Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Otte.
Sarah let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I grew up in a small college town in Germany called Göttingen. Some would say It’s a dull and quiet town compared to LA or other big cities, but it’s home!
I’d say my parents have a major influence on my journey. They both have a passion for dance and the arts that’s rubbed off on me.
After graduating high school in Germany, I decided to move to LA to pursue dance and modeling.
The thought that I could perhaps be a Victoria secret model or a work with one of my favorite artists or dances in a music video was what fueled me through my journey (hahaha). I was this new face in LA, ready to make my mark!
Like every model, I started out with some Test shoot. Luckily, my uncle knew a photographer that was working on his portfolio. I submitted the photos to a million agencies and after a being denied a million times, I eventually signed to my first agency in 2015.
My journey has been a dream. What I loved the most about every project that I’ve worked on was being able to use my talents.
Growing up playing basketball and dancing, it was a honor and a dream come true to work on a Nike commercial with Lebron James as a basketball player or as dancer in a Verizon commercial.
When I first arrived to LA I worked as a cashiers at the churro shop in Six Flags. I actually liked my job but my passion and success for modeling eventually allowed me to pursue modeling full time.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
No, it’s definitely been a rollercoaster ride. I’d be lying if I were to say my journey has been easy and lay’d back. Once your active in the industry and have some kind of credibility it can definitely become easier based off of your connections and network but it’s still a hustle! When I first started out, I didn’t receive many call backs and some of the casting calls were scams which was a bit discouraging. A lot of people underestimate how much work goes into modeling but there are many aspects that make it uneasy. From being your own manager, submitting and communicating 24/7, getting rejected without feedback to work on and to maintaining a healthy shape and lifestyle. Like many people that start fresh in a new city, I didn’t have many friends. Tackling all of my goals without a huge network made things harder as well but Luckily, I’ve learned at a young age that hard work and patience pays off! 🙂
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
Because the Corona Virus has affected the modeling industry, I’ve been staying busy with school and some personal projects. I’ve still been submitting self tapes but work has definitely slowed down. I recently decided to start school at university of cologne in Germany last September. I promised myself that I’d continue school no matter what, so I was pretty excited when I got my acceptance letter. I’ve also recently picked up photography as a hobby so that’s been getting a lot of my time. While living in DTLA I started a photography project called “Houseless”. I want to spread awareness of homeless communities, capturing the stories of people’s lives that don’t always get a voice. The contrast between the rich and poor in LA is pretty “in your face” when your living there appose to seeing LA through a screen. I want to show the other side of LA to people that don’t always get a chance to see.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Oh my! I have so many goals to accomplish. I just signed with my first agency in Germany and had my first experience walking New Yorks fashion week 2020. I can’t wait to get back on set and shoot. I feel like I’ve learned so much about the modeling industry and this is only the beginning. I also feel like there’s so much more to learn and accomplish, so for now I’m a just absorbing as much knowledge as I can. Because of school i´m getting to learn and experience more about behind the scenes and media. Basically, getting to know the other side.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sarahotte.pixieset.com/g/portfolio/
- Email: sarahotte390@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisonegirll_/?hl=de
Image Credit:
Timo Maczollek, Julia Kovaleva, Jeff Johansson, Profile photo: Sabine skiba, Saw – Steven, Jay Blacks, Leyla Stefani
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