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| Photo by Chase Lisbon |
22 year old Ryonen may work as an assistant a local independent bookstore but she's no wallflower. Ryonen was recently signed to modelling agency local to Portland, Oregon. My first introduction to Ryonen was when I saw her set on Supercult shot by Chase Lisbon. Ryonen has a distinct look and reminds me of some kind of whimsical nymphet.
Who is Ryonen?
"A girl. Just some girl who like to play make-believe and is really good at getting others to play along…"
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| © Reto / Splice Pictures |
Ryonen certainly isn't just a pretty face. Ryonen is currently a senior college student, studying Micro/Molecular Biology and Spanish and she also has a general Associate’s Degree from a community college. And there's nothing sexier than a smart girl!
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| © Brandon Witzel |
Whatwas growing up like for you?
"It was difficult. Public school was a trial. I was the kid who knew everyone and had lots of “friends” but never really fit in anywhere specific and so had no real close friends. I was a social outcast and drifted between groups of people. I was, and still am, a nerd."
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| © Brandon Witzel |
Do you see yourself as model?
"For the most part, no. But sometimes, yes. It’s weird thinking about, even weirder talking about. I worry that I will sound like I’m super full of myself when the truth is that I don’t have that much confidence. I just do what I love. I feel like a different person when I am working with a photographer and a camera."
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| © Doug Hoeschler |
When did you become involved in modeling and what do you love about it?
"I have been doing this since June of 2010—so only a little over a year now. I began doing my own photography. I wanted to branch out into taking portraits because I love the human form and faces, but I had no one to model for me. So I began taking photographs of myself and posting those online on my art pages, and they kind of gained some strange sort of following. Then other photographers started asking me to model for them. It took several months of making plans to shoot and then cancelling or never responding out of fear before I finally just made myself jump in. Like I said, I have a serious lack of confidence. But now I shoot regularly, and get all sorts of work. I love meeting new people and networking, although I am still as awkward and socially retarded as I have ever been. Of course I always love seeing the completed images. It’s like opening gifts at Christmas."
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| © Brandon Witzel |
How does modeling affect your relationships with men?
The good, the bad, the ugly?
"This sounds like a loaded question. Honestly, it’s not as bad as some people might think it would be. I have always had guy friends and no girl friends… I’ve been privy to more “male” conversations than any girl should be allowed to be. I’ve always had a pretty casual, fun relationship with the males who are in my life, and it hasn’t really changed. I try not to see people as being male or female genders—biological sex put aside for a moment—but rather as all equals."
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| © Rich Burroughs |
Where do you draw your inspiration in life?
"Honorable, honest, beautiful people. Free spirits that I meet… the ones who spend a day or even just an hour talking to you about everything beautiful in life and how they experience everything to the extreme—and then they are gone, on to the next thing. I sometimes wish I could be like that. But there’s too much science in my brain. I am a crazy weird balance of the free and artistic and the logical and regimented."
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| © Michael J Demeo |
What do you admire most in other women?
"Confidence. I love any woman who is comfortable in her own body and will show it off, moves with confidence, loves herself. I think all humans are beautiful in their own way, and women especially so. I like seeing unconventional beauties. A woman who you may look at and most people would judge and call her fat or ugly or a dog or what-have-you. When a woman such as this is comfortable and confident about her own body, I melt with happiness and admiration."
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| © Rich Burroughs |
Who are some of the women you admire most?
"No one comes to mind. Generally I admire men. They just have different sorts of minds that I more often identify with. I adore my favorite author, Steven Brust, for example. Most often it is authors. When I read I feel like I am inside the mind of the author… in the world they have created. And they are into nerdy, sci-fi/fantasy stuff like I am: assassins and elves and sorcery and thievery and dragons and necromancers and all sort of other wonderfully dweeby things. Girls are great too, though… I would probably have to say Olivia Wilde. I don’t know that much about her personality, but I would totally bone her if I got the chance."
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| © Brandon Witzel |
What are the qualities you look for most in friends and lovers?
"Honesty and effective communication; respectful, respectable, and gracious; someone who despises gossip and backstabbing as much as I do. Everything else is fairly secondary to these things."
Are you a fashion brands girl or do you just wear what you like or what’s comfortable?
"Both… I try not to wear brands in order to flaunt them. But I am a huge believer in quality items, and that with price often comes quality. I also will not wear anything that I do not like or that is not comfortable, regardless of if it is a brand that I like or a style that is popular. My favorite outfits are jeans and black tee-shirts, or dresses. But I am a Free People addict."
Who would you say is your style icon?
"Free People! I’ve always liked the bohemian and tribal-inspired looks."
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| © Brandon Witzel |
Aspirations?
"Too many to count. I just want to be a well-rounded [as far as personality and skills, haha girl that has lots of experience under her belt. I want to be a Renaissance Woman, dabbling in everything."
What would you like to do in the future?
"Finish school, work in a laboratory, travel, go to school more, model more… Hopefully live comfortably. Do things that I love to do."
What's your take on life and what advice would give any of your fans?
"It goes on. Do what you enjoy. Avoid having expectations, and life will be lovely and never disappoint you. If it does, find solace in the fact that in only a short while you’ll be dead and nothing will matter. (I’m sorry; I’ve been told I have very depressing philosophies. I fancy myself a realist.)"
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| © Rich Burroughs |
What would you like to do in the future?
"Finish school, work in a laboratory, travel, go to school more, model more… Hopefully live comfortably. Do things that I love to do."
Lurk Ryonen here:
