Tips for Models
If you are an aspiring model it really would pay you to read this. Its good advice, but we are human and one of our characteristics is that we tend only to take the advice we like the sound off. You probably wont like the sound of this advice, but I still hope you take it on board.
Some general information first. If you are reading this you probably found it on the internet, so you are probably thinking of being an internet model. Here are some important things you should know. There are 3 types of model on the internet
1. Hobbyist/Amatuer models who model for fun and don’t make any money, 90% of internet models come into this category, bare this in mind.
2. Part-time semi pro models. Often students or girls with a career, their modelling is a sideline, but they tend to be good enough to make enough to help them through their studies/make some extra cash.
3. Full time pro models - a very rare breed on the internet. Very few models can make a proper living from internet modelling and those that do are extremely committed, hard-working and almost invariably do some form of nude/adult work.
THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE..professional internet modelling is nude/adult based, don’t think you can make a living as an internet fashion/lingerie model, you cant, it simply doesn’t happen. If you want to me a fashion/lingerie model, you need a good agency.
Ok, some more general modelling advice.
Be sensible about your aspirations and be honest with yourself. If you are 5' 5" and size 12, you are not going to be a fashion model...no matter how much you want it, its not going to happen.
Also, if you want to be a fashion/lingerie model, the internet is not the place, you need an agency. You cannot be a professional fashion model without an agency to find you work and if you cant get one, you may have to face the reality that you are not suitable.
Ok, you want to be a glamour model. "Glamour" means lots of things to lots of people but to you it probably means being on page 3 or being a "lads mag" pin-up. These aspirations are fair enough, but your chances are very slim, the competition is fierce. The internet can help you, but again you really need an agency. Magazines recruit almost exclusively from agencies like www.samanthabond.net Again, almost the same rule applies here as it does to fashion, if you cant get an agency its unlikely that you are going to *get into these types of publications.
*Almost any girl can get her picture published in the weekly lads mags. Its like the x-factor culture, they invite loads of no-hopers to pad out their content and give people a laugh. But that’s all it is. If you send your images to a lads mag and allow them to publish for free, not only are you allowing them to make a fool of you, you are in effect helping to ruin the industry you are hoping to find work in. These mags rely on free content, but use paid, professional models to "headline" and attract readers. Whilst it may seem attractive, allowing yourself to be published for free in these mags is more likely to have a negative than positive effect on your career. Don’t do it. If you are good enough, they will pay you. Another point to consider is that when you give them an image, you sign away all rights, they can and do use these images as they please. You would not be the first girl who gets a shock when she finds out she is the "face" of an anal sex phone sex line....
Ok, so that deals with non-internet modelling. So, you cant be a fashion model and you have not found a glamour agency yet. Can you still model? Yes, here are your options.
If you are happy with modelling as a hobby, then you share common ground with 90% of internet models and 90% of internet photographers You set the terms. You can do fashion/lingerie/nude, whatever takes your fancy. You may pick up the occasional paid job, but don’t expect to make any money in the long term. The majority of internet photographers are hobbyists and there are some very competent hobby photographers out there, who's work is of a professional standard, they are always looking for models to work with on a *TFCD basis. So treat your modelling as an enjoyable hobby and confidence booster, select your photographers carefully and you should get some great images without having to pay for them and have a lot of fun.
How do I get started? Search the internet for suitable photographers offering TFCD in your area. Make sure you like their work, ask them to shoot you, if they say yes, ask for references and arrange a shoot. After you have got some decent portfolio images register on some models sites such as www.purestorm.com or in the Scotland www.photo-models.co.uk
*TFCD..Time for CD/prints. You swap your time for the photographers. You get images for your portfolio, so does he or she.
You can be a semi-pro/part-time model. How successful you are depends on how good a model you are, what level you are prepared to model to and how well you promote yourself. Don’t kid yourself though, the majority of work available will involve nudity of some form or another and the more naked you get, the more bookings you will get. If you prove yourself professional and reliable, you can pick up some good quality work at various levels. Most of the models I work with are part-time internet models.
Getting started? Start as a hobbyist and build up your experience/portfolio. Also make sure you register on a good variety of model sites.
So you think you can be a professional internet model and make a full time wage? Ok, maybe you can, but this puts you in a very small club. The one area where the internet is King and is the most effective form of marketing is in nude and particularly adult modelling. Lets start with levels of nudity. There are two areas here. Non-explicit adult which as a far smaller niche and explicit adult which accounts for the work of the majority of internet pro-models.
Non - explicit adult basically encompasses the genre of art-nude which can be sub-divided into classic figure nude which is traditionally a non-suggestive form of nudity and the glamour style nude found in Playboy. To confuse things further there is now a genre of art-explicit nude which is found on European sites such as Femjoy. Mild bondage is a popular niche market which probably fits nicely into the no-explicit adult category too.
Explicit adult means top-shelf magazines such as USA Penthouse, Mayfair, Club International and related websites.
So, you want to give it a go. First step? read to the bottom of the page, check all the links, if you still want to do it, get a decent portfolio. Send me an email with a recent photo, but be prepared for a straight answer. I'm not going to be rude to you, but I will be honest. If I think you are wasting your time I'm going to tell you, please be prepared for that. You don’t have to take my word though, other photographers may have a different opinion, so seek a second or even third opinion, but if they are all negative, please don’t kid yourself, this simply means its not going to happen for you.
A bit about your work options and some links. If you are thinking about nude modelling, you really need to know where your work is and what you are getting into.
Classic art nude. Your work will mainly be private commissions for specialist websites/print etc. It is very difficult, if not impossible to make a living working exclusively in this genre.
Glamour nude. This covers anything from page 3 up to explicit adult levels, but we will leave out explicit adult at present. If you don’t have agency work and you don’t want to do full blown adult work, your options here are very limited, but...if you are very attractive, slim, natural and relatively free of tattoos, its possible. In this genre Playboy USA www.playboy.com is the top of the tree, but its unlikely you are going to get there, very, very few British models do...no reason why you shouldn’t aspire to it, though. This should not be confused with Playboy UK. www.playboy.co.uk If you are going to be successful, then this is not particularly exclusive and well within your grasp. Do not give Playboy UK free images under any circumstances, though, its no big deal being published there and if they want you, they'll pay. A very good site in the Playboy genre is www.macandbumble.com very difficult to get on, but in this genre second only to Playboy USA in prestige. Femjoy is an art nude site rather than a glamour site, but in terms of explicitness it fits better here, the same can be said for met-art and MPL. I've compiled a list of International sites in this genre, roughly in order of prestige and potential pay. I have not listed Penthouse USA, although prestigious it is very explicit and listed under adult.
Playboy USA www.playboy.com
MacandBumble www.macandbumble.com
Femjoy www.femjoy.com
Met-art www.met-art.com
Onlytease www.onlytease.com
MPL studios www.mplstudios.com
Playboy UK www.playboy.co.uk
There are quite a few lesser known sites in this genre and there are a couple of very classy mild bondage sites with great photography which are worth a look.
www.restrainedelegance.com
www.shackledmaidens.com
I would emphasise though, it is pretty difficult to make a full time living sticking to these levels, but it is possible if you have what it takes.
Explicit adult nude. This is the type of nudity found in the magazines on the top shelf of your newsagents and all over the internet. Very explicit, I'm not including links here, but if you cant work out whats involved then find out before you contemplate doing it! Look at the glossary section of this website, explicit adult levels are USA magazine and above. This makes up the bulk of the available professional work on the internet. Its a huge industry and the one form of modelling that is almost exclusively internet based. This is how the majority of professional internet models make their living either openly or without openly advertising the fact.
Its an internet myth that any model can do adult work if she is naughty enough. This is not true at all, for most publications and quality internet work, the standard is very high and the competition for work is fierce, in general to be successful you must be young, pretty, slim, toned and all natural. There are a few exceptions and models with a unique selling point, ie. unusually large natural breasts, very voluptuous models or more mature models with good figures can do well.
At its worst this type of work can be tacky, seedy and downright dangerous but at its best it can be glamorous, professional, safe and high class. My advice is to try and stick to well known professionals with established reputations.
The most prestigious and best paid work here is undoubtedly Penthouse USA. followed by Hustler, Mayfair, Club International, Men Only, Knave. All these titles are dominated by East European girls and in general the standard of model required is exceptionally high. It is very difficult for British girls to get published in these titles and most work available is for lesser titles or various websites.
Ok I'll finish this section with a word on tattoos and breast enhancement. These are the two things that cause me to turn down more models than any other factor. If you have enhanced breasts and/or tattoos, you cant do anything about it now. But if you want to make a career in modelling my advice is absolutely DO NOT get tattoos and if you are considering breast enhancement, think very carefully about it.
This section relates to general modelling advice
The next piece of advice is fundamentally important! How you conduct yourself is even more important than how you look, if you want to be a successful model. Its no coincidence that the most successful models are the most organised, reliable and professional models. Always communicate properly and by that I mean use proper English, be polite and respond quickly to enquiries. Be professional and reliable in your approach to shoots and be organised. Pay attention to detail and make sure you understand what the photographer expects. Pay attention to things like nails, hair etc (obvious, but its surprising how many models neglect their nails!)
SAFETY
As a new model..well, as a model full stop - your safety is paramount. Take a few simple precautions to ensure your safety. In general if your shoot is at a reputable studio or with an established photographer with checkable references, you should not encounter any problems. Always let a third party know where you are and that you have arrived safely and also that you have departed safely. Things become more risky when you have location shoots or you are shooting at your own or the photographers home. If you cannot obtain suitable references which satisfy you of the photographers reputation and your safety, you should really consider taking along a chaperone or failing that decline the shoot. Don’t take any risks, most photographers are respectable honest individuals, but its like any other field, there are bad apples about.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Photographers can be either Professional, semi-pro or amateur. This description only refers to their work status as a photographer and not to their ability. It is worth remembering that because an individual describes him or herself as an amateur, this doesn't necessarily mean their photographic abilities will be less than a professional. There are some brilliant amateur photographers out there and some poor professionals, judge a photographer by their ability not their status as amateur or professional.
A good photographer has the same qualities as a good model, they should be professional, polite organised and reliable, whether amateur or professional. The levels of the shoot should have been discussed beforehand and you should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Also, in general there should be no physical contact between model and photographer, ie if a photographer comes out with a bottle of baby oil and asks you to stand still while he applies it, then alarm bells should start ringing. It is acceptable for a photographer to adjust your hair or clothing (in non intimate areas)to save you moving from a pose, AFTER he has asked your permission, but this is generally as far as physical contact should go.
Whilst some models are uninhibited and are happy just to change clothing or underwear in front of photographers to save time, this is their choice, however there should always be a separate, private area for you to use for changing if you so wish.
PAYMENT
Unless agreed otherwise prior to the shoot, you can reasonably expect to be paid your agreed fee in cash immediately after the shoot. One of the most frequent questions asked by models is what should I charge.
I have listed a scale of fees for various levels below which are basically industry standard, however these are not set in stone and in quieter times models often offer substantial discounts from these fees, particularly for longer bookings, just to keep the work coming in. Also, professional photographers often have a budget for a particular shoot and you may be offered a fixed fee which may be less than you normally charge or occasionally may even be more. Obviously its your choice whether to accept or decline the job.
HOURLY RATES
Fashion/Lingerie £20
Topless/Implied nude £30
Artistic/Classic nude £40
Playboy nude £40
Generally full or half day bookings will be at a discounted rate, for instance a reasonable daily rate for art/playboy nude would be £200
Top shelf style nudity is normally paid depending on the level of explicitness and the publication. The minimum rate is usually in the region of £50 hourly or £250 daily and for certain prestigious jobs a top model may get as much as £400 a day
Travelling expenses where appropriate, would normally be paid by the photographer over and above these fees.
MODEL RELEASE/COPYRIGHT
As a general rule the photographer owns copyright of all images and can do exactly what he likes with them. Please be aware of this fact. The only way for a model to have any control over images is to have a specific contract regarding their usage. It is vitally important to understand this...IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DOCUMENT TO THE CONTRARY, THE PHOTOGRAPHER CAN DO WHAT HE LIKES WITH THE IMAGES AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
In practice, you will normally be asked to sign a release of some kind, please read it because in effect you are putting your name to a legal document which stipulates the usage of the images from the shoot. If you wish to restrict use of particular images, then you may wish to style your own model release to reflect this, but remember, this will have to be agreed with the photographer beforehand and he will have to sign it.
Some general information first. If you are reading this you probably found it on the internet, so you are probably thinking of being an internet model. Here are some important things you should know. There are 3 types of model on the internet
1. Hobbyist/Amatuer models who model for fun and don’t make any money, 90% of internet models come into this category, bare this in mind.
2. Part-time semi pro models. Often students or girls with a career, their modelling is a sideline, but they tend to be good enough to make enough to help them through their studies/make some extra cash.
3. Full time pro models - a very rare breed on the internet. Very few models can make a proper living from internet modelling and those that do are extremely committed, hard-working and almost invariably do some form of nude/adult work.
THIS IS THE BOTTOM LINE..professional internet modelling is nude/adult based, don’t think you can make a living as an internet fashion/lingerie model, you cant, it simply doesn’t happen. If you want to me a fashion/lingerie model, you need a good agency.
Ok, some more general modelling advice.
Be sensible about your aspirations and be honest with yourself. If you are 5' 5" and size 12, you are not going to be a fashion model...no matter how much you want it, its not going to happen.
Also, if you want to be a fashion/lingerie model, the internet is not the place, you need an agency. You cannot be a professional fashion model without an agency to find you work and if you cant get one, you may have to face the reality that you are not suitable.
Ok, you want to be a glamour model. "Glamour" means lots of things to lots of people but to you it probably means being on page 3 or being a "lads mag" pin-up. These aspirations are fair enough, but your chances are very slim, the competition is fierce. The internet can help you, but again you really need an agency. Magazines recruit almost exclusively from agencies like www.samanthabond.net Again, almost the same rule applies here as it does to fashion, if you cant get an agency its unlikely that you are going to *get into these types of publications.
*Almost any girl can get her picture published in the weekly lads mags. Its like the x-factor culture, they invite loads of no-hopers to pad out their content and give people a laugh. But that’s all it is. If you send your images to a lads mag and allow them to publish for free, not only are you allowing them to make a fool of you, you are in effect helping to ruin the industry you are hoping to find work in. These mags rely on free content, but use paid, professional models to "headline" and attract readers. Whilst it may seem attractive, allowing yourself to be published for free in these mags is more likely to have a negative than positive effect on your career. Don’t do it. If you are good enough, they will pay you. Another point to consider is that when you give them an image, you sign away all rights, they can and do use these images as they please. You would not be the first girl who gets a shock when she finds out she is the "face" of an anal sex phone sex line....
Ok, so that deals with non-internet modelling. So, you cant be a fashion model and you have not found a glamour agency yet. Can you still model? Yes, here are your options.
If you are happy with modelling as a hobby, then you share common ground with 90% of internet models and 90% of internet photographers You set the terms. You can do fashion/lingerie/nude, whatever takes your fancy. You may pick up the occasional paid job, but don’t expect to make any money in the long term. The majority of internet photographers are hobbyists and there are some very competent hobby photographers out there, who's work is of a professional standard, they are always looking for models to work with on a *TFCD basis. So treat your modelling as an enjoyable hobby and confidence booster, select your photographers carefully and you should get some great images without having to pay for them and have a lot of fun.
How do I get started? Search the internet for suitable photographers offering TFCD in your area. Make sure you like their work, ask them to shoot you, if they say yes, ask for references and arrange a shoot. After you have got some decent portfolio images register on some models sites such as www.purestorm.com or in the Scotland www.photo-models.co.uk
*TFCD..Time for CD/prints. You swap your time for the photographers. You get images for your portfolio, so does he or she.
You can be a semi-pro/part-time model. How successful you are depends on how good a model you are, what level you are prepared to model to and how well you promote yourself. Don’t kid yourself though, the majority of work available will involve nudity of some form or another and the more naked you get, the more bookings you will get. If you prove yourself professional and reliable, you can pick up some good quality work at various levels. Most of the models I work with are part-time internet models.
Getting started? Start as a hobbyist and build up your experience/portfolio. Also make sure you register on a good variety of model sites.
So you think you can be a professional internet model and make a full time wage? Ok, maybe you can, but this puts you in a very small club. The one area where the internet is King and is the most effective form of marketing is in nude and particularly adult modelling. Lets start with levels of nudity. There are two areas here. Non-explicit adult which as a far smaller niche and explicit adult which accounts for the work of the majority of internet pro-models.
Non - explicit adult basically encompasses the genre of art-nude which can be sub-divided into classic figure nude which is traditionally a non-suggestive form of nudity and the glamour style nude found in Playboy. To confuse things further there is now a genre of art-explicit nude which is found on European sites such as Femjoy. Mild bondage is a popular niche market which probably fits nicely into the no-explicit adult category too.
Explicit adult means top-shelf magazines such as USA Penthouse, Mayfair, Club International and related websites.
So, you want to give it a go. First step? read to the bottom of the page, check all the links, if you still want to do it, get a decent portfolio. Send me an email with a recent photo, but be prepared for a straight answer. I'm not going to be rude to you, but I will be honest. If I think you are wasting your time I'm going to tell you, please be prepared for that. You don’t have to take my word though, other photographers may have a different opinion, so seek a second or even third opinion, but if they are all negative, please don’t kid yourself, this simply means its not going to happen for you.
A bit about your work options and some links. If you are thinking about nude modelling, you really need to know where your work is and what you are getting into.
Classic art nude. Your work will mainly be private commissions for specialist websites/print etc. It is very difficult, if not impossible to make a living working exclusively in this genre.
Glamour nude. This covers anything from page 3 up to explicit adult levels, but we will leave out explicit adult at present. If you don’t have agency work and you don’t want to do full blown adult work, your options here are very limited, but...if you are very attractive, slim, natural and relatively free of tattoos, its possible. In this genre Playboy USA www.playboy.com is the top of the tree, but its unlikely you are going to get there, very, very few British models do...no reason why you shouldn’t aspire to it, though. This should not be confused with Playboy UK. www.playboy.co.uk If you are going to be successful, then this is not particularly exclusive and well within your grasp. Do not give Playboy UK free images under any circumstances, though, its no big deal being published there and if they want you, they'll pay. A very good site in the Playboy genre is www.macandbumble.com very difficult to get on, but in this genre second only to Playboy USA in prestige. Femjoy is an art nude site rather than a glamour site, but in terms of explicitness it fits better here, the same can be said for met-art and MPL. I've compiled a list of International sites in this genre, roughly in order of prestige and potential pay. I have not listed Penthouse USA, although prestigious it is very explicit and listed under adult.
Playboy USA www.playboy.com
MacandBumble www.macandbumble.com
Femjoy www.femjoy.com
Met-art www.met-art.com
Onlytease www.onlytease.com
MPL studios www.mplstudios.com
Playboy UK www.playboy.co.uk
There are quite a few lesser known sites in this genre and there are a couple of very classy mild bondage sites with great photography which are worth a look.
www.restrainedelegance.com
www.shackledmaidens.com
I would emphasise though, it is pretty difficult to make a full time living sticking to these levels, but it is possible if you have what it takes.
Explicit adult nude. This is the type of nudity found in the magazines on the top shelf of your newsagents and all over the internet. Very explicit, I'm not including links here, but if you cant work out whats involved then find out before you contemplate doing it! Look at the glossary section of this website, explicit adult levels are USA magazine and above. This makes up the bulk of the available professional work on the internet. Its a huge industry and the one form of modelling that is almost exclusively internet based. This is how the majority of professional internet models make their living either openly or without openly advertising the fact.
Its an internet myth that any model can do adult work if she is naughty enough. This is not true at all, for most publications and quality internet work, the standard is very high and the competition for work is fierce, in general to be successful you must be young, pretty, slim, toned and all natural. There are a few exceptions and models with a unique selling point, ie. unusually large natural breasts, very voluptuous models or more mature models with good figures can do well.
At its worst this type of work can be tacky, seedy and downright dangerous but at its best it can be glamorous, professional, safe and high class. My advice is to try and stick to well known professionals with established reputations.
The most prestigious and best paid work here is undoubtedly Penthouse USA. followed by Hustler, Mayfair, Club International, Men Only, Knave. All these titles are dominated by East European girls and in general the standard of model required is exceptionally high. It is very difficult for British girls to get published in these titles and most work available is for lesser titles or various websites.
Ok I'll finish this section with a word on tattoos and breast enhancement. These are the two things that cause me to turn down more models than any other factor. If you have enhanced breasts and/or tattoos, you cant do anything about it now. But if you want to make a career in modelling my advice is absolutely DO NOT get tattoos and if you are considering breast enhancement, think very carefully about it.
This section relates to general modelling advice
The next piece of advice is fundamentally important! How you conduct yourself is even more important than how you look, if you want to be a successful model. Its no coincidence that the most successful models are the most organised, reliable and professional models. Always communicate properly and by that I mean use proper English, be polite and respond quickly to enquiries. Be professional and reliable in your approach to shoots and be organised. Pay attention to detail and make sure you understand what the photographer expects. Pay attention to things like nails, hair etc (obvious, but its surprising how many models neglect their nails!)
SAFETY
As a new model..well, as a model full stop - your safety is paramount. Take a few simple precautions to ensure your safety. In general if your shoot is at a reputable studio or with an established photographer with checkable references, you should not encounter any problems. Always let a third party know where you are and that you have arrived safely and also that you have departed safely. Things become more risky when you have location shoots or you are shooting at your own or the photographers home. If you cannot obtain suitable references which satisfy you of the photographers reputation and your safety, you should really consider taking along a chaperone or failing that decline the shoot. Don’t take any risks, most photographers are respectable honest individuals, but its like any other field, there are bad apples about.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Photographers can be either Professional, semi-pro or amateur. This description only refers to their work status as a photographer and not to their ability. It is worth remembering that because an individual describes him or herself as an amateur, this doesn't necessarily mean their photographic abilities will be less than a professional. There are some brilliant amateur photographers out there and some poor professionals, judge a photographer by their ability not their status as amateur or professional.
A good photographer has the same qualities as a good model, they should be professional, polite organised and reliable, whether amateur or professional. The levels of the shoot should have been discussed beforehand and you should be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. Also, in general there should be no physical contact between model and photographer, ie if a photographer comes out with a bottle of baby oil and asks you to stand still while he applies it, then alarm bells should start ringing. It is acceptable for a photographer to adjust your hair or clothing (in non intimate areas)to save you moving from a pose, AFTER he has asked your permission, but this is generally as far as physical contact should go.
Whilst some models are uninhibited and are happy just to change clothing or underwear in front of photographers to save time, this is their choice, however there should always be a separate, private area for you to use for changing if you so wish.
PAYMENT
Unless agreed otherwise prior to the shoot, you can reasonably expect to be paid your agreed fee in cash immediately after the shoot. One of the most frequent questions asked by models is what should I charge.
I have listed a scale of fees for various levels below which are basically industry standard, however these are not set in stone and in quieter times models often offer substantial discounts from these fees, particularly for longer bookings, just to keep the work coming in. Also, professional photographers often have a budget for a particular shoot and you may be offered a fixed fee which may be less than you normally charge or occasionally may even be more. Obviously its your choice whether to accept or decline the job.
HOURLY RATES
Fashion/Lingerie £20
Topless/Implied nude £30
Artistic/Classic nude £40
Playboy nude £40
Generally full or half day bookings will be at a discounted rate, for instance a reasonable daily rate for art/playboy nude would be £200
Top shelf style nudity is normally paid depending on the level of explicitness and the publication. The minimum rate is usually in the region of £50 hourly or £250 daily and for certain prestigious jobs a top model may get as much as £400 a day
Travelling expenses where appropriate, would normally be paid by the photographer over and above these fees.
MODEL RELEASE/COPYRIGHT
As a general rule the photographer owns copyright of all images and can do exactly what he likes with them. Please be aware of this fact. The only way for a model to have any control over images is to have a specific contract regarding their usage. It is vitally important to understand this...IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY DOCUMENT TO THE CONTRARY, THE PHOTOGRAPHER CAN DO WHAT HE LIKES WITH THE IMAGES AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.
In practice, you will normally be asked to sign a release of some kind, please read it because in effect you are putting your name to a legal document which stipulates the usage of the images from the shoot. If you wish to restrict use of particular images, then you may wish to style your own model release to reflect this, but remember, this will have to be agreed with the photographer beforehand and he will have to sign it.