Hand modeling is big business. The models are featured in multi-million dollar ad campaigns, and their mitts are insured for large figures. They can see their hands on massive billboards and in TV commercials.
Alex Holder, part of the creative team of Oli+Alex, says he has always been intrigued by the people attached to these famous hands. "I’m an Advertising Creative, and after spending lots of time on sets with hand and feet models, I became fascinated with this strange industry. How did they become hand models? Were they ‘spotted’? Do they become affected by the job?" he says.
So, along with his creative partner Oli Kellett, the two set out to meet, interview, and photograph some of the world's hand models. The models' stories surprised them.
"Nina is a hand supermodel and is Kate Moss’s hand double — she moisturizes her hands about 30 times a day," said Holder. "One of the models had to be taken off the books for a year as they had a wart."
Oli+Alex shared more of the hand models' interviews with us, along with their portraits. You can see more cool stuff on their site.
Guilia: "I stand in for little boys hands, so if you see someone playing with a Power Ranger model on TV, it’s probably me."
Adnan: "I’m the only double-jointed, Middle Eastern hand model on my agency's books."
Nina: "I never thought I’d become a hand supermodel and that [my hands] would be insured for a seven-figure sum."
See the rest of the story at Business Insider