Shawn Taguas credits a picture posted on Instagram with starting his modeling career. The 20-year-old Kauai native moved from Hanamaulu to Oahu about a year ago. Shortly after his move, Taguas posted a picture with his friend, Kimo Azares, with
Shawn Taguas credits a picture posted on Instagram with starting his modeling career.
The 20-year-old Kauai native moved from Hanamaulu to Oahu about a year ago. Shortly after his move, Taguas posted a picture with his friend, Kimo Azares, with the caption “No straight, no chase?” on Instagram.
The picture caught the attention of a modeling agent, who asked Taguas about his modeling plans.
“He asked me if I ever considered being a model, and I said ‘No,’” Taguas said.
But after a couple conversations, Taguas became interested. He did his first photo shoot, for a calendar, a few months later.
“It’s fun,” Taguas said. “You can do anything if you love it, and if you love it, you should stick with it.”
Taguas, who has walked in fashion shows for ManaOla and modeled for Lavish Life Hawaii and Hawaii’s Men Calendar, said there are times when the modeling sessions can get uncomfortable.
“It’s awkward when you have to go on a shoot in a public place, like a beach, and there’s a lot of camera equipment around,” he said. “Then people walk past you, staring at you, while you’re wearing Speedo.”
He also said some of the positions photographers put models in aren’t comfortable.
“They’re awkward poses, but they look good in photographs,” he said.
This year, Taguas is a contestant in the model search competition, Top Model Hawaii.
“I saw a post on Facebook, and I thought it looked interesting, so I filled out an application and they contacted me,” Taguas said.
The competition, which will be held Feb. 12 at the Koolau Ballrooms on Oahu, pits 11 women and eight men against each other to win the chance to represent the United States in London at the Top Model Worldwide Finale in April.
Competing in the search gives him the chance to see the world, Taguas said.
“I’ve never been out of the country,” he said.
All contestants will compete in three stages: swimwear, casual wear and formal attire. They will be judged on their overall “abilities as a model” and “their ability to sell on the runway,” according to a press release.
“I’ve done fashion shows, but this one is bigger,” Taguas said.
Taguas plans to prepare for the competition by practicing the catwalk and posing.
“Posing is important, and working on it is an art,” he said.
When Taguas isn’t modeling, he’s working at Duke’s Waikiki, a restaurant on Waikiki Beach.
His typical shift is from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., and he’ll take off days to attend modeling events.
A typical day for Taguas includes cooking and going to the gym.
“Then the whole cycle repeats,” Taguas said.
But amid a busy life on Oahu, Taguas can’t help but miss Kauai.
“The beaches on Kauai are better than on Oahu,” he said.
