Interview with Heather Ford
Heather Ford is a 23-year old model residing in West Hollywood, California.
How would you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hi I’m Heather! I am a true original Southern California girl who grew up in Simi Valley, which is located in Ventura County. Most people don’t know what I’m talking about when I say Simi Valley because it is such a small city so I always add in the Ventura County! I absolutely love living in California and feel truly blessed to have grown up here. What is nice is that most of my family also lives here including my parents and grandparents. I am extremely close with my family and I consider my mom to be my best friend.
I am a huge outdoorsy kind of girl. I love horseback riding, dirt bike riding, camping, going to the beach, hiking, snowboarding, and going boating on the lake. In addition to modeling, I also have my Bachelors Degree in Communication and I have worked as a Healthcare Consultant for the past four years.
When, how and why did you first get involved in the modeling industry?
I have always loved being in front of the camera ever since I was very little. It was hard for me though because I don’t have parents that participated in the “arts” so they never really supported my dreams of becoming a professional model and actress.
I started putting myself out there right when I turned 18 and I’ve had a few ups and downs because of going to college and working, but I have been doing more acting and modeling work recently and have been the happiest I have ever been!
What are your personal and professional goals? Where do you see yourself in five to ten years?
My ultimate goal is to be a successful working actor. I don’t need or want all the fame, I just want to be working! I appreciate every work opportunity I get.
How often are you modeling and what does it usually consist of?
I am modeling at least a few times a week. My schedule has never been busier. It is true that when you put your all into whatever you want to do, you get much more opportunities.
I do several catalog photo-shoots for clothing companies, and I do a lot of acting, which is my main passion.
Sometimes I will do photo-shoots with photographers just to update their portfolios and I also just recently participated in walking in my first fashion show for a charity event, which was so nerve-wracking!
Please tell us about the best and/or worst experiences you’ve had so far in modeling.
Luckily, all of my shoots have been absolutely amazing. I have worked with some awesome photographers who have made me always feel completely comfortable and they do what they say they will.
Have you had anything funny, embarrassing or completely out of the ordinary happen during your modeling career?
I was shooting on the beach with one of my favorite photographers and I kept noticing these two boys kept walking by. The eventually got very close to where they could hear what my photographer was saying. So my photographer decided to play a joke and started saying things like “Let’s do this Heather. You know what Playboy wants. Give me the sexy Playmate stuff we need and so…” So these boys immediately thought I was a Playmate and I just went with it being as I was doing an implied topless pose at the moment anyways. They all wanted to take a picture with me and were asking what month I was. I just laughed and it completely made my day.
I love when my photographers crack and make jokes and make shooting so much fun!
Is there anything you would change about the modeling industry if you could?
I would change the body image part of modeling. I have always worried about my body and whether or not it was good enough. Now that I have grown up a bit from when I first started modeling, I embrace my body now and that’s why I’ve gotten so into fitness. I don’t like being extremely skinny and I absolutely love my muscle tone and curves.
Do you practice any sports and what do you typically eat? Please elaborate on the importance of nutrition and exercise in your life.
I am a big fitness enthusiast! I love love love working out! I go to the gym and lift weights 6 times a week. I also love doing yoga, it is one of the only things that actually can completely relax me.
I am part of a professional fitness team called Team Edge, and we are bikini competitors for NPC. We live a very disciplined lifestyle and follow a strict meal plan and workout plan. It’s very hard, and not for the faint of hearts, but I absolutely love it! And I love the fact that you can actually see my abs.
Please share something people don’t know about you.
Something that most people would never know about me is that I am a huge worrier. In fact, I worry about worrying too much!
People would never guess this about me because I always try to be positive and upbeat about everything and I try to live in the Now, but in reality I am always thinking about what could happen in the next month or two.
Would you change anything about yourself (physical or otherwise) if you could?
If I could change anything about myself, I would change the fact that I am terrified to take risks in life.
I know that the best things come out of leaving your comfort zone, but it is so hard for me to do that sometimes. I wish that I had the courage to take more risks. I am working on it every day!
What is your guilty pleasure?
My guilty pleasure is eating sweets! Oh man! If I could eat sweets all day, everyday, I totally would. I think I am a fat kid at heart, because if I started listing off all of my favorite foods, you would think I’m 400lbs.
I absolutely love frozen yogurt, ice cream, donuts, chocolate, cinnamon rolls, pancakes, french toast, and the list goes on and on and on.
It’s very hard for me sometimes to be so disciplined with my diet because I am not supposed to have any sugar at all. Sometimes I do have to cheat in order to keep my sanity!