From practising her runway walk as a little girl to taking part in West Yorkshire Fashion Week, Leanne Overton has discovered that modelling is about much more than beautiful photographs. It’s a journey of ambition, hard work and learning to believe in herself.
As a little girl, Leanne Overton would spend hours watching Victoria’s Secret fashion shows, dreaming of one day walking the runway herself.
It was a dream that seemed a long way from reality for someone who struggled with confidence during her school years. But today, at 23, Leanne is building a modelling career that has taken her from early Instagram photographs to professional photoshoots, fashion events and West Yorkshire Fashion Week.
Her journey hasn’t always been straightforward. Behind the beautiful photographs are years of hard work, personal challenges, lessons learned and an ambition that continues to grow.
HERA Magazine International caught up with Leanne to discover more about the woman behind the photographs.
The Beginning of the Journey
HERA: Let’s start at the beginning. How did you first become involved in modelling? Was it something you’d always wanted to pursue, or did an unexpected opportunity set you on that path
Leanne: I first became involved in modelling when a photographer reached out to me on Instagram to do a shoot.
During COVID, my friend and I would go to different locations and take fashion photographs, which I’d use for my social media. This helped me get recognised.
The photographer I worked with then referred me to a modelling website, which is where I started out.
Modelling only really became successful for me in the last three years, when I put more time and effort into my career and building my portfolio.
I guess it was unexpected that I’d ever get into modelling, as I struggled a lot with confidence and insecurities, but I’ve managed to overcome that hugely.
I was always a little girl with big dreams. I’d spend hours watching the Victoria’s Secret fashion shows, practising my model walk, and I loved doing my social media.
So, looking at where I am now in my career, I’m really proud of myself.
Finding Her Place in Fashion
HERA: Your portfolio covers everything from fashion and editorial photography to glamour and lingerie. Do you have a favourite style of modelling, and what is it about that particular genre that appeals to you?
Leanne: I love fashion modelling the most, especially taking part in fashion shows. It feels empowering, and I’ve always been a lover of fashion.
I enjoy putting together outfits to create different shots and getting to wear other people’s creations.
I enjoy the glamour and lingerie side, but it’s not the niche I’m looking to go into.
Although I love showing off my body after all my hard work in the gym, I don’t want that to take over my profile. That’s why I keep those shots to a minimum unless they’re editorial or for advertising purposes for brands.
HERA: Looking through your photographs, you seem equally comfortable in front of the camera whether you’re working in a studio or on location. What helps you feel relaxed and confident during a photoshoot?
Leanne: I’ve been modelling for five years now, so feeling relaxed and confident comes naturally to me.
My main mindset is not to care what others think, because it’s a privilege to be able to do modelling as a job, and you should never be ashamed of it. A lot of people would look up to it.
I’ve managed to build my confidence over the years, and I always say to myself, “Fake it till you make it,” because you only live once.
I always work with photographers and people I feel comfortable with, which really helps.
If I ever don’t feel comfortable, I’m usually clear about my boundaries during shoots, or I choose not to work with that person again.
The Reality Behind the Camera
HERA: Modelling is often seen as simply looking beautiful in front of a camera, but there’s much more involved. What do you think people misunderstand most about the skill and work that goes into creating a successful photograph?
Leanne: A lot of people underestimate modelling. It’s hard work, especially the amount of hours it takes out of your day with travelling and preparing.
I’ve managed to burn myself out quite a lot this year through overbooking and trying to fit shoots in, and I’ve learned my lesson from that.
It takes a lot of management and organisational skills to control your own schedule and bookings.
A lot of work goes into shoots, and preparation for some can take hours. Sometimes it can be a full day just to get the perfect shots.
A Moment to Remember
HERA: You’ve worked with some wonderfully different settings, outfits and photographic styles. Is there a particular shoot that stands out as a favourite, either because of the finished photographs or the experience itself?
Leanne: I’ll be honest, a lot of my latest work has had a wow factor for me, as it just keeps getting better with every shoot I do.
I think my best experience and finished photographs yet would be the ones I have yet to post from West Yorkshire Fashion Week.
Watching my videos and looking back at the shots from the fashion show, I had an emotional moment of feeling proud of myself and how far I’ve come.
My younger self would never have had the confidence to walk down a room full of people, and that’s important to me because I’ve come such a long way.
Watching the videos and seeing the final photographs, I feel like my runway skills have improved hugely.
I know I can take my modelling career further and achieve more from this.
The Creative Partnership
HERA: A great photograph is often the result of a creative partnership between model and photographer. What qualities do you value most in a photographer, and how much input do you like to have in developing the ideas behind a shoot?
Leanne: I value photographers who are professional, well organised and skilled.
I love it when photographers let me have input in picking the photos from the shoot or ask for my opinion when developing ideas.
I always have ideas that I express, but I usually leave it to the photographer to arrange their shoot and decide what they want.
Confidence, Identity and Personal Growth
HERA: Confidence is something that comes across strongly in your images. Has modelling changed the way you see yourself, and has it helped you develop confidence in other areas of your life?
Leanne: Absolutely. Modelling has built up my confidence so much.
At school, I was picked on and made fun of, all the way through to sixth form.
I hated the way I looked and the way I was. I became quiet as a person, and when I turned 18, I’d go out every weekend looking for some type of validation.
Now, at 23, I don’t even go out that often, and I no longer drink.
I feel like I have enough confidence to accept myself for who I am, and if people don’t like it, that’s their issue.
I’ve had so many opportunities through modelling that I never thought I’d be able to experience, from hosting events and doing interviews to attending big social events.
I still struggle with anxiety, but I’ve learned to overcome these feelings and face my fears.
Modelling hasn’t only helped develop confidence in my looks, but also in everyday life.
I’ve managed to travel alone and do a lot of things on my own that I would never have done when I was younger.
Social Media: Opportunities and Pitfalls
HERA: Social media has opened up opportunities for models to showcase their work and connect directly with photographers and audiences. What has your experience of Instagram been like, and do you think it has changed the modelling industry for better or worse?
Leanne: Instagram has helped connect people and showcase work in the modelling industry for the better.
Without Instagram, I wouldn’t have as much work as I have now.
However, I must admit it comes with negatives, such as modelling pages that try to scam people by making it seem as though it’s easy to become a model and then charging them.
The one rule I’ve learned in the modelling industry is never to pay for anything.
If you’re supposed to be successful in the modelling industry, it will happen naturally if you keep working hard yourself.
There’s plenty of TFP (time for print) work to help people get started. You shouldn’t have to pay a penny for anything!
The Dream That Never Went Away
HERA: If you could create your dream photoshoot, with no limitations on location, styling, photographer or budget, what would it look like?
Leanne: I think my dream photoshoot would be me on the Victoria’s Secret runway, wearing the Victoria’s Secret angel wings and taking part in their fashion show.
It’s the biggest dream I have.
HERA: Finally, looking towards the future, what would you most love to achieve in your modelling career? And what advice would you give to someone considering stepping in front of the camera for the very first time?
Leanne: For the future, I’m looking at bigger plans to achieve my goals of becoming more successful in the runway industry.
I’m looking at saving to travel abroad to the big fashion weeks and networking next year, as well as taking part in major fashion shows and making connections.
I’d love to work with larger brands too, and make my career bigger within the advertising sector.
My advice to someone stepping in front of the camera for the first time is to be yourself, move freely through your poses and always use expression on your face.
A good photoshoot flows well when the model is relaxed and moves through it at ease.
Looking Ahead
For Leanne Overton, modelling has become much more than a way of creating beautiful photographs.
It has opened doors, introduced her to new experiences and helped her develop confidence that extends well beyond the studio.
Perhaps the most touching moment in her story is the image of a young girl practising her runway walk while watching fashion shows, never quite knowing whether her dreams might become reality.
Today, she’s walking in fashion shows herself.
There are still ambitions to pursue, international opportunities to explore and lessons to learn along the way.
But if Leanne’s journey so far tells us anything, it’s that the distance between a childhood dream and a real achievement can sometimes be crossed one confident step at a time.
Follow Leanne Overton
Discover more of Leanne’s modelling work and follow her journey through fashion, editorial photography and runway modelling.
Instagram: @leanneoverton
Model: Leanne Overton
Photography: DanielTaylorstudios
HERA Magazine International would like to thank Leanne for sharing her experiences and photographs with us.
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