PASSION FOR FITNESS

Well first off, thanks so much for the support and request to do this interview! I was born in Aspen Colorado in 1985, but 6 months later moved to the East Coast and spent the next 13 years living in Delaware.

I've spent the past 10 years now in Colorado Springs because about 90% of my family lives between Colorado Springs and Denver.

Although my last name is Dutch, I'm mainly German with some Italian.. As far as personal interests, I started martial arts when I was 8 years old and practiced up until about 16. This was the starting point and foundation that began my passion for fitness and being in the best possible shape I can be in. It was at 16 that  I got my membership to 24hr Fitness and then on began my addiction to working out :)

MENTAL PREP FOR SHOOTS

I've had a strong interest in modeling ever since I was about 14 and a Freshmen in High School, I actually sent my sophomore school picture in an envelope to Abercrombie's marketing department lol. Needless to say I didn't get a callback :) My first modeling portfolio was made up of 4 snapshot I took of myself with a digital camera and put up on onemodelplace.com.  I did my first shoot when I was 19 with a traveling photographer from Nashville. He messaged me on OMP and we met in Monument, CO about 20 mins from where I live.

The shoot was exciting but awkward as I was unsure of how to look or act, but the pictures came out fine and now I had a platform to build from! The more that I shoot now, the more I mentally prep for the shoot. I try to really get in to the role or the look that I'm portraying mentally, but it also varies depending on the photographer I'm working with. When I'm looking into the camera I feel like I'm looking into my future :)

AN ADVENTURE

I face the modeling world as an adventure, it has so much to offer I just want to make my mark and excel where I fit the best. Being 5' 9.5" I'm a commercial model by nature but the sky's the limit. I've always been told that if you're not 6'0" you can't be an Abercrombie model... I proved that theory wrong! :) The best thing about modeling for me has been really being able to enjoy my body in a confident but not cocky way.

Modeling has made me very aware of how I carry myself, which helps in every aspect of life even outside the modeling world. HIGH POINT BRUCE WEBER SHOOT I'm only 23 and I feel like my modeling career is still taking off. Definitely the high point has been shooting with Bruce Weber for the Abercrombie & Fitch Campaign , but there are hundreds of designers and campaigns I'd love to be a part of.

Several of the clients I'd like to work for Weber also shoots, so I'm definitely hoping to work with him again! Calvin Klein and GQ to start but I'd also like to really get into some fashion campaigns where I really have to dig deep and get out of my stereotypical "All American, A&F" look :)

I was actually in Vegas with some friends, when I got the call  that I got the job and less than a week after I get back from Vegas I needed to be on a plane

 I saw Bruce Weber for the first time when we all went out for the first meet and greet. Everything was catered plus we got per diem money,  Not to mention the check in the mail. It was an experience to say the least, and actually not everyone got to shoot 1v1 with Weber so when I got picked I was SO excited. I remember looking into his camera just thinking about how many celebrities were launched by the man behind the camera and through the same camera that was on me now!

HARD TO CATEGORIZE

It just depends on my mood and where I'm headed, I've fit the A&F, Dr Martens look for a while, but lately I've really enjoyed the graphic shirts, thermals, and buttonups from brands like Affliction, Filter, and Manchester.

At the gym my favorite right now is probably 2xist, but I also love to wear a suit so I'm pretty hard to put in just one category and I try to keep it like that :)

STAY TUNED

I'd just like to say thanks so much to everyone, for your interest and support! Definitely stay tuned, I have a lot of work to do!! As far as the future, my next step is to go to LA this month and meet with a few agencies
Info contact: http://myspace.com/paulvandervort
Some pics by: Bruce Weber
http://bruceweber.com
and Brian Sloane
http://www.myspace.com/portfolio_photographer

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