Rachel-Elise  wrote:
I don't mean just anyone, but, for example, people who are offering much larger payment than usual, international trips for work, expensive gifts, etc. You know--things that could, theoretically, be "suspicious," if only because the actions are outside the norm.

Hrm.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is -- IMO.

I don't do reference checks on these things, because they're almost always scams.  I suppose my view is pessimistic, but I would argue it's realistic.   I look at my height, location, etc and I have to say, "What is it about me that they would want?"

Any legit business will be handled by my agency, and these people never seem to contact my agency - huh, strange. Probably because anyone of legit business isn't truly going to offer me an international modeling gig.  These types of things go to major agency models, which I'm not and will never be.

One story I can share, though -- a client contacted my agency and wanted to book me for a $500 job to appear in a commercial for their "lingerie boutique", they told my agency I'd need to be in lingerie.  Sure, I said, sounds great, find out more info.  Turns out the client was really running an adult toy shop and the agency put the kabosh on that.  So yeah, clients lie and can just in general try to be sneaky and it's good to check them out.

Rachel-Elise  wrote:
Hey there, ladies and gents, 

How many of you models go beyond the usual "references" when checking out someone who is interested in working with you? I don't mean just anyone, but, for example, people who are offering much larger payment than usual, international trips for work, expensive gifts, etc. You know--things that could, theoretically, be "suspicious," if only because the actions are outside the norm.

I like to "do a google" on whomever I am thinking of working with for the first time, just to be smart, but that's usually enough for me. Does anyone else do more? Am I maybe just being paranoid? Not paranoid enough?

I check out everyone.  I want to make sure I get paid for jobs I do for clients who claim to want to pay me to make sure I don't front lots of money I'll never see.  I want to make sure I am not shooting for some skeevy company that's a front for businesses whose practices I object to (like any Wall Street brokerage firm or bankster), or Monsanto. 

I also want to make sure I'm not being set up to be ripped off of my equipment.  So yes I check everyone out.  Including models.

Randall_Oelerich wrote:
Long story short-- I once did a free background check (criminal history gov website) on someone who was to come to my house for a gig and learned that person had a lengthy criminal background including larceny, stabbing someone, possession of stolen goods, about a dozen aliases. End of story. One can not be paranoid enough when one's safety and home and possessions are in question. As you said, minimally google, but I also suggest a first meet over coffee somewhere public and then validate the person's ID and then check out their background for anything suspicious or criminal.

How can you verify the info you were given was even correct ??? Those companies connect data purchased from shady ass people ... hell, I have at least six Doppelgängers that are routinely "connected" to me in various states ... one is a friggin bank robber out of Atlanta, how do I know; had the friggin FBI show up at my work ... I play hell with these companies trying to get them to remove the connections. It's worse with CC companies ... took me years, $$$$$ and lawyers to get them to remove the connections ... and shit still shows up in checks ...

NC Art Photos wrote:
...or Monsanto.

I love you.

Hero Foto wrote:
...How can you verify the info you were given was even correct ??? .....

Good point. Two things-- the info ended up being correct, as verified by someone close to the person in question. If I recall, there was also a photo of the person on the site. It was a MN criminal background check site, put up by the MN government.  Second, I guess with such a criminal background, better to be safe than sorry; this involved someone potentially coming to my home, and I sure did not want my equipment tempting a former felon and ending up with a home burglary.  Was just easier to avoid a potential problem.

Rachel-Elise  wrote:
offering much larger payment than usual, international trips for work, expensive gifts, etc.

Any of this would make me beyond suspicious.

Personally -- and no offense to anyone in particular -- I'm amazed at how many truly creepy people hover around this site and this business.

Check EVERYTHING.

And if the photographer has a client, I'd definitely need in writing who the client is and the intended use of the photos. Not only do you want to get paid what you deserve, but you don't want your face attached to an ad campaign that might embarrass or humiliate you.

Good luck.

David M Russell wrote:
Personally -- and no offense to anyone in particular -- I'm amazed at how many truly creepy people hover around this site and this business.

You know what?  I'm not.  Being new to photography and working hard to become good at it, I'm still going through this event.  My friends comment how jealous they are because of all the beautiful women I'm around, and how often I get to photograph them wearing very little, or even nothing.  I'm more concerned about what angle or uniqueness I'm going to bring, in order to get the shot that's worthy of her, rather than the fact that I'll be staring at a pretty, naked girl for the next few hours.  Usually, it's the models telling me to relax!

Nowadays, it's so easy to buy a camera and call yourself a photographer.  Put out a casting call for a nude shoot, pay some rookie a hundred bucks, and take all the naked pictures of her that you want, while telling her to stand in all sorts of lewd positions.  That's all they see, though.  They don't see the business, they don't see the art.  They just see T&A.  It's sad that people like that exist, but the reality is, they do.

They not only make models feel unsafe (or heaven forbid, worse), but on a much lesser note, they damage the rep of the rest of us, who are simply trying to take good photographs.  They ruin it for everyone.

Rollo David Snook wrote:
Not sure google is the best tool, unless you are looking just for a general overview that the person is a photographer. For example, I rarely ever shoot twice with a llama, but if you google me and click on discussions, "clingy photographers" is associated with my name. However if you look further, I am actually giving advice to llamas in that thread, not am I the subject of that thread. So google schmoogle in my opinion, it can be very misleading and depends entirely on how far you delve.

When things like this come up, I don't take them at face value, I definitely read into the topic, and I would certainly HOPE that most llamas do.



For the most part, I check a little bit.  the only time I check into someone A LOT is if I'm planning swimsuit/lingerie and it is taking place at a "studio".  I've had someone try and convince me I could come to his house and shoot with him, and "don't worry my parents would be fine with it".   I'm sorry, I understand people are down on their luck, some live with their parents, some parents are nice enough to let you shoot at their house, but this was sketchy to go from, we can shoot at a studio, to or you could cross state lines and come to my house.

Lee N wrote:
As someone who enjoys hunting down such information, I often go all-out in terms of background checks - it borders on hacking at times, but I want to make absolutely sure that I'm safe if I'm going to be meeting up with someone I don't know.

Sometimes I uncover suspicious things, like the one photographer who had made absolutely sure he had no paper trail: no online profiles of any kind, dead phone numbers, rerouted IP addresses, weird stuff. I don't follow through with those people.

Highly recommended.

NC Art Photos wrote:
I want to make sure I am not shooting for some skeevy company that's a front for businesses whose practices I object to (like any Wall Street brokerage firm or bankster), or Monsanto.

I love that !

Glenn Hall - Fine Art wrote:
I do background checks on all my clients. Saves me time, as some competitors my end of town like making bogus phone bookings.

How do you people have tome for all this extra paperwork?
What do you tell the clients?

"I'm sorry I can't take your deposit right now.  I however need some info from you and I'll get back to you in 24-48 hours after your background check clears"

EMILY  C wrote:
One story I can share, though -- a client contacted my agency and wanted to book me for a $500 job to appear in a commercial for their "lingerie boutique", they told my agency I'd need to be in lingerie.  Sure, I said, sounds great, find out more info.  Turns out the client was really running an adult toy shop and the agency put the kabosh on that.  So yeah, clients lie and can just in general try to be sneaky and it's good to check them out.

Off topic, but down here as far as I know, all "lingerie boutiques" are adult toy shops that sell lingerie. It goes hand in hand. Unless they're Victoria Secret, I don't see the difference.

Leeta wrote:
For the most part, I check a little bit.  the only time I check into someone A LOT is if I'm planning swimsuit/lingerie and it is taking place at a "studio".  I've had someone try and convince me I could come to his house and shoot with him, and "don't worry my parents would be fine with it".   I'm sorry, I understand people are down on their luck, some live with their parents, some parents are nice enough to let you shoot at their house, but this was sketchy to go from, we can shoot at a studio, to or you could cross state lines and come to my house.

I almost never shoot swimsuits, and the vast majority of the time that I shoot lingerie, it is as part of a nude shoot, but then again, I shoot in my own house, which includes a studio.  My parents are both deceased, so I don't think they object much.

My wife is also fine with what I shoot, especially if the models say nice things about her decorating. 

Rachel-Elise  wrote:
Hey there, ladies and gents, 

How many of you models go beyond the usual "references" when checking out someone who is interested in working with you? I don't mean just anyone, but, for example, people who are offering much larger payment than usual, international trips for work, expensive gifts, etc. You know--things that could, theoretically, be "suspicious," if only because the actions are outside the norm.

I like to "do a google" on whomever I am thinking of working with for the first time, just to be smart, but that's usually enough for me. Does anyone else do more? Am I maybe just being paranoid? Not paranoid enough?

Doing "a google" is a good start.
Although "Nigerian Scam" is now part of our lexicon, some people still fall for very similar variations.