Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Lessons to be learned here! This is a situation where using a fictitious name would be a great idea. Establish yourself with that new fictitious name online. People at the school have no reason to know about this nude art photography that you do. This is a separate aspect of who you are and what you do. Keep it that way!
DO NOT solicit potential models for art nudes at a coffee shop ... but go ahead and continue to meet clients and models at coffee shops. Be careful that any kind of solicitation for models is done discreetly. Opening up a laptop full of nudes any where it can be viewed by the general public is risky. Find other places to find your art models .. like from here on ModelMayhem for example!
DO NOT use coffee shops as a gallery for art nudes. Although the owner might be ok with it, the general public is diverse in taste, so you're bound to offend someone! Besides, people go to coffee shops "mostly" for the coffee, right? Music, poetry readings and photos on the walls are secondary. They go to galleries if they want to view art nudes.
Although it may not seem logical, teachers are held to a higher standard than most. If you were working as a Sears appliance repair person for example, you would not catch as much unwanted attention from your employer. (at least I'd hope so!) Be careful because once word gets around, you'll be targeted for gossip. Best to use caution to prevent the unwanted attention.
I'm sorry to see the OMP has dropped their profile, but maybe someone else will benefit from this thread.
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Christopher Hartman wrote:
It appears you already quit, but perhaps you're still reading.
First, what happened at the coffee shop has nothing to do with you quitting or not. That's like having 99 people like your stuff but because one person doesn't you decide your work is no good.
Regardless of what type of work you do, I would not solicite potential models from a place to frequent on a regular basis. Eventually other regulars will notice this behavior and call attention to it. Now, considering the content you shoot, all it will take is ONE person to complain and everythingyou do at that establishment will be suspect (outside of actually getting coffee).
Also, I think it's bad mojo to ask strangers to view your work. Even very innocent work. You should also make sure your work is not too easily viewable by other patrons. THis is ESPECIALLY true if this is a place you frequent. If nudes bothered me and I saw your work randomly, I'd be more likely to not say anything about it. However, if this was a place we BOTH frequent and I regularly (or even occasionally) see your work, then I'd be more inclinded to complain. Chris, I agree with all you've said. Even if the manager or owner is ok with it, there are bound to be those who will be offended by his approach, let alone the fact that he is showing nudes!
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Rowen wrote:
No!
I've lived through something parallel to this. I worked at for a small research firm for years that was attached to a University (and the feds). I've been a musician (or, at least attempting to be one!) since I was about 8 years old (now 45). I had played in a number of bands up through my early 20's/college years when I quit and decided to just do things at home and "grow up".
But Life, as they say, is what happens while you are making other plans. In my early 30's I met some very interesting people and things *just happened*. Before we knew it, we had an CD. Then another. And then shows...and bigger shows, and more people, and magazine articles, and international attention...and...wow! It's not like we were stadium acts but we had reached what the industry refers to as "second tier" act.
All of this happened while I worked M-F at my *normal* job - but as things happened, I began to hear things at work....and then the "meeting" with the henchmen... it was *suggested* that I had to give up the band because, according to the contract I signed with the company when I was hired, I was not allowed to work for any other companies without consent. This agreement had nothing to do with me playing music in a band - I knew it, they knew it - but they shoved it in my face anyway. I rarely took time off from work (plus I had plenty of vacation time saved up after 15 year anyway!) and the band did not interfere with my job.
But, no, I was not going to give up something that was a part of who and what I was.
Within two years I was fired.
That was 4.5 years ago and I have never had a more liberating experience in my life! I never thought I could live without a "career". Was I ever wrong! I'm not making nearly as much money as I was back then, but I can't even begin to tell you how much happier I am as a person. Life has taken on a whole new meaning and perspective and I love it! Never again will I ever let some manager, boss, corporate prick, whatever...threaten me with the loss of a job because I am not comforming to their standards during the hours I am not required to be in my office. I KNOW I can live without that kind of shit now. (please note - I am NOT saying I won't do the work required of me at any given job)
This may sound drastic - but there comes a time when you have to stand up and say enough is enough. You cannot and will not take away something that is an inherit part of who and what I am simply because you disapprove of it. As long as you do it with Respect, Integrity and within the limits of the Law, there can be no compromise.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am not advocating you broadcast to the school system you photograph nudes - but as someone said, when you act scared you come across as something other than a professional. Do what you need to do, not what other people tell you that you have to do! In the end, you will be a much happier person!
Best of luck!
-R
p.s. in a month or so, our 4th CD will be released  Congratulation! That is truly inspiring to me since I left the "work force" back in 2002 .. and never to return! I do have teachers in my family so I do understand the issues that the OP is going through. It could be too late, he may get fired. Something tells me that we'll see him back here!
BTW, I have a music magazine .. check out www.myspace.com/backstage411
Photographer
RockstarVanity
Posts: 77
Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom
No, it's time for you to go to a different coffee house!
I've spoken to male photographers who find it very difficult to approach female potential-models because of the risk of being seen as a pervert, and I know female models who've been approached by guys who have just bought a camera and want to take pictures of naked ladies...it's a tough situation, and I guess I'm lucky to be female because it tends to remove the potential pervert angle somewhat.
A lot of people just don't 'get' that the type of photography you do isn't actually pornographic...sucks to the fragile little minds!
Photographer
Curt at photoworks
Posts: 31812
Riverside, California, US
Studio Spike wrote:
you say you're afraid of your school finding out, but you're waving the the stuff around in public at the VERY SAME coffee house where you ALREADY HAD A PROBLEM before..
No sympathy for you at all....sorry. I agree. Your "fear" and your behavior are not congruent. It's only a matter of time before someone at school finds out and if you're at a high school, word of this will spread throughout the school by the end of the day.
Some are advising you to talk to the principal. Bad advice. You will regret the day if you do not talk with an attorney specializing in employment law so you know exactly where you stand legally. You want to do this before word gets to your school.
Photographer
Class Act Photography
Posts: 6376
STUDIO CITY, California, US
Curt Burgess wrote:
I agree. Your "fear" and your behavior are not congruent. It's only a matter of time before someone at school finds out and if you're at a high school, word of this will spread throughout the school by the end of the day.
Some are advising you to talk to the principal. Bad advice. You will regret the day if you do not talk with an attorney specializing in employment law so you know exactly where you stand legally. You want to do this before word gets to your school. I think you should follow Curt's words of wisdom.
Photographer
Eros Artist Photography
Posts: 1562
Green Cove Springs, Florida, US
Looks as if you've made your decision.....but perhaps you're still lurking about a bit.
After a few years of shooting and exhibiting nude figure to the exclusion of almost all else, I've learned a few things:
1. There are cultural pockets of American society that are terrified by nude people. I recall reading about a survey that was conducted 8-10 years ago in some of America's largest population centers. One of the most surprising conclusions of the survey was that a fairly large number of those that responded indicated they would rather be the victim of a violent crime than be seen nude in a public setting.
I will say I don't remember it as the majority response. Nonetheless......
2. You must have confidence and pride in the work you do.
3. The fact this is a coffee shop has nothing to do with what you experienced. I've had several shows of only art-nudes in coffee shop galleries with nary an incident. I've had gallery directors tell me to my face my work was innappropriate for their market - one with an exhibition of explicit Saphhic themed paintings on the walls. This was about people.
4. People will see you as they see you. Someone once told me, "other people's opinions of you are none of your business...." It works for me.
5. Artistic nudes, regardless of how well they are done, will never appeal to everybody.
As far as approaching prospective models in their coffee shop; that can be a delicate situation and I'm inclined to agree with them to a point. It is private property after all. However, I may be predjudiced in my view here as this is not a model finding method that has ever worked well for me.
Hope you can find your way back -
FWIW -
Model
Mz Machina
Posts: 1754
Chicago, Illinois, US
O.k I just clicked on this guys profile and he is no longer a current member 
Model
Paul Verite
Posts: 100
Philadelphia, Mississippi, US
I was once at a gallery that was exhibiting an artists work that included an image of myself. I overheard an elderly lady exclaiming to another elderly lady: "Oh for gods sake, that's disgusting!" https://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pid=1934332 Never underestimate some peoples phobias about the human body.
Photographer
Eros Artist Photography
Posts: 1562
Green Cove Springs, Florida, US
Paul Verite wrote:
I was once at a gallery that was exhibiting an artists work that included an image of myself.
I overheard an elderly lady exclaiming to another elderly lady: "Oh for gods sake, that's disgusting!"
https://www.modelmayhem.com/pic.php?pid=1934332
Never underestimate some peoples phobias about the human body.
In one of the galleries where I'm represented, two middle aged ladies were standing in front of my wall. They were talking very quietly amongst themselves and giggling when I heard one of them say while pointing to an image: "That's the only ok one 'cause I don't have to look at her boobies. Now let's go before one of the group sees us looking at these."
It was very clear (and very amusing) as to how embarrassed they were.
Ah well.....
Model
Claire Elizabeth
Posts: 1550
Exton, Pennsylvania, US
Sounds like its about time for you to get a little smarter about your approach. You cant expect a busy coffee house to be an appropriate venue for showing nude work when there are probably families and people there who wont appreciate it.
Photographer
Veteres Vitri
Posts: 1994
MAYLENE, Alabama, US
Class Act Photography wrote:
talk with an attorney specializing in employment law so you know exactly where you stand legally. this is the best advice yet. I wonder if the op is under contract. Does the contract have a morals clause.
What you do in the privacy of your own home should not affect your job. Sadly we live in a society where that is not the case. People should be free to model in the buff, or take pictures of people in the buff without worrying over the day job.
As someone suggested develop a stage name. Limit your exposure. I would do this by not displaying my work in the local enviroment, or looking for models in my nest.
Some things should be kept secret. You can break no laws, be the model citizen but if the appearence of something fishy exists you will be up the creek without the paddle.
don't quit, just don't share this aspect of yourself with the general public.
Model
aye provide
Posts: 1330
New York, New York, US
If he is no longer a member happy trails to him. He did himself in with his coffee house antics. Meeting people and exchanging enveloped photos would have kept him out of hot water. Using a coffee house as a post prodution location....bad bad bad bad.
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