Friendship is the new black

MANILA, Philippines - How photographer BJ Pascual found his muse in college friend Tini Dahl, a half-Norwegian, half-Filipino model.

Fashion can be a bitch. In the throes of momentum and stumbling upon what young creatives these days call a highly coveted “break,” it can grant even the most caviar-worthy of wishes and then, through some force of nature (or nurture), crush even the most Herculean of dreams. When all eyes are on you, constantly, dogging your every move, judging your character and output as though you are only ever as good as your last (no matter what you’ve sown), it is important that you keep your game up, your head high, and your passion even higher. After all, fashion is a dog-eat-dog world.

It is for this reason that creatives who do work in fashion, or any related field for that matter, possess a survival instinct to seek out an ally — a kindred spirit from among a sea of leviathans (or more vicious still, leviathans hidden behind patent scales, botoxed foreheads, and veneered smiles). They hold on and protect this person, no matter what. It is why the saying exists — that you get by with a little help from your friends; and not the fiends who might eventually trip you over.

A relationship that does thrive on this idea of protection, projection, and loving reciprocity between two kindred spirits is that of an artist and his or her muse — Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick, Woody Allen and Diane Keaton, Igor Stravinsky and Coco Chanel. But while these two 20-somethings, who we turn the spotlight on at the moment, have miles to go to get to the level of legen—wait for it— dary, they are certainly working their way, one shoot at a time. Meet young fashion photographer BJ Pascual and his muse, half-Norwegian, half-Filipino model-about-town Tini Dahl.

Young STAR: So how long have you guys been friends?

BJ Pascual: Oh shoot, I forget.

Tini Dahl: Five years. (Laughs) We met through my sister Lala. And Lala and BJ met through MySpace.

BJ: H&M did a collaboration with Comme des Garçons that time and I couldn’t go to Hong Kong or afford to have them shipped. Lala and I weren’t close but I messaged her on MySpace if she could buy me some stuff. We hadn’t even met yet. (Laughs)

How’d you guys get your first break as a dynamic duo?

BJ: The first shoot we did was for Look. It was a working girl feature. It was a normal girl portrait.

Tini: That was the first time I went in front of the camera. And then, (stylist) Miguel (Urbina Tan) wanted to use me for a test shoot. He was also starting out as a stylist. It was comfortable – no stress. It turned out really nice.

BJ: At that time, the makeup artist was (model) Fatima (Rabago) and she was like, “Wow!” And then we did headshots for fun, my driver was doing her hair, we were all really happy with the photos. I posted them on Instagram. And five minutes later, Tim (Yap) texted me and asked, “Who is this girl? Let’s put her on Supreme!” Now, she’s the face!

For an admitted awkward girl, how does it feel being dubbed by Supreme as “The Face?”

Tini: They asked me questions and by this time, I’d only been in front of the camera twice. Questions like, “How does it feel to be the next big thing?” And I was like, “What?” (Laughs). I was so overwhelmed. 

How did the Bayo billboard happen? That’s major!

Tini: BJ showed Shao (Trinidad) from Elite Model Management Manila the pictures we took.

BJ: I actually showed all the agencies her photos and they were all interested.

Tini: I was so overwhelmed. I was like, “BJ, what do I do? What do I say? What do I wear? I don’t know how to walk!” And then Shao and I met, and she called me saying that she had a client who really wanted me. She asked if I could come to a casting. But then they had already booked me.

BJ: And they booked me for that shoot way in advance. I had no idea I was shooting her!

How does teamwork play into the picture? You have this top photographer and this up-and-coming model who now has a billboard?

BJ: Her billboard actually came before her editorial. (Laughs)

Tini: So important! Nothing would’ve happened without BJ. And BJ is the kind of person who will help his friends if he can. And I think more importantly, he saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself. I never, ever would’ve considered modeling if not for him, and definitely Miguel. And they said the fact that I haven’t done modeling before is working in my favor because I’m not thinking so much.

BJ: Teamwork also in the context of the actual shoot. Whenever we shoot, even during our first shoot with Miguel, she would always check the camera and see what she can do better. And that’s what I like about her too.

Tini: I think I can just really sense what BJ’s after.

BJ: Sometimes, I’m just about to say something and she’s already done it.

But there has to be so much pressure on you, as a photographer, to make someone your muse. What if it doesn’t work out?

BJ: I think most of the credit will really go to Miguel on this one. He was really the one who pushed for me to shoot Tini. I was skeptical at first. I had doubts. But when we did our first real shoot, I thought, “Okay, she has it!” The pressure for me is not the girl making “It.” It’s us having better and better shoots. I always want our next shoot to be better than the last! I actually don’t know how we’re going to top our last one.