Shayna Alexis is an internationally published pinup and glamour model. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA and spent her childhood and teenage years as an actress and print model in the Philadelphia area. After college (Tyler School of Art) Shayna continues to work as a print and commercial model in the Las Vegas area. Some of her print work has appeared in the pages of Pinup America Magazine (International Photo Contest Winner for January/February 2014 and March/April 2014), Vogue Italia Online and Maxim Online, to name a few. To date, Shayna has worked with countless photographers and has 200+ tears to her name including online and print publications.
Shayna currently resides in Las Vegas where she immerses herself in the fine arts community. She also has Celiac Disease (An auto-immune disease of the small intestine, making it extremely sensitive to foods such as; Gluten, Wheat, Barley, and Rye making digestion difficult) and continues to manage the complications of the disease through exercise, medicine, and a Gluten-free and Vegan diet. In addition to that, Shayna is an Animal Rights advocate and volunteers at local cat rescue organizations.
What does it mean to be a pinup and glamour model?
I love being a pinup and glamour model. It gives me the opportunity to express myself in a creative and unique way and it also has helped me defeat my shyness by meeting new people and visiting different places.
How do you get started with pinup modeling?
Well, I have been Pinup modeling for four years now! My first pinup shoot was with a highly celebrated pinup photographer in Philadelphia. What left me awestruck about the process of Pinup was the: costumes, creative process, preparation before and after the shoot (posing, the study of different decades, etc.,) and the hair and makeup transformation was amazing. I was hooked! So, I continued to shoot in that genre and soon after, I won Pinup America Magazines International pinup contest two times in a row (Jan/Feb 2014 and March/April 2014). Things proceeded from there and currently, I have 250+ publications to my name.
Do you have advice for girls who want to become a pinup model?
Absolutely! Be yourself. Never compare yourself to others. Find your niche. Be strong, determined and confident! Never give up. Do your homework!! Prepare by studying facial poses and famous pin-ups of decades gone by.
What’s your favorite modeling shot?
Have your piercings ever affected your work?
No, they have not. If I am doing a shoot that may require me to cover them or remove them, I do so. However, quickly after, I replace the piercings to prevent closing. By the way, I love the fact that so many fashion models are not covering the up. It’s fantastic!
Which piercings do you have and which one is your favorite?
Which piercing would you like to get next?
I’m getting more cartilage piercings on my right ear!
What is your goal for 2016?
My goals for 2016- stay focused, strong, healthy and positive! Continue this modeling adventure and see where it takes me. I have many exciting things coming up: shoots, a cover or 2, an appearance in a pinup coffee table book to name a few.
Thank you, Shayna, for this awesome interview! Do you want to see more of her then find her pin-up portfolio here, or ask her a question in the comments below!
Hello! My name is Emily and I obsessed with piercings (and tattoos) since I was a little girl of 6 years old. I was fortunate enough to make my passion my work after meeting my amazing husband Jeffrey who owned his own tattoo shop. I just recently finished my internships at some of America’s most famous piercing shops and a dream to start something together was born. After falling in love with each other (and each other’s piercings and tattoos) we decided to expand his tattoo shop and I got to manage my own piercing shop in the same space! I’ve never been so happy being able to share my love for piercings through my shop and this blog I started back in 2013. We love to share models and inspiration, so feel free to email me your suggestions, pictures or if you just want to say hi!