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Not disclosing address/Toronto warning
Just wanted to bring this topic out there, and to provide a warning to other models. Was messaged through a local model/photographer networking group on facebook by a photographer who wanted to shoot with me. We agreed on a day and theme, all was fine. When I asked for the address he only provided a subway station, I explained that since I and my MUA (a friend who needs a portfolio update) were driving we would need an exact address. He responds by saying he will provide an MUA and that I have to take the subway to the station, and meet him there (from then he will walk me to the location). When I said subwaying that day was not an option and I needed an address, he says that I'm too invasive and tells me to forget shooting. Weird. Feb 05 15 06:58 pm Link If this were to have occured on MM we (mods/admins) would ask that you contact us via Contact a Moderator. As it was on FB... not much anyone here could do. If you ever find out the person has a MM profile I am sure myself and the other mods would like to see if there is any history with the person. You should always trust your gut. Feb 05 15 07:13 pm Link Kev Lawson wrote: What is "this"? Meeting at a subway station? I wasn't the photographer in this case, but I can't think of a shoot where I didn't meet the model at a subway station (since I don't have a car, imagine that). If the model is driving and asks me where to park, I just say to park near the subway station. Then again, I'm sure siderodromophobia must be a terrible affliction, and in that case I'd definitely be accommodating. Feb 05 15 08:00 pm Link Could have been a set up or he could be as paranoid as you. Maybe he was as scared as you were. Or, and my personal favorite, the didn't want to give up the address of a special location so you couldn't cut him out of the deal and use his location. Some photographers are very protective of the locations they use over and over again. Either way, you weren't comfortable and you made the correct choice for you. Feb 05 15 08:25 pm Link Oh, oh, oh, HHEELLLL no!!! That guy is a creeper, or worse!! Major danger sign. Anyone who acts like that should never be trusted. Feb 05 15 08:26 pm Link Wandering Eyebubble wrote: She mentions that the photographer was being evasive about wanting to give a location for the shoot. She was bringing an MUA, he asked her not to. These are signs that something may be wrong.. and I would rather people err on the side of caution. Thus my advise to always follow your gut. Feb 05 15 08:27 pm Link GER Photography wrote: How do you know how he acted? We have a super brief summary of multiple exchanges, through a biased source. One side of a story in which nothing went wrong. Unless you were there, I don't see any justification for name calling and summary judgements. I don't trust people who make snap judgements and public condemnations with insufficient info. Those are the people you don't want to trust, the ones who jump to the front of the line to throw rocks. Feb 05 15 11:03 pm Link What are other models or members of the Facebook group saying about him? Did you ask? Can you contact the group organizer and tell them what happened. Does he have linked images on his profile from other members of the FB group? Rather then assume someone has sinister motives, pose your questions first. Where will be shooting at? Its pretty cold in Toronto right now so I would think the session would be indoors. If the plan is to bring a MUA say that then and again you need a address to come to. If he is supplying a MUA and doesn't want you to bring one. Who is the MUA? Can you have a contact number. In this case I would write the organizer of the group. He may be fine and not to raise any alarms but to talk about what happened. He may be eccentric, he may be a goof. Don't assume the worst. Feb 05 15 11:31 pm Link Wandering Eyebubble wrote: I think you need to read, and understand, the whole of the post to realise exactly how creepy this scenario is. Feb 06 15 12:17 am Link How do people think going to a mystery location, with a stranger, by yourself is safe? At least give a probable reason as to why you don't want to disclose the location or else it does just come off as "I don't want you to know where we are going just as much as I don't want anyone else to know where you are." Wanting to know where you are going to be is in NO way invasive. It's being responsible. And that's what makes it weird, not meeting at a subway. If they had shot with the photog before, then it would also be different. Feb 06 15 02:08 am Link Wandering Eyebubble wrote: Kent Art Photography wrote: He, he..... kind of sounds like "Meet me behind the Red Lion Pub. Not by the door but at the far end of the parking lot by the...... ah,,,..... trees." Feb 06 15 03:08 am Link Pictures of Life wrote: "Click bait" Feb 06 15 05:27 am Link Tony Lawrence wrote: Wouldn't tell me who the MUA was and when asked why, he said his MUA would be used because she knows the address and will meet us inside (meaning she won't be joining on the walk from the subway station). Feb 06 15 05:30 am Link AbbeyMarie wrote: Agreed, meeting at a subway is no issue (I've done it many times when I'm going to a studio I've never been and asked for help getting there) but id like to know where I'm going for multiple reasons, safety being the first. Feb 06 15 05:35 am Link Wandering Eyebubble wrote: Please, do talk sense. Instead of being so creepily evasive all he had to say was "I'll meet you at the subway station and then we're going to [wherever]". Instead of getting so panicky about the model bringing a MUA all he had to say was "Let's not, as I have my preferred MUA for this shoot." Feb 06 15 06:07 am Link Tony Lawrence wrote: He may not be sinister but he definitely is a creep. Feb 06 15 07:45 am Link Michelle Genevieve wrote: +1, my thoughts exactly. Feb 06 15 09:42 am Link Whether it was a case of bad communication skills or true creepiness, something just didn't sit right with me. I'm glad I backed out. Feb 06 15 10:08 am Link Cayleigh Chaos wrote: I think you've summed it up very nicely. If it works, it works, and if it doesn't it doesn't matter why. I've had "models" balk at giving me a contact number. I can understand a certain fear of harassment, but that level pretty much precludes any sort of professionalism so for me, at any rate, that's enough reason to not shoot. Ultimately, you really don't need any more reason than "I don't wanna!" he said his MUA would be used because she knows the address and will meet us inside (meaning she won't be joining on the walk from the subway station serves to confirm that the shoot will be in some unknown interior space that he would control. I would certainly urge any model to walk away from the proposed shoot. Feb 06 15 12:23 pm Link If she were my daughter, son, wife, friend or a perfect stranger; I would not council her to go some place unknown under suspicious circumstances. Being a model doesn't change that. The one at risk is the one who gets to decide what constitutes "suspicious." Not some dude in an easy chair, God knows where. If the photographer is fine, but communicates poorly, then he has probably had enough of these scenarios to make him aware that he is coming off in a negative way. Everybody involved has an obligation to provide the information required to create a safe work environment. If there was a reason to meet at or near a subway station, that should have been articulated. If there was a final destination other than the meeting spot, that should have been articulated. Let's be real, if it is close enough to a subway station to walk to, then it ain't no secret location. If you have to drive there from the subway station, then it should have been articulated if the model was expected to share the ride and why. Or, do the naysayers believe she should jump into someone's car without due diligence? From her biased point of view, which is all we have without speculating, she did what has been conveyed to hundreds of models in escort threads over the past years. She wasn't taking an escort, but a MUA, who would contribute to the shoot. She asked questions. The results of those questions led to a canceled shoot. Sounds good to me. Feb 06 15 12:41 pm Link Obviously we don't have the complete picture. At best the photographer and OP weren't on the same wavelength re communications. If OP was my friend or relative asked for advice based on what we know I would say don't shoot in this case. Knowing and telling a friend what the address/location is a basic and sensible safety precaution. Keeping a location secret from a model is just a load of horse feathers, she'll be there tomorrow, FFS. Feb 06 15 02:28 pm Link Trust, is sometimes a very hard thing to earn. One way is to be open and communicative with the people you're trying to work with. The photographer in this scenario was not. Another way is to be so invested and entrenched in the business, studio, equipment... and a long history of working with many other people, so that it would be unthinkable to do something stupid and loose it all. This photographer has shown no proof of this type of solidity. This being the Internet, this guy could be living out of his plain white '93 Econoline kidnapping machine/torcher chamber!!:-)) Feb 06 15 06:44 pm Link |
