tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25987064935773218582024-03-13T02:45:33.373+00:00Model BitchThe skinny on internet modeling: resources, tips and rants, from Model Bitch.ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-30095902931074033802011-09-09T19:50:00.002+01:002011-09-09T19:53:54.893+01:00SwansongAs some of you may have noticed, I haven't posted in a while...I know a swansong is meant to come before the death and not after, but I just logged into my twitter and hotmail and had so many lovely messages that I felt that I should really put something on here.<br />
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You guys rock. There's a chance that a friend may be taking this over and will be the new Model Bitch, but this is my last post. I wish most of you well - the ones that give a fuck, and want to produce things of beauty (or at least intended ugliness, something that expresses what you are, or what you feel, or something about the human condition). To the rest of you - it's so tempting at this point to make a 'do not recommend' list and leave it at that...I think I can resist that temptation, but you're not really fooling anybody, and models talk. <br />
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I loved writing this blog. I loved modelling and the entire world of it. I loved people reading this and sending me messages - whether they agreed or not. While I thought I might have been jaded or cynical towards the industry when I started, I did want to affect some small change and educate people (entertain them too). I didn't stop writing because I ran out of things to say, but rather because I didn't really want to say them any more - the people that read this blog, that were gracious enough to add it to their facebook, to tweet it and tell other people to read it, you already 'got it', and thank you so much for your support - I'm staggered that it got so much, and that there are still hundreds of people a day visiting Model Bitch. Unfortunately, the people that don't get it are getting more and more prevalent on modeling sites as popular and decent photographers and models either move away from them to other mediums, or just stop altogether. It's sad to see our little communities falling apart, and there isn't a single thing that is contributing to it, and I'm not bitch enough to think I have all the answers. I don't want to write for those people - there's no point. I'd love to change their views, I'd love them to just get the fuck out of an industry/hobby that I adore, but that's not going to happen. I get my inspiration from forums, from newbies asking questions and from general curiosity and, I'll admit, absurdity - there's less and less of this around. I do hope it's just a temporary blip, and something even better will rise out of the ashes in a new form. And I believe it will.<br />
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As for other adventures, I'm looking at cameras on eBay as I type this...ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-53690438007724618392011-06-16T21:03:00.000+01:002011-06-16T21:03:54.463+01:00The best piece of modeling business advice you'll read here.Ok, I lied, there are 2 pieces of information. 2 for the price of 1, because I've been slacking.<br />
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<strong>1) Get a notebook</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.morguefile.com/data/imageData/public/files/c/cohdra/preview/fldr_2008_11_08/file000894915427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://www.morguefile.com/data/imageData/public/files/c/cohdra/preview/fldr_2008_11_08/file000894915427.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't mean open a new .doc on your laptop, or find the back of a receipt somewhere to take notes - I mean go out and buy a fucking notebook. With pages. Make sure it's portable (i.e. it's not massive or ridiculous) and make sure you like it - it's your new best friend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You're going to write in everything you earn, and everything you spend modeling. You're going to have your rates in the front of it and your levels. You're not only going to use it to help you figure out profit, help you with your taxes and keep track of your life - it'll help you figure out whether or not your modeling is a reasonable business to take full-time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Profit: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one's fairly easy. Just write in what you get paid per job, and what you spend per job (travel, props, accomodation etc.). The amazing thing about modeling is, while you can make a good amount of money, it's also very easy to piss away money without realising it. A lot of models I know are broke, despite working a lot and charging a lot. Also write in 'extravagent' purchases (define that as anything you buy at your day rate or more). Just keep track of your money. You can never have enough, and more often than not you won't have any when you really need it if you don't keep an eye on it. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Taxes:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would advise keeping this stuff in a spreadsheet, but it's always good to have a back up because computers fuck up. If you have every job and all your expenses in hard format too, it just means that you're not going to be crying and smacking your head against a wall come s-a time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Life<br />
Modeling can take over your life - I'm sure regular readers will have read enough from ex-models to understand that. If your notebook is filled with ££££ and stuff you need to bring, that isn't necessarily a good thing. Schedule time out, remember to see your family and friends and non-modeling people. Remember to set days aside to have time to yourself, just to do whatever you like doing. Don't let modeling take things from you that you're not willing to give. <br />
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Viability<br />
So...you have lots of interest, lots of shoots and you hate your day job. Or you're a student and the idea of working full-time for someone else doesn't appeal. Or you just want to be a model. Well, sit down and work it out. <br />
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To earn £20,000pa (pre-tax) you need to be making £384.62 a week. That's in a normal job. Lets assume that we can write off the 2 weeks around Christmas/New Year, because you're not going to be working, so make that £400 (a nice round number). Lets assume you're a fairly experienced and good model, and you're charging £200 full day and about £120 half day, or £35 per hour. That sounds fairly awesome - you only need to either work 2 full days per week, or you need to do 3(ish) half days. But that's every single week - no holidays, no sickness, no 'off' weeks where you can't be bothered to hustle work. Assume you can do 1 studio day per month (reasonably, if you travel), so that's 7 more shoots a month to keep afloat on a fairly average salary. If you already have all of your weekends booked out, or you have regular bookings via sites etc, you could be in business.<br />
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But then you want to look at the current spend - what percentage of a job do you spend on travel? How much will you need to travel? How much business do you reasonably have in your area before all the photographers that were interested in shooting you have already shot you? These are issues that you don't need to consider in a 'normal' job, but something you seriously need to think about in modeling. If you're travelling a lot and spending about £50 per shoot on travel, that's 25% of your earnings. How are you going to make that up? That could end up costing you £5,000 per year! It's not sounding quite as easy now... you'll need to work more, but that'll possibly mean more travel, more expenses. Figure out your plan - will you tour regularly? Will you scout awesome locations locally? Can you shoot at home, and is that something photographers will want? Will you change your look regularly to get past photographers interested again? What's your USP and skill-set? <br />
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That's really simple shit, but it's something that some models just don't seem to think about when they decide to go full-time. They think shit like 'is my portfolio good enough' or 'have I done enough tfp', which is absolutely irrelevant. You could have the best portfolio in the world, but if you don't handle your money you'll be broke, so you'll need another job, and bye-bye full-time model. This is a way of thinking. It's a way of life. <br />
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<strong>2) Sort out your money</strong><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.morguefile.com/data/imageData/public/files/d/deegolden/preview/fldr_2011_03_13/file2651300054070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://www.morguefile.com/data/imageData/public/files/d/deegolden/preview/fldr_2011_03_13/file2651300054070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Yes, its a dollar. Get over it.<br />
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Keeping track of it is part of it, and knowing what you need to earn and setting targets for yourself (eg. I'll get 4 more shoots next month, I need to create relationships with 2 new studios this month for more studio days, I need to get in touch with x number of photographers etc etc.) Treat it like a business!<br />
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There's also the tedious crap that is taxation, and needing emergency money. <br />
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Taxes:<br />
Take 20% of every job. Put it in a savings account. Each and every job you do. Don't just leave it in a jar somewhere - actually open a special account for this and put it there. That way, when tax time comes, you can just pay your taxes and forget about them. No pain, no monthly payments...just done. (Remember though, if you're earning more, you'll need to pay more!) <br />
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Emergency money:<br />
You need to get your car MOTed, the pipe's burst and you need to replace a shitload of stuff in your flat, you need to move, you're having a slow month, whatever. Savings are key to a sound mind - it's good to have a buffer before 'fuck I'm homeless'. The bigger, the better. Put 10% of each job into a savings account that you just use 'for a rainy day'. Or even for something special. It's you're money - it's just good to have some set aside. <br />
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After you're sorted taxes and put away some money for emergencies, you're actually living off £14,000 a year, or £270 a week. Is that enough?ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-21610498777277407482011-06-02T07:45:00.000+01:002011-06-02T07:45:04.427+01:00Disney Make UpJust saw this today - ok, the photos just aren't good, but what a cool idea!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://hackedirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/epic-win-photos-disney-movie-scenes-makeup-win1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://hackedirl.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/epic-win-photos-disney-movie-scenes-makeup-win1.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-83184351791626323632011-06-01T19:37:00.000+01:002011-06-01T19:37:54.703+01:00Focus on model: MonessBeautiful face, beautiful body, great tattoos...<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/view-image.aspx?u=Moness&i=853384">what's not to love? </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload2/Moness_89990819.jpg?1692102420" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload2/Moness_89990819.jpg?1692102420" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images5/imageupload14/Moness_2315686.jpg?271275587" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images5/imageupload14/Moness_2315686.jpg?271275587" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images4/imageupload5/Moness_20333924.jpg?967501738" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images4/imageupload5/Moness_20333924.jpg?967501738" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images13/imageupload6/Moness_82404328.jpg?2112327509" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images13/imageupload6/Moness_82404328.jpg?2112327509" width="320" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-64716803638256043092011-06-01T19:20:00.000+01:002011-06-01T19:20:10.109+01:00Things that you should really leave out of your portfolioThere are certain poses and angles that just look good, and certain shots that everyone should have in their portfolio. Such as a clean, natural model headshot - you need to show what your face looks like, it should have fairly basic (but still good) lighting. You should have a fairly neutral expression. Whenever I'm looking to commission an MUA, I also look for a similar shot - a flawless natural look is a lot harder to achieve than people realise, and I generally use it as a marker to find an MUA that knows their shit.<br />
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There are, however, a lot of travesties found on portfolios across the web. What's more, people actually see these and decide to copy the idea - now, I don't know whether it's irony and just an 'in' joke that I'm not in on, or maybe they see a shitty shot and think 'I can do that sooo much better' and then fail, I don't know. Either way, there are a lot of terrible and cliched ideas doing rounds that you will do well to avoid if you want a portfolio that looks even remotely professional. To help you out, here's a little list:<br />
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<b>The feather lashes</b><br />
Admit it, you've thought about it. I'll openly admit that I've done it (many many many years ago). It did not look good. It cannot look good. I know it looks fancy, and it looks like a quick way to get a beauty image, but there's a very good reason why we have eyelashes and not feathers.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> The belt bra</b><br />
Beloved by GWCs and wannabe glamour models everywhere - why wear a bra when you can use a belt? That way, you can squish your boobs in and get lots of cleavage...and look like your mummy never finished teaching you how to dress yourself. Jodie Marsh did it - surely that's reason enough to avoid it forever?<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Oops - how did that get stuck there?</b><br />
You knew it was coming; the heel in thong. I want to know who the first person to do this was, and how on earth it 'happened'. I want to know why they didn't look at it and think 'that looks utterly shit, delete', and instead decided to proudly display it on their portfolio. I want to know why hundreds upon hundreds of others then decided to copy it. I want to know why models don't just say no. Ok, modeling is selling the ridiculous and contrived but come on!<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Choo choo!</b><br />
Didn't your parents ever tell you not to play on the train tracks? It wasn't because they feared for your safety - it was because they know that only about 0.1% of photographers can get anything approaching a decent photograph on them, and they wanted to save you the trouble.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Did someone die? </b><br />
Yes. I die a little bit inside whenever I see a 'goth' shoot - ie. a porky 'alt' model, with badly-applied make up standing on the resting place of the not-so-recently deceased. It's disrespectful, it's tacky and it looks shit.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Peek-a-boo</b><br />
You know the pose - the one where the model lies on her back and spreads 'em, and the photographer shoots from below and the model looks into the shot through the little triangle made by her legs, and the photographer promises that no, you can't see your foo-foo. Scout's honour.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> It's getting a little chilly - I'll just hold onto my tits</b><br />
Handbras are almost as dumb as getting your shoe caught in your thong. Almost. If you want to do an implied topless shot then Think. It. Through. Don't just hold onto your tits. It looks ridiculous.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> American Beauty</b><br />
Ok, if you want to do this, please buy more than 2 roses. If you want to create a lush, rich image (even if it is horribly, horribly cliched) you will need hundreds of the bloody things. Otherwise, you've just sprinkled some petals on a vagina.<br />
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<b> Avatar</b><br />
If you don't have the budget that they had, you're not going to produce the results, Don't bother,<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Lara Croft</b><br />
If you don't have Angelina Jolie, you're not going to produce the results. Don't bother.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Lady Gaga</b><br />
Just...why?<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> Angel wings</b><br />
Ok, Victoria's Secret use them. You know what? If your models (or you) look like Victoria's Secret models, nobody will give a shit what you do - everyone will praise you and hope to god you sleep with them, or notice them, or slap them, or something. If you're not a Victoria's Secret model, or shooting one, people will notice the wings and wonder wtf. Especially if they're the cheap shitty ones from the local dress up shop.<br />
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<b>Sitting on the toilet</b><br />
Unless you're shooting for a scat website, this is not sexy. It is not interesting or alluring, and there is a single, notable exception to this rule. Otherwise, no. No no no no no.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Got any more? </b>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-21512862067653409272011-05-31T20:47:00.000+01:002011-05-31T20:47:25.811+01:00People on modelling forums are stupid - stop asking them for adviceSo you can't decide which photograph to choose from a set, or you think that there's something missing from your portfolio. Maybe an agency has some odd terms and conditions, or you want to know how a photographer achieved a particular technique - modeling forums are filled with photographers and models who can probably chip in some helpful advice.<br />
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But then there are the people who are about to be evicted from their house, or are considering getting a gastric band, or have a child that's joined the occult and sleeps upside down in the tree in the back garden - these are not things that you go to a modelling forum for. You will not get sound, helpful and knowledgeable advice on 90% of subjects - 1) because it's the internet and 2) because you're asking the wrong people.<br />
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Don't believe me? Here are some recent examples:<br />
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<b>I haven't received my photos from a TF arrangement - what do I do? </b>Send them an invoice for your time and take them to court! Drink their blooood! <i>Ok, this will never ever work, and has never ever worked. This is something that asshats make up to say something that sounds important and dramatic. Nobody has ever done this, and the photos probably weren't worth the hassle. Just move on.</i><br />
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<b>A model no-showed - what do I do? </b>Send her an invoice - that'll show the heartless harlot bitch. And leave her a bad reference and a lit bag of poop on her doorstep. <i>The bad reference is really the only reasonable piece of information here - the invoice and court shit is fantasy, again. Move on, and book better models.</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i><b>I want to lose weight - how do I do it? </b>Exercise is a myth, it won't help you lose weight, and it doesn't matter what you eat...just eat less. <i>Utter. Shit. Clearly from someone fat. Usually accompanied by 'you don't need to lose weight' and 'you have great tits'.</i><br />
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<b>Self defense tips (which weren't actually asked for): </b>Scratch them, run away, scream! <i>Or if that fails, hit them with your handbag and tell your mummy! It's actually pretty insulting to, oh, all women. You're weak and pathetic - all you can do is scream. </i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i><b>Where do I get a portfolio? </b>Try W H Smiths. <i>Really? Have you ever seen a modelling portfolio section in there? You'd think that this question would be answered reasonably, since it is actually related to modelling - apparently not.</i><br />
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<b>I need some relationship advice - any advice: </b>Dump them and do nudes. <i>And you wonder why so many people on these sites are single...</i><br />
<i> </i><br />
<i> </i><br />
I'm sure you get the idea. If you have a medical issue, go to a doctor. If you think you have a legal issue, go to your solicitor. If you have an issue with your other half, speak to them...or your friends...or your mum...not a load of strangers online. If you want to lose weight, get a personal trainer. If you want to know basic questions about the modeling industry, search this blog. Seriously - a lot of people (less on MM but many on the other sites) don't know their ass from their elbow when it comes to agencies, portfolios or the actual modeling industry. Have fun on the forums, take advantage of the critiques because there are actually a few people who know their shit (usually the ones you think are being nasty), but don't run to the forums like they're your new mummy.ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-56195205347317076622011-05-31T19:06:00.000+01:002011-05-31T19:06:12.333+01:00'Agency Standard': Odds are, if you're not signed to an agency, you're not agency standard...Before the lovers' tiff broke out, t<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/forum/readThread.aspx?id=208031">his thread</a> had a reasonable point, or at least the beginnings of it. <br />
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Every other modeling profile seems to say 'agency represented' or 'agency standard' - we're drowning in bullshit, which means that these terms mean less and less. Unfortunately, a lot of girls online aren't so hot on the objectivity (or eyesight) front, and can't reasonable assess whether they are or aren't agency standard. So here it is.<br />
<u><b><br />
</b></u><br />
<u><b>Agency standard: of a standard that will/is/would be signed by a major and legitimate agency. </b></u><br />
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But, as always, there are issues with this. I'm going to try to help to clarify some of them.<br />
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<b>How can I tell if I'm agency standard?</b><br />
Go to an agency website (check out my list if you don't know where to start) - are you the same build as the girls there? Do you have the same look? Do you have good skin and hair? Can you actually model? If you look like an agency model, then you're agency standard. If you're orange and 5'2'', you're not - even if Dodgy-Rodger's Agency signed you two years ago and took some pictures of you in your underwear for £280. If you are agency standard, it's probably worth looking into getting signed if you're not already. Basically, I don't think you should use this term if you're not signed. If you're agency standard, you're agency signed - it's pretty much that simple.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> What agencies count?</b><br />
There are some agencies that will fleece you and 'sign' literally anybody. <b> </b>Basically, if your agency has never sent you on a casting or tossed you a scrap of work, they probably don't count.<br />
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<b>What are agency standard and agency signed models doing online then?</b><br />
Quite a few things actually:<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> </b><u>Different genres</u><br />
A model may be with a commercial or fashion agency, and want to work in genres that aren't catered for by agencies. I know models that just book, say, art work online and all other work via their agencies. <br />
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<u>Extra work</u><br />
Online may not have the same rates, but you can book consistent work or supplement when it's slow at the agency. I know a few models who got jittery at the beginning of the downturn and made online profiles because agency work was slowing down - a model from Elite worked the odd tutorial studio day (seriously...I've seen the photos), another model from Boss found out she was pretty good at the erotica stuff. Work is work at the end of the day - not many self-employed professionals are going to turn their nose at it when they're scratching for jobs.<br />
<u> </u><br />
<u>Networking</u><br />
There are some models and photographers on sites like MM (mainly MM actually...) who have never, and will never book a paid shoot online. They're just around for networking and shit and giggles, maybe with a bit of testing thrown in. <u> </u><u><br />
</u>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-54939497098023172262011-05-24T18:53:00.000+01:002011-05-24T18:53:56.986+01:00SlutThat's right, I'm getting political. I was disputing whether or not to bring this shit up, but it actually makes my blood boil.<br />
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So, a lovely little policeman decided to tell a group of women "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised".<br />
<br />
We - women - are marching against this bullshit. We've had enough of being told that our own bodies and our own sexuality endangers us. We've had enough of being blamed for our own traumas, rapes and assaults. We've had enough of being called sluts, whores and slags when it's fucking hot and we want to wear a vest. We've had enough of shitty attitudes when we go to the police to report a crime.<br />
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Just incase you've missed it, <a href="http://www.slutwalktoronto.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">here's the link to the blog. </span></a><br />
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I was appalled by the attitudes of the police. Then I was absolutely disgusted by the discussions that followed on modeling sites:<br />
<a href="http://purestorm.com/forum/readThread.aspx?id=205970">Purestorm</a><br />
<a href="http://www.net-model.com/Forums/ReadThread.asp?ForumID=1&ThreadID=1828007&p=1">Net Model</a><br />
<a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=751610">Model Mayhem</a><br />
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I'll admit that I didn't read the entire thread on MM - after the first two, I was so pissed off I couldn't actually see straight.<br />
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So, why is this on a modeling blog? Well, models, what do you wear on most of your shoots? What do you make your money from? What pays the bills? And bearing in mind that the answers to those questions are - not much, my body and my body, isn't it a bit rich that so many photographers hold this opinion, and then tell us that it's unprofessional to have chaperones, that we worry too much about ourselves and that we're shit stirring when we rightfully tell other models about inappropriate actions of certain photographers? There are walks in the UK - stand up for yourselves and take part.<br />
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The usual argument from idiots is 'well it's like leaving your car door open in the middle of a dodgy neighbourhood isn't it? You'd expect to be robbed.' So...logically...you can <u><b><i>expect </i></b></u>to be raped if you're wearing 'slutty' clothes? Well, here is a nice bullet-pointed list for you:<br />
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<ul><li>Highly religious countries, where women cover their bodies and even try to avoid being seen by men other than relatives and their husband still have instances of rape - clearly, it's not helping. In fact, in some communities they just take it a step further and still feel like blaming the woman: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/05/world/africa/05somalia.html http://www.news.com.au/top-stories/gang-rape-victim-faces-lashes/story-e6frfkp9-1111113105165 (just off the top of my head)...some communities go further and tattoo crosses onto the women so that they become a 'holy object' but even that doesn't deter rapists</li>
<li>In the 1930's, there was a fairly prominent rape case where a red-haired woman was told that she provoked the rape by not wearing a hat (redheads always look like sluts apparently, as long as their hair is showing). </li>
<li>What are we meant to do in hot weather? One person's 'slutty' is another's 'summer clothes'. I know I've been told I look slutty in a trouser suit - who's even defining this shit?</li>
<li>A woman's body IS NOT A CAR. It's not something you 'leave open'. It's not something she's 'advertising' (despite what many misogynists and builders may think). Men dress far more 'provocatively' in summer and walk around with no tops on at all - not women. We actually cover ourselves more. </li>
<li>4% of rapes are committed 'as a result of provocative behaviour on the part of the victim' - again, what is the definition here? In murder cases, it's 20% - bear in mind that 'looking at me' is actually put down as provocative behaviour in some instances. </li>
<li>Most rapists do not remember what the victim was wearing</li>
<li>Rape victims range from days old, to grannies in their 90s - unless you think nappies or those super-thick granny tights are slutty, you're out of luck on that one.</li>
<li>While we're on that - everything is provocative to someone. Some people are turned on by gym clothes, others by pencil skirts, others like plastic anoraks. </li>
<li>97% of women to call rape crisis lines knew their attacker</li>
<li>1 in 4 women have experienced rape or attempted rape </li>
<li>1 in 7 women have been coerced into sex, rising to 1 in 3 women among divorced or separated women</li>
<li>The majority of rapes are planned </li>
</ul><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The only person responsible for rape is the rapist</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-50984657703429634342011-05-24T18:16:00.000+01:002011-05-24T18:16:22.644+01:00Excuses and bullshit won't make you taller: can a short girl be a fashion model?This fucks me off. A short model saunters into a forum and states that 'it's not fair' that people don't cast for short models when it comes to fashion work. Apparently, if you apply a liberal layer of bullshit, and finish with some whining, then a short model (usually too old and too fat too...but lets not focus on that) can be a fashion model. An uber fashion model. Here's my post to crush your short little dreams.<br />
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<b>Kate Moss doesn't count</b><br />
Kate Moss is 5'7''. She's a law unto herself - she's also in her 30's, she's also a bit of a druggie and still managed to ping right back into the glossies. You are not Kate Moss. Kate Moss was scouted as a teenager and was a supermodel by the time she was 18 - if she wasn't, the agency would have booted her. Nobody knows why on earth she's still working, how she became a supermodel when so many others failed and just what it is - whatever it is though, you don't have it. You might have it if you're a 14 yr old waif, but if you're 26, 5'2'' and whining on an internet forum you don't have it. Deal with it. To be frank, if Kate Moss walked into an agency now, with no experience but the exact same look, in all likelihood, she'd be turned away. Right body, right time, right face, right place. <br />
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(I say this with absolutely all due respect to Kate Moss - she's incredible). <br />
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<b>Evangeline Lily doesn't count</b><br />
I know I know, she's represented by Ford. She's in their TALENT division. She's on mag covers because she's a celebrity, not because she's a model. It's an increasing trend and an unfortunate one for models as actresses are nicking our work, but whatever. If you learn to act, look hot as hell, manage to wind up on a very very popular series that just goes on and on and on until people start making 'clever' jokes about the series name and it's effects, then maybe you'll be on the cover of Vogue. But it's unlikely. As in, it won't happen.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b>Talent doesn't count</b><br />
'Short models can be talented too!' Ok - who the hell wants a short 'talented' model when they can have a tall talented model that fits the actual clothes and looks good in them? Nobody. Unless your talent includes growing 5 inches, it doesn't count and it won't make you into a fashion model.<br />
<b> </b><b></b><br />
<b>Heels don't count</b><br />
This one's hilarious - 'I'm 5'9'' in 5'' heels!' Yeah? I'm 17'2'' in stilts, but I'm not painting spots on myself and saying I can be a giraffe. If all the other fashion models are 5'9'', they'll still be all taller than you in heels. Not to mention, it's not just height - it's body proportions too. Heels don't make you a tall model - they make you a short model in heels.<br />
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<b>'Fair' isn't a word associated with modelling</b><br />
Life's not fair - an oft-used phrase, mainly because it's true. A very good model recently said that modelling isn't an equal-opportunities business, and I couldn't have put it better myself (which is why I'm stealing it). 99% of the time, you can't be a fashion model if you're fat, short, old, saggy, tattooed, pierced, ugly in the facial department or disabled in a way that's instantly obvious. It's an industry based on HOW YOU LOOK. You will be judged - almost exclusively - on how you look. Hired on those merits. People who look more suitable will be hired above you. If you do not LOOK right for the job, you won't get it - it doesn't matter how much you want it, how talented you are or how much you cry about it and squeal about 'changing the industry' - it will not happen.<br />
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Anyway, done my bit of dream-crushing for the day. Now I might go kick a puppy*.<br />
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*<span style="font-size: x-small;">This was a joke - MB would never ever kick a puppy. Unless it was attacking a kitten. </span> <b> </b><b></b>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-41831275312161203592011-05-22T07:00:00.003+01:002011-06-21T20:41:10.330+01:00Guest post by Tansy Blue: Being fresh meat - what I learned in 2 months<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/Tansy_Blue"><i>Tansy </i></a><i>is one of Purestorm's very promising new starters.</i><br />
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<i> </i> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Newbie models, especially if they're 18 and naked as I was, get huge amounts of attention in the first few days. Receiving 100 messages in 24 hours is more than a little intimidating. Should you be in a similar position, here are several things I would recommend you keep in mind:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1. Do your research</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you're on this blog, that's a good start. Really do spend a long, long time reading forums, blogs of more successful models, etc, etc, etc. Make sure you know what the key abbreviations – TF, MUA and the rest of them mean and what a 'continental' shoot is (it is not a fashion shoot in Spain). Understand the requirements of your chosen genre; don’t expect to make a killing in fashion if you’re 5’3”.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you're not prepared to spend a few hard hours reading, then just don't do it. It can be dangerous out there on the interwebs and this is the bare minimum you can do to protect yourself.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">No, really. <u><b>Do it.</b></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>2. Get a half decent profile</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">This means two things: images and profile notes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Borrow a point and shoot, grab a mate, snap some shots. This is your portfolio. They should show your face and body clearly; for body shots, lingerie is preferred, nude if you shoot nudes. You don't need more than four or five shots to start a profile, but make sure that people can actually see what you look like. An interesting pose and engaging facial expression wouldn't go amiss either.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This portfolio will almost certainly be shit. No big deal, you haven't got much experience, you haven't shot with many people; it will improve. But you also don't have any references to reassure people of your skills or reliability. The only thing left is your profile notes. Make them <i>awesome.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You need to cover: your availability, ability to travel, levels, any special skills (mention strong styling skills or dance experience here), and any tattoos/piercings/scars.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You do not need to cover: your favourite band, how much you wuv your boyfriend, the fashion show you were in when you were six. No one cares.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You definitely need to check your spelling and grammar. Get a friend to check them over if this isn't your strong point.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>3. Be clear about your limits</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you shoot nudes? Circle one: Y/N</div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you shoot open leg? Y/N</div><div class="MsoNormal">Do you shoot masturbation implied or real? Y/N</div><div class="MsoNormal">Etc...</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">'Maybe' and 'for the right price' are not good answers. Be very, very clear about what you will or will not do in front of the camera. Because once that shit's out there, it's out there forever. Start this early and continue it throughout your career; do not change your levels without plenty of forethought.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>4. Be professional from the start</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Have a phone number you're comfortable giving out, have an email that you feel the same way about. Don't use the email you made when you were 12 - you know, the one where you thought that the entire world needed to know about your love for dalmatians.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Respond to messages promptly. Be polite. Do not badmouth people. Turn up on time.<i> </i>Be shaved and clean. Use all the knowledge you should have picked up in your research. Act like it's a job because guess what? It is now your part-time job. Even if you're doing it for fun and have no intentions of going professional – it is still a job. “I am a newbie” is not an excuse .</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>7. Really do check references</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">As a newbie you won't have a network of confidants and friends in the industry. You won't have a hotlink into the gossip; you don't know who promises images but never gives them, who's touchy feely, whose portfolio was produced entirely on studio days. Remember that what people say in public and what they say in private are often different; feedback systems on sites such as Purestorm are often unreliable, but do function as a useful directory of models the photographer has previously worked with. Send politely worded private messages to these people to see what they really thought of the photographer, and how he/she really acted on the shoot. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>5. Test up, not sideways</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Not everyone who thinks they're entitled to a test actually is. Test with people who can give you images that are better than the ones currently in your portfolio. Do not get stuck TFing for mediocre fashion for months on end.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sounds obvious, but it can be hard to break out of the 'I'm inexperienced; I should be asking for TF' mindset. Feel free to say no.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>6. Don't be afraid to ask for money – but don't quit the day job</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Don't be embarrassed – if you won't get usable images from the shoot you are fully justified in asking for cash.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a new model, you can earn a fair bit in a few months. <i>New</i> model. Don't quit the day job just yet. Wait a year and see how it goes; once every photographer in the local area has shot you, you'll either need photographers willing to pay your travel expenses (assuming you charge for travel) or to have done a good enough job to be rebooked.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">PS. To quote Vasilisa's post - “HMRC don't fuck around”.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>8. Don't let it eat your life</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">It's easy to spend every hour of the day either arranging or going on shoots. Don't let your schoolwork/job slip. Don't let your relationships with family or friends suffer. It's easy to get sucked into a new, exciting hobby – but do keep your priorities straight. You are <i>new.</i> Wait for the novelty to wear off before making any irreversible choices.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>9. Ask for advice, then take it</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you ask for a port review, listen to it. Maybe even consider taking down or adding an image on the strength of it? If you find yourself confused about something, feel free to ask on forums. Chances are you'll receive plenty of helpful advice; but don't throw a hissy fit if you hear something you don't like the sound of.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>10. If it's not fun, quit</b></div><div class="MsoNormal">If modelling is making you stressed and unhappy, quit. If it's making you lose confidence in your body, quit. If it's putting you in lots of situations you feel uncomfortable and upset in, quit. If the strain on your interpersonal relationships is becoming too much, quit. Chances are you'll meet great people, travel to beautiful places, and make lovely art – but if you don't: quit.</div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-76959181110514067182011-05-22T07:00:00.002+01:002011-05-22T07:00:00.423+01:00Post round up: The useful stuffI often get accused of being too derogatory about the industry, and not actually being helpful (shocking, I know). Here's a quick roundup of the <i>really useful </i>posts for models and photographers.<br />
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For models:<br />
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<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-pose.html">How to pose</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/nudity-and-modeling.html">Nudity and modeling</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/modeling-shoot-checklist.html">Modeling shoot checklist</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-approach-testing.html">How to approach testing</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-why-do-i-keep-having-bad.html">Guest post: Why do I keep having bad experiences?</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-by-ruby-rosetta-erotic.html">Guest post by Ruby Rosetta: Erotic modeling</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-by-vasilisa-how-to-arrange.html">Guest post by Vasilisa: How to arrange your book</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-much-should-i-charge-for-modeling.html">How much should I charge for modeling?</a> </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/should-i-have-chaperone.html">Should I have a Chaperone?</a> </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/where-to-get-paid-work-as-internet.html">Where to get paid work as an internet model</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/modeling-business.html">Modeling: The Business</a></h3><br />
For photographers:<br />
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<h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/for-new-photographers-how-not-to-fuck.html">For new photographers: how not to fuck up shoots and make models run away</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-to-approach-testing.html">How to approach testing</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/watermarks-otherwise-known-as-quit.html">Watermarks (otherwise known as 'quit fucking up your photos')</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/guest-post-you-cant-be-serious.html">Guest post: 'You can’t be a serious photographer unless you have the right gear'</a> </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"><a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/for-photographers-how-to-really-make.html">For photographers: How to really make your work stand out</a></h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-42622865496819284102011-05-21T07:00:00.000+01:002011-05-21T07:00:04.209+01:00Guest post by Iain Thomson: Getting into the adult photography business - do you really want to do it?<i>A follow on from Iain's first post about he got into the adult photography business. </i><br />
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<div><em><strong>How do I get the break to get started?</strong></em></div><div> </div><div>Please don't take any of this personally; nothing that I'm about to write is designed to give the impression I'm better than you or sound like 'you cant do what I did, because I'm special and you're not' If I was in your position now, its highly unlikely that I would be able to break into the industry either.</div><div> </div><div>Ok - so how can you get into the glamour industry and make money? It's probably the most asked question in photography Well, the truth is, you probably can't, in the same sense that I cannot and will not achieve the sort of success my predecessors did simply because the market and opportunities are no longer there.</div><div> </div><div>Had I been at the same level in this business 25 years ago my income would be quadruple what it is now in relative terms and the budgets afforded to me for shooting would be on a scale I can only dream about. Since I entered this business, rates paid to photographers have remained static, decreased or in some cases halved, while overheads have increased. Also, even in my short time in the business, shooting less explicit content (i.e. lads mad type glamour) is almost impossible to make a living from. It's at the stage now where its almost pointless for most photographers to shoot any glamour sets which don’t contain at least UK level open-leg images. This contrasts to even a few years ago when the most lucrative contracts I had were the least explicit.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div><strong><em>Why you probably can't get a break...</em></strong></div><div> </div><div>So, you're still determined? Ok, do you have at least 20k spare in the bank? No, well that makes it even more impossible. Let me tell you why; magazines, in general, have always paid on publication and in most occasions publication is at least 6 months from the date of the shoot. This was ok when the fees were into four figures per set, but very few mags have this sort of budget now. So, even assuming you can get a foot in the door, can you finance model fees, overheads etc while waiting for invoices to be paid? </div><div> </div><div>What about websites? Most won't even reply to your emails as they have a list of photographers as long as your arm queuing up to shoot for them - what can you give them that their existing photographers can't? You could undercut existing content prices, but how do you finance that? Bearing in mind, website fees are much lower than mag fees. You will get paid more quickly - perhaps in around two months, or even less, in some cases - but you still have to find models, pay them and find and pay for suitable locations….and then pay bills and just keep financing your life until you get paid…</div><div> </div><div>Ok…so I’ll start my own website? Yeah, ok…and how do you finance that? From membership sign ups? No chance - in fact, not a snowballs chance in hell. Sign ups, even for the 'majors' are dropping faster than a glamour model's knickers at a Premiership footballers birthday party. I won’t go into why most websites are a waste of time and the reasons for their existence now…but maybe another article on the subject soon.</div><div> </div><div>The other possible route is via the enigma which is Bluebird. This is the UK's major porn/glamour and chat TV company headed by a guy who has no apparent need to operate the business profitably and who's only motivation seems to be to indulge his own sexual fantasies as fully and expensively as possible, apparently with a limitless budget. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, only one company like this exists and the vacancies there seem to have been filled. Who knows, maybe there will be vacancies there in the future and I am serious when I say working for a company like this, operating outside the normal financial boundaries is the surest and easiest route in to the business in the UK. </div><div> </div><div>So why is the business so hard to break into? Why is there no money? And the question which is very often asked, why do I shoot mainly open-leg/adult style? Why can't I just book a top model and sell her pictures? You can certainly try, but the figures don't add up so I don't bother. Unless you are commissioned to shoot, it's a huge risk financially. </div><div> </div><div>And also, lets not confuse internet models with 'top' models. The only models you find on the internet who are genuinely anywhere near the top of their genre are a few art nude models and adult models. You simply do not get top mainstream glamour models on modelling sites. You can certainly book them via an agency, most probably Girl Management, Sam Bond or maybe IMM or Neon. Mid-range internet models don't really sell at glamour levels (topless/implied nude etc). Even glamour models considered at the top of internet modelling game won't sell to any extent at levels below adult. The genuine top models will certainly sell - they have fan bases and are popular, but I wouldn't shoot them as a rule, unless I was commissioned. Why? Simple economics. If I wanted to book someone like Vicky Blows, Rhian Sugden etc. we are probably talking a daily rate of £600 plus. Factor in travel etc. and you are looking at having to raise £700/£800 just to cover her fee. So, to make a sensible profit, you would need to raise at least £2000 from picture sales, which is very labour intensive and not that easy to achieve. You could syndicate the images through a picture agency, but not only would you need to pay commission, you would be competing with photographers who are far better known and probably better than you.</div><div> </div><div>So what about adult? Yes, there is still a living to be made by a few people, and while it's still a huge and expanding market, its also a rapidly decreasing market in terms of opportunities for photographers. Magazine sales have plummeted since the advent of the internet and its inevitable that in due course will eventually disappear. Its also an interesting fact that the magazines which have been hit hardest are the glossies - the 'up market' magazines with traditionally the highest budgets. Magazines like Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler in the USA and Mayfair, Club, Men Only and Knave in the UK. The lower end 'truckers favourites' such as Escort, Fiesta, Razzle are still selling in reasonable numbers, presumably as their customer base tends to be the group who is least likely to use the internet. The 'golden days' of the internet in relation to glamour/adult are long gone. People are now so internet savvy and their is so much 'free'* content available, that it needs a special product before people will part with their porn bucks. In general, glamour/adult multi-model sites are not that special product unless they are long established with a huge content base and a sterling reputation. If they do have that sort of financial clout and have the bucks to invest in content, then they can choose from he best photographers in the world already.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Free content is often actually stolen content. One of the boom areas of the web are the fileshare sites who ironically can make far more money from selling a stolen download than the owner. While the download is essentially free it is deliberately offered on a slow speed download which doesn't start until after a prescribed period of time, thus making the surfer a captive audience for the advertisers. Invariably, the surfer gets fed up of waiting and elects to pay for premium service with fast downloads. </span></div><div> </div><div> </div><div><i><b>So, I'm completely wasting my time trying?</b></i></div><div> </div><div>So, that's it then, I might as well give up, it's a closed shop? No, not entirely, few industries are ever closed shops if you have something to sell that the buyer can't get anywhere else. And that's probably the surest way to get a foothold in this industry and in hindsight, probably how I got started. Although in my case it was more luck than a conscious choice. If you read the first article, you may recall that my big break was shooting a model that both Met-Art and Femjoy wanted. What stood then still stands today; if you can find a model that any of the big glamour sites or any of the magazines want, but can't get from anywhere else. and you can photographer her reasonably competantly in a manner appealling to your potential customer, then you are in with a shout. It's a big ask - particularly these days when finding suitable models is increasingly difficult, even for the established guys, but maybe with a bit of creative thinking in terms of model recruitment you could find someone suitable. It's unlikely you will turn up that star on model sites or facebook etc. that's where everybody else is looking and, to be honest, there are very few girls of that sort of standard joining model sites. I can't tell you where to look, because I don't know, but maybe you do? That could be your break. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><strong><em>Its not all glamour.......</em></strong></div><div> </div><div>Glamour isn't always particularly glamorous and if you are prepared to cater for niche markets then the chances of you not just getting a foot in the door, but making a sustainable living, increase dramatically. There are various glamour oriented fetishes to be catered for, the ones I am familiar with and have made significant amounts of income from are the 'mature' and 'hairy' markets. I'm not going to pretend this is my preferred choice, but if I wanted to, I could shoot these niches and nothing else and quite possibly make more money than I currently make. There are a few photographers out there who do just this, and there is certainly room for more. Personally, I use this niche only as bread and butter; a quick and regular income which allows me to concentrate on more appealling, but slower paying work, but it is very welcome on a lot of occassions and not something I take lightly.</div><div> </div><div>Both the mature and hairy markets tend to be at the higher end of solo explicitness, so bear this in mind, but it is probably the easiest market to break into and the one sector where demand probably exceeds supply. If you are a half-decent photographer and can produce consistent sets relatively quickly, there is a real opportunity. However, the secret is finding suitable models, which in theory should not be so difficult as the standards in these sectors are not so high as glamour. Average girls or ladies are fine, in fact averageness is a good selling point. This particular market does not like fake boobs, tattoos, piercing etc. but pretty/average looks/average figure are fine. Again, model sites are probably not the place to look. But there are loads of women who fit this niche out there, if you can find them. </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>So, basically that is your task - find suitable models. If you can, you might be in. Even in the current market, it's not impossible. If you want to give it a go, I wish you the best of luck and I am always happy to help genuine people whenever I can, within reason...obviously I'm not going to give you my client list (as some people actually expect to do!). But if you have particular questions about sets/submissions, how best to approach people, I will certainly answer polite queries of this nature. </div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-2185771736590776292011-05-18T22:10:00.000+01:002011-05-18T22:10:09.133+01:00'Bodypainting'There's a lot of bullshit around on the internet - one part of the bullshit that offends me, and that I'm discussing today is 'bodypainting'.<br />
<br />
So, here is some fanastic and creative bodypainting:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/101118/01/4ce4f538dbb50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/101118/01/4ce4f538dbb50.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/110306/11/4d73e16ed51f7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/110306/11/4d73e16ed51f7.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/1913488">By Victoris Gugenheim</a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100419/14/4bccce8c6030b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100419/14/4bccce8c6030b.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100705/14/4c324bd3edf5d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100705/14/4c324bd3edf5d.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/110504/06/4dc14f4d7b570.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/110504/06/4dc14f4d7b570.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/081015/04/48f5aeae33897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/081015/04/48f5aeae33897.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/620988">By Lauren Baker</a><br />
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There is a beautiful and highly skilled culture around bodypainting - there are competitions, festivals and events that celebrate the talent and artistry of serious practitioners.<br />
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Bodypainting is NOT something that any random photographer can do. More often than not, unfortunately, it seems like a thinly-guised excuse to touch a naked model. A recent thread (you all know the one) discussed a model having a photographer's handprints all over her (no, he didn't miss the boobs, of course not). No, it is not art. No, it is not professional. Unless you're a doctor of some sort, there is no 'professional' way to grab someone's tits. As a result, I've seen some truely heinous bodypainting online...really really terrible. It's taking a lot of self control not to post it here, but I'm nice.<br />
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A few seem to put random swirls on a model, which look like they take about 5 mins (dragged out, of course to prolong the touching) and apparently 'its art'. The same photographers seem to also enjoy bondage photography (is that because it also involves close proximity to the model, I wonder?). There is a photographer on PS/NM famed for his fruit-arrangements on models who openly admits that his shoots are recreating past sexual encounters - all of his shoot themes seem to involve actions or ideas that will involve him touching the model. I've also turned up to a shoot to find one room covered with painty tit-prints from previous models - yes, I left. But it just seem to be normalised. No touching the models, unless ofcourse you have some paint or rope.<br />
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Before the smart-arse comes along and says 'well how do you paint a model without touching her', here it is - models, don't just agree to any shoot. Look at the quality of work - is the bodypainting any good? Has the photographer ever done it before? Will they be using decent paints, or will they just buy an acrylic set and try to use that (there's a reason real bodypainters have specialised paints!). Ask if they'll be hiring a professional bodypainter, and then look at their work. Be critical because it's your body - your skin that will get a rash, your image that will be damaged if it looks like you let photographers cop a feel, and ultimately, it's your body that's being used for cheap thrills.ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-54767443540684388702011-05-17T12:30:00.000+01:002011-05-17T12:30:00.876+01:00Open discussion: what's the best way for a new model to learn?There are a lot of new models out there who have difficulty posing or emoting properly - some may feel self-conscious, others just don't have enough control of their bodies or facial muscles to do it properly. What do you think is the best way for new models to learn?<br />
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First, I think that practicing in the mirror is fairly useless for new models, just because you become too dependent on it. If an experienced model uses a mirror to quickly check a pose, she'll be able to replicated it without needing the mirror thanks to practice, but a new model will need to check herself, and without the crutch of a mirror a lot of models find it difficult to just trust their own bodies. Putting mirrors in the studio during a shoot just moves the model's focus and poses from the camera to the mirror, which won't help the images.<br />
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I think that the best ways for new models to learn are by getting a friend (or self timer) to take photographs of them, so they're used to the angles and movements they need to play with to get decent images. I also think it can be beneficial to shoot with a more experienced model to follow her lead, watch how she moves from pose to pose and generally interacts with the camera. There are lots of youtube videos of shoots that can help with this.<br />
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So what do you think? What would you recommend for a new model? What do you think is the best way for a new model to learn?ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-34096080130211087052011-05-15T07:00:00.000+01:002011-05-15T07:00:03.393+01:00Guest post: Why do I keep having bad experiences?<i>The first guest post by Miss X.</i><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Why do I keep having bad experiences? </span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“I don’t know how you girls do it- I’ve been modelling for nine months now and every other tog is a perv! Why is it always happening to meeeeeee?”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Whether you’re a model, a social worker or a McDonalds waitress; when your job involves meeting strangers on a regular basis, sooner or later you’re going to meet someone who isn’t so nice. It happens; rarely, but it happens. But after five years of modelling professionally and a total of two bad experiences, I believe that if you’re having bad experiences every few photoshoots, it may be time to re-evaluate yourself:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Before the photoshoot:</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Are you checking references? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If not, you’re setting yourself up for problems before even arriving at the shoot! Without mentioning names, there are always one or two photographers in any genre who have a reputation. Just by asking around, you’ll know who they are and can decide whether or not you want to take the risk. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Websites like Purestorm and Net-model have a referencing system. There are photographers who have over one hundred positive references, but when it comes to less experienced photographers or Modelmayhem members (MM has no referencing system), pick one or two of the most professional models* in their portfolio and send a quick message: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“Hi there, I’m setting up a shoot with [photographer] and just wondered what he was like to work with. Could you please send me a reference?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Many thanks,</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">[Model]”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">* - Why? <br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Because the full-time models have the most basis for comparison.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know your industry speak? </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">“US-mag” does not mean American Vogue!!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are unsure of what a term means, ask or look it up. If you agree to a point-of-view shoot and then freak when the photographer asks you to “pretend he’s your boyfriend and flirt, FLIRT with the camera” while wriggling his bare toes closer and closer to you, don’t come crying to the forums as you will be eaten alive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Clarify grey areas: the terms art-nude, fashion-nude and especially “erotica” can be used to mean anything from mild glamour to porn. Ask for reference images or a clarification. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you have a safety network?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Hopefully, you’ll never have to use it but at least let someone know where you’re going and have a code in place that means “help”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">When working with someone new, a fellow model always knows where I’m shooting and how long for. When she’s received my text confirming the photographer isn’t an axe-murderer, she lets me get on with it until the end of the shoot, when she expects another text to say I’m on my way home. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">During the photoshoot: </span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Are you sticking to your levels?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">So you shoot up to art-nude but have been booked for a catalogue and portrait shoot. <i>“I have this great idea! Screw the headshots- we’ll do art-nude. Lie starkers in the bath while I change this lighting and find some rose petals”</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Just because you work to a higher level, that does not mean you have an obligation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to strip for every shoot regardless of what you have been booked for. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">If it’s just a suggestion, you’re happy with it and you’ve already shot the material agreed beforehand, no problem. But if you’re not happy with it (for <i>any </i>reason) and/or your rates increase depending on the genre, be firm. <i>(“Sorry, that wasn’t what we booked but I’d be happy to come back for another shoot.”)</i> If the photographer likes your look, he’ll book you again. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Above all, don’t let anyone push you into passing your accepted levels.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Do you come across as professional?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Not all bad experiences involve creepy level-pushing GWCs rubbing their… knees… while mumbling “you’ve got lovely boobs… yeah lovely boobs”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Sometimes finding you have a drastically different opinion to the photographer can turn a photoshoot into a bad experience. I’ve seen a full-scale political argument break out, where the photographer and other model were shouting between shots!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stay calm, make a non-committal “hmm” noise or change the subject. Don’t turn the camera equipment into a wall for yelling over!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Don’t flirt. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><br />
“Secret levels”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(A model states publicly she’ll work to one level, but actually works higher depending on pay and skill of the photographer.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">There is no need for secret levels- they never stay secret! Just state on your website or profile that you work to the higher level, “but only with proven photographers in the genre/ for higher rates of pay- please inquire/ at a limited availability” etc etc etc, pick one. But don’t have secret levels- it invites level-pushing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I once read a model’s profile page that actually said something like “I love to party- you’ll have a blast shooting with me! I can play substance bingo all night and still be ready to shoot in the morning. See my profile photo? That was taken after two days of no sleep- <i>that’s </i>how good I am!!!” Sadly, I’m not exaggerating. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The only photographers who book profiles like this expect dancing, drugs and possibly, maybe, a couple of strung-out photos at 5am. Modelling can be a fun job but it isn’t a party. If you treat it like one, expect “work” from a grinning Pete Doherty-wannabe with arty “visions” and a nosebleed, but never a photographer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Are you taking notice of warning signs?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Otherwise known as “red flags”- a term found all over industry forums. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">I’ve given you some yellow flags too- one on its own may be nothing, but several together? Keep your wits about you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><br />
Any one of my red flags is a sign to leave the photoshoot immediately.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></span></u></div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Yellow:</span></u></div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">a bad reference (obviously it depends on the reference but find out more about the situation before agreeing to shoot)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">photographer repeatedly mentions that he has sexual relationships with many of his models</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">photographer flirts with you. This is <i>not </i>a normal part of a photoshoot. </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">compliments revolve around photographer’s sexual preferences (there is a difference between “<i>I like photographing blonde women- I think your hair is beautiful</i>” and “<i>I love your hair- I really have a thing for blondes</i>”)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">pushes levels once</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">drastic difference of opinion (as discussed, to stop this becoming a bad experience, don’t start a debate)</span></li>
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><u><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">Red:</span></u></div><ul><li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">asks for sexual favours or touches you inappropriately</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">takes pictures without your permission. (I’m not referring to outtakes but to photos while you are changing or off-set.)</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">pushes levels more than once</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">has an agenda (you change poses- “<i>no, move back, now undo your top</i>”. You pull it around you “<i>no- let it drop to the floor</i>”. You ask why you are doing a striptease you never agreed on “<i>oh, well I thought we’d submit this photoset to Zivity</i>”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>!!!) </span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">offers drugs</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">photographer is suddenly a model too: “<i>I have an idea- let’s pose together! Put your arm around me…”</i></span></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-64618109707466528862011-05-14T07:00:00.000+01:002011-05-14T07:00:00.776+01:00Focus on photographer: Bronk LandersThis man does glamour beautifully - style, gorgeous lighting and beautiful women. What's not to like? Unfortunately I couldn't find an active profile or website for him - if you know of one, please let me know!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://theneave.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/bronk-landers-14.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://theneave.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/bronk-landers-14.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://img004.lazygirls.info/people/elle_liberachi/elle_liberachi_bronk_landers_M82h1AK.sized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://img004.lazygirls.info/people/elle_liberachi/elle_liberachi_bronk_landers_M82h1AK.sized.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ljplus.ru/img4/w/i/winzor22/bronk-landers-36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://ljplus.ru/img4/w/i/winzor22/bronk-landers-36.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eroglamour.com/glamour/20090728/ellebybronklanders/7-elle-by-bronk-landers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.eroglamour.com/glamour/20090728/ellebybronklanders/7-elle-by-bronk-landers.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-73021518632345375272011-05-13T12:30:00.000+01:002011-05-13T19:29:31.268+01:00How to approach testingYou should never stop testing - you should always develop your book, try out new ideas and keep a decent record of what you look like if you're a model, or your abilities if you're a photographer. It's a wonderful opporunity to experiment, and usually more relaxed and social than a paid shoot. I'll happily say that my favourite shoots have been tests, and the friends from the modeling world that I still stay in touch with are the ones that I tested with a few times and got to know better. As you can tell, I'm a BIG advocate of testing.<br />
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Approaching another person for a test is something that should be done properly, and you should have reasonable expectations and an idea of what you want to achieve. Do not waste people's time, as they will remember it. Equally, declining tests should be done sensitively - that photographer you turn down now could be the next big thing next year, and he'll remember if you're an asshole (ditto for models). <br />
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<b>Match your abilities</b><br />
Here's how it works:<br />
Inexperienced/worse model - experienced/good photographer = model pays<br />
Inexperienced/worse photographer - experieinced/good model = photographer pays<br />
Equal abilities = test<br />
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Do not approach people whose abilities are far superior to your own, expecting them to work with you. You should be able to contribute something to each other's portfolios, and it's meant to be equal. Don't waste people's time expecting them to work with you for free (yes, if it's unequal it is free, since they're not getting anything out of it). Models - look at the models in a photographer's portfolio, do you look like them? If it's a fashion photographer, don't expect them to test with you if you're 5'2''. If it's a glamour photographer, don't expect them to test with you if your portfolio has exclusively art nudes in it. Make sure you can offer them something, and be absolutely honest with yourself. The mirror is your friend.<br />
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<b>Don't make them chase you</b><br />
Once you've opened communication, and it's clear you're both interested you need to be proactive. Don't expect them to do all of the leg work, and don't expect them to chase you if you don't respond<b> </b>to a message. You need to keep the lines of communication open if you want the test to actually happen.<br />
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<b>Be enthusiastic!</b><br />
Here's the thing - if it seems like you're going to be really dull on the shoot, or if you don't particularly care about it, they're not going to want to work with you. Be enthusiastic, show you're interested in the shoot and the resulting images. Or they're just going to find someone else that is interested, and your portfolio will be worse off as a result.<br />
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<b> Don't expect them to pay you</b><br />
This is generally implicit in the concept of a test, but a lot of models seem to expect photographers to pay travel etc. No. It's not going to happen - you handle your own expenses, If you can't, save up. No money changes hands in a test. Don't expect to be the exception.<br />
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<b>Be clear about your aims and abilities</b><br />
If you're a model and your make up skills aren't amazing, suggest that you get an MUA. If you're a photographer and most of your shots have been retouched by someone else, either make sure that you send the test shots out as well to get the same standard of work, or let the team know and let them make an informed decision about your ablities. Misleading people will just mean everybody has mediocre shots, and everybody is pissed at you.<br />
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Thanks to the photographers that contributed ideas for this via Twitter. <a href="http://twitter.com/modelbitchblog">Follow me.</a> <br />
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<b> </b>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-28257949422273759762011-05-13T07:00:00.000+01:002011-05-13T19:29:31.035+01:00Focus on model: Helene AtsukoIt's rare to find truely unique models - particularly ones with classic beauty and shaved heads. Which is why I adore <a href="http://www.modelmayhem.com/1002918">Helene Atsuko</a>. All of her work is wonderfully styled, and beautifully polished. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/101003/05/4ca87dfc4b2e6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/101003/05/4ca87dfc4b2e6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100711/13/4c3a2ffdc6d6d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100711/13/4c3a2ffdc6d6d.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100727/02/4c4ea9f4c1a35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://photos.modelmayhem.com/photos/100727/02/4c4ea9f4c1a35.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-34056953917970294132011-05-12T14:00:00.001+01:002011-05-13T17:39:49.226+01:00Modeling shoot checklistIf you're getting a lot of bookings it's pretty easy to get mixed up or forget a crucial detail for a particular shoot. Here's a checklist that I used to use when I was booking shoots - just make sure you always have this to hand when you're getting ready for or going to a shoot, and you should be able to stay on top of things during busy periods. Feel free to right-click and save it, and pass it on to anybody that you think it may help.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhA54uanNmBLA23GO0hzUsD5PqoEuevoYUx_1vnC-lvFzPTfhYCvXHUQqRglZJ0rdBxJE0wJOyT_1iG8SGJJWzbwh7T0Ska3MadsTlZLVvapEZuUX_PvkRLR-6c-UmKHghBmfR3oxnno/s1600/checklist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDhA54uanNmBLA23GO0hzUsD5PqoEuevoYUx_1vnC-lvFzPTfhYCvXHUQqRglZJ0rdBxJE0wJOyT_1iG8SGJJWzbwh7T0Ska3MadsTlZLVvapEZuUX_PvkRLR-6c-UmKHghBmfR3oxnno/s640/checklist.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-64193725743867509932011-05-12T14:00:00.000+01:002011-05-13T17:39:50.071+01:00Modeling and relationshipsEvery so often, a model is upset that her boyfriend doesn't want her to do lingerie/nudes/glamour/fetish/whatever. This inevitably gets pounced on while people tell her that he's a controlling control freak and will only end up beating her to death with a chair. It's the inevitable, foregone conclusion to a man not wanting his woman to get naked for other men.<br />
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Handle your relationship properly, and make sure that your partner is happy. It's pretty simple to do, and means a hobby or potential career shouldn't come between you. <br />
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<b>Be honest and open</b><br />
Tell your other half what you're shooting, with who, where you'll be etc. Make him/her involved in the process - ask them what they think of a particular person's work, ask them whether they like your latest photos. Odds are, after about a week of this they'll stop asking and just tell you to get on with it. People get insecure for different reasons - just reassure them. It's simple enough.<br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b> Discuss the actual problem</b><br />
Is the problem that they don't want other people seeing you in a sexual way? If it is, frankly it's reasonable. It's fairly normal for someone not to want people looking at someone they love as an object. You need to explain your point of view (calmly) and hopefully find a middle ground - that means you compromise as well as them. Are they worried you'll end up running away with a photographer? Worried that they'll lose you in some other way? Talk to them. People have really stupid worries in relationships - it usually just takes a conversation to sort them out (unless you have other underlying problems).<br />
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<b> </b><br />
<b> Sort out your priorities</b><br />
What's more important to you - modeling, or your relationship? If it comes down to it, you will have to choose. If it's your relationship, make that perfectly clear - tell your other half that you won't do anything they feel uncomfortable with, that this is something you want to do but that it's ultimately their call.<br />
<b> </b><br />
<b> </b>If it's modeling, well end the relationship then. Not because they don't want you to model, but if having your picture taken is more important to you than someone you're meant to love, you probably shouldn't be with them.ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-72901138438332592582011-05-12T12:30:00.000+01:002011-05-13T17:39:50.076+01:00You are not an artist if...I've been trying to create a photographer complement to '<a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/04/you-are-not-model-if.html">You're not a model if</a>' , but I've had trouble creating something that wasn't hideously unfair to certain group (of very good) photographers. Instead, I've created 'You are not an artist if' - there's a lot of bullshit and posturing around 'art', and people seem to throw the term around as if it justifies a lot of crap, and is a good reason to 'get them out'. Here it is - feel free to add or dispute any of this!<br />
<br />
You are not an artist if:<br />
<ul><li>You have no interest in art outside your own photography - you don't give a shit about different periods of art, you don't care about different styles you could experiment with or be influenced by, you've never set foot (or wanted to set foot) in a gallery. If you have no interest in art, you're just not an artist. Sorry. </li>
<li>You don't put any thought into your 'art'. Michaelangelo didn't wake up on the morning of painting the Sistine Chapel and think 'fuck it, I'll wing it'. Art is a process - it's an emotional investment. It's something that takes preparation and skill - it's not something that 'just happens' when you get a chick naked and convert to black/white. </li>
<li>You do not give direction or input into your images - you expect the model to do all of that. Basically, it's not even your 'art'</li>
<li>You have to consistently tell models that 'it's art' to convince them to work nude with you. </li>
<li>You then try to show them MetArt...and point out it has 'art' in the title...therefore it is art. Subtle.</li>
<li>You can't independently judge whether a piece is adult, glamour or art, never mind whether it's tacky crap or actually well shot. </li>
<li>Your idea of interesting and ground-breaking is a close up of a model's nipple, or a strawberry on her lady garden. Oh, don't forget m&ms or smarties...always an 'artistic' addition. </li>
<li>You actually find most art fairly boring. </li>
</ul><br />
<ul></ul>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-58481155817120235552011-05-11T07:30:00.000+01:002011-05-11T07:30:00.842+01:00Focus on photographer: Adi DeweyWonderful, clean images from a <a href="http://www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?id=adi_dewey">Cambridge photographer. </a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images5/imageupload11/adi_dewey_30864568.jpg?174869405" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images5/imageupload11/adi_dewey_30864568.jpg?174869405" width="314" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload2/adi_dewey_2339424.jpg?537565241" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload2/adi_dewey_2339424.jpg?537565241" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images12/imageupload10/adi_dewey_79118567.jpg?246045998" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images12/imageupload10/adi_dewey_79118567.jpg?246045998" width="257" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images10/imageupload2/adi_dewey_1503234.jpg?169103988" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images10/imageupload2/adi_dewey_1503234.jpg?169103988" width="226" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-68148285242157079652011-05-11T07:00:00.001+01:002011-05-11T07:00:02.800+01:00Guest post by Laylarc: How to irritate models (I fart on your jaffa cakes)<i>Take half a look at<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?psid=laylarc&logon%24btn_searchgo.x=17&logon%24btn_searchgo.y=13"> Laylarc</a>'s profile notes, and it won't take you long to figure out that 1) She's funny as hell and 2) This chick's got balls. Oh, and maybe she knows what she's talking about when it comes to modeling. I'm a long-time fan, so I was extremely pleased when she agreed to write for the blog. </i><br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">I fart on your Jaffa Cakes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">How to irritate a model</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">A few years ago I worked with an amateur photographer who couldn’t say lingerie, and instead of simply saying underwear or knickers and bra<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">,</i> kept insisting that we do some ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lannnjeray</i>’ shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It’s hard to describe how irritating this was, but I’ll try: It was like when you have toothache, and it hurts when you put your tongue on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you have to put your tongue on it every now and again, just to check that it still hurts as much when you put your tongue on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know what I mean?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It was in this way that I kept getting him to say ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lannnjeray</i>’ during the shoot, seething and shuddering with rage at his every mispronunciation of the French word for posh knickers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the four-hour shoot I could have cheerfully garroted him with my thong.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It wasn’t really the ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lannnjeray</i>’ that irritated the shit out of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth is, this guy was on an: ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m a glamour photographer I am!</i>’ trip, and I was a bit jaded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want to know why I was jaded, please see <a href="http://modelbitch.blogspot.com/2011/05/guest-post-by-amie-boo-modeling-youve.html">Aimeeboo’s article</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After twelve months of modeling, this was pretty much the story of my life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You won’t hear the following from working models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not ones that wish to keep working anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So this article is dedicated to all the smart, sensible, hard-working models that have, at times during a shoot, suppressed the overwhelming urge to delicately remove one stiletto and whack the photographer in the face with the pointy bit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It’s also dedicated to the awkward, bumbling, often but not always loveable buggers that decide to take up model photography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Before I get really brutal, I’d like to point out that I loved being a model.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the process, I loved the adventure and I loved, loved, loved working with amateurs and creating images.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like nearly all of the photographers I worked with as people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would actually stop and piss on most of them, if I found them on fire by the side of the road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of my shoots were wonderful, and I’d get home buzzing and happy, with a huge smile on my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s human nature to remember the negative in high-definition Technicolor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me, some of these incidents are acid-etched into my memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They weren’t traumatic; they were just really bloody irritating.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Being irritated isn’t intrinsically terrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But to a model, particularly an art model, that has dedicated her time, her youth and her fleeting beauty to creating art, and helping others to create, it’s really bloody frustrating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Basically, we arrive open-hearted and willing, and it’s the irritating stuff that puts a barrier between us and you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You’re killing us, you’re making us shut down, when what we really want to do is to push you to create great stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can rant about how irritating you guys can be, and it can be as funny as hell, but if you think about it in this way, it’s a missed opportunity and rather sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the spirit of the faux-pas, rather than the actual events that I hope to get across.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a nutshell, it’s this:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Even the nicest, most well-meaning guy can come across as an irritating, creepy prick when confronted with an attractive girl in a bikini.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The most important skill you have to learn as a model photographer, is not to be irritating and creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop fiddling with the camera and read this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s funny (probably only to models) but it’s not a joke.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">As a newbie photographer, you’re bound to innocently piss a model off sooner or later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not the end of the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just don’t complain about it as much as you guys do, because it affects our chances of getting booked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahhh, sweet revenge.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In the spirit of everyone getting along with everyone else, here is a list of things that piss us off:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Stop being scared of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t go to pieces when we walk out the changing room in a thong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pull yourself together and don’t be a dick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This applies only to a few, but it’s worth kicking off with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being sexy, sensual and beautiful for the camera is not the same thing as being horny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This might come as a shock to some wannabe glamour photographers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially those under 25 years old, or those that have been married for five million years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as a rule, we’re generally not horny at all on a shoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This might sound obvious, but it’s amazing how many former noobs have admitted to me that they were actually nervous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NERVOUS that a model might get so turned-on during a topless shoot that they would try and have sex with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Errrr, no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t want to have sex with you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re not thinking about having sex with you, we’re not considering it, and we’re not even worried that you’re thinking about having sex with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We just want to take some photographs please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why don’t you stop holding your camera as if it’s a bomb that might go off, and concentrate on getting some bloody good shots.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Oh, and here’s a helpful tip:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thinking about lighting, composition and F-stop thingies stops you getting a boner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now relax.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">You’ve been a photographer for eleventy-billion years?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well so what?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nobody ever says ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh Bill’s been doing this for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t even need to look at his photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’ll be brilliant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact Bill, don’t bother with the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just stand there and look at stuff. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bill’s a photographer you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You should see his art nudes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What that man doesn’t know about putting rose petals on fannies isn’t worth knowing</i>,”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Photography isn’t like guarding the Queen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t get any kind of recognition for long service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not automatically better because you’re older than the collage kid with the second-hand SLR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not entitled to any special respect or awe, because you started growing your beer belly when the model was still in nappies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes no difference whatsoever, and we do not give a flying fart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">There’s a porn studio near where I used to live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A local photographer mate of mine used to joke about the shenanigans that went on there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said if you shined one of those special torches that the police use to detect traces of semen onto one particular set (somewhat disturbingly, this was the set that strongly resembled my Gran’s bedroom), it would light up like Blackpool illuminations.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Well, a similar thing happens to your photographs when you tell us how great you are.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">While we may like and appreciate your wonderful photography, because you’ve just told us you’re amazing, each & every flaw lights up like a spunk-stain on a flouncy duvet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Particularly flaws to do with models, as in you not communicating with the model i.e. the bits that you should have fixed before you clicked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The more you bang on about being fantastic, the more we’ll notice that kind of stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Pssst, I’m going to tell you a secret now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t just stare down the glassy bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We do actually look at lots of photographs as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And nobody we consider awesome has ever felt the need to tell us how great they are.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Talking over the model when she’s speaking is something that only newbies do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Particularly on the telephone when you’re discussing the shoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It goes a little something like this:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“…I can bring some….”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Oh yeah bring some lannnjeray, bring some shoes, bring some straighteners and things for your hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bring some dresses, and some of those short things that aren’t dresses, what are they called?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skirts?”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“…I work up to nude, but I don’t…”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">“Oh well I’m not interested in all that stuff no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need to see a model’s fanny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not interested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No sireee!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No fannies for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t need’em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t use’em.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t like’em to be fair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve always thought they looked kinda sore to be honest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weird looking things…”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">And while we’re on the subject of chunnering away without noticing that the model has slipped into a coma, we certainly don’t need to hear a long, overly delicate monologue about how you’re definitely not going to rape us or wank yourself inside-out over the photos after the shoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shut the fuck up please.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Perhaps the most damaging assault to the model/photographer/let’s get some great photos relationship is pretending that ‘models’ are a species unto themselves, and you are some kind of special anthropologist that understands their baffling little ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even thick models resent this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might have more interesting things to do than look up the word ‘patronising’ in the dictionary, but it’s perfectly clear when they’re rolling their eyes at you behind the photographer’s back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">When I’ve just split up with my long-term partner & moved to the other end of the country, I’m understandably knee-deep in Wolf Blass, Kleenex and Ben & Jerrys, and I mention to you that I’m going through a break-up so I’m not accepting bookings this week, I’m not expecting a violin concerto. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m being honest & responsible, and talking to you as an adult.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Saying ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh you models, always breaking up with your boyfriends,</i>’ in reply to this virtually guarantees that I’m going to spit in your tea during our shoot.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Saying ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh you models, always on your ‘phones</i>’ when I’m answering an email about a booking, or talking to my friends at the barbeque I’ve missed to prance around in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lannnjeray</i> for you for ninety minutes, while on a break, or during unpaid travelling time is really fucking annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’d already spat in your tea, I would probably fart on your Jaffa cakes for this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Haggling over the fee for no good reason can be very irritating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are good reasons to negotiate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parking, distance, hours, levels, this is reasonable stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the fact that you just fancy paying £40 less than the stated rates isn’t a good reason.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Model fees have already been covered in this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So let’s just say, there is an awful lot of fuck-arsing around that we have to do to get bookings, and to travel to places with big, heavy bags full of stuff. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not bald tyres or garden walls that need repairing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are people, with stuff to do and lives to lead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We like modeling, but why is subsidizing your hobby all bastard morning suddenly my fucking problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure your wife is relieved to have you out from under her feet for half a day, but I’m not the idiot that married you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can afford a camera, some lights, Photoshop, a computer, a car and parking, you can pay a model’s fee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop being a tight-arse. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We do not want to hear your entire, excruciating philosophy behind the unique and special way that you alone take photographs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Particularly if it involves the idea that you only shoot blondes in gold bikinis for the art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact we don’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shut up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Amateur photographers sometimes bafflingly tell models to not pose at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently they like natural photos, and imposing a blanket ban on arching your back suddenly achieves this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">No it doesn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I suspect this approach is often more about trying to throw the model into a tizzy so that you can capture some ‘real emotion’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it feels like the photographer is just trying to establish control or dominance by stopping the model from doing what she’s hired for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">This really does just piss us the fuck off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, we groan inwardly when we hear this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look, you’re not freaking us out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re not going to get raw emotion or a natural feel, because you’re not working <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">with</i> us, and therefore we’ve shut down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might as well get a sack of potatoes from the corner shop and photograph that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least it won’t give ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">harmless prick’</i> as a reference.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I want to capture the real you</i>,”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">That’s just weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this is a portrait shoot then?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh you want to capture the real me, when I’m rolling around on a sofa in my pants in full makeup, like I do all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you don’t want me to pose, so I’ll just squash my legs against the sofa and not worry about giving the camera more than one chin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Top banana.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I don’t like my models to be uncomfortable on a shoot</i>,”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">It’s basically a choice between looking shit-hot and being uncomfortable, or being comfortable and looking shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not fucking rocket science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not a doll and I will not break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if I feel uncomfortable with anything, physically or otherwise, please credit me with enough gumption to say so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">IT IS A MODEL’S JOB TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We bend, we stand in the cold, we ache, we suck bits in and stick bits out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please stop interfering and let us do our job.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Oh, and ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my models’</i> sounds creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shot at the home of a very well-to-do photographer in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I entered the building I saw lots of black & white nudes with their fannies tastefully arranged in shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I see you’re admiring my nudes,</i>” said Mr. Photographer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He made it sound like he had a herd of nude models munching straw & rolling in dung round the back of his shed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THIS SOUNDS WEIRD!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You own the split second that you captured in your photograph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not yours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not even metaphorically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fuck off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So with all these terrible ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">thou shalt nots’</i> I’m spouting, is there anything you can do right?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Yes there is, and it’s very simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Concentrate on the shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the model, the right kind of concentration towards the model comes from concentrating on the shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, it’s amazing and impressive when a model rattles off a million poses in five minutes, and you do feel you have a duty to keep up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But unless you’re a couple of professionals shooting for a magazine, it’s boring & pointless for both of you. Models only tend to do this when they’re bored, or when they’re in ‘work mode’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neither of which, as an amateur, is any good for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">So if you want to work with a model successfully, do your homework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Choose what kind of shots you want to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t try to copy the professionals on TV, barking ‘<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">yeah babe that’s lovely’</i> at a model in front of a blank white wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s fantasy-land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t work like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Coronation Street isn’t a documentary, and proper photographers don’t go <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">click click drop your strap love, magic.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Instead, look at photographs before the shoot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rip pictures out of magazines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes it’s as simple as saying ‘I want this kind of pose, but with that kind of lighting,’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or knowing that you want to experiment with something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or trying to re-create something just for fun or practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">We know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re patient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spend our lives sitting in studios waiting for photographers to finish fucking around with lighting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want you to take your time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No honestly, we do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty minutes even.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We want you to think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not about us, we’re just fine thank you, and if we’re not, we’ll tell you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Think about your shot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get it right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learn something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talk to the model.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why we exist.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-62877306023397556022011-05-10T12:30:00.000+01:002011-05-10T12:30:01.972+01:00Open discussion: what's the point of a shoot?A lot of people have different aims for their shoots; to create something beautiful, to practice, to socialise, to channel creative energy. I have to say that my main aim in shoots (other than to get paid) was to create something I was proud of, which is generally something interesting or beautiful.<br />
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Does your aim for shoots progress as your 'career' (I use the term in the loosest possible sense) progresses? What is your aim for shoots? Do you want to change the aims? Do you think it's important?ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2598706493577321858.post-61640539470017064672011-05-10T07:30:00.000+01:002011-05-10T07:30:00.858+01:00Focus on photographer: Barone<a href="http://www.purestorm.com/profile.aspx?psid=barone&logon%24btn_searchgo.x=0&logon%24btn_searchgo.y=0">Pure polished perfection. </a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images7/imageupload6/barone_1353017.jpg?2051144129" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images7/imageupload6/barone_1353017.jpg?2051144129" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload1/barone_2010034.jpg?394784102" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images14/imageupload1/barone_2010034.jpg?394784102" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images13/imageupload1/barone_1531338.jpg?1509642563" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images13/imageupload1/barone_1531338.jpg?1509642563" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images2/imageupload8/barone_2374078.jpg?1510700816" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images2/imageupload8/barone_2374078.jpg?1510700816" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images15/imageupload15/barone_1642674.jpg?170258015" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images15/imageupload15/barone_1642674.jpg?170258015" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images3/imageupload10/barone_2064151.jpg?234076412" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://images.purestorm.com/z-images3/imageupload10/barone_2064151.jpg?234076412" width="320" /></a></div>ModelBitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03078663364078942807noreply@blogger.com2