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2017-02-20
Social Capital

Real talk with Jessica Metni: model, photographer & influencer

Jessica Metni started her career in the fashion industry as an international model before making the jump behind the lens. She now uses her artistic talent for photography, graphic design and artistic direction via her platform HERMUST. She is our content creator for the month of February.

Bucket Bag

Fashion & Magazines : her passion

It has been 9 months since Jess Metni launched her webzine Hermust, a lifestyle platform fashion, beauty and travel. Her Instagram gallery, which she uses to promote her visual signature and style, is a springboard to discover her vision. So after leaving the world of modeling to focus on photography, Jessica finds herself today in spite of herself an influential fashion photographer that is making waves!

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Pancakes
Coffee

An atypical career path

At an early age, she discovered an obsession with magazines which pushed her to study graphic design and finally work as a model living in London, England at the time. While her passion for artistic direction comes from her childhood, the young woman explored other facets of the industry before discovering her passion for photography.

« I wanted to be in control of the image and the scenario. I didn’t feel like the photographers captured what I imagined projecting in front of the camera.

Jess’s photos have a very minimalist side and are very clean, allowing a natural light, slightly overexposed. This breath of freshness that characterizes it, it is this style that seek the brands that approach it.

« If you ask me to imitate a picture that is not my style I will not be able to do it.

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Chair + plant
Home office

Her relationship with the world of fashion

When she first starts photography, she believes that moving away from the world of fashion and working on more "rewarding" projects would make it easier for her to mourn the world of modeling.

« My experience in the fashion industry had hurt me and I found it delicate to continue in this environment.

Demgen collection fall 2016

Demande Générale, fall 2016 collection

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Demgen collection
Demgen collection

She quickly realized, however, that fashion is an integral part of her life, and all the experience she had gained in this industry as a model finally became meaningful and made her enjoy the come back.

« I understand better the vulnerability of the model and thus put her more at at ease and direct her on her different angles.

Marocan Pooch

Marocan Pooch Editorial

[Jessica Metni ](Marocan Pooch )

Instagram to reverse roles

A lot of supermodels now decide to pass behind the camera. Not only do they work daily with photographers, but they also work on their own image on their social media. Jess Metni became an influencer in spite of herself through Instagram and her blog.

Instagram gallery

Instagram gallery

Instagram gallery

Instagram gallery

« It was not really my goal, but since then, I have understood that what interested people in the end was my stories, my experiences.

She is the example of the young entrepreneur who did not just follow a preconceived path. She knew how to understand the opportunities that were presented to her and use them to her advantage.

« I used my platform to lift my traffic and eventually promote my art, my branding, my editing skills and artistic direction.

It was also through Instagram that we discovered Jess's work. We approached her for content creation mandates for some of our clients. Jessica easily understands the essence of a brand and has the eye to create arrays of accessories by bringing forward a product.

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Veuve Clicquot Autumn
Veuve Clicquot Holiday series
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Flatlay
Flatlay

Jess decided to invest time in her Instagram account as she wanted to develop a tool that allowed her to express her personal signature and communicate visual information that is consumed quickly.

« There is a whole process of reflection behind a well composed gallery.

What is HERMUST?

By creating her blog HERMUST, she did not think she would become an ‘’influential photographer’’.

« I must confess that I do not know how to present myself: Photographer? Graphic designer? Influencer?

In the end, she simply had this need to communicate her art, her thoughts, her discoveries, in short to have a platform that belongs to her. She created her dream job and sells her artistic vision.

Food editorial

Breast chicken & avocado puree recipe

Many brands asked several times a month to collaborate with her in order to promote their products. She goes forward with these collaborations only if her values are similar to those of the brand and if she has been able to test the product beforehand.

« I do not want to promote anything. I like to believe in what I post.

Our generation consumes content very quickly and we are used to communicating by "filter". However, Jess greatly believes in the power and sensitivity of images.

« I still shoot in film. There is a certain charm in not being able to see the image instantly. It’s a one shot "click". It's really what you saw when you saw it, and that's the beauty of photography.

If you aren’t already, follow Jess on Instagram or visit her blog.

About

Jessika is a content editor at Republik and co-founder of the renown lifestyle & culture blog Querelles.