Meet Natalie Rogge | Model/Business Analyst

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalie Rogge and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalie, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
I think that most outsiders are unaware of how demanding the modeling industry can be. When someone looks at a modeling photo they see a piece of art that has gone through hours of creative and physical labor that the viewer may not see at first glance. While the image is visibly attractive and pulls the viewer in, what the viewer does not see is the amount of work that went into creating that image. The viewer does not see the hours of planning, shooting, re-touching as well as networking that went into said photo. Every detail is marked by careful decision making in hopes of creating an effortless end product that is all unbeknownst to the viewer’s eyes. In reality, the modeling industry is demanding and not glamorous. As a model, the majority of photoshoots are not on a highly equipped Hollywood-esque set, there are often not hair and makeup personnel to help you look your best, and a lot of the time, you will be using a lot of your own clothing/shoes/makeup in conjunction with whatever you are shooting for. I think a lot of outsiders believe that modeling is a glamorous avenue, and you are treated like a Hollywood star. In reality, you have to do a lot of networking to build a portfolio for yourself. In doing so, you have to sacrifice a lot of your time and energy, and a lot of people are not willing to do so when they realize this about modeling. While an agency might try to get you to pay to have professional photos done to build your portfolio, this is expensive and unnecessary in my opinion. With the right amount of networking and knowledge of the creative community where you live, you can certainly build your portfolio on your own. Through networking with other photographers in my community, I was able to begin my modeling career, and might I say unknowingly at the time.
I came upon the modeling industry when I was 17. I had competed in a pageant my junior year of high school (the Miss Colorado Outstanding Teen pageant, part of Miss America to be exact), and stumbled across modeling somewhat through that experience. I remember seeing an ad for Denver Fashion Week and thinking, “I walked on stage in a pageant, I could do that!”
I attended the casting in November 2015, with no prior modeling experience, and was asked to walk on Saturday night for a local designer in the Highland Neighborhood of Denver. Walking in Denver Fall Fashion Week 2015 was the beginning of a career I had never imagined for myself. I was one of the youngest models to walk the show, (I was 17 at the time), and I became hooked on the industry after the show. Watching the creative process of what constitutes a fashion show fascinated me, and the creativity I was able to bring to the table myself, is ultimately why I continued in the industry. I had always been motivated by fashion and new trends, as well as the hair and makeup industry, and modeling seemed like the perfect bridge between the two. I had also always been artistically inclined growing up, so it was only a matter of time before I would find an industry like modeling.

I had bought a camera after graduating high school in 2016 and started taking pictures with my friends for fun. I posted them on Instagram and got attention from local photographers who thought that the photos were professionally done, and assumed that I had already modeled.

I modeled freelance with different photographers in Denver to build a portfolio for myself, but ultimately, I did it because I really enjoyed doing it. I was always excited working with a new photographer and being able to bring a new vision to every photoshoot. I learned each photographer has a different way of expressing themselves in their art, and the ability to combine my fashion sense with someone else’s vision was always intriguing.

These shoots were not always easy however. I did the majority of photoshoots while in college, and things got even busier when I signed with my first agency in January 2017. Having an agency was a good opportunity to see what kind of opportunities are out there. I remember doing a phone interview in my dorm room freshman year of college for a reality show on MTV and attending castings for Lee Jeans Asia in downtown Denver.
Some photoshoots involved shooting in a blizzard, or getting kicked out of the shooting location because we didn’t have a permit we were unaware we needed to get. So as a model, I learned that being adaptable and rolling with the punches was a key factor if you wanted to keep going in the industry. The downside of signing with an agency is the fact that you have a contract, and they have some control of you and how much money you will make. With freelance, this obviously is not a concern. I learned that if you were good at networking and confident in your abilities, you did not need a contract with a big agency to have a successful modeling career.
I went on to join two more agencies, (paying careful attention to any contracts of course), and have enjoyed doing more freelance modeling as well. If you are passionate about fashion, photography, and modeling I think you can get a good start in the modeling industry. However, if you want to have a career and model for many years, you need to be patient, hard-working, resilient, and good at understanding who you are as a person and most importantly, what YOU want to get out of modeling.
Currently, I am a business analyst for Denver Models and will be specializing in the magazine direction at the beginning of 2022. I am also a represented model which means that I can attend castings/jobs for Denver Models. I am excited to see what the future holds for the modeling industry and I hope this interview added some insightful details on how the industry is different from the rest.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am most proud of my resilience in this industry, because simply looking good in photos is not what it takes to succeed as a model. You also have to be timely, good at networking and business savvy overall. It was not easy to get where I am today in this industry, and it took a lot of people telling me “no” to finally figure out where I belonged in the industry. All of the people who told me”no” ultimately propelled me to where I am today.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
A lot of my friends I met in college were from out of state, and as someone who has lived in Colorado their whole life, I have become pretty acquainted with the sights and scenes in Denver throughout the years. For restaurants, my friends and I love to go to Postino’s, either the one on Broadway or the 9th and Colorado location for bruschetta boards, wine, and a trendy atmosphere. I also love Machete, there is one by Union Station and one on East Colfax.

My favorite bar is Room for Milly in the LoHi/Commons Park area for its atmosphere and fancy travel/inspired drinks. Adrift is another fun tiki bar on Broadway, and their Macadamia nut Chi Chi drink will transport you onto a tropical location, even when you’re sitting in Colorado watching the snow fall.

I love to visit the MCA, Museum of Contemporary Art and the Denver Art Museum, as well as the Santa Fe Arts District to indulge in a peaceful afternoon of looking at artwork.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my family for supporting my passion for modeling and all of the photographers who collaborated with me throughout the years to get me to where I am today.

Website: https://agirlsguidetoworkplaceequality.com/

Instagram: naddyy_g_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-rogge-471414186/

Image Credits
Rheanne Loren Deaquan Bryant Rachael SaBell Dylan Trimble Tori Harris