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Models:If you look in a photogs port and see porn.
I was recently contacted by a rather confusing photog. He said he wanted to shoot with me when i traveled this summer. I happened to look in his port and he damn near had all 18+ pics(not artistic nude) or tasteless shots with girls legs cocked open. I'm down for glamour and all, but he turned me off because he had no commercial shots, fashion, etc. When I turned down his offer to shoot he told me he had no intent on shooting me nude and implied that I was being silly for assuming so. How do the rest of you models think about a situation like this? May 16 06 09:50 pm Link Not silly at all, a photographer should be able to send you to a portfolio that has what genre he wants you to shoot in. It may not be on MM but if asked it should be somewhere. May 16 06 10:25 pm Link I think you were right for turning down the job. As a rule if I ever feel uncomfortable with a photographers work or level of professionalism... (especially if I have never met him before) there is usually a reason to feel that way... Even if he didn't want to shoot nudes with you, his style of photography might portray you in a way that you are uncomfortable with. Did he tell you what kinds of shots that he wanted to take when he approached you to work with him? May 16 06 10:31 pm Link In my view a portfolio is a sales tool. It should be representative of what you can do as a model, stylist, photographer, etc. In part, this should reflect the range of your work. If I were to turn the tables on this, and say for example that I was approached by a model with a portoflio that was mostly 18+, I would likely assume that she wanted to do that type of work. If the portfolio had no 18+ work shown, I would assume that she doesn't do that type of work. The part where this falls down is when people assume stuff - - - However, this is exactly why I only have one or two 18+ shots on my portfolio. I had a question once that was similar to this one. After thinking about it, I changed out several images. This photographer should too. - Ed May 16 06 10:39 pm Link A Pro should have all his available work, or most of his work in Port. If he has only nudes that's his preference..... and a big mistake ! See how you reacted !!! .... Shoot with who you feel confident and shoot what you feel comfortable with .. Manny D. May 16 06 10:52 pm Link Some of the best photographers on here have large ports with mostly nude images. If you don't work with them than it's a loss at both ends. No need to post about it. Move on and pick another to shoot with. May 16 06 11:00 pm Link You are what you shoot. Simple as that. May 16 06 11:27 pm Link Well I'd at least see if he has a different port. Ultimately though if you're not comfy cozy working with someone. . .you're just not comfortable. May 16 06 11:30 pm Link GWC alert. Give it a pass. May 16 06 11:35 pm Link My ports full of nudes and I have no intention of suddenly shooting fashion, weddings or babies. May 16 06 11:36 pm Link Jim Duvall wrote: That is good. I have no problem with nudes, it was just the way she said he communicated to her and the style of nude she was describing that led me to say that in his case, he probably also had no intention of not trying to get her nude. You are up front about your artwork, that is honorable. He sounds shifty...that is just tacky. May 16 06 11:41 pm Link The OP posted this question for models, but since she posted it under General Mayhem instead of under Model Matters I feel free to respond as a photographer. Recently a photo shoot of mine came to a crying halt when my intended model noticed a large, inflated phallus that another photographer had left in a corner of the studio that I'd rented. The sight of the phallus so alarmed my model that she later accused me of trying to pose her with it, although in fact I did not try that, and had no intention of doing so. There are many types of modeling in the world that involve some kind of sexuality. While each model is free to decide for himself or herself what they will do, all models need to develop something of a thick skin about what others do. If a model is not comfortable with my work, then I don't want her posing for me. I do feel however that a model is being unduly suspicious if I tell her that I'm not going to photograph her in erotic poses but she believes otherwise simply because other models have done those kinds of poses for me. May 16 06 11:56 pm Link ~Krista~ wrote: Yes because all photographers with a high number of nudes or suggestive pictures are GWCs May 17 06 05:36 am Link The photographer should have told you up front anyway what he wanted to shoot with you. Honestly, I don't think you're wrong for saying 'no'. When I contact a model, I let them know exactly what I'm looking for. Saves confusion in the long run. May 17 06 05:38 am Link Manny Desalamanca wrote: I agree with this - although it can be difficult to achieve. For example, much of my work over the last 16 months has been for clients who do not give me the rights to display the work I do for them -- so some of my best work is not available on my online portfolio. May 17 06 05:50 am Link ADGibson wrote: I wonder who voted you âNeed Assessmentâ? manager. That is what these forums are for to share experiences and get opinions⦠May 17 06 06:07 am Link These profiles are full of contradictions...I love to be scolded "en amssae" by a model for thinking about any degree of nudity, under penalty of being blocked from her page, yet her page is full of "suggestive" work, suggesting she may take the next step, under the right circumstances...you don't see anything other than "G" in my work...vanilla, but I have three studios and I am regularly published...I find more attitude than value to some photographers and so called models...I see some brilliant, brilliant collaborations beyond my imagination, and some remarkable junk...they know who they are...put your big panties on, and move on... May 17 06 06:19 am Link I assume if a photographer contacts me and sends me to ONLY his MM port and it's mostly nudes ... I do assume that that's what he/she wants to shoot me in. Even though my port says that I don't shoot nudes. They shouldn't have nudes in their MM port, unless that's all the prefer to do. They should have a seperate port for that ! Theres My 2 Cents ! Jessica Ryann May 17 06 06:21 am Link old rule (suggestion, ahem) of thought: only show the kind of work you wanna get more of ... guess that's good for both models & photographers, huh? fml May 17 06 06:23 am Link Jeanette Thompson wrote: IF you read her second post, I think it is clear that that is not what she means. I have a high number of nudes in MY book, and I specialize in modeling for nude photography, and most of my photographers are not GWC's. It is the contrast between his portfolio and what he is telling her that indicates he is a GWC. May 17 06 06:33 am Link I agree, trust your gut instinct... If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck.... it's probably a duck with a camera...lol May 17 06 08:08 am Link The photos were just tasteless.All the girls we dropping it like it was hot or I could see their actual vagina. It was really weird I thought. He directly emailed me and told me his mm number instead of directing me to another site, so I didn't just cruise his profile, see those pictures and make an assumption. He wanted me to see those photos, and though I do have three swimsuit pics in my port, they're actually nothing like what he has in his port. Above all he emailed me like "I like your style, may be we could shoot when you come to Ohio". When I looked at those pics, I was thinking "oh hell no!! who does he think I am, Dee does Dallas?!!" May 17 06 08:49 pm Link Some Food For Thought: Imagine a photographer has done many scenics, lots of sunsets, and numbers of flower closeups. These are in his portfolio. Then he contacts a model and says he would like to do glamour portraits, swimsuit pinups and the like. Should the model say no because he posts no pictures of the type of picture he wants to do? If all models do that how will he ever get to try them? Now imagine a photographer who has done many erotic nudes, pornography, and BDSM. He decides he is stuck in a rut and wants to do glamour portraits, etc. However every model says no because he posts none like that. The basic question is how can a photographer break out into new material if every model expects him to exhibit the very new stuff he wants to try? I have had the very experience suggested by these questions. I have done everything from portraits to pinup to artistic and erotic nudes but when I contacted a model who advertised she does BDSM, expecting the best way to begin was to work with an experienced model, she turned me down because the 200 images in my portfolio include no BDSM work! Models. Don't look at the photographer's portfolio only in terms of what types of photo he has done. Look also at the quality of workmanship, the lighting, etc. May 17 06 09:07 pm Link Some Food For Thought: Imagine a photographer has done many scenics, lots of sunsets, and numbers of flower closeups. These are in his portfolio. Then he contacts a model and says he would like to do glamour portraits, swimsuit pinups and the like. Should the model say no because he posts no pictures of the type of picture he wants to do? If all models do that how will he ever get to try them? Now imagine a photographer who has done many erotic nudes, pornography, and BDSM. He decides he is stuck in a rut and wants to do glamour portraits, etc. However every model says no because he posts none like that. The basic question is how can a photographer break out into new material if every model expects him to exhibit the very new stuff he wants to try? I have had the very experience suggested by these questions. I have done everything from portraits to pinup to artistic and erotic nudes but when I contacted a model who advertised she does BDSM, expecting the best way to begin was to work with an experienced model, she turned me down because the 200 images in my portfolio include no BDSM work! Models. Don't look at the photographer's portfolio only in terms of what types of photo he has done. Look also at the quality of workmanship, the lighting, etc. May 17 06 09:08 pm Link I don't post images on my web site and I keep the images here to the minimum. Virtually all requests or submissions are built to specific areas that go to requirement with links to non-public galleries. Had the photographer soliciting the OP done the same he might have had a better chance of working with her as opposed to calling his work into question. Photos by Jerry wrote: Probably, yes. Pretty well crafted pictures of flowers and sunsets does not a model photographer make. Keyword here: Model. A model uses discretion and will work with those that help them advance. For someone just wanting pictures taken then that is something entirely different. Photos by Jerry wrote: For good reason, it isn't her place to teach you the culture just for the sake of doing so for your benefit...she probably knew that the results would be less than satisfying for her given the lack of experience and expertise. Photos by Jerry wrote: Again, being a stellar shooter in one area doesn't mean it translates to shooting models equally as well. A photographer's portfolio is very telling. May 17 06 09:32 pm Link Bingo I agree with 291 I started with jewelry and accessories out of necessity we needed to get our product on the web and did not have enough money to pay a photographer so I learned as fast and as much as I could about lighting small sparkly things. Then over time for some strange reason people liked my work and wanted to hire me to shoot them instead of small sparkly things now I'm learning how to light people as well. I plan on expanding my knowable and shooting a boudoir portfolio and I manage to get up a few simple images of people/ models I knew to give me a start before I started doing castings for models to work with me. Not hard folks. May 17 06 09:46 pm Link Good replies here, interesting stuff. You also have to keep in mind some photographers shoot for many different projects. For instance, I shoot for several paysites and the photos have to be a little more on the raunchy, amatuer side. I put a few pics in with my other work because its a popular site and there are people in here who like that kind of stuff. Many times its my most viewed and commented on work. But that doesnt mean thats all I shoot and that I only shoot half naked models. You mat want to find out a little more info from a photographer and see what style he wants to shoot before passing him off as some GWC. May 17 06 09:54 pm Link MichaelBell wrote: well again, you state that you have a few of those photos mixed in with your regular work. Not all your photos are raunchy. all of his were.That's a different story. I have three black men style/xxl magazine style shots, commercial, and fashion in my port. I put a little of everything, to show what I can do. That's what normal people/professionals do. Otherwise, if you ask to shoot with me, I'm going to think you want other pics like those in your port. He didn't specify when he emailed me, which is already a no-no.The out-of-state thing is another factor. though I will already be out of state shooting in Ohio, I think it's better to be safe than sorry. He could tell me anything online or over the phone, and when I'm out of my environment I could be in for a nasty(literally) surprise. May 17 06 10:27 pm Link I think that you used very good judgement. I agree that the photographer should have told you beforehand exactly what he wanted to shoot. May 17 06 10:36 pm Link Some of this stuff is really humorous. If a model doesn't feel comfortable... don't do the shoot. It's as easy as that. I do wonder at what point someone is considered a gwc and a "real" photog... where is the line drawn. Who decides this? Some of it sounds a bit elitist to me. Just my thoughts. May 17 06 10:41 pm Link It amazes my how easily offended people get over such issues. The great thing is that you got to see first hand example of the photog's work (or at least a project he is working on at the moment) before making a commitment. On a long boring plane ride back from Boston last night, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the difficult task that web sites like MySpace.com and Photobucket.com are having in identifying pornography. As a society, we are so easily offended by what we see as if we did not have the choice to look elswhere. I shot with a photographer several months back who was previously a hard core porno producer. It didn't bother me a bit. He knew his stuff with regards to photography and the pics turned out great (I was of course fully clothed). I have no interest in pornography. If everyone were like me, there would be no porno industry because I would never pay a dime to look at pics of naked people doing sexual acts. It just does not interest me. But everyone is not like you or me. It's a huge industry and there obviously must be a lot of people willing to pay the bill. - And a lot of photogs and models willing to fill the demand. So what? Just accept it. You don't have to participate in that kind of work. The real question is: Does the photographer know how to take technically great pics? As long as the photog is professional, you should ignore the content and focus on the composition and lighting skills. If both you and the photog are in agreement of the type of photography needed, then they should be able to get what you want. I think I would rather shoot with a photog that worked full time in photography (even if some of it was legal pornography), than a part time photog who did not have the same lighting and composition experience. As they say, don't always judge a book by its cover. MM ports are not used by everyone in the same manor. Some (like me) post experimental images that would never go into a sales portfolio. May 17 06 11:30 pm Link if its good porn i turn down the lights and jack off. May 17 06 11:48 pm Link MadamePsychosis wrote: All right then... Someone pass the popcorn. May 17 06 11:53 pm Link btw, Dee, could you link me to the dude? cuz i aint found any REAL porn on here yet.... im desensitized... i like really sloppy sh!t. May 17 06 11:57 pm Link As was said, if you don't feel comfortable, pass it up. But even if you do feel comfortable, communicate with the photographer about what the shoot will involve. Ask him to email you a range of samples. Discuss it frankly. You're not on a date. Being coy, subtle, and using euphemisms are ways to assure miscommunication and unhappy surprises at the shoot. May 17 06 11:58 pm Link Vivus Denuo wrote: True, but seems to be an occupational hazard anyhow. May 17 06 11:59 pm Link MadamePsychosis wrote: Photog: "So, would you be OK with some (pause) you know, glamour shots?" May 18 06 12:05 am Link hehe. May 18 06 12:06 am Link MadamePsychosis wrote: Wishing you well. May 18 06 12:12 am Link Jay Dezelic wrote: No wonder the popcorn tastes funky. May 18 06 12:14 am Link |