Model Bitch

Swansong

2011-09-09T19:50:00.002+01:00

As 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.

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.

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.

As for other adventures, I'm looking at cameras on eBay as I type this...

The best piece of modeling business advice you'll read here.

2011-06-16T21:03:00.000+01:00

Ok, I lied, there are 2 pieces of information. 2 for the price of 1, because I've been slacking.

1) Get a notebook

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.

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.

Profit:

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.

Taxes:

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.

Life
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.

Viability
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.

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.

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?

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.

2) Sort out your money

Yes, its a dollar. Get over it.

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!

There's also the tedious crap that is taxation, and needing emergency money.

Taxes:
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!)

Emergency money:
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.

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?

Disney Make Up

2011-06-02T07:45:00.000+01:00

Just saw this today - ok, the photos just aren't good, but what a cool idea!

Focus on model: Moness

2011-06-01T19:37:00.000+01:00

Beautiful face, beautiful body, great tattoos...what's not to love?

Things that you should really leave out of your portfolio

2011-06-01T19:20:00.000+01:00

There 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.

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:

The feather lashes
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.

The belt bra
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?

Oops - how did that get stuck there?
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!

Choo choo!
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.

Did someone die?
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.

Peek-a-boo
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.

It's getting a little chilly - I'll just hold onto my tits
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.

American Beauty
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.

Avatar
If you don't have the budget that they had, you're not going to produce the results, Don't bother,

Lara Croft
If you don't have Angelina Jolie, you're not going to produce the results. Don't bother.

Lady Gaga
Just...why?

Angel wings
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.

Sitting on the toilet
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.

Got any more?

People on modelling forums are stupid - stop asking them for advice

2011-05-31T20:47:00.000+01:00

So 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.

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.

Don't believe me? Here are some recent examples:

I haven't received my photos from a TF arrangement - what do I do? Send them an invoice for your time and take them to court! Drink their blooood! 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.

A model no-showed - what do I do? 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. 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 want to lose weight - how do I do it? Exercise is a myth, it won't help you lose weight, and it doesn't matter what you eat...just eat less. Utter. Shit. Clearly from someone fat. Usually accompanied by 'you don't need to lose weight' and 'you have great tits'.

Self defense tips (which weren't actually asked for): Scratch them, run away, scream! 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.

Where do I get a portfolio? Try W H Smiths. 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 need some relationship advice - any advice: Dump them and do nudes. And you wonder why so many people on these sites are single...

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.

'Agency Standard': Odds are, if you're not signed to an agency, you're not agency standard...

2011-05-31T19:06:00.000+01:00

Before the lovers' tiff broke out, this thread had a reasonable point, or at least the beginnings of it.

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.

Agency standard: of a standard that will/is/would be signed by a major and legitimate agency.

But, as always, there are issues with this. I'm going to try to help to clarify some of them.

How can I tell if I'm agency standard?
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.

What agencies count?
There are some agencies that will fleece you and 'sign' literally anybody. Basically, if your agency has never sent you on a casting or tossed you a scrap of work, they probably don't count.

What are agency standard and agency signed models doing online then?
Quite a few things actually:

Different genres
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.

Extra work
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.

Networking
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.

Slut

2011-05-24T18:53:00.000+01:00

That's right, I'm getting political. I was disputing whether or not to bring this shit up, but it actually makes my blood boil.

So, a lovely little policeman decided to tell a group of women "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised".

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.

Just incase you've missed it, here's the link to the blog.

I was appalled by the attitudes of the police. Then I was absolutely disgusted by the discussions that followed on modeling sites:
Purestorm
Net Model
Model Mayhem

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.

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.

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 expect to be raped if you're wearing 'slutty' clothes? Well, here is a nice bullet-pointed list for you:

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
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).
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?
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.
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.
Most rapists do not remember what the victim was wearing
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.
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.
97% of women to call rape crisis lines knew their attacker
1 in 4 women have experienced rape or attempted rape
1 in 7 women have been coerced into sex, rising to 1 in 3 women among divorced or separated women
The majority of rapes are planned

The only person responsible for rape is the rapist

Excuses and bullshit won't make you taller: can a short girl be a fashion model?

2011-05-24T18:16:00.000+01:00

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.

Kate Moss doesn't count
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.

(I say this with absolutely all due respect to Kate Moss - she's incredible).

Evangeline Lily doesn't count
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.

Talent doesn't count
'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.

Heels don't count
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.

'Fair' isn't a word associated with modelling
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.

Anyway, done my bit of dream-crushing for the day. Now I might go kick a puppy*.

*This was a joke - MB would never ever kick a puppy. Unless it was attacking a kitten.

Guest post by Tansy Blue: Being fresh meat - what I learned in 2 months

2011-05-22T07:00:00.003+01:00

Tansy is one of Purestorm's very promising new starters.

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:

1. Do your research

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”.

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.

No, really. Do it.

2. Get a half decent profile

This means two things: images and profile notes.

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.

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 awesome.

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.

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.

You definitely need to check your spelling and grammar. Get a friend to check them over if this isn't your strong point.

3. Be clear about your limits

Do you shoot nudes? Circle one: Y/N

Do you shoot open leg? Y/N

Do you shoot masturbation implied or real? Y/N

Etc...

'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.

4. Be professional from the start

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.

Respond to messages promptly. Be polite. Do not badmouth people. Turn up on time. 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 .

7. Really do check references

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.

5. Test up, not sideways

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.

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.

6. Don't be afraid to ask for money – but don't quit the day job

Don't be embarrassed – if you won't get usable images from the shoot you are fully justified in asking for cash.

As a new model, you can earn a fair bit in a few months. New 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.

PS. To quote Vasilisa's post - “HMRC don't fuck around”.

8. Don't let it eat your life

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 new. Wait for the novelty to wear off before making any irreversible choices.

9. Ask for advice, then take it

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.

10. If it's not fun, quit

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.

Post round up: The useful stuff

2011-05-22T07:00:00.002+01:00

I 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 really useful posts for models and photographers.

For models:

How to pose

Nudity and modeling

Modeling shoot checklist

How to approach testing

Guest post: Why do I keep having bad experiences?

Guest post by Ruby Rosetta: Erotic modeling

Guest post by Vasilisa: How to arrange your book

How much should I charge for modeling?

Should I have a Chaperone?

Where to get paid work as an internet model

Modeling: The Business

For photographers:

For new photographers: how not to fuck up shoots and make models run away

How to approach testing

Watermarks (otherwise known as 'quit fucking up your photos')

Guest post: 'You can’t be a serious photographer unless you have the right gear'

For photographers: How to really make your work stand out

Guest post by Iain Thomson: Getting into the adult photography business - do you really want to do it?

2011-05-21T07:00:00.000+01:00

A follow on from Iain's first post about he got into the adult photography business.

How do I get the break to get started?

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.

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.

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.

Why you probably can't get a break...

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?

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…

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

*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.

So, I'm completely wasting my time trying?

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.

Its not all glamour.......

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.

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.

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.

'Bodypainting'

2011-05-18T22:10:00.000+01:00

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'.

So, here is some fanastic and creative bodypainting:

By Victoris Gugenheim

By Lauren Baker

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.

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.

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.

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.

Open discussion: what's the best way for a new model to learn?

2011-05-17T12:30:00.000+01:00

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?

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.

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.

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?

Guest post: Why do I keep having bad experiences?

2011-05-15T07:00:00.000+01:00

The first guest post by Miss X.

Why do I keep having bad experiences?

“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?”

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:

Before the photoshoot:

Are you checking references?

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.

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:

“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?

Many thanks,

[Model]”

* - Why?
- Because the full-time models have the most basis for comparison.

Do you know your industry speak?

“US-mag” does not mean American Vogue!!

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.

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.

Do you have a safety network?

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”.

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.

During the photoshoot:

Are you sticking to your levels?

So you shoot up to art-nude but have been booked for a catalogue and portrait shoot. “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”

Just because you work to a higher level, that does not mean you have an obligation to strip for every shoot regardless of what you have been booked for.

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 any reason) and/or your rates increase depending on the genre, be firm. (“Sorry, that wasn’t what we booked but I’d be happy to come back for another shoot.”) If the photographer likes your look, he’ll book you again.

Above all, don’t let anyone push you into passing your accepted levels.

Do you come across as professional?

Not all bad experiences involve creepy level-pushing GWCs rubbing their… knees… while mumbling “you’ve got lovely boobs… yeah lovely boobs”.

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! Stay calm, make a non-committal “hmm” noise or change the subject. Don’t turn the camera equipment into a wall for yelling over!

Don’t flirt.

“Secret levels”. (A model states publicly she’ll work to one level, but actually works higher depending on pay and skill of the photographer.)

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.

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- that’s how good I am!!!” Sadly, I’m not exaggerating.

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.

Are you taking notice of warning signs?

Otherwise known as “red flags”- a term found all over industry forums.

I’ve given you some yellow flags too- one on its own may be nothing, but several together? Keep your wits about you.

Any one of my red flags is a sign to leave the photoshoot immediately.

Yellow:

a bad reference (obviously it depends on the reference but find out more about the situation before agreeing to shoot)
photographer repeatedly mentions that he has sexual relationships with many of his models
photographer flirts with you. This is not a normal part of a photoshoot.
compliments revolve around photographer’s sexual preferences (there is a difference between “I like photographing blonde women- I think your hair is beautiful” and “I love your hair- I really have a thing for blondes”)
pushes levels once
drastic difference of opinion (as discussed, to stop this becoming a bad experience, don’t start a debate)

Red:

asks for sexual favours or touches you inappropriately
takes pictures without your permission. (I’m not referring to outtakes but to photos while you are changing or off-set.)
pushes levels more than once
has an agenda (you change poses- “no, move back, now undo your top”. You pull it around you “no- let it drop to the floor”. You ask why you are doing a striptease you never agreed on “oh, well I thought we’d submit this photoset to Zivity” !!!)
offers drugs
photographer is suddenly a model too: “I have an idea- let’s pose together! Put your arm around me…”

Focus on photographer: Bronk Landers

2011-05-14T07:00:00.000+01:00

This 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!

How to approach testing

2011-05-13T12:30:00.000+01:00

You 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.

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).

Match your abilities
Here's how it works:
Inexperienced/worse model - experienced/good photographer = model pays
Inexperienced/worse photographer - experieinced/good model = photographer pays
Equal abilities = test

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.

Don't make them chase you
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 to a message. You need to keep the lines of communication open if you want the test to actually happen.

Be enthusiastic!
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.

Don't expect them to pay you
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.

Be clear about your aims and abilities
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.

Thanks to the photographers that contributed ideas for this via Twitter. Follow me.

Focus on model: Helene Atsuko

2011-05-13T07:00:00.000+01:00

It's rare to find truely unique models - particularly ones with classic beauty and shaved heads. Which is why I adore Helene Atsuko. All of her work is wonderfully styled, and beautifully polished.

Modeling shoot checklist

2011-05-12T14:00:00.001+01:00

If 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.

Modeling and relationships

2011-05-12T14:00:00.000+01:00

Every 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.

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.

Be honest and open
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.

Discuss the actual problem
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).

Sort out your priorities
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.

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.

You are not an artist if...

2011-05-12T12:30:00.000+01:00

I've been trying to create a photographer complement to 'You're not a model if' , 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!

You are not an artist if:

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.
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.
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'
You have to consistently tell models that 'it's art' to convince them to work nude with you.
You then try to show them MetArt...and point out it has 'art' in the title...therefore it is art. Subtle.
You can't independently judge whether a piece is adult, glamour or art, never mind whether it's tacky crap or actually well shot.
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.
You actually find most art fairly boring.

Focus on photographer: Adi Dewey

2011-05-11T07:30:00.000+01:00

Wonderful, clean images from a Cambridge photographer.

Guest post by Laylarc: How to irritate models (I fart on your jaffa cakes)

2011-05-11T07:00:00.001+01:00

Take half a look at Laylarc'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 fart on your Jaffa Cakes

How to irritate a model

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, kept insisting that we do some ‘Lannnjeray’ shots.

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. 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. Do you know what I mean?

It was in this way that I kept getting him to say ‘Lannnjeray’ during the shoot, seething and shuddering with rage at his every mispronunciation of the French word for posh knickers. By the end of the four-hour shoot I could have cheerfully garroted him with my thong.

It wasn’t really the ‘Lannnjeray’ that irritated the shit out of me. The truth is, this guy was on an: ‘I’m a glamour photographer I am!’ trip, and I was a bit jaded. If you want to know why I was jaded, please see Aimeeboo’s article. After twelve months of modeling, this was pretty much the story of my life.

You won’t hear the following from working models. Not ones that wish to keep working anyway. 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.

It’s also dedicated to the awkward, bumbling, often but not always loveable buggers that decide to take up model photography.

Before I get really brutal, I’d like to point out that I loved being a model. I loved the process, I loved the adventure and I loved, loved, loved working with amateurs and creating images. I like nearly all of the photographers I worked with as people. I would actually stop and piss on most of them, if I found them on fire by the side of the road. Most of my shoots were wonderful, and I’d get home buzzing and happy, with a huge smile on my face. But it’s human nature to remember the negative in high-definition Technicolor. Believe me, some of these incidents are acid-etched into my memory. They weren’t traumatic; they were just really bloody irritating.

Being irritated isn’t intrinsically terrible. 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. Basically, we arrive open-hearted and willing, and it’s the irritating stuff that puts a barrier between us and you.

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. 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. It’s the spirit of the faux-pas, rather than the actual events that I hope to get across. In a nutshell, it’s this:

Even the nicest, most well-meaning guy can come across as an irritating, creepy prick when confronted with an attractive girl in a bikini. The most important skill you have to learn as a model photographer, is not to be irritating and creepy. Stop fiddling with the camera and read this. It’s funny (probably only to models) but it’s not a joke.

As a newbie photographer, you’re bound to innocently piss a model off sooner or later. It’s not the end of the world. We just don’t complain about it as much as you guys do, because it affects our chances of getting booked. Ahhh, sweet revenge.

In the spirit of everyone getting along with everyone else, here is a list of things that piss us off:

Stop being scared of us. Don’t go to pieces when we walk out the changing room in a thong. Pull yourself together and don’t be a dick.

This applies only to a few, but it’s worth kicking off with. Being sexy, sensual and beautiful for the camera is not the same thing as being horny. This might come as a shock to some wannabe glamour photographers. Especially those under 25 years old, or those that have been married for five million years. But as a rule, we’re generally not horny at all on a shoot. This might sound obvious, but it’s amazing how many former noobs have admitted to me that they were actually nervous. NERVOUS that a model might get so turned-on during a topless shoot that they would try and have sex with them.

Errrr, no. We don’t want to have sex with you. 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. We just want to take some photographs please. 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.

Oh, and here’s a helpful tip: Thinking about lighting, composition and F-stop thingies stops you getting a boner. OK? Now relax.

You’ve been a photographer for eleventy-billion years? Well so what? Nobody ever says ‘Oh Bill’s been doing this for years. We don’t even need to look at his photos. They’ll be brilliant. In fact Bill, don’t bother with the camera. Just stand there and look at stuff. Bill’s a photographer you know. You should see his art nudes. What that man doesn’t know about putting rose petals on fannies isn’t worth knowing,”

Photography isn’t like guarding the Queen. You don’t get any kind of recognition for long service. You’re not automatically better because you’re older than the collage kid with the second-hand SLR. You’re not entitled to any special respect or awe, because you started growing your beer belly when the model was still in nappies. It makes no difference whatsoever, and we do not give a flying fart.

There’s a porn studio near where I used to live. A local photographer mate of mine used to joke about the shenanigans that went on there. 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.

Well, a similar thing happens to your photographs when you tell us how great you are.

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. 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. The more you bang on about being fantastic, the more we’ll notice that kind of stuff.

Pssst, I’m going to tell you a secret now. We don’t just stare down the glassy bit. We do actually look at lots of photographs as well. And nobody we consider awesome has ever felt the need to tell us how great they are.

Talking over the model when she’s speaking is something that only newbies do. Particularly on the telephone when you’re discussing the shoot. It goes a little something like this:

“…I can bring some….”

“Oh yeah bring some lannnjeray, bring some shoes, bring some straighteners and things for your hair. Bring some dresses, and some of those short things that aren’t dresses, what are they called? Skirts?”

“…I work up to nude, but I don’t…”

“Oh well I’m not interested in all that stuff no. I don’t need to see a model’s fanny. Not interested. No sireee! No fannies for me. Don’t need’em. Can’t use’em. Don’t like’em to be fair. I’ve always thought they looked kinda sore to be honest. Weird looking things…”

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. We get it. Gross. Shut the fuck up please.

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. Even thick models resent this. 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.

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. I’m being honest & responsible, and talking to you as an adult.

Saying ‘Oh you models, always breaking up with your boyfriends,’ in reply to this virtually guarantees that I’m going to spit in your tea during our shoot.

Saying ‘Oh you models, always on your ‘phones’ when I’m answering an email about a booking, or talking to my friends at the barbeque I’ve missed to prance around in Lannnjeray for you for ninety minutes, while on a break, or during unpaid travelling time is really fucking annoying. If I’d already spat in your tea, I would probably fart on your Jaffa cakes for this.

Haggling over the fee for no good reason can be very irritating. There are good reasons to negotiate. Parking, distance, hours, levels, this is reasonable stuff. But the fact that you just fancy paying £40 less than the stated rates isn’t a good reason.

Model fees have already been covered in this blog. 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. We are not bald tyres or garden walls that need repairing. We are people, with stuff to do and lives to lead. We like modeling, but why is subsidizing your hobby all bastard morning suddenly my fucking problem? 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. If you can afford a camera, some lights, Photoshop, a computer, a car and parking, you can pay a model’s fee. Stop being a tight-arse.

We do not want to hear your entire, excruciating philosophy behind the unique and special way that you alone take photographs. Particularly if it involves the idea that you only shoot blondes in gold bikinis for the art. We get it. We don’t mind. In fact we don’t care. Shut up.

Amateur photographers sometimes bafflingly tell models to not pose at all. Apparently they like natural photos, and imposing a blanket ban on arching your back suddenly achieves this.

No it doesn’t. 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’. 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.

This really does just piss us the fuck off. Seriously, we groan inwardly when we hear this. Look, you’re not freaking us out. You’re not going to get raw emotion or a natural feel, because you’re not working with us, and therefore we’ve shut down. You might as well get a sack of potatoes from the corner shop and photograph that. At least it won’t give ‘harmless prick’ as a reference.

“I want to capture the real you,”

That’s just weird. Is this is a portrait shoot then? 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. 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. Top banana.

“I don’t like my models to be uncomfortable on a shoot,”

It’s basically a choice between looking shit-hot and being uncomfortable, or being comfortable and looking shit. We’re models. It’s not fucking rocket science. I’m not a doll and I will not break. And if I feel uncomfortable with anything, physically or otherwise, please credit me with enough gumption to say so.

IT IS A MODEL’S JOB TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE. We bend, we stand in the cold, we ache, we suck bits in and stick bits out. This is what we do. Please stop interfering and let us do our job.

Oh, and ‘my models’ sounds creepy. I shot at the home of a very well-to-do photographer in the country. As soon as I entered the building I saw lots of black & white nudes with their fannies tastefully arranged in shadows. “I see you’re admiring my nudes,” said Mr. Photographer. He made it sound like he had a herd of nude models munching straw & rolling in dung round the back of his shed. Weird. THIS SOUNDS WEIRD! You own the split second that you captured in your photograph. We are not yours. Not even metaphorically. Fuck off.

So with all these terrible ‘thou shalt nots’ I’m spouting, is there anything you can do right?

Yes there is, and it’s very simple. Concentrate on the shot. Not the model, the right kind of concentration towards the model comes from concentrating on the shot. 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. 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’. Neither of which, as an amateur, is any good for you.

So if you want to work with a model successfully, do your homework. Choose what kind of shots you want to do. Don’t try to copy the professionals on TV, barking ‘yeah babe that’s lovely’ at a model in front of a blank white wall. That’s fantasy-land. It doesn’t work like that. Coronation Street isn’t a documentary, and proper photographers don’t go click click drop your strap love, magic.

Instead, look at photographs before the shoot. Rip pictures out of magazines. Look at books. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying ‘I want this kind of pose, but with that kind of lighting,’. Or knowing that you want to experiment with something. Or trying to re-create something just for fun or practice.

We know. We understand. We’re patient. We spend our lives sitting in studios waiting for photographers to finish fucking around with lighting. We want you to take your time. No honestly, we do. Five minutes. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes even. Whatever. We want you to think. Not about us, we’re just fine thank you, and if we’re not, we’ll tell you.

Think about your shot. Get it right. Learn something. Improve. Talk to the model. Listen. Get better. That’s why we exist.

Open discussion: what's the point of a shoot?

2011-05-10T12:30:00.000+01:00

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.

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?

Focus on photographer: Barone

2011-05-10T07:30:00.000+01:00

Pure polished perfection.

Make up tutorials

2011-05-09T12:30:00.001+01:00

There are literally hundreds of amazing make up and hair tutorials on youtube. I'll confess that about 80% of my make up knowledge comes from them. Here are a few of my favourites.

Illamasqua Skin Sketching

Beyonce from 'Why Don't You Love Me'

Dita Von Teese

Perfect Liquid Liner

Sunset Eyeshadow

Bronze and Blue Smokey Eye

Another Smokey Eye

Focus on photographer: Ciaran Whyte

2011-05-09T07:00:00.001+01:00

Pretty much the person I thought about when I wrote 'Talented Amateur' on this post. Absolutely fantastic!

Focus on photographer: Phil Winterbourne

2011-05-08T15:26:00.000+01:00

Yet another fantastic photographer

What kind of modeling should I do?

2011-05-08T14:57:00.001+01:00

This is by no means decisive - whether you can model and make money at all depends on other vital factors like whether you can actually take a decent photo, whether you're suitable for a variety of jobs, and whether you have any sense. This is just a rough and ready guide going through the basics.

How tall are you?
Under 5'6'' - glamour/art/fetish/alt - you're not going to get signed to a fashion agency
5'7''-5'9'' - Possibly ok for commercial, depending on your look. The under 5'6'' categories are still open to you.
5'9''+ - Check out the agency websites on this page. If you've got a similar look and measurements to the girls there, it may be worth approaching an agency.

How old are you?
Under 18 - Depending on your build, you may be able to get signed to a commercial or fashion agency. Obviously, fetish/art/glamour and adult work needs to wait until you're older. Contrary to popular belief, you're still fine to do lingerie/swimwear modeling as long as it's not sexually suggestive.
18-22 - Prime age for pretty much everything. If you're tall enough and have the right look/measurements, don't wait too long to approach an agency. 21/22 is already pushing it.
22+ - unless you have sizeable experience, you're too old to get signed. Generally best for commercial/art/fetish/glamour.

What is your cup size?
Under a C cup - If you're the right age and height, good for agencies, A smaller cup size doesn't actually prevent you from modeling in any genre, even adult or glamour.
C-D cup - Good for most things, but getting on the bigger side for fashion or commercial. A lot of models who have fashion measurements but c-d cups end up doing a lot of lingerie and swimwear modeling
DD cup + - too big for fashoin, and possibly commercial (usually presents problems if there's a stylist). Art/fetish/glamour/adult/alt are still fine - even preferred.

Do you have tattoos?
No - Good for pretty much everything other than alt, where the preference is some sort of modification
Yes - 1-2 small ones - This still won't stop you from getting signed with a decent agency if you fit the rest of the bill, and shouldn't prevent you from getting jobs too much. Particularly if they're in places that aren't too visible. Learn to cover them up properly and you'll bypass any issues.
Yes - more than 2, or tattoos that are fairly large - Pretty much excludes you from commercial/fashion work unless they're only visible undressed, but it still limits your options. Good for alt and fetish, but a lot of art photographers will moan at you. Not really liked too much in glamour or adult either.

What do you look like?
Girl next door - You'd make a killing in glamour/adult, and good for commercial. It won't exactly prevent you from getting work in art either, but pretty much forget alt and fetish.
Ethereal alien creature - Fashion, fashion, fashion!!
Goth! - That's pretty easy - alt or fetish. I'd probably say learn to tone it down a bit to get some art work too.
I don't really look like a model, but I scrub up - A lot of models don't actually look like models outside of shoots - it's about how you photograph.

What levels are you happy to work to?
Clothed only - Even in fashion or commercial, it's best to have wider levels. Read this.
Lingerie - Fashion, commercial, glamour are ok - glamour being FHM/Maxim style if you fit the bill. You may be able to do some fetish too, but not much.
Nude - Nude work will not preclude you from higher-paying commercial work. A lot of fashion models do nudes, and you know all those showergel/toiletry ads with implied nude models? Yeah, they're commercial models.
Open leg/adult - This is pretty self-explanatory. Remember though, adult work will exclude you from other work, but a lot of adult models just don't fit the commercial/fashion requirements anyway.

How flexible are you?
Not very, I can't even touch my toes - Stretch! You don't need to be massively flexible for commercial or fashion work, but with fashion it helps if you can do better poses.
Fairly - just normal - This is ok for most genres.
Very - I can bend over backwards and do the splits! - Flexibility is very important for art models.

When can I say I'm a professional?

2011-05-08T12:30:00.000+01:00

Often asked on forums, the terms 'semi-professional' and 'professional' are really abused by models and photographers alike. Misusing these terms not only raises expectations when people book you, but can also land you in trouble with HMRC if it looks like you're making most of your money from online modeling/photography without declaring it and paying taxes.

Being published means nothing...at all
Being published is not the way to figure out whether or not you're a professional. There are professionals that have never been published in their lives, there are amateurs who have stacks of tearsheets. It's not an indicator of anything - particularly if your 'tearsheet' is something you send in to Nuts or Zoo. The reason people associate tears with professionals is just because you generally need to be at a certain standard to be published, and because people generally get commissioned (i.e. paid) by magazines if they're featured in them. Unfortunately, there's a growing culture of smaller publications not paying, or glamour publications just using images that random girls sent in...but that's another story. Being published doesn't make you a pro.

Money is everything
Do you make most of, or all of your income via modeling or photography? Yes? Then you're a professional! It's really that simple. Be sure that you register with HMRC, keep records, and generally get your shit in order so that you don't have the tax man knocking on your door asking for a lot of money to make up for the fact that you tried to lie your way out of paying taxes. They will catch up with you. They do check modeling sites like MM and PS. Not to mention, not declaring your earnings will bite you in the ass when you try to get credit or a mortgage and suddenly you have no proof of income.

If you make some of your money from modeling/photography, but not all of it, then I guess you can call yourself a semi-professional. Personally, I don't like the term - you're really either amateur or pro, leave the grey area alone.

It's not a reflection of your skills
Yes, people will have certain expections of your work if you call yourself professional; basically, if people are paying for something, they want it to be worth paying for. Fairly simple. If you have a terrible portfolio and you claim to be professional, either you're lying, or your clients are dim. Neither reflects very well on you.

There are a lot of utterly amazing amateurs who have no desire to go pro, and just do it for the pleasure. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and their work is often on a par with professionals in the field. Some of the best, and most productive shoots I've had have been with amateurs. Just because you've had X amount of shoots, or your work reaches a certain level, it doesn't mean you've 'turned pro'. It just means you're progressing.

'I'm very professional'
Unfortunately, people toss the term 'professional' or 'professionalism' around and expect it to have some sort of gravitas. Saying 'I'm professional in my shoots' just means you show the work and the people you work with due respect. I'd expect that from absolutely everybody and always find it odd when people feel the need to point that out.

Focus on model: Elle Gonsalves

2011-05-07T14:02:00.000+01:00

Sorry to go a little further a field (Australia), but this woman is worth it. Look at that face, that body!

Does simply being called 'Elle' make women more beautiful? Lets examine the evidence.

Elle Macpherson

Elle Liberachi

Yep, I'm sold.

Why is modeling so hard?

2011-05-07T08:00:00.003+01:00

This came up again recently on the forums, and ended up (as usual) with the model removing her account and getting on with something else. Which is probably for the best as she was 5'4'' and wasn't going to achieve her goal of being a fashion model.. I thought I'd address this question as it comes up so often and give my own slant on it.

Because life's hard...and it gets harder when you're self employed
Just getting some pretty pictures done and telling people you're a model isn't going to get you jobs. It won't pay your bills, and it won't get your ass in the magazines. It really has very little to do with modeling - every single freelance/self-employed job is hard. Ask any writer, designer, photographer...fuck it, ask the local plumber. It takes time to learn your craft, get a reputation, get a decent amount of marketing done so that people actually know who you are. And people actually need their toilet to work - that's why you call a plumber. Nobody really needs models, so convincing them to part with £200 for you to prance in front of their camera is a little trickier.

Of course, people don't realise that. They think they'll pay £800 for a portfolio, an agency will see them and their extraordinary potential (at 5'2'') and ship them off to Paris for fashion week. Unless your name is Natalia Vodianova, it's not going to happen. Most models get to be models through hard work. Lots of it. They assess what they have and they sell it as much as they can - and they sell it every single day. Like every other successful self-employed person on the planet.

Because you haven't researched it
I've already ranted about this, but lets go again - if you want something, the first thing you do is find out how you can get it. If you want to be a doctor, you find out you need decent grades in maths and sciences to get into uni. If you want to be an architect, you find out you need to spend a total of 7 years in education/training to get there. If you want to be a professional ballerina, you find out you should have started at 5 years old. If you want to be a model, you look up the criteria for modeling. You find out that you need to be 5'8'' and above. You find out that size 12 is just too big, and that's not negotiable. Every job in the world has a list of criteria you need to fill to get it - modeling is no different. Frankly, about 90% of model wannabes need to look in the mirror and be realistic.

There are a lot of girls out there with the same idea
Everyone wants to be a model. Ok, not everyone, but a lot of people. It's an eviable lifestyle - you enjoy a level of freedom and per-hour payment that few other teenage and young women do. It looks glamorous (it's not). It looks easy (it's not). I guess if you realised that it wasn't easy, you wouldn't be asking the headline question. Competition is fierce. Agencies are approached by hundreds, if not thousands of girls a week. Casting agents will see a hundred girls in a day. Online photographers will be inundated with totally unsuitable responses to castings. There are a lot of other models on the net. What do you have that the rest of them don't? Why should everyone pick you?

Guest post by Ruby Rosetta: Erotic modeling

2011-05-06T09:34:00.000+01:00

Today's post by erotic and art model, Ruby Rosetta, is one that I really enjoyed reading, and I hope that you will too.

I thought I’d begin this discussion by pilfering a couple of definitions of the words ‘erotic’ and ‘erotica’ from thefreedictionary.com:

e·rot·ic (-rtk)

adj.

1. Of or concerning sexual love and desire; amatory.

2. Tending to arouse sexual desire.

3. Dominated by sexual love or desire.

e·rot·i·ca (-rt-k)

pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)

Literature or art intended to arouse sexual desire.

You will notice that the words ‘sexual’ and ‘desire’ are used quite frequently in the above definitions. This is because they are necessary factors for something to be defined as erotic. Put plainly, if you aren’t comfortable being represented as an object of sexual desire then you shouldn’t be doing erotic modeling.

In my opinion, an erotic image can be fully clothed and it can be full on porn. It is always subjective whether or not an image is erotic. But from a modeling point of view I think INTENTION is the most important thing. If a model is consciously trying to convey an erotic charge through her posing and through her expression, and if she effortlessly looks like sex on legs, then basically she’s doing a good job.

The above definitions imply that there also must be artistic intent behind erotica. This opens up a big can of worms…one man’s art is another man’s porn, etc etc. Yes, I do believe there is a difference between erotica and porn, some of the time, but a very vague, uncertain difference. Of course there are some models who will work with ‘erotic’ photographers but won’t work with ‘adult’ photographers, normally because they want to appear in images which aren’t solely designed to be wanked over, images which serve the purpose of being appreciated for their beauty and intrigue, rather than a means to sexual gratification. I completely understand this choice. Everyone has different comfort zones about the kind of image they feel happy appearing in, and the reason for the creation of the image. But sex is still sex, and if you do modeling with an erotic element to it, you are being portrayed as an object to be lusted over, regardless of the ‘quality’ on the image. You may be expressing yourself in a way that normally only your partner will see, but you are doing this in front if a stranger taking pictures that ANYONE can potentially see. The private suddenly becomes very public. If you don’t like this, don’t do it, regardless of whether you believe the resultant images will be porn, art, whatever.

Open Leg

Just thought I’d clear something up…opening your legs doesn’t automatically make you a good erotic model. There is something truly horrid about an open legged shot of a girl looking bored shitless. If you want to open your legs, that’s fine, but good grief try to look enthusiastic about it. Facial expression is everything in an open legged picture, and I can’t think of anything less attractive to the viewer than a bored, expressionless model.

If you are intending on revealing your vagina to the universe, have a good look at it in the mirror. I’m being deadly serious here…if you haven’t ever seen it (yes, I do believe that some of the less emancipated members of the female race haven’t), have a look. If you haven’t ever looked at it or don’t like the look of it, then how the hell can you expect to feel comfortable when it’s on the internet for everyone to look at? I doubt that would be the most comfortable introduction to your own muff…seeing it winking at you from a 6 page spread in razzle.

The vagina can certainly be a part of an erotic picture, but it doesn’t have to be, and it doesn’t MAKE the picture. Have a good look at the work of a decent adult photographer like Iain Thomson. The models look happy, sexy, graceful. They suck their gut in, they point their toes, they get into flexible dynamic poses. The sets are carefully prepared and coordinated with the model’s outfit. Basically, all the principles that make a photograph aesthetically pleasing still apply.

Posing

I think tension is the key in an erotic picture….when you arch your back, REALLY arch your back! When you stare into the camera, do it with as much intensity and passion as you can muster. Grab your boobs, pull your hair, make it look full on! This doesn’t mean you have to be ‘doing’ it for real. But try and make it look convincing. It is pointless having a hand hanging limply on your coochi snorcher (sorry, just had to use this terminology somewhere!), whilst staring nonchalantly into the distance, wondering what you’re having for tea. The key is to look smoking hot, and ACT like you MEAN it, even if deep down you are thinking of something totally unrelated.

What if Dad sees it?

This is an occupational hazard when you do any kind of modeling that is even a bit risqué… but when you are deliberately looking as horny as possible… well, I can’t think of many parents who would be too impressed.

The only advice I can give is to try and be discreet and a bit sensitive about the issue. You can tell your parents that you model, even that you model nude, but probably best to avoid telling them how pleased you are that you got onto femjoy, the most prestigious (naughty) nude site in the world! Also, if you borrow Daddy’s computer to look through images from that tasteful, highly sensual g/g shoot you did the other day…remember to click the delete button (sorry Dad!).

There are a few parents who would be ok with pretty much anything…but they are in a minority. I know for a fact that if my Dad saw some of my work it would completely break his heart. But then again, that wouldn’t be the only thing that would upset him. Sometimes you can’t please everyone…you just have to accept that you either do things you want to do even if they might hurt others, or just don’t do them! There is ALWAYS a chance that someone you know will stumble across images of you. There is ALWAYS a chance that a jealous ex will send images to your parents in the post. You have to accept that the risk is there. And if Dad does see it… all you can really do is try to assure him that the experience hasn’t hurt you in anyway (assuming you feel that you’ve made the right decision in the first place!).

Lastly…be proud!

People will always be creating sexual images and always have been…it is a timeless art form, and is something to be proud of. If you make the decision to be part of such imagery, be proud. Of course, be discreet… there are certain family members/friends who’d rather not have such images thrust in their face. I guess I’m talking about an inner feeling on contentment. If you feel happy, not just with the money you make but with the images you’ve helped create, then you’re onto a winner :)

Focus on photographer: Ed Stringbourne

2011-05-06T08:00:00.001+01:00

London-based photographer he's worked with agencies for a long time, and knows precisely what gets a model booked.

What kind of photographer are you?

2011-05-06T06:00:00.000+01:00

I'm sure you were reading the post about photographers to avoid, and wondered 'what type am I?'. Well, I'm not going to pretend that the world or your inner mind is that simple...it's far more complicated. Complicated enough to be separated into 12 types. Which correspond with the signs of the zodiac. Odd that.

Aries
Stubborn and flighty. You take critiques badly, and often retort by giving unsolicited critiques in return - popcorn for all and a locked thread. You are incredibly energetic, which means that you love to shoot and have about 50 ideas at once, which also means that you have a backlog of edits to do and some very pissed off models waiting for them.
At best: you generate a lot of creative ideas quickly, and only manage to realise some of them
At worst: your wife left you because you never did finish painting the garage. It was the last straw.

Taurus
Stable, stubborn and persistent. You'll get there in the end...maybe. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. You've been doing photography for about 20 years and still you're not that awesome at it. You probably shun photoshop because it's 'cheating'.
At best: you're reliable. You'll always get photos back, even if they're a bit...meh.
At worst: you're very irritating on the forums. Very. Irritating.

Gemini
Gemini have fantastic communication skills, which you put to good use when persuading newbs to 'relax a bit' (especially if they're twins, Geminis dig twins). You're good at telling impressionable models what they want to hear, which means you're good at getting what you want. You rarely pay, and you love the smell of fresh meat in the morning.
At best: you're a charmer, and will land yourself a very beautiful but vapid girlfriend
At worst: you're a GWC with the gift of gab

Cancer
Photography is an emotional thing, not just creative. You channel your hidden (and aged) teen angst in every click of the shutter, and the more naked the model is, the more angsty you can make it. Honest. You have a tough shell, but underneath you're a big softie, and secretly fall in love with your models, just a teeny bit.
At best: you're passionate and creative
At worst: you'll cry on set

Leo
Hear you roar! You're feisty on the forums, and everybody knows who you are (if only by reputation). You're not afraid to speak your mind, even if it does get you kicked off modeling websites every month or so. It's clearly their loss.
At best: you're a creative genius, not willing to suffer fools
At worst: you're an ass

Virgo
A perfectionist, you'll spend 5 hours setting up the lights and posing the model to within an inch of her fragile sanity. You'll click the shutter. You look at the screen. Still not right. You're infuriating to work with, but you get such fantastic images that people are willing to overlook that to spend 8 stressful hours watching you move a beauty dish an inch to the left, then back again, then back a bit, then forward, then to the left again, then back. Fuck it.
At best: you're a tortured soul just trying to realise your vision
At worst: you're a bore with technically-accurate images, that are still boring

Libra
Your ability to cooperate, evaluate and balance needs to make everybody happy means that you set up great tests - even the MUAs and stylists are stilling to test with you because you'll bend over backwards to get them what they want. But you won't get what you want. You're too busy worrying about everybody else to actually realise that you wanted a biker/leather shot, not a beauty shoot with rose petals. Too bad.
At best: you're considerate, helpful and well-liked
At worst: you're used by everyone that can be bothered

Scorpio
Owch, watch that sting. You like to bitch about models that you didn't like working with - either because of their cellulite, or their fake tan, or just because she was short and thinks she's a model. Hilarious. You take great photos, because you're talented, but shooting with you feels like being back at highschool.
At best: you'll fit right in with the fashion crowd (at least, you think you will)
At worst: you're a bitchy bitch bitchface

Sagittarius
You're a restless spirit. You started with travel photography and then branched out because you noticed that model mountains are slightly more interesting...and softer too. Models wait for you to breeze through their neighbourhood and photograph them - if they're lucky, they'll get some money or photos too. You love photography because of the freedom, but you're always broke because you haven't realised that no job is that free.
At best: you're an adventurer, beguiling models and making them wish you'd return
At worst: you're an overgrown teenager with a camera

Capricorn
You like goals. You like deadlines. You like structure. You have a lot of tutorial books that you worked through methodically. You have dvds too. Everything is done properly. You probably have a few magazine submissions, which you loved more for the deadline and structure than actually seeing yourself in print.
At best: you're a great businessman
At worst: god that's dull

Aquarius
You like to stubbornly cling to ideologies - whether that's the fact that Digital Pro Magazine said something, therefore it must be right and anybody that crops off a foot is a fool, a fool! Or maybe it's that a particular photographer can do no wrong. Either way, photographic guidelines aren't just guidelines to you - they're principles. It's almost immoral to break them.
At best: you're a good resource
At worst: you're a sycophant

Pisces
You're painfully shy at shoots to begin with, and want to help models in any way you can. Sometimes, you go further than that, riding in on your horse whenever a model starts trouble on the forums to protect her from the wolves.
At best: you're well-meaning and generous
At worst: you're a white knight

Guest post by Iain Thomson: How I began my career in photography

2011-05-05T07:00:00.005+01:00

Iain's work was featured earlier last month as one of my favourite photographers - I was extremely pleased when he volunteered to guest post for the Model Bitch blog. This post talks about his unusual introduction into the business, and is one of a series on the adult industry and photography in general.

Probably, the question I am asked most often is how I got into this business. I've told this story to a few people, but this is the first time I've written about it in detail. This is quite personal for me and as I tend to keep my personal life away from anything internet related, I had to think a little bit before deciding to write the article.

I got into this business by accident really. I had no interest in photography, in fact I had never used a camera beyond family point-and-shoot snaps, and had no knowledge of the glamour business and no particular interest in porn. Although I had always admired the aesthetics and romance of certain styles of adult glamour, in particular the work of Bob Guccione, the founder of Penthouse magazine.

As the result of a typically-blunt dismissal of some glamour images of an ex- partner, I was challenged to do better. Being a bloody-minded individual, I accepted the challenge (which I pretty much instantly regretted!), so I spent a whole weekend setting up a very rudimentary glamour set consisting of halogen work lights and a borrowed camera which I somehow managed to learn to use on manual settings. I honestly didn't have a clue what I was doing, and looking back the whole episode makes me cringe. The results surprised both myself and the ex, who was probably more impressed than I was and encouraged me to try photography as a hobby. She was actually responsible for helping me choose the first few professional models I shot.

Getting started

While I didn’t shoot and had no interest in shooting anything rude initially, I have always been comfortable around pretty girls (particularly naked ones) so it was natural that I shot nude/glamour type images. I have to confess that initially my motivation was only partially artistic. At the time I was single, a bit younger than I am now and had a healthy interest in associating with youngish, attractive ladies. In truth I spent far to much time and energy in pursuit of this particular interest. I am ashamed to admit that I initially thought glamour photography and the opportunities it afforded to be around attractive models would be an extension of this.

It didn't take many shoots to realise how wrong I was. My perception of what a "model" was like was entirely inaccurate in so many ways. The first few models I shot were art nude type models who were clearly intelligent, professional people. It was also very apparent that there were definite model/photographer boundaries which, even at that stage, I had enough sense to respect. By the time I progressed to shooting the more archetypal glamour models, my 'real' interest in photography had developed and overtaken my initial juvenile motivation. I also found (to my surprise) that most glamour models were, in general, fairly average looking and probably not as attractive physically and certainly less interesting mentally, than the type of girl I was used to associating with and with very few exceptions I did not find them appealing on that level.....another disappointment! So, any illusions I had about photography being a useful addition to my social life were very much shattered at an early stage.

Tuition and equipment

I became pretty much consumed by photography, teaching myself lighting techniques and how to use a camera along the way. To this day I have never had a lesson, read a photography book or had any formal training. And people think I'm being modest when I say I know nothing about photography...What I will say here though, is some of the most valuable lessons I have learned - not just in photography but in most crafts - has been not to slavishly follow rules. Go your own way, break the rules! As long as what you do falls within common sense principals, there is no reason why it shouldn't work. I also don’t believe in the need to have the "best" equipment. Have all the gear if you want it, but you don’t actually need it for most glamour. I started with a canon 20d, 18-85 mid range zoom, a £70 50mm f1.8 and about £500 worth of lights and brollies and was published numerous times and sold plenty of work using only this gear.

First paid shoot

It seems like I had some talent and was also pretty lucky too, as I was offered my first paid shoot about 3 months after picking up a camera for the first time. Bizarrely, it was a fetish shoot - something I had absolutely no knowledge of or interest in.

The shoot didn't go entirely to plan. I had been hired to take fetish images of a guy and his partner who were into leather, bondage and spanking. It was going fine until the guy asked me to take 'spanking' stills of him caning his partner. I (rather naively) thought this would be 'implied'. She was tied up and bent over the end of a bed and he was dressed in a full-length leather coat, brandishing a real mean-looking, fuck off cane. I said "ok, lets get started" and he started lashing her arse with the cane leaving fearsome red welts. I was initially too shocked to take any pictures, but then I got my act together, threw down the camera and had him pinned against the wall by the throat, threatening to wrap the cane round his neck.. He obvious reaction was, "what the hell are you doing...she loves it, we do it all the time". By this time, the girl had jumped up and was hopping across the floor yelling "yeah, yeah, its ok, I like it, he's not hurting me". We did get it sorted out and had a laugh about it, but it was a long time before I dabbled in the fetish arena again.

Getting into adult

This particular shoot somehow led to me shooting for an adult website and gaining a little knowledge of the business. Around this time, someone suggested I submit some work to Femjoy and Met-Art (neither of whom I had heard of). So I did.

My submission to Femjoy was immediately accepted and they asked me to shoot more. Met-Art said they liked the set, but the model was "typically British and to ugly. Please find a prettier model and try again" This put me off Met-Art, to be honest, but I did find a very pretty model. Femjoy were so impressed they bought several sets of her and asked me to be their UK photographer. Met-Art said, "yes she is nice, we will take her, but we dont like the sets so please re-shoot her!". I said yes to Femjoy - after negotiating on rates. They specifically asked me not to shoot for Met as part of the deal, so I also said no to Met-Art, who got back to me a few weeks later and said they had changed their minds and would take the sets. I said sorry guys, I dont want to shoot for you!

To be honest, I didn’t realise the significance of any of this at the time and I still laugh at my naivety and brass neck. To this day, ironically, probably being one of the few photographers to turn down Met-Art gives me more satisfaction than anything I've had published.

I realise now, how big a break I had, as basically having Femjoy on my CV gave me credibility far beyond my experience and ability and meant I could, within reason, shoot for whoever I wanted. At this point, I realised their was a living to be made in photography and decided to go for it. I was lucky in that I had money in the bank and was able to invest in my career, so I could actually do it (lack of finance is a very big obstacle for most photographers - I’ll explain this in another article). I set about contacting websites and publishers to drum up more business. Because I now had a "history" and a fairly major publication under my belt, I received a reply from most people I contacted. The learning curve could not have been much steeper; I learned very quickly how the business works and also learned you cannot always chase the "nice" work and you cannot always impose your own style. Shooting niches like mature and hairy was regular and lucrative, and gave me the financial platform to "indulge" in the nicer work.

Over the years, I've developed what I hope is a fairly distinctive style of photography and have constantly fought to impose it on clients, not always with success! Sometimes it was a case of very much "getting away with it" or being accepted in spite of, rather than because of my style. Let me explain; personally I am not a fan of hugely explicit images and 'trashy stuff'. I don't really like gyno-shots and try my best to avoid anything plastic and buzzy. Its not always possible, but I'm making in-roads and I think I could reasonably claim to be the least explicit adult photographer. A dubious claim to fame, admittedly, but small victories etc.

As my experience and reputation grew, I found that the tables turned slightly and rather than me chasing work, clients tended to approach me. I was able to use this to my advantage, probably not financially, due to the economic downturn, but it enabled me to develop and impose my own style. This is possibly the biggest reward I have had so far, the fact that in a lot of cases, my style of photography is recognised as a brand and is now accepted because of the style, rather than in spite of it.

In the last 5 years I have shot for a most major websites and countless magazines, adult and non-adult, had covers, centrefolds, features etc. I’ve shot everything from lingerie/implied nude to fairly hard adult and been paid for every single image apart from (ironically) some fashion and editorial stuff. Not that I’m particularly impressed with any of it and - to the surprise of many - the only magazines I have kept are one copy of Mayfair (for personal reasons) and some fashion stuff.

Getting this far

So, am I proud of what I achieved? I suppose the answer lies in the last sentence. No, I am neither proud nor ashamed, I am simply unmoved. I didn’t set out to get into this business, I haven’t achieved any particular ambition and I have done nothing which is of any particular good to society.

Do I regret getting into the business? In certain respects, absolutely. Its not a nice business at any level, glamour or adult. Its populated mainly by the socially inept, sexually frustrated and plain sleazy at my side of the camera and at the other side of the camera mainly by fantasists, attention seekers and the mentally disturbed. However, I would counter this by saying I have met some fantastic people from both sides of the camera, honest, interesting and dare I say...”normal”, most pro and serious amateur photographers I have met have been very sound people, as have by far the majority of the models who get through my deliberately exclusive and probably fundamentally unfair selection process. And indeed most publishers and web operators, particularly in the USA, are very honest and straightforward to deal with. Unfortunately, taking the industry as a whole these type of people are significantly in the minority.

The affect on my personal life has also been fairly devastating. Far from enhancing my social life, it has completely destroyed it in a number of ways, and completely ruined my interest in women other than from a professional perspective. It has also turned me into something of a recluse and made me considerably less liberal and tolerant than I was previously.

So why do I stay in the industry? Basically, because now I’m too committed financially and too lazy to get out. Despite the fact that I fundimentaly dislike my job most of the time, I do still get a creative buzz on occasion. Also, I couldn’t face going back to a “normal” job. My working conditions and time spent pro rata in relation to money earned and effort applied is very favourable and probably could not be replicated in another industry. I suppose the bottom line is the lesser of two evils - its either stay where I am or get a proper job, the former shades it marginally at the moment.

So, in my case becoming a photographer was a combination of luck, being in the right place at the right time, opportunity and finance. Maybe there is a bit of ability in there too, but I’m too pragmatic to think that skill or ability alone was the major contributor to the relative success I enjoyed.

Ok, having read how I got into the business and how I feel about it, you still want anything to do with it? I’m guessing you almost certainly do, because such is human nature, you want to find out yourself what its like.

Well, this is the basis for part 2 of this article, to come soon...

When to leave a shoot

2011-05-05T05:30:00.000+01:00

It happens every so often - a model posts about something bad happening on a shoot and everybody says 'you should have just left'. For a lot of new models it can be difficult to actually get the balls to leave, and to know that you're not just overreacting. This is a really short post with just a list of times when you are absolutely entitled to leave a shoot. Feel free to add any if I have missed some off:

The photographer propositions you
The photographer touches you without asking to adjust something
The photographer starts to push levels
The photographer changes the shoot from what you discussed to something you're not comfortable with (eg. changing from an art nude shoot to fetish, or changing from a particular adult set to something harder or a concept that wasn't discussed and you're not comfortable with)
There are unecessary, additional people present (so not an MUA, studio owner, stylist etc.), and you were not informed that they would be there
Reasonable requests are not met (eg. food and water break during an 8 hour shoot)

Guest post by Amie Boo: Modeling - you've got to take the bad with the good

2011-05-04T13:12:00.002+01:00

Amie Boo was one of the first models that I did a Focus On for on this blog, and (in my humble opinion) one of the most beautiful models I've met. Like a few other models this year, Amie has moved on to another career. In this post, she shares her experiences of modeling, and what it taught her.

Confidence/Naivety

Photography was the main reason I started modeling. This aim very quickly disappeared as I got sucked into the world of Model Mayhem, Purestorm and Net Model. Now I have finally seen this 'Industry' (if you can even call it that) for what it is, in some ways I wish I had never registered. I saw it as a way to boost my confidence, which at the time I didn't realise I lacked so much of. Little did I know that this would have the opposite effect. Being told to lose weight by a man that has paid for my time wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Being judged and hired solely for your body is not the way to boost your self-esteem - you need incredibly thick skin to succeed in this business.

I can't get over how naive I was looking back and how I put my trust in so many people I had never met. Before I knew it I was taking my clothes off for £40 for a 4 hour shoot. All in the name of 'art', right?

Pressure to get in to nude

I knew I was never going to be a fashion model at the height of 5"5. After constant declines from various agencies and after researching 'Art nude', I thought, 'What the heck? Time to get my kit off!'. I looked up to the likes of Katy T, IvoryFlame and Monika T, thinking how fabulous it would be to have a life travelling the world. I didn't realise that cramming 10 photographers into a hot, sweaty, tiny hotel room in Hong Kong, none of which could speak english and shouting 'Amie! Amie! Look at me!' for 12 hours, without a break was the norm! Did I feel like a piece of meat? Yes! Like I said, All in the name of 'art', right? Being realistic, the only way to make money modeling at 5'5'' is by doing nudes, and most models seem to do it so it doesn't seem like a big deal when you're 'in the business'.

Some Photographers' attitudes/creative outlook

- " What does your boyfriend and parents think about you modelling nude?" ... Fuck Off. It's none of your business! How does your wife feel about you taking money out of your daughters Uni fund to pay for me?

- " Now I'm booking you for 4 hours, but the location is an hour and half drive away, but you're not going to charge me extra for this are you?" ... Yes! Why didn't you tell me this before I drove 6 hours up the M6 to shoot with you?

- " Now if you just bend over and we can take some rear shots...just a bit further... no a bit further"

- " Next if you want to hold this Red rose and then I can turn you into black and white and keep the rose red?" (Big grin on his face) ... Oh yes! That would be an amazing idea! Selective colour is definitely the way forward.

- " If you could just stand under that freezing cold water fall, whilst I stand here in my nice warm thermals and anorak. Try not to shake too much as I'm trying to get a slow exposure on the water" ... Yes I will stand under that baltic waterfall whilst it slams against my head, and try and pose with my leg in the air. (150 shots later - still not in focus)

However, it is all in the name of 'art', right?

The truth is that a lot of photographers pay for your time, and seem to believe that they own you for it. Saying you're too cold, that you need to eat something after 6 solid hours of art modeling or just explaining that you're not comfortable with a pose causes issues. And that's not considering touchers, level-pushers or people that just like to put you down. Bearing in mind you're also naked, shoots can be horrible.

Photographers wanting to be 'friends'

Understandably for many photographers the social aspect of these sites is paramount. I accept this, however there is a line and this was often crossed. Obviously a good rapport for a shoot is essential, for a healthy working relationship. But this is often taken too far. I do not wish to be texted and phoned at stupid o'clock, when I am in bed, or spending time with family and friends. I don't want to hear about your dental appointments, none existent sex life, what you've had for breakfast nor do I wish to share with you any of these details. This is definitely not art. Drawing a line under these - telling them to stop calling, to stop texting or that you're not comfortable with the conversation can lose you money or even harm your reputation. Sometimes people think that they're also paying models to be their friends...

Forgetting the real world

I was working 6-7 days a week when I was modelling. Living out of a suitcase the majority of the time. I forgot what living in the real world and having my own life and personal time meant. The only personal time I ended up having was on a train or in my car on a journey to my next job. While of course being inundated with emails, texts and phone calls. If I didn't respond within a day I would be seen as unprofessional. I lived my life out on a forum where all that went on was bitchiness. Where people with too much time on their hands were able to scrutinise my every move. I did once upon a time think there was a friendly community to it all. However now it seems to have turned into competition to see who can do the most 'edgy' or 'raw' image. Who can push the boundaries. Criticising each others work to boost their own ego and how 'creative' we can all be. You then realise you really are a big fish in a very small pond.

Photographers can be vultures - the expectations of models are so high, and you need to be kind and patient with GWCs as well as working ridiculous hours, travelling up and down the country for their shoots and play email ping-pong for weeks for the sake of £80. Model rates sound high, but it's amazing how much of it gets spent on props, clothes and transportation for shoots. It's so easy to work yourself way too hard, and easy to fall into the trap where your entire life centres around it, because you start to get nervous if you haven't booked a shoot in a week, or if you get one or two cancellations and realise that you've lost a few hundred pounds (but still have to pay the train fare and for the props you bought for that shoot). Modeling sounded so glamorous - you quickly start to hate the travel, care less about the clothes and just want some time off.

Getting out/Does anyone think about what comes next?

This is the good part. I no longer feel owned by people that hide behind a computer. I am now able to pursue my original career path. I never realised how much it would psychologically affect me and physically drain me. Although I have had many bad experiences, I have also met some great people that I am now proud to call my good friends. I have learnt a lot along the way about myself and people in general. I know some will disagree and read this and think that I have a very twisted and cynical outlook on modelling, however this is only my experience. This does not reflect everyones experiences and views on internet modelling. New models, just think about what you want to do seriously before you venture into it as I have learnt, once it is out there on the internet, it stays there, forever.

Focus on photographer: S-U-B-L-I-M-E

2011-05-04T13:06:00.001+01:00

If there's a photographer that can make fetish look beatuiful, and hot, this one.

Inspiration post 1

2011-05-04T10:54:00.000+01:00

Just some wonderful images to inspire you.

Open discussion: qualities a that make a model

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000+01:00

A statement that Vasilisa made in her last guest post made me think:

Pretty means very little, even in the most shallow industry in the world.

I think she might be right! If I take the top 10 models on the internet (Iveta, Ivory Flame, Raph, Kayt, Bink...) or even the top 10 in the world (Kate Moss, Lily Cole..), they don't strike me as conventionally 'pretty'. They're cameleons - don't be me wrong, they can be stunning - but I wouldn't use the word 'pretty' to describe them. So if it's not 'prettiness', what makes a model?

I don't want to discuss business practices - yes, they need to be good business women, good marketers, good sales people etc...but I'm just talking about the part of modeling that involves being in photographs.

Here's what I came up with: a model needs to be very aware of her body. She needs to have command of it and know what it looks like from different angles. She needs to have as few distracting imperfections as possible (cellulite, stretch marks, tan lines etc), and needs to be able to be many things - sexy, striking, vulnerable, powerful - depending on the feel of the photograph. She needs to be an actress.

I also think that models need to be self-assured - they need to be able to experiment with poses and not to be afraid to do something wrong or make themselves look silly.

So what do you think? What does a model need to be, or need to have, to be a great model? Am I totally off about the 'pretty' part?

Your Exit Strategy: Modeling is Not Forever

2011-05-03T06:00:00.001+01:00

A fashion model is done by 28 (if she's lucky). A commercial model can work for longer, but work tends to get less consistent. An art model can work forever if she does it right. Most glamour models are done by 30ish too. Adult models depend on how they look, but the older you get, you tend to need to go to higher levels if you want consistent work. Fetish models...well...there are granny fetishes so I won't comment. Unlike pretty much every other industry in the world, you don't increase your knowledge, experience and get more valuable - you lose value with every year. It's unfortunate, but if you want to be a model you also need an exit strategy; you need something to do after you're done modeling.

It's great to make good money when you're young - maybe you can save and make a property portfolio (if you're making that kind of money), invest in training or a new business. Maybe you can make contacts and arrange something related to the industry that will keep paying. Either way - you need to think about it now. Nobody wants to employ a washed-up 30yo woman with no work experience outside of modeling - try to explain to people that it's a hard industry and that you actually worked in accounts, marketing, pr, customer service and the most fickle industry in the world for 10 years. It won't get you the job.

This is a pretty short post, and there's only one point I want to make - think about what you're going to do afterwards, and start preparing.

Focus on photographer: Ruan Van Der Sande

2011-05-02T16:28:00.000+01:00

Ruan recently shot the Gossard campaign, his choice of models, lighting and composition is immaculate.

How not to communicate with models

2011-05-02T11:24:00.002+01:00

We all read threads about models only responding to casting calls with 'intrestd', and more and more about the heinous text speak that a lot of the younger crowd (i.e. glamour model wannabes) use instead of actual English. Models will rarely post a thread about the ridiculous, self-important and frankly insulting emails that photographers send to them. A few discuss them on their personal facebooks, others just laugh about them with friends - here are a few examples of them to show you the crap that models put up with. This is often why sometimes models disappear after 2 weeks of membership and why a lot of models don't respond to their messages.

The 'I'm actually messaging you, but you need to jump through hoops for the honour of shooting with me, even though this is a cut-and-paste message and I'm an ass'
Long title, I know, but I think it covers most of it. Here's an actual, real-life example:

Please read this posting carefully, could I also ask you check that you fit all the criteria and then answer fully if you wish for your application to be processed. Why not look at the model's portfolio and check she meets your criteria yourself? Opening an email with 'please read this carefully' is just going to piss off whoever is reading it.

I am looking for certain criteria and will only be accepting applications which fulfill these. Then why the fuck did you message this model? This was a private message, not a casting.

I am looking for female models, clothes size 6, 8, 10, 12, (This info is on every profile, as well as pictures to judge if it's accurate) who must either live in (again...on the profile), or be prepared to travel to Hemel Hempstead (Hertfordshire) and are interested in collaborating for TFP shoots on a one off or regular Basis (ie weekly or fortnightly basis (NOTE:Regular Basis Preferred!).

I am currently looking to shoot Fashion, Portraiture, Casual and maybe Lingerie/Swimwear, on a TFP (Time for Pix (Pix? You've got to be fucking kidding me. Pix. No.)) basis. I had my double garage converted into a studio and kitted out, so can provide a studio location in Hemel Hempstead (Hertfordshire).

I would like to shoot at weekends and weekday evenings, though Sundays are best for me.

If you are interested or would like more information, please reply wth the following info:

1) What do you believe I can offer you? You should be answering this. You. You're the one looking to test, you're the one messaging the model, you should be selling you. Frankly, fuck all. Judging by this message, you'll ask the model to come to your garage, set it up, sort out the concept. put together the lighting. self-shoot and then tell you why it was a great shoot.

2) What can you offer me? Look at the portfolio - you are the one sending the message. You. The model didn't message you, she probably doesn't want to shoot with you and sure as hell shouldn't be selling you to you and then her own ability to you. This is so lazy.

3) please comment regarding my portfolio I'm going to reserve comment here. You all know what that means.

4) your availability?

5) your styles and limits? Again, on the profile.

6) where are you located (please be more specific ie not just for eg North london etc) On. The. Profile.

7) your ideas for shoots?? Really? You're hitting up a model for 'pix', and you have no ideas at all of your own? You haven't pitched a single concept, idea or given any indication at all that you have looked at her profile at all.

8) do you seek a one off shoot or regular work together? Hell no.

9) How many Pix would you expect from each Shoot as TFPCD? So 'Pix' is a proper noun now, as well as being hideous?

10)And ofcourse links to anywhere that I may be able to see photos of you? How about...the profile?

Models receive a LOT of this kind of shit. It's unbelievably lazy and frankly rude. If you're emailing someone to test with them 1) don't cut and paste 2) have the decency to look at their work and information and 3) don't expect them to sell themselves and their work to you. YOU messaged THEM - the honus to sell if on you.

Thank you to the model who sent this in.

The perv
This is an actual message received by a model this week:

Hi, Wow. I'm looking for a blonde model with great tits, and that's you! Interested?

You're looking for a blonde chick with great tits? Isn't everyone? Massively unprofessional, creepy, no information given other than the fact that you're a creeper. Don't do this.

Wow, you're so helpful
Another message (made up example, but models receive a lot of this kind of thing):

Hi Hon, I'm xxxxxxx. I see you're new here so welcome - it can be a pretty tough place, especially getting bogged down with so many emails in the first few weeks. I've been a photographer for 500 years, so I know what models need in their profiles to get work. I like to help new models develop their books - I put the work in my profile which gets a lot of traffic and should get more photographers interested. I can even point you in the direction of a few agencies if you'd like.

Now, that looks good on paper. It's friendly enough... but please don't call models by pet names. It irritates us. Most of us. It's like calling us sexy or sugar tits - we don't like it. Most of the people who prey on new models have shit portfolios. They can't offer anything, they know nothing about agencies and will not actually help the model at all. It's just false advertising. This may work on the newer models - particularly when most of their messages are like the top 2 examples, this will be a breath of fresh air...but it's bullshit. It also gives no information at all.

The too good to be true
Closely related to the 'Wow, you're so helpful', but with an extra dose of bullshit. Don't promise things you can't deliver. Don't offer to 'syndicate to the lads mags and help make some money' if you don't have a single decent contact and have never been published. Don't promise agency-worthy pics if you can't deliver. Don't make up projects, don't pretend it's for editorial submission. Don't lie. Pretty basic really, but a lot of photographers like to big themselves up or lie to convince models to work on their personal projects for free (yes, it is free and not trade - they're not really getting anything out of it). Most of these seem to be syndication, book projects or fake tears.

The long-shot
This is something that more experienced models receive...(made up example)

Hello xxxx, You've got a great portfolio and a fantastic book. You must get loads of offers but I thought I'd ask whether you'd be interested in tfp with me? I know it's a long shot and my work isn't as good as a lot of what's in your profile, but I thought I'd ask!

Why the hell would a model want to work with you if you're not paying and your work is worse than what's in her book. Quit being deluded. quit trying to play the pity card. Just stop. No, she will not want to work with you. Not to mention, you haven't even put in a concept, whether there is a team or any real information, other than the fact that she's great and you're shit.

And finally, how to actually put together an email to a model so that she's even remotely interested in replying to you

If you read most model profiles, they'll actually spell this out for you. They will explicitly tell you what they want in the messages that they receive. It's usually along the lines of:

Paid or test (rate of pay if you have one in mind, and number of images if its a test)
Usage -is it for your book, for a magazine, for a client...
Location
Date/time
Concept
Levels
Whether there will be a team

Unless you're that good, you can't really expect a model to decide whether or not she's interested in working with you without knowing what she's going to be working with you on. Address her by name (not hon...), make sure that she fits your criteria and what you need first and let her know if you've messaged a lot of other models in addition to a casting call. If you send a message direct to a model, she assumes that it's a job being booked - not that she's one of several in the running (like on a casting call). It can be annoying when you suddenly say, after 2 weeks of messages and she's already bought props for it 'oh sorry, one of the other models is more suitable'. Be open and honest.

How not to photoshop

2011-05-01T14:01:00.001+01:00

By request of Mr V.

Photoshop is an absolutely wonderful tool, but like anything else it can be horribly abused. There's a learning curve with it, but some people seem to believe that a photo looking very photoshopped means that it's well photoshopped. The whole point of editing is subtlety - it adds to the overall image without actually taking over it (obviously, there are exceptions to that one). I've had a little play with it to show you some terrible examples, and hopefully you won't put anything equally bad in your book.

This is the original image, pinched from Morguefile. I think she's pretty.

'Arty' finishes

It sounds good in principle; take a photo, use photoshop to add brushstrokes etc and voila! You have a painting! Only...it doesn't really work like that, does it? It just looks odd - the human eye and perception is a funny thing. You can't really explain what's wrong about it, but it looks wrong. If you want a painting...paint it. Or learn to use illustrator properly if you'd prefer to create illustrations using your computer. Either way, don't just stick on a filter that calls itself brushstrokes and expect it to look half decent.

Blatant use of the clone tool

So your model turns up, forgets her hair extensions or had a haircut without telling you. It's ok - clone tool to the rescue! As you can see, it looks totally odd and unnatural - nobody has natural repetition of hair curls, light and bra straps (or just curls and knots...whatever). If you want a model with long hair. hire one - if a model doesn't tell you about a recent hair cut, or that all of the images in her portfolio had extensions, you're well within your rights to send her on her way.

Playing with hues waaay too much

This does not produce an 'Avatar' themed image. You know how Avatar took over $200,000,000 to create? Well they didn't spend all that money on a single guy that just adjusted the hues and saturation on each frame. If you want to do something like this, it's best to just pay a bodypainter and sort it out that way. Or just go to Pandora to get your model, whatever floats your boat.

Yay, lens flare!

Sometimes adding a bit of lens flare can look cool. Don't just add it to every single image and call it your style. Also, don't add it to images where it couldn't possibly happen. It also usually looks fairly stupid on art nudes. Just make sure it suits the lighting and overall image.

Noise

Like lens flare, noise can look good. Noise can add to an image. However, don't just press the button and expect a shoddy image to look like it's been shot on an old camera, in another age, with subtle imperfections that add to the realism and beauty of the overall photograph.

Selective colour

I don't think I need to really explain this - just look at the picture. It does not look good. The tragedy of this is that highstreet photo shops love it, as do a lot of consumers. That really doesn't mean you should do it - be strong!

Solarise

This looks odd. It seriously looks like something's gone wrong, Luckily, very few photographers think it looks good - it's mainly a myspace obsession but I thought I'd throw it in there anyway.

Textures

I've seen this done beautifully...but more often than not it looks awful. See arty finishes.

Vignette

It looks good on some images - I like a good vignette on a landscape...sometimes. Don't just throw it on any random image.

Gaussan blur

This is pretty much the most over-used photoshop effect I've seen. I don't know whether to blame photographers for thinking it looks half decent. or models for having such shitty skin that photographers are willing to butcher their images to make it look half-decent. I don't know. But it's not going to look great - it'll just make viewers think that they need their glasses. It looks particularly creepy when you lasso and copy the eyes and lips to a new layer (blurry eyes and lips are odd-looking_ and stick them on top. It does make it look like they're stuck on. Retouching skin is a long, strenuous process that takes people hours upon hours. You can't just use a single filter to get it done.

Don't get me wrong, all of these tools can be used to great effect; that's why they're on there! However, you need to learn to use them. You need to put time and effort into editing. You need to understand that there is no 'quick fix' to get an image to the level of what you find in magazines and on billboards. And there isn't a single effect that you can use to make an image 'finished'.

Anything I've missed off?

For an excellent post on photoshop, see Jay Mawson's blog

Guest post by Phil Winterbourne: What makes a good photographer?

2011-05-01T07:00:00.001+01:00

Phil's beautiful work and thoughtful contributions to forums are a real asset to the online community - today he's discussing what makes a good photograph, and what makes a good photographer.

This question arises on modelling and photographic fora all the time in various guises. Are Professionals good, or are they all bad? Are Amateurs bad, or are they all good? How many years of photographic experience do you need to be good? Is there a difference between photographic Art and Craft? Why is it that poor photographers manage to make living from their work, and the good ones don’t? Does good equipment, a good photographer make? And, crucially: what is “good”
Here I’ll give my view on most of those variants

Good
The simple answer to ”what makes a good photographer” is “someone who takes good pictures”. And there is the rub. What makes a picture ‘good’? We all have different opinions on this as this is ultimately a subjective view. I’d guess that for the majority of the population the definition of a good photo goes something like this:

"A good photo should contain, somewhere within the frame, a reasonably clear likeness of someone I know or a place that I have been "

There could be background clutter, slight blurriness, a stop or two of under or over exposure, poor composition, nasty colour casts.... or any other technical flaw that you could imagine. But as long as they can see a recognisable subject somewhere in there, and they know them, or it, they are happy.
As an aside, that probably answers the “Why is it that poor photographers manage to make living from their work, and the good ones don’t?” question. The sad fact is that most professional photographer’s work is judged against the above idea of ‘good’

Taking Good to the next level brings us into the “Camera Club/Photo Magazine” territory. Here the definition centres on technical competence:

“A good photo should be correctly exposed and composed in such a way to conform to the rules of photography as set down by over 100 years of tradition”

Note here that there is no emotional component to the definition, no artistic judgement, just a conformance with the technical norms.

The unfortunate truth for models considering working with photographers on sites like ModelMayhem and Purestorm is that this is the level of excellence that nearly all of the photographers there aspire to.
Many, of course, are way off this level and would probably struggle to meet the general public’s definition of good, let alone the camera club one! But the critique forums, magazine articles and
general expectations mean that this level of ‘Good’ is about as far as they can conceive as a goal. For models this might be fine for getting clear, clean portfolio shots so people wanting to hire them can see what they look like, but it will never get them a portfolio that makes people go wow!

The final level of good is what I call “Magazine Good”. It is stratified naturally with many sub-divisions of goodness, from the big fish in a small pond ModelMayhem and Purestorm stars, to the top end, huge fish in the ocean good, that grace the covers of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Here the definition is simpler:

“A good photo makes you go wow! And has you coming back to look at it again and again.”

This definition is all about the emotional impact of the photo, which is often achieved (often much to the despair of the camera club type photographers) by stretching the rules, or ignoring them completely. It comes from a complete image, where subject, composition, lighting, and above all else a congruent sense of style come together to delight the eye and tug on our emotions.
For me this is what photography is all about

Vision
So how do people take those “Wow” images? Well, it’s all about vision. I get the sense that a lot of photographers thrash around during a shoot, moving lights, adjusting their camera settings, randomly changing a models wardrobe, make up and expression just hoping that something good will happen. Sometimes they might get lucky, but this is not how the really good images are created.

It’s like trying to write music. Some people just have a gift for it. Rhythm, melody and lyrics just form themselves in their head, and ‘all’ they have to do is realise that vision and pull it together into a song. Whenever I sit down with my guitar to try and come up with anything my head is empty and I just hit random chords and notes hoping that something will emerge..... and it never does.

Photography is exactly the same. Whenever I put my camera to my eye I have a vision in my mind of pretty much exactly what the finished, edited photograph will look like. This means I am working at realising that vision only, not trying to create it on the fly. Because of that I can see immediately if the realisation isn’t matching my vision: the light isn’t quite right, the pose is just ‘wrong’, the whole style and vibe isn’t there yet. So when I make changes it is with a purpose, I am converging on my vision.
That isn’t to say there is no room for spontaneity, often a random element with force it’s way into the Vision and change it slightly, or even dramatically. But the key is that you are working from a known baseline, variations on a theme not just random thrashing.

I do appreciate that all photographers work differently, but from those I’ve talked to over the years I am utterly convinced that without a clear vision beforehand of what you are tiring to achieve you will never create much that is truly good.

Professional vs. Amateur
Let’s get this one out of the way as well. There are two completely unrelated scales here:

Crap Photographer......>>>>.......through to......>>>>......Excellent Photographer

And

Amateur Photographer......>>>>.......through to......>>>>......Full Time Professional Photographer

Given what I said above about the majority definition of what a good photograph is you can easily see why there are many Full Time Professional Photographer’s making a good living producing what I would consider to be awful images. Basically my quality criteria are massively more stringent than their clients. So good luck to them.

On the other side of the coin there are loads of Excellent Photographers making superb images that never make a penny from their work because they do it purely for the love of creating Art.

Experience
This might be a contentious view, but I think experience has little to do with Goodness. There is a minimum level of craft skills that a photographer needs, but these can be gained pretty quickly (and by quickly I mean in a few months, not years). What do Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO do to how a picture looks; how do you work lights; what are the normal “rules”, and more importantly why do these rules exist and what are they shorthand for; And with people photography you probably to have to have at least a couple of shoots under your belt to work through the interpersonal aspects of a shoot.
To get to true Goodness, as I said above, you need a vision. And just like with music some people seem to come into photography with a fully formed capability to create that vision.

I’ll wander off down the well trodden side road of Film vs Digital for a short aside. For me this is the huge step forward with digital photography, it has worked to liberate a whole slew of artists and enabled them to create amazing work. With film learning the craft side of photography was a slow and laborious journey. Just the time delay from shooting and seeing the result slowed, or even prevented people grasping the basic skills. With digital we have instant feedback. So even if we haven’t really understood fully yet the relationship between aperture, focal length and depth of field, we can see on the screen on the back of our cameras that the background isn’t blurry enough so we need to open up the aperture, or use a longer lens.

So nowadays there really isn’t any excuse. If you have a Vision, and you have a camera you really ought to be able to realise that vision, even if you have only been shooting for a few months.

Other related areas of Goodness
From a models perspective there are other non photographic aspects of goodness that are probably at least as important as the photographic ones:

Is the photographer organised enough to actually arrange a shoot?
If working TF does the photographer actually give you any pictures? And if so within a reasonable time frame
Is the photographer respectful towards models (this covers a massive area)?
Does the photographer have the facilities and contacts to pull together a great team (depending on the Vision the team might just be the two of you, but it could involve MUA’s stylists, etc)?

You can see examples of Phil's work on Flickr, Purestorm and Model Mayhem.

Guest post by Stefano Brunesci: Beginning Fashion Photography

2011-04-30T09:53:00.002+01:00

Stefano is one of my absolute favourite photographers, and absolutely lovely too. To get some more valuable, technical insight into the world of photography, I asked Stefano to provide some answers to commonly-asked questions. This is Stefano's first post in what will, hopefully, develop into a little series to help budding photographers.

I get a lot of emails and messages from new photographers asking for advice. Here are some of the most common questions and answers:-

Q: What equipment do I need?

A: Almost any modern DSLR with a couple of consumer grade lenses will be more than enough if you are just starting out. There are plenty of excellent photographers producing amazing work with ‘consumer grade’ cameras such as the Canon 450D and similar. Your main focus (no pun intended) in the first year or two should be on mastering the basics of exposure, composition, focal length, DOF and perhaps a bit of studio lighting. Camera equipment is one of the least important parts of the equation in the first few years. Once you have mastered the basics and are competent with your first camera then maybe think about upgrading IF you are being held back in some way by it.

Q: I have my first nude shoot soon – what do I need to do?

A: Keep your pants on, respect the model's privacy as much as is possible under the circumstances, turn the heat up and have fun!

Q: I don’t always get the results I hoped for – is that normal?

A: Everybody has shoots where things don't go as expected. I've had shoots where I've been miserably disappointed with the results but everybody else involved has loved them - but so far, not the other way around, thankfully. I'm sure every "great" photographer has a few stories of shoots that didn't live up to expectations. That's life. One of the things that makes a photographer "great" is the ability to shrug it off then go out and shoot something awesome the next day.

Q: How do you avoid dropping/damaging your camera?

A: Outdoors I keep the strap wrapped around my wrist. Indoors when shooting tethered I do the same but when I put the camera down I always put it on the floor. In fact I have a special 'camera cushion' that I sit it on. Much better that it's already on the floor than getting knocked there by some numpty (probably me) tripping over the USB cable and dragging it off a table!

Q: How do you get such great results from inexperienced models?

A: I generally just tell young/inexperienced models that I want them to goof about and try absolutely anything they like as digital is free and I'd rather get one great shot and throw away 99 bloopers than get 100 safe but boring shots. Music of their choice, also, often helps - in the UK get Spotify - www.spotify.com - and you can let them choose pretty much anything

Q: I only have cheap lights so I’m screwed, aren’t I?

A: No. Your problem is your attitude more than your lack of funds. Nobody knows when they look at a photo whether you used £10k of Profoto strobes or a couple of £50 work lights. All they see is what you did with what you have. If you really want a particular light or modifier for a specific effect then yes, save up for it and buy it, but generally speaking you will be limited by your imagination much more than by your equipment.

Q: What lighting do I need for Fashion?

A: There is no such thing as "lighting for fashion". It all depends on the look and mood you're trying to create. Whether your photos turn out as "fashion" or not will be more down to the styling, the models and your photographic eye than the lighting you choose to use. I was going to say "you can't go wrong with a beauty dish" but many people do so I'll just suggest using a BD or a single gridded strip softbox and maybe a reflector. You don't need all that much gear - keep it simple! Many of my photos were shot with just one light.

Q: Other photographers are doing so much better than me – what am I doing wrong?

A: Don't worry about what others are doing (or appear to be doing) - half of it will be exaggeration, spin and wishful thinking on their part anyway. I find other people's Facebook updates amusing at times - if you judge them only by that you would think everybody was already a megastar. Just keep doing what you're doing and keep getting better - it can take years to get anywhere in fashion photography, or it can take a week if you happen to strike it lucky and make one great contact! Maybe get a Facebook fan page and profile for your business if you don't already have one - the more people who have heard your name and can associate it with your photography the better

Q: I bought a new camera but I still can’t replicate photos I like – did I buy the wrong camera?

A: If you spend some money on tuition or even a couple of good books about photography, rather than just buying random equipment in the hope that it will improve your pictures, then you will be able to look at a picture and in many cases make an educated guess as to what technique/lens/focal length/aperture was used. However, if you just prefer to keep flailing around in the dark hoping for a quick fix by buying more equipment then carry on!

Stefano Brunesci is available for 1 to 1 tuition at very reasonable rates – contact him via Facebook, MM or email info@stefanobrunesci.com for details and prices.

If you have any questions for future posts, ask them in the comments!

Focus on photographer: Catherine Day

2011-04-30T07:30:00.000+01:00

Wonderful, clean work from a female photographer in Cheltenham.

Guest post by Vasilisa: How to arrange your book

2011-04-29T18:35:00.002+01:00

Thanks to Vasilisa for this concise guide and images that follow up on this post.

Print your images as 9x12s - when testing, explain that you need them at this size so that photographers can bear that in mind when sending files. Some images just don't suit it - don't stress too much, just print it as 8x12. I used to print mine at Photobox but they screwed up a LOT. I've had good results with DS Colour Labs and Loxley. Be prepared to pay a decent amount for your prints.

A lot of agencies will give you a portfolio book - I have 3; one from MOT (the grey one in the images), one from Sandra Reynolds (blue and pretty) and one from Pina Zangaro for other agencies. It's really poor form to come to a casting from one agency with a portfolio from another, so if you have a few really make sure that you've got the right book and the right cards with you.

Put your cards in the pocket on the front in the inside - your book should have a pocket there. If not, make one. Start off on a headshot - mine's a commercial book, if you have a fashion book you can have an 'edgier' shot. Look at what your agency put as your main pic on your profile - you should really use the same image to start off your book. Make sure you include every image that's on the website!

(sorry about the sideways pic - blogger is playing up!) There are two main ways to display landscape shots; either print it out over 2 pages like a spread, like in the first one. Or, put it in the middle of a portrait image, put it on a black background and put it in your book that way.

Make sure that you're facing towards the gutter, not out of the page. I don't know why - it's just something I was told a few times and I think it does make it look neater.

Make sure that you chase up your tears and put them in your book. I have had a few that I didn't include because I just really didn't like the images, so you're not obliged to use them, but it's a good idea to.

I've had trouble with mini-mag images since they're so small. I tried to fit the whole thing on one page, which doesn't work with spreads. I think the best way to do this is to just treat them like normal spreads. I have tried 'layering' when it's not a spread (so putting 2 pages on one page, one on the bottom right and the other on the top left). It looks ok, but not ideal. Basically they're a pain, but if you get a spread in Glamour or something you don't really want to leave it out.

Model Mayhem and Purestorm comparison

2011-04-29T15:58:00.002+01:00

This is largely what I believe the sites are good for - more informative (I hope) than the posts a few months ago, and just to help people decide which they want to use more heavily, if there's a preference. This is largely based on my own experience of the two sites.

Opening your legs: adult modeling

2011-04-29T07:30:00.003+01:00

Your mum will disapprove, your boyfriend won't like it, your friends will think you've lost it - in some cases they may be right. The actual adult industry isn't as seedy as people may think - it's full of people who are just making a living selling sex. And sex sells, even in this economy.

Lets clear this up - I am not talking about modeling for GWCs. I am not talking about people who 'practice' their photography shooting pussies and assholes (great practice...I really love the way you lit the labia...). Make sure you look at who you're shooting with - do they have connections? Have they worked for sites/magazines before? Have they actually said that they're shooting for content sites and the like, or did they say 'MetArt STYLE' and 'FemJoy STYLE'. Those usually mean they'll light you poorly while trying to fight with their sweat and growing erection. Make sure you're actually shooting for the adult industry, and not one guy's spank bank - if you're going to open your legs, do it for the right person (your mum was right on that one!).

There's a lot of fairly softcore, well-shot content out there. Sites like MetArt, FemJoy, APD Nudes, Twistys, Breathtakers and the like are well shot by great photographers. The pay is good, and the standards are high - generally under size 12 (mainly very slim), natural breasts, beautiful faces, no tattoos, no piercings (ears and bellybuttons ok), no fake tans and lovely smooth skin. If you have the right look, you can make very good money with these sites and those similar. One well-known and respected photographer for these sites and magazines such as Mayfair is Iain Thomson - you'll find great advice and information on his site. A lot of models make exceptions to their levels for him due to his reputation and skills - and they're lining up around the block.

Know the language and what you're agreeing to:

GG: You're interacting with a female model - this could be just being in the shot with them, through to various sexual acts. Be specific and find out exactly what's expected of you.
BG: You're interacting with a male model - again, this could be just in the same shot, or you could be expected to have sex. Make sure you know what's happening!
Playboy nude: Full frontal nudity, but you don't see pink.
Seeing pink: seeing the labia and pinkier bits of your vagina (not just the front)
Penthouse nude: Open legs, seeing pink
Hustler nude: Penetration
UK Magazine: same as Penthouse nude - seeing pink
US Magazine: Seeing pink and holding yourself open
Continental: Same as Hustler nude - penetration with fingers or toy
Gonzo/POV: You will be performing sexual acts on the photographer. These requests are explicitly forbidden on online communities such as PS and MM, but still take place.

If you did not feel comfortable reading or discussing it, it's not for you. If you plan to go into a career involving children, politics or being in the public eye at all, it's not for you. If you have a problem being seen as a porn star, it's definitely not for you.

Safety: if you are going into the harder side of this (i.e. having sex with models), make sure that you get STD check ups regularly and that people you are working with provide the necessary paperwork to prove that they're clean. No job is worth getting cervial cancer, becoming infertile or even dying for. It just isn't. Frankly, even if you're not in the adult industry - go get checked!

Age: a lot of models go into the adult market at 18, which is great if you know exactly what you want and you're confident. Model Bitch is by no means a conservative or an old woman, but I know that my mindset at 18 was very different from my mindset now. Think it through. I'm not saying wait or don't do it - just think. It's a big decision - don't make it for the wrong reasons.

You have to understand: these things will be on the internet. Forever. You can't get rid of them or make them go away.

Pseudonyms: a very very good idea. Use one - for all your modeling, not just adult. It's good to keep parts of your life separate.

***
There are a few photographers out there offering the world's most complicated, and worst deal to models, and they're shooting for a few content sites (apparently): you work for 4 hours and get paid for 2, you only get paid part of your fees and then you get paid more if it sells, if it sells for more than a certain amount and you also get 'prizes'. It's utter bullshit - trying to make rates so confusing that you don't realised you're getting fucked.

Remember that joke: A boy went up to his father and asked him, "Dad, what is the difference between 'potentially' and 'realistically'?"

The father thought for a moment, then answered, "Go ask your mother if she would sleep with with Brad Pitt for a million dollars.

Then ask your sister if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars, and then ask your brother if he'd sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars. Come back and tell me what you learn from that."

So the boy went to his mother and asked, "Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?"

The mother replied, "Of course I would! We could really use that money to fix up the house and send you kids to a great University!"

The boy then went to his sister and asked, "Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?"

The girl replied, "Oh my Gawd! I LOVE Brad Pitt I would sleep with him in a heartbeat, are you nuts?"

The boy then went to his brother and asked, "Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for a million dollars?"

"Of course," the brother replied. "Do you know what a million bucks would buy?"

The boy pondered the answers for a few days and then went back to his dad.

His father asked him, "Did you find out the difference between 'potentially' and 'realistically'?"

The boy replied, "Yes, 'Potentially', you and I are sitting on three million dollars ... But 'realistically', we're living with two hookers and a homo.

Well, with the deal above, potentially you get about £400 for 4 hours work, but realistically you're getting paid less than half of what you should.

Do you work in the adult industry? Is there anything you wish you'd know when you started? Comment here and let people know!

Focus on model: Raphaella

2011-04-28T14:00:00.000+01:00

It's been brought to my attention that another of the UK's best art models, Raphaella, has recently retired. An absolute loss to the community.

Marketing on social media and blogging

2011-04-28T07:30:00.001+01:00

Since I use quite a few tools for this blog, and run 4 successful(ish) blogs at the moment, I thought I'd share a few tips with you that may find useful for your own blogs and social media efforts.

Keep your shit separate
Keep your business page separate from your personal profile. Keep your photography/modeling blog separate from the blog where you talk about your toe clippings and boyfriend's back hair. Personal does not belong on a business page. Even for amateurs - would a photographer want to work with an amateur model whose entire page is covered with emo updates about her rocky relationship with her boyfriend? Would a model want to test with a photographer whose entire page is covered with dirty jokes? It's just really a good idea to keep the two separate.

Blogging

Consistency
This is more important for a business rather than a hobby, but your blog should be a living and breathing part of your website. If a business blog hasn't been updated in 5 months, people will wonder what's up. If you want regular readers, you need to supply regular content. I try to update Model Bitch on a daily basis...sometimes more, sometimes I miss a day. But if someone comes once a week, they'll have 4-8 new pieces to read. I update other blogs on a weekly and bi-weekly basis which is also fine, as people know when to expect content.

Interaction
I think a key part of a blog is interaction - I love comments and discussions, and think that they add a lot, both as a blogger and a reader of blogs. Allow comments, and make sure that you respond to them. Look at other people's blogs and see how they handle their visitors - if people feel ignored, they'll either stop commenting or stop reading...which isn't the idea.

Credibility
I don't write about shit I don't know about - unless I can stand my ground on the subject and give people new information, I won't talk about it. I was considering doing a quick 'lighting tips' post for new photographers as I've picked up quite a bit, but thought better of it since it's not my area. If something isn't your area, don't write about it. If you're writing an instruction piece or opinion piece on photography, make sure you can back it up, make sure you're happy to discuss it and justify your points if need be. This is the internet - someone will always think you're wrong. Offering quality, credible content makes your blog more valuable and interesting for people, and they'll keep coming back.

Monetising
This is tricky. I'll let you know my general opinion on this, but there are a lot of ways to do it. As a photographer, your aim is to provide information about your photography so people will buy from you, ditto as a model. That's your 'product' so monetising should really be secondary to getting people reading and interested. And getting links - links are sometimes better than money. You can also write ebooks (as I'm in the process of doing) as another product, but see the point on credibility for this.

There are a number of ways to advertise. Amazon associates is a good scheme, and you can advertise specific products that you personally use (again, credibility), and you get a generous commission. I don't like Google Adsense. I had it up on here for...oh....3 hours? I hated not being able to choose what to advertise and got rid of it the moment I saw a scam agency advert on my blog - again, credibility is crucial. If I'm offering advice for new models, and they click on it because it's my page (with lots of good advice), they've basically been scammed because of me, which makes me a total asshole. ModelMayhem has a lot of these ads - I have broached the subject with them on a number of occasions, to no avail. That's the main reason I steer clear of Google - that and the shitty pay.

Affiliates are great - you can get specific companies that you recommend personally and get a generous commission. TradeDoubler has plenty available from one place, with a variety of ad sizes and formats to suit your blog. My advice is don't advertise anybody you wouldn't personally recommend to a friend. People will trust links on your page because you put them there - don't compromise that trust by getting greedy.

Community
Just as interacting with people on your own blog is important...it's also nice to interact with other bloggers and other people in your industry. You're not alone, so why not create a little community? Link to pages of people you've worked with, link to other blog posts that you like, link to other photographers and artists that you like. It may seem counterintuitive, but it really depends on your business and your personality. When working, I often referred photographers to other models that I thought would benefit their work, and they did the same for me. If you don't do glamour, but you admire a particular photographer that does, why not mention them and link? They'll appreciate it, and it's not exactly taking money from you since you don't work in that area anyway. Again, this depends on your business, how you conduct it, your competition and a lot of other practices, but swapping links is a good way to get more traffic.

Measuring
This is a pretty crucial part of blogging if you want it to grow and be successful - you need to know who your audience are, when they're online, how many pages they go to...you just need to know what they need. I highly recommend Performancing Metrics for this! It gives a fantastic amount of information and you get a decent trial for free.

Social Media

What to use?
PS, MM, NM etc. can be classed as social media. Apart from these, facebook and twitter are the main ones, although Flickr is also great for photographers (be careful with the creative commons bit).

Facebook pages
Set up a page for your photography to keep it separate - you can also advertise on facebook and lead people directly to your facebook page. There are a few key things to remember for facebook pages:

Make sure you link to your blog/website/whatever
Update consistently!
Build a landing page with the iFrames app to brand it better and get the 'wow' factor the moment someone clicks on your page - it's far better for advertising your work than just using their standard format
You can use Networked Blogs to put blog updates on the facebook page automatically
Try not to update twitter and facebook with the same information all the time - the reduces the value of both
Enable comments
Get friends and family to add it as well - people need social proof, and nobody wants to be the first to 'like' something! It's just the Matthew effect...

Twitter

Make full use of the profile features to brand your page (I have to admit, I haven't got round to building a background for mine yet!)
Follow people - nobody likes those people with 20,000 followers, only following 1 person - it's SOCIAL media
Retweet - it's easy content. You just need to press a button, and people love being retweeted
Use it to get more traffic to your blog
Tweet your castings!
Models: if you have new wardrobe or props, tweet it.
Make use of the pic facilities - people are more likely to pay attention to photos....I used to know a statistic for that but I've forgotten it...

Badges for my lovely readers

2011-04-27T19:24:00.000+01:00

I promised these a while ago but just remembered to post - just right click and save if you want a super-cool Model Bitch badge!

You can put them on your forum profile, on your facebook page, you can print it out and make it into a real badge or even print out hundreds and roll about naked on them - the possibilities are endless!

Special thanks to my Nordic fairy for helping out with these - you know who you are!

Focus on photographer: Christian Hough

2011-04-27T18:34:00.000+01:00

A very talented man, who doesn't mind bending the rules of a shoot to create something amazing. I only shot with Christian once, but created some of my favourite images in those moments - as with all my favourites, they were completely unplanned.

Model websites: the good, the bad and the ugly

2011-04-27T13:53:00.000+01:00

It's good to have a website as model - it's good to have a link to www.yourmodelname.com instead of just MM and PS, its good to put on business cards, it's good for SEO and displaying your work, and it's good because it shows that you take pride in your work and haven't just uploaded some pics on a site and hope for the best. I like looking at model websites; it shows more about the person and how they choose to exhibit their work.

Having said that, there are some piss-poor model websites out there. Either because models try to do it themselves, and fail miserably, or because they got someone to make it for them and the webdesigner just wants to show off their skills rather than showcase the model.

Here are a few tips to help you get websites that market you properly, and will work to your advantage:

Keep it clean and simple - the images (i.e. YOU) should be the focal point. Not a jazzy header, 20 different typefaces and a video on loop that plays whether you want it or not. Don't frustrate people - the faster they can get to where they want to go, the better.
Have separate galleries for different work - do you do art nude and glamour? Keep them separate. Do you do fetish and fashion? Again, separate. Make sure your galleries are focussed, and don't have too many images - 10-12 per gallery is plenty.
Have no more than 3 typefaces.
Make sure links are clearly identified by making them a different colour to the rest of the text and/or underlining them.
Don't have too many landing pages. Possibly have one if you have adult content, but even then - your gallery should be in a different section so you can mention it on your homepage.
Don't have music. Just don't. You'll piss everybody off. Literally, everybody.
Don't use flash - it's slow and stupid.
Make sure the essentials are on the first page - what you do, where you are, what your measurements are and stick a headshot or figure pic on there.
Have a contact page with your email, possibly phone number (that's a contentious issue - if you're happy putting your phone number out in the open, do it) and links to your profiles on sites like MM and PS.
Don't have too many pages - it's just a gallery. Having home, 2-4 galleries, contact and a blog is more than enough.
Have a blog - it's good for your SEO, it means you don't have to change the images on your site as often, and it means people have a reason to keep coming back to your site.
Use a domain name that's got your name in it and model in it - if you're Cathy Hill model, it's no good having a domain that's www.cathnewcastleuk.com
Link to photographers who helped build your portfolio and models you like - it's just nice.
Put links to your website on all your profiles

The worst model website I've ever seen was clearly by a model who had far too much money, and a clueless web designer - it was pretty much all flash, with 3 landing pages, then a strange video and then terrible, cluttered galleries. It was truely awful, and no client would ever look at it. If it hasn't loaded in 20 seconds, the client is looking elsewhere.

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Guest post by Vasilisa: 20 things modeling taught me

2011-04-27T07:00:00.000+01:00

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's post on castings - today's post from Vasilisa explains what she learned in 6 years as a model.

Thinking warm thoughts can actually warm you up...but there's a limit.
Discomfort, cold and outright pain are just the price you pay to create art - it's worth it!
Receipts, notes and invoices are actually useful.
HMRC don't fuck about.
Nipples aren't that fascinating or precious - if you disagree, it's unlikely I'd want to shoot with you.
Having a life-sized bronze statue of yourself beats being on tv, hands down.
'No' is a very important word.
Modeling is lying. It's fakery and illusion - a lot of people don't seem to get that.
I definitely don't need to feel sexy to look it. In fact, it helps to feel a bit uncomfortable and ridiculous.
Just having your photo taken can make you a figure for hatred of idolatry. It's odd.
I'm far more vain than I realised.
And that's not necessarily a bad thing if it just means taking pride in yourself and your work.
You need a lot of tolerance to be a model (mine ran out!).
You will never, ever be to everyone's taste - just deal with it. It's not personal.
Pretty means very little, even in the most shallow industry in the world.
'Pretend the camera is your boyfriend' makes me irrationally angry.
Saying 'I'm a model' is a lie: you're a marketer, accountant, CS rep, shoot co-ordinator, and sometimes you get to model.
Sometimes you take your clothes off for art. Sometimes you take them off for money. The longer you do this, the more that line blurs.
Some of the best images do 'just happen'.
Modeling is addictive; it'll change your comfort zones, the way you think and the way you see yourself. It's very hard to stop!

Guest post by Vasilisa: Intrested, is it payd?

2011-04-26T16:55:00.000+01:00

This week we have a treat of 2 guest posts by former model, Vasilisa. Today's focuses on how to respond to castings, and tomorrow Vasilisa will talk about the things modeling taught her.

'Intrested, is it payd'

Apparently those 4 words should get a model a job. They should convince a photographer or client to part with their hard-earned cash (or hard-won budget) and pay the model a few hundred pounds for a day of work.

I'll start with the part that pains me the most; spelling. Only 50% of the words in that 'sentence' are spelled correctly. And the 50% that is correct only contains 23% of the letters in that 'sentence' (you have to be a pretty special child to misspell 'is'). So essentially, the first 4 words of your interaction with a potential employer are comprised of over 75% fail. You suck. If you think that 'payd' is a word rather than an initialism, you do not deserve the job.

Not only is it poorly written, but it also shows that your reading comprehension leaves something to be desired; castings usually say whether or not the word is paid. Sites like MM and PS have little sections that photographers fill in when they place the casting - these sections say whether the work is paid or tf*. Isn't that nice.

Finally, you clearly can't be that 'intrested' if you are only moved to type 4 words in your abysmal attempt to get paid work. I'll explain how to actually respond to a casting later.

There are some instances when it is ok to respond to a casting with 'I am interested':

The casting explicitly says to just state interest and provide no further details
You are on your phone, and will follow up later with a proper email
You're incapacitated in some way, but will recover enough to shoot by the date mentioned in the casting
You're just that awesome (NB. 99% of people are not that awesome)

How to actually respond to a casting

Your response to a casting should be like the cover letter that you send to a potential employer - with internet modeling, your tone and presentation can be less formal, but that's essentially what it is.

Begin and finish the email properly
Use full sentences
Make sure you've read the casting and you're actually suitable for the job, and available on the date mentioned
Make sure the fee is something you're willing to work for; don't respond to a tf* casting asking for paid work, or a casting that offers £20ph asking for £40ph. it's just bad manners
Explain what qualifies you for the job - what's your experience, how do you fit the brief, what props or make up ability do you have that would benefit the photographer/client
Add links to your website/other profiles/blog if they have more images
Make sure to note anything that may cause issues for the photographer (tattoos, piercings, etc)

It's really just common sense, and will make you seem more attractive as a model if it sounds like you know what you're doing and you exhibit basic courtesy.

Behaviour and shooting at group shoots: how not to piss off models (again)

2011-04-26T14:09:00.000+01:00

I've already written a very general post about shooting for new photographers, but group shoots are slightly different so I thought I'd broach this topic separately. I've been to 3 group shoots in my years as a model: one was fantastic, really fun, the other was neutral as I only worked with one photographer and didn't really interact with anybody else, and the last was absolutely terrible (one of the few times I considered walking out of a shoot).

A lot of this is common sense and decency, but some people seem to have forgotten what those phrases mean...so lets recap.

Do not touch models. DO NOT TOUCH MODELS. DO. NOT. TOUCH. MODELS. They will be perfectly entitled to punch you square in the balls if you do - I hope that they do.
This is not the opportunity to get together with the other photographers and chat about who has the best tits, best ass, wierdest labia...(yes really, I have heard of this happening)
This is not the opportunity to take someone elses shot from over their shoulder - set up your own
Do not poach models if someone is clearly in the middle of shooting them
Do not push levels - just because there is more than one model there does not mean that you can pester for GG...yes really. That's not the point.
Be clear in your directions - if not, you'll just end up getting stock poses, and stuff that every other photographer there has got
If you have had the lighting set up for you, make sure you state that when you put the image up on your profile. Don't just fill your portfolio with images where tutors or studio owners have set everything up for you, and then ask for tests based on those images. Until you can replicate them, don't try to use them to sell yourself.
This is a chance to learn and experiment - use it!
Get the models to work to their strengths - if it's a glamour workshop or model, don't try to get fetish or art nude shots, they won't work as well, and they won't have the props for them anyway.
Don't be afraid to bring your own props.

And for the models:

Be firm - if there's a problem, tell the photographer immediately (whether that's stepping in and taking you from someone mid-shoot, or something more serious), also tell the studio owner.
Bring a variety of props and wardrobe items
Think about what's quick to change, what's slow, what leaves marks etc - if you're mainly nude, but have a corset with you, putting it on will waste quite a bit of time, and you'll be left with marks for the next person's set as well, which they won't appreciate. If you want to wear things like corsets, save them for the last hour or so of the day and let people know that.
Try not to just do stock poses - if you have something to pose around, use it!
Communicate well with the photographer to see what they want

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Focus on model: Manko

2011-04-26T07:30:00.000+01:00

I first noticed Manko when I was an SG member - her sets were always so well executed, thought through and clearly involved a lot of skill and effort. They actually had a story - not just a chick stripping. She's a truely versatile model, and absolutely stunning.

Open discussion: When is a photographer ready to teach?

2011-04-25T15:49:00.000+01:00

As I'm lucky enough to have a lot of opinionated readers, I thought it would be nice to have a weekly discussion about some key topics. I'm going to post these on Tuesday afternoons (this one's a tester ;)) and see how they go.

This is something that I've been thinking about lately - when a photographer can teach. I don't mean teach college kids a photography course - more along the lines of one-to-one tutorials. I know a lot of photographers who do this, and are well worth the money - they deliver the goods and really help photographers learn quickly and up their game. There are tutorial sessions, however, that I have modelled for and really thought that the photographer there had absolutely no business teaching anything to anybody (due to their ability, manner and knowledge base).

I guess the easy answer is 'when you have something to teach', but that's pretty subjective. I don't want to say something like 'when they're a professional' or 'when they've been published'. First of all, those people can teach marketing, business practices and how to approach publications for work, not necessarily photography (I'm not disputing that they're important things to learn though!). Secondly, it really depends on your definition of 'professional' too; do you mean it in the HMRC sense of the word, or in the basic essential meaning, as when someone can profess, and speak at length on the subject of photography. If you take the second meaning, I'm a little more inclined to agree with you.

This doesn't necessarily mean in paid tutorials either - what about in critiques? Is a less-able photographer in the position to critique a better photographer (or is a less-able model able to critique a better model), or should their advice be disregarded on the grounds of their ability? I'll admit, I gauge how seriously I take a critique or advice on the body of work that a person has - if they can not follow their own advice, or can not create something that I would aspire to, I'm not really likely to listen to them. What about you?

So I'm opening the floor to your opinions - do you think that anybody is entitled to give a critique and be listened to equally? Do you think that there is a set specification that photographers need to meet before giving tutorials? Do you give tutorials? If so, what makes you qualified to give them?

I don't have a set opinion on this, so am very interested to find out what you think.

---
If you're posting anonymously, please number yourself (i.e. if you're the first anon. person to post, start your post with 1), if you're the fifth start it with 5)) so that people can respond to you specifically if they choose.

Watermarks (otherwise known as 'quit fucking up your photos')

2011-04-25T07:30:00.002+01:00

It's a digital age, there's lots of theft going on - how better to protect yourself, than with watermarks? You'd think that people would put thought into these, but a lot of photographers seem to want to cut off their noses to spite their faces. This post is largely from a model's perspective - what you do to your own images is really nobody's business but your own, but you can really put models off testing with you by using the wrong watermark.

Watermarked images are useless to agency models. Useless.
Agencies and their clients have absolutely no interest in seeing your name scrawled across an image - it won't endear you to them, and it definitely won't get you agency work. However, supplying agency models with usable, hi-res and unwatermarked images for their books could potentially get you the option of testing with their new faces (whether or not that's paid depends on the agency, how good you are and how you play it). Instead of forcing your mark on the image, just send the model a watermarked image for online use, and a large, unwatermarked image for her to print for her book. If she's with an agency, it's worth giving them a call, explaining that they have your work on their site/in their model's book and offer them your services.

Watermarks on edges can be cropped off.
Adding your name onto the corner or edge of your work isn't doing to dissuade anybody from stealing it. Or stop a model from getting rid of it if she doesn't like it. The best watermarks are somehow integrated into the image itself.

Integrate your watermarks into the image.
This doesn't mean changing the font, design and everything about your watermark with every single image. Usually just the colour and the positioning would be fine. I've seen watermarks on book spines (very cleverly done), in subtle colours on the model's clothes and almost blended into the sky or floor in an image. Those are the watermarks that work best - you can't crop them off, they don't take over the image, but they serve their purpose as marking the image as yours.

Do not put your watermark:

Across the model's face
Across the entire image
On a line that fights the natural lines and curves of the image
In colours that are too contrasting and draw your eye from the image, to the watermark (i.e. don't stick a white watermark in a dark shadow on the image)

Disagree? Do you have more pointers? Have you recently changed your watermark and followed these tips? Let me know!

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Guest post: 'You can’t be a serious photographer unless you have the right gear'

2011-04-24T17:59:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Model Bitch's first ever guest post, kindly written by Mr X - a man of many talents.

Out there in internet model/photography land there are many of you who have decent gear, have a good understanding of exposure and all the other technicalities associated with a ‘good’ photograph yet constantly turn out absolute shit. Why is this?

I don’t mean shit as in underexposed or blown or limbs cropped off below the joint. In fact in the vast majority of your work you have thought about all these matters and adjusted accordingly. Perhaps not as accurately as you could have but you are there or thereabouts. I know your lens has a better handling of chromatic aberration and is a tad sharper than the more affordable lenses out there – in fact you never stop telling people about that on the forums.

You are a semi-pro of some 30 years standing. You know what you are talking about (actually you have no clue, but the camera club constantly vote your ‘nude against the tree’ the best in its class so you feel you do). You offer critique in the forums to ‘lesser’ mortals kindly pointing out that the shot would have been better if the background was in focus too or that on camera flash is a no no.

You could bore me to tears as to why the sensor in your new fujikon 39878DMK8 gives a superior result to the one in the MK7 but it ain’t gonna matter a bit in your next full length nude of the bored model with a selectively coloured rose between her arse cheeks. Yes I am sure you could blow it up to billboard size without loss of quality – but do the world a favour, and don’t.

You don’t understand why the finalists in the Taylor Wessing prize made it that far - after all, your shot of xxxmisscrackingrackxxx in the wicker chair is better exposed that a lot of them. You look at photographs taken by the ‘leading’ internet photographers and get frustrated why models want to work with them and not you. Their work is blown in places, they have used on camera flash and god forbid that shot is blurry!! They don’t understand the ‘Rules’.

They do my friend. They do understand the rules. They understand them more than you. They understand that they are guidelines to be moved in order to create the shot they envisaged. You see that is the difference between you and them. They have creative vision and could turn out a “wow” shot with a plastic polaroid (some of them quite often do), that would break every rule in the book and have you tearing your hair out at the technical inadequacies as you would see them. Yet people seem to love their work.

A good photograph isn’t the result of a superior piece of equipment - it’s knowing what to do with the equipment available to you.

So please – stop harping on about your gear and get creative.

As someone once said when asked what the best camera is – “The one I have with me”.

Focus on model: Lauren Ridealgh

2011-04-24T07:30:00.001+01:00

This chick just gets hotter every time I look at her (and it's a lot).

Focus on photographer: Jay Mawson

2011-04-24T07:30:00.000+01:00

Idol for many, occasionally contraversial.

Focus on model: Kat Sui

2011-04-23T19:35:00.000+01:00

Now that's a USP!

Focus on model/photographer: Madame Bink and Binkography

2011-04-23T08:30:00.000+01:00

There are a lot of modelographers out there, Bink is really at the top of the class and excels at both modeling and photography,

The model

The photographer

How to increase your rates without pissing people off

2011-04-22T07:30:00.001+01:00

Everybody, always wants to get paid more - it's natural. Progressing as a model on the net involves increasing your rates steadily as interest and your reputation grow. There are smart ways to go about this, and stupid ways. For example - if you work with a photographer on a fairly regular basis, and suddenly tell him that you've doubled your rates, you won't be working with him again. But you can turn this process to your advantage, and actually use it to help you book more shoots!

When to increase your rates

Timing is important - don't increase your rates when others are decreasing theirs. Stay the same and you'll already be ahead of the game.

Models can't really use things like rent on premises or increase in prices from manufacturers to up prices like other businesses, but we do have time. Time is our main factor: if you're booking more work than you have time for, and if you have a 'waiting list' of over a month, it's safe to say you can think about increasing your rates.
If you've moved location to a large city, you can also increase your rates and you'll probably have to as cost of living is higher. But beware - the rates are higher, but competition is higher too.

How to go about it

First, decide on figures. Don't go back on them, and don't fuck around - don't double your rates either. Going up by £5ph should be reasonable, and make sure that your rates for half and full days are slightly less than the entire amount per hour x4 or x8 (as always).
Decide on a date when your rates will go up. It's good to set this date as a 'shooting on' rather than a 'start communicating with photographer about shoot on', since it's more consistent.
Look in your inbox - see who you converse with a lot, who you've worked with recently, who you've talked about booking shoots with but haven't, who you worked with on a number of occasions and who you want to work with. Compose a polite email to them that goes along the lines of 'Hi ______, Hope you're well etc [some sort of personal reference usually helps here - talk about a photo of theirs or something they mentioned on shoot]. You'll be glad to hear that modeling is going really well - I'm getting plenty of bookings and seem to have a bit of a waiting list for shoots. As a result, I feel it's time that I increase my fees slightly; all shoots after [date] will be on my new rate of £XX per hour, £XX for a half day and £XX for a full day. I thought I'd let you know in case you, or anybody you know, would like to book me for a shoot before the increase . [use this bit to talk about any new props, wardrobe, make up skills or locations you've found that you can bring to the shoot, or anything they've mentioned previously that you haven't shot yet]. Thanks!' -- what you have here is a basic sales letter. You're keeping up relations, keeping them informed and hopefully you'll get some bookings before the increase as people will see it as getting a good deal.
Prove your worth - to keep your rates up, you need to keep your bookings and skill set up. If you don't keep upping your game, people will wonder where you got off increasing your rates.

By keeping lines of communication open, giving people a warning in advance and being polite about it, people won't feel blindsided by the fact that you've increased your rates, and instead of feeling ripped off, they'll like the fact that you took the time to write to them and it may well just remind them that they wanted to book you but forgot.

Have you recently increased your rates? How did it go? Photographers - do you have any other tips for models? Have you received a similar email?

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Focus on photographer: Iain Thomson

2011-04-21T21:12:00.000+01:00

An absolute gent, straight-talker and great photographer. He's selective (to say the least) but was probably one of the most published photographers in the UK (when he lived here).

Dear model, don't be an asshole

2011-04-21T12:12:00.000+01:00

Naomi Campbell hits people with phones. Kate Moss takes drugs and still gets contracts with Chanel. You're not Kate Moss or Naomi Campbell - if you were, you'd be a millionaire, you'd be world famous and I wouldn't be giving you advice. As an internet model, being an asshole will mean you need to go and get a job at the dodgy kebab shop down the road, and get hit on by wineos and pissheads for £5 an hour.

Shut up and do your job
Ok, if you're in severe pain, danger, or your extremities are turning blue, you should say something. If you don't like a dress, don't like the make up, don't like a photo or think the location is dirty/cold/ugly - shut the fuck up. You're being paid to model, not to be a consultant and art director, so unless you're asked for your opinion, don't give it. If you are asked about it, be polite. The best thing to do in that situation is to check that everything's as the photographer wants it and is what they had in mind.

Point out if: something doesn't fit properly, something's ripped when it shouldn't be, something is in the way (like a camera bag) - basically when something is going to screw up the image. Not when you don't like something. Just deal with it - it's your job. (This does not apply to test shoots - then, feel free to tell them something's not working!)

Answer your damn emails
Seriously! How the hell do you expect to book work if you don't actually respond to people who are basically saying 'hello, I would like to give you money, how much should I give you and when?' People remember when people don't respond to their emails. People have lists. People talk. These people are the ones you want to hire you, so it's not a good idea to piss them off.

Turn up on time, and actually turn up
I can't believe I'm actually writing this: Basic Decency 101 - be respectful towards people, which includes not wasting their time. You know that studios cost money, right? You know they're usually paying you by the hour? So why the fuck are you consistently turning up 15 mins late? Ok, tfl are shit, ok sometimes there's traffic - at least let people know.

Don't be an asshole
You're self employed, in a customer-facing role. Don't be an asshole - it'll cost you money.

Basically, you know all that 'manners' shit your mum kept going on about? Use it!

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