Ange: Smoking Cigarettes for the First Time. A New Documentary Series!

A few months ago I (once again) placed a casting call on some modelling websites seeking models who would be interested in learning how to smoke cigarettes.

Angelina (23 years old) aptly replied and we embarked on a sequence of shoots to capture her first-time smoking experience. This new documentary series is the culmination of that work (spoiler alert: Ange becomes addicted and starts smoking regularly!)

In this clip Ange learns the basics of smoking; how to use a lighter, how to place the cigarette in her lips, how to hold a cigarette comfortably, how to flick the ashes and importantly how to inhale!

Originally from the Ukraine Ange is now living and working in London. She’s been around smokers and smoking for most of her life as smoking is still common – and indeed on the rise – in many Eastern European countries. Subsequently, she wanted to at least sample cigarettes at least once; and with an open mind to trying them several times if she enjoyed the sensation smoking offers.

This first segment (which is comprised of a few separate shoots over the course of a few months) seeks to chronicle her progress from first cigarette to regular smoker.

Like most first time smokers, Ange isn’t comfortable with a cigarette. It’s apparent that she’s a smoking newbie; she appears awkward holding and de-ashing her cigarettes and experiences difficulty inhaling even small volumes of smoke. Our shoot lasted for approximately 90 minutes and I encouraged Ange to sample three cigarettes during that time. Her progress – even during this short period – is obvious as she becomes more accustomed to inhaling smoke and holding her cigarette in a relaxed and natural fashion.

Ange, like many girls considers smoking to be alluring which is one of the reasons she wanted to try cigarettes. So this documentary focusses on full on-topic dialogue about smoking. We discuss the allure of smoking cigarettes, what it’s like to feel the smoke in your lungs as well as Ange’s impression of smoking for the first time.

In our final scene I ask Ange if she’d be tempted to try cigarettes again after our shoot. She responds with an inconclusive answer. But a couple of weeks later we’re back again for a second shoot and she reveals she’d smoked some of the cigarettes I left with her after our first meeting! So watch out for part 2 of this new documentary series.