Interview with Photographer and Cover Model Danilo Andjus

TRC: Hi Danilo and welcome to The Reading Café.

Danilo: Good afternoon to the Reading cafe and all the readers, thanks for the invitation to do the interview. Hope my answers won’t be too boring 🙂

TRC: We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourself?

Follow Danilo: Facebook / Website-Andjus Images / Instagram

Danilo: My name is Danilo Andjus, I’m 25 years old and I am from Belgrade, Serbia, which you could say is my base, but because of my work I am mostly traveling around the world.

My main focus is on lifestyle photography for the istock by gettyimages company, but I’m still doing direct bookings in modeling which was my main job until about 3-4 years ago when I was traveling around and working for many different agencies around the globe. I can say I lead a very dynamic life filled with many adventures combining work and pleasure.

TRC: What were your dreams and aspirations growing up?

Danilo: Well I think, like most people, as a kid my dreams changed from day to day. :D:D But the first thing that comes to my mind was the dream of becoming a professional football player when I was about 7-8 years old, a dream I pursued until I was 17-18 years old. I suffered an injury than, and had to stop playing (professionally).

TRC: When not modeling what is your ‘day job’?

Danilo: My day job and everyday job is as a photographer

TRC: What first sparked your interest in modeling? Is there a defining moment where you knew that modeling was something you were interested in pursuing?

Danilo: To be honest I didn’t know much about modeling, and most of what I knew was basic stereotypical stuff that usually people who don’t know much think about modeling. I started modeling in a very spontaneous way, it was exactly in the period after I suffered that injury and couldn’t play football anymore. One day I was chilling with my cousin and she had to take some keys to her neighbors so I went with her to keep her company. Her neighbor turned out to be a famous and respected fashion stylist and designer. He saw a potential in me and started asking questions. In the beginning I was not so interested but after some encouragement from my friends and family I went with the flow and this stylist connected me with some agencies in my city which then after just a few days offered me contracts to go work around the world. Starting with China which I think is the main place for most of the ‘’modeling beginners’’, I began the journey of modeling. The rest is history hahah .

TRC: Have you ever had a photo shoot that went completely wrong?

Danilo: Well I think the one that definitely went wrong was when I was doing a shoot in Milan, and Milan is known to be full of very (really very) skinny models, but I was at the time, lets say, a bit ‘’stronger’’. I was already booked for this job where the client really liked me and while I was getting ready for the shoot, putting on clothes, the client was explaining to be careful with the clothes because they were very expensive and how even the buttons were special. In that exact moment, the button on the pants I was trying to fit in and were much smaller then my size, just popped out – BOOM – and hit the client in the head as my pants dropped. I was thinking in my head – Hmm okay Danilo, one job less, and maybe few burgers less next time, no stress. 😀

TRC: Nudity in modeling or acting can be controversial. Some pictures can cross the line between sexuality to pornography. What would you tell young models/actors /body builders just entering the business about nude modeling and photography?

Danilo: From my point of view I never had any ‘’dirty offers’’ for shootings, but it can happen that you are asked to shoot a campaign for some underwear that is maybe too transparent or too erotic, so my advise is, as I do it too, always ask for pictures of the clothes before the job so you can check for yourself whats it about. I did many underwear campaigns and I really never had any major problem.

Once, in Shanghai, China, my agent told me I was booked to shoot a campaign for pyjamas and I had to fly to another city for the job. Once I arrived, while I was waiting in the studio, I was looking at the clothes and saw some G-string underwear hanging there, so I told the stylist sorry but this will obviously take too long because I only see girls underwear here, which means the clothes I need to shoot didn’t even arrive yet. And he just answered: off course they arrived, it’s these ones and showed me the G-strings hanging there. 😀 😀

I was very pissed for the miscommunication between my agency and the client and in just one hour I was back on the plane to Shangai, since I, naturally, didn’t shoot the g-strings hahah

TRC: The modeling industry exposes you to many people and sometimes it can be very stressful. What do you do when the stress becomes overwhelming?

Danilo: Well I don’t think modeling specifically exposes you to many people.

Everyday life exposes you to many people. Its about how much each one of us wants to be exposed or not.

And the stress is very often there but mostly not because of people, but because of 5am call times for shootings, shootings for winter jackets on 40 degrees on some tropical island. Or the opposite: shooting swimwear on 10 degrees in the sea, flying every day to a different town, living out of your own suitcase and planes, and many other things.

TRC: At times, there has been a ‘stigma’ surrounding the male model and the romance-cover industry but the popularity of the romance storyline has skyrocketed in the last few years especially with the erotic and sensual cover images. What is your opinion about the recent popularity and the very busy industry of the ‘romance cover model’?

Danilo: I can see that in the past years the popularity grew very fast, but to be honest except me being on many covers I don’t have connections to any romance books nor I read them.
I read comic books,sci-fi and crime books 😀

TRC: What do you do to prepare yourself for a shoot?

Danilo: If you mean in the way of training what I do, i do not go to the gym (a lot). My main thing to keep in shape is that I play sports 5 times a week, football and basketball.

TRC: Do you know the number of novel covers that your image has appeared?

Danilo: I don’t remember to be honest 🙂

TRC: What is the most outrageous thing you have had to wear or do for a photo shoot?

Danilo: Hm lets say the most outrageous or just funny clothes was when I actually shot for a brand that makes work uniforms, so I was the post man, the milk man, the garbage man, the police man, the fire man, and the construction worker. And NO, it was not a pornographic shoot hahaha

TRC: Would you please tell us what you do to relax? Have fun?

Danilo: Well most of my free time I spend it with the most beautiful woman in the world who is also my girlfriend, and with friends and family, they are cool too. I have an older brother and a sister, Im the youngest. 🙂 I can definitely say when its all of us together its always a recipe for good fun.

We love to go to cinema, eat all kinds of different food, travel a lot, play mortal combat on ps4 😀 go clubbing in different places, pre-drinking on my balcony that becomes the main party many times etc etc

TRC: What three things would you like to accomplish in the next five years?

Danilo: hmm I’m really more then satisfied and happy, I have a beautiful family, girlfriend and friends, an amazing job that is growing day by day and that takes me around the world, so I can’t complain, nor say the exact 3 things I feel like accomplishing… everything is going on its good way I just need to ride along…maybe own a Ferrari would be nice though hahaha

TRC: What is something that few, if anybody, knows about you?

Danilo: That I am Batman shhhhh !

TRC: 😉

TRC: What do you believe is the biggest misconception about modeling ?

Danilo: There are many misconceptions about modeling which cause the usual stereotypes. People who don’t know anything about modeling, or the ones who consider Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton or god knows what Escort with million followers on social networks as examples of professional models… And then start asking questions like is there a lot of prostitution in your line of work? Escorts? Do they ask you to do this or that? Do you need to sleep with clients to get a job? And many similar questions… Also what is definitely very annoying is when i see silicon girls on social networks calling themselves ‘’MODELS”. Apples and oranges, people. It’s just a shame for all those hardworking models to be put in the same spot and compared to people mentioned above.

TRC: What type of music do you listen to? What songs are on your playlist today?

Danilo: I listen to hip hop, house music when I’m going out, and when I’m working, chilling or answering interviews I listen to jazz, blues and Brazilian music. 🙂

TRC: On what on your currently working?

Danilo: I am currently working on how to best enjoy my one month holiday! haha! I just arrived from Dubrovnik, Croatia where I’ve been with my girlfriend for a week and now I’m in my summer house in Sveti Stefan, Montenegro enjoying the summer. After Montenegro we’ll be going to Greece, so I can’t complain! 🙂

Jokes aside, new work plans are cooking for September when its gonna be very busy..

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

Danilo: I think I already spoke too much hahaha

LIGHTNING ROUND

Favorite Food: Sushi and mom’s Cous Cous ( actually all mom’s kitchen)

Favorite Dessert: Lindt chocolate, Brazilian dessert called Brigadeiro and beer of course haha

Guilty Pleasure: Ordering junk food at 2am, drinking liters of beer and playing ps4 with friends until birds don’t come out in the morning 😀 😀

Favorite Movie: Gladiator

Favorite TV Show: Breaking Bad, Black Mirror, Vikings,

Last Movie that you saw: The new Spiderman… not bad 🙂

Secret Celebrity Crush: my everyday crush Pamela… but not Anderson

Dark or Milk Chocolate: actually white chocolate 🙂

Do you have any pets? Yes I have two cats, Kosta and Tarzina and two dogs Raj and Luna, creyzeee everyday party haha

TRC: Thank you Dan for taking the time to answer our questions. Congratulations on all of your success and the amazing cover images. We wish you all the best and many more covers !!