At the age of 14 Jade Isobel May-Lou went to her first photoshoot.

Apprehensive at first, a year later she was already modelling for one of the biggest brands in the world.

In the few years since the Cardiff raised model has modelled across the world, partied with A-list celebrities and become a social media influencer.

Jade Isobel has revealed what life is really like as a model in LA

Now contemplating a move back to Wales, 21-year-old Jade has revealed what it’s really like working as a top model in a highly competitive industry, the pressures of social media, the often bizarre world of LA and what she misses from home.

Speaking from LA, Jade said: “As much as LA is fantastic and the opportunities are almost endless here, it’s not Wales - and it’s lacking that bit of poetry and Welsh love that we all have.

“The more time I spend away, the more I appreciate it from the outside and when I go back it’s like a breath of air, I can relax and be myself again.

“There's a lot of castings, a lot of waiting around. It can be quite stressful as well, I don’t know who will be booking me next. It’s not like a nine to five job.”

It all began for Jade when her mum sent her to a photoshoot at the age of 14.

Unsure if modelling was even for her, she quickly fell in love with the work, was snapped up by an agency and was modelling for Jimmy Choo a year later.

After time in Paris and Milan, Jade was offered Australia or LA - and ending up choosing the latter as she's scared of spiders.

Despite living away from home for years, Jade still has a hint of her Welsh twang as she recalls her "eventful" life as a model.

Photoshoots last for around eight hours

And being a model in LA, Jade has her fair share of exactly the type of stories you’d imagine.

Jade said: “There’s a lot that goes on there that people couldn’t even imagine. I turned up once to this huge house in Beverly Hills and there were models everywhere and actors - and then just a bunch of chickens and animals running around.

“The guy who owned the house said ‘I hired a farm for the evening’.

“They were just chasing the girls around who were in heels and dresses and there were pigs running around - it was very strange.”

Jade started out at the age of 14

Despite the A-list parties, Jade said she’s managed to stay grounded - all thanks to some advice handed down from her grandparents.

Jade said: “One time I did see Leonardo Di Caprio, and I was just like ‘is that him?’ and these girls that were with me ran to him and I was just like ‘okay’. I didn’t really care.

“What kept me grounded is that, I was raised by my grandparents, and I always ask myself, what would my grandma approve of? Because if she wouldn’t approve of what I’m doing then I shouldn’t be doing it.”

A young Jade before her career took off

Guided by her grandmother’s advice, Jade has seen how it could quickly go the other way.

With the pressures of social media growing and growing, Jade said some girls are quick to please others without looking after themselves.

Jade said: “In general I would say in LA people are pretending to be someone that they’re not, in order to please people they don’t know.

“It’s sad because I see girls taking pictures of themselves, in a bikini showing everything, and I know all these girls are doing is trying to please Instagram or trying to please the guys out there. But they could be the most amazing nerds into sci-fi, but they can’t that post because they feel like it’s not cool enough - and that’s sad.”

Undoubtedly full of glitz and glam, life as a model can also have a much darker side.

“I did see that there were dangerous paths where I could have gone down, and maybe some where maybe I would lose all my Welshness and I just thought I can’t do this.

“So I have actually sacrificed potentially a lot of work and finance for that, but I do think that was the best option because it’s always going to keep me as myself.

“I don’t really want to change who I am just because of money and fame.”

Some of Jade's work for Kylie Cosmetics

After around three years of life in LA and despite speaking the same language, Jade said one of the biggest differences is the sense of humour.

Not only that, but the model often has to explain what and where Wales even is.

Jade said: “We have a very different sense of humour. Sometimes I have to be so careful with what I say in case I offend someone.

“Back home in Wales everyone would be on the floor dying of laughter - so it’s a balance there.

“[And] some people are like ‘oh my god where are you from?’ So I’ll say ‘I’m from Cardiff in Wales.’

“‘Wales, is that like that Norway?’

“Then they say ‘Is it like London?’ and I’m like it’s very different, very different.

“Then I show them a map and there like ‘no, that’s like part of England.’

“I’m like okay if you want to argue, my Welsh blood is boiling so I’m going to walk away.”

Jade travelling on a private jet

More than anything, Jade said she misses the people of Wales most.

Although she admits she does get on well with fellow models, Jade said finding other people who share the same Welsh outlook on life are harder to come by.

Jade visits Cardiff around two to three times a year, and is contemplating a longer-term move back.

She said: “It’s the people I miss most. I love going home and just going on a night out with my step-brother and just meeting people and going on a pub crawl.

“I just miss that community of funny people.”

On average Jade will go to on average five castings and two to three photoshoots and two to three photoshoots a week.

The rest of the time is spent looking after her dog Jack, who has his own Instagram account and is named after the Torchwood character Jack Harkness, and keeping her social media up to date.

Jade at the Torchwood shrine in Cardiff Bay

And in the last three years, having a good social media presence can mean the difference between getting a job or not.

Jade said: “I’d say the social media aspect of my job is the most stressful, just because my clients and agency look at my growth and how many people have followed me in the last week, which posts are doing the most with insights and things like that.

“It’s not like I’m contracted to post everyday, but they recommended to post every 12 or 24 hours.

“A lot of clients will book you based on how many followers you have and how many likes you get.

“I lost a job to a girl who had about 300,000 followers. The client said it wasn’t personal, it was just due to the fact she had more followers and I was just like ‘okay’.

“That was tough because I can’t control that really.”

Jade with her dog Jack

Every two or three months Jade will sit down with her agency and look over her Instagram performance, analysing how many people saw and reacted to her posts.

Jade said: “I do get tired sometimes, because you have to please a little bit of everyone because my clients aren’t all one fixed look.

“I quite often work with Ugg and I know they want me to portray their shoes as very classy and easy-going and at the same time I’ve worked with Kylie Cosmetics which is more flashy.

“So I have to post a little bit of everything without upsetting anyone.”

Although Jade’s Instagram page is full of images shot in beautiful locations for high-end brands, she does share her more personal interest.

Describing how she’s a massive fan of Doctor Who, Jade shows off her David Tennant sonic screwdriver kept on her desk.

Jade with her sonic screwdriver

Jade said: “I did hide it in the beginning because people thought it was silly and childish, but it is who I am.

“I think if people are going to love me for my Doctor Who and torchwood and Gavin and Stacey craziness, they’re just going to have to put up with it. In some aspects I’m definitely not just a model.

“I understand that social media is very one dimensional and people do only see photos.”

A self-described social media influencer, Jade laughs when asked exactly what that means.

Jade said she is on an app for models and Instagram influencers where they can go to events and get some things for free, and then post about it with their review.

“But obviously being Welsh I’m so honest”, Jade said.

Although social media may be a relatively new pressure to the life of a model, being slim isn’t, and is often a criticism levelled at the industry.

Jade said she does keep fit, but doesn’t feel too much pressure to be skinny.

Jade at home in the capital

She said: “When I was in Paris and Milan it was definitely more cut throat there. I was about 10 lbs lighter then.

“LA is a lot more relaxed about your measurements. While I do stay fit here I’m not starving myself.

“I have got to stay within my measurements but they expect it because the clients always look and say ‘okay well is she the same size as two months ago’.

“But they don’t tell me what to eat or what size to be.”

Now Jade is considering moving back to Wales for a longer period to focus more on working in TV and film.

She jokes: “Modelling is a very short term career - one wrinkle and I’m out.”