillies' opening day poster.
"I
was a tomboy growing up, so naturally I wanted to do a shoot that
involved sports.
"The
only reason I could stay up late when I was younger is because my Dad
would let me watch hockey. I would always want to watch the
(Philadelphia) Flyers."
Building
her port
In
the modeling business, the term 'port' is used as a shortened form of
the word portfolio. A portfolio contains a person's professional
work.
"My
main goal is to get exposure in popular print magazines. Many career
doors can open when that happens."
Reflecting
and looking forward
Kourtney's
professional career has expanded greatly during the past few years.
Her experiences have created new opportunities that she continues to
pursue each day.
"I
have traveled a lot. Flew in private plane and went to a private
island. I visited the Playboy Mansion and have met amazing people in
the worlds of sports and entertainment."
Never
one to be satisfied with her accomplishments, Kourtney is continuing
to move forward with a positive spirit and a focused mind.
"I
have grown a lot over the years and it has been a nice ride so far. I
think attitude is everything and I have learned that you always have
to keep working harder as you pursue your dreams.
"There
is something inside of me that tells me to keep going. If you love
something and you are good at it, why stop?"
(Information about Kourtney Reppert can be accessed through her Facebook page, or through her Instagram account.)
