Posted by Steve Mills: 
I've tried to contact a model on here. Her profile says a lot of things about herself, and then says to talk to her agency. I didn't realize that meant sending her a message was actually sending a message to her agency, but it does. I don't see them registered here, but they speak for her in replies. So my question would then be shouldn't agencies be required to register?

It always bugged the Hell out of me on OMP to have to communicate through some representative, especially when they all too often don't reply. If I see a model profile, and I read what appears to be the model herself speaking in her profile, I want to communicate directly with her. Asking too much?

Most of the top modeling agencies have their own sites, and it's  more in dealing with photographers & clients they are working with to see. With most you need an access code to view it, which means as a photographer you are a working(I hate this next word) Pro that works with these agencies for ad work to editorial work. So it's a mostly closed loop system of who sees the models on these sites and you would deal with the agents for each model. So connecting MM to it I think at this point is not of any great usage for the industry as a whole....No I am not down playing MM, but it's a different area of  resource which is MM and I am sure 90% of the photographers here will not be able to pay $10,000 for a model to shoot with or that we we say TP? they would just laugh at us. Trust me Ty has a good thing going in letting there be an education here...so there you have it

Posted by Steve Mills: 
I've tried to contact a model on here. Her profile says a lot of things about herself, and then says to talk to her agency. I didn't realize that meant sending her a message was actually sending a message to her agency, but it does. I don't see them registered here, but they speak for her in replies. So my question would then be shouldn't agencies be required to register?

It always bugged the Hell out of me on OMP to have to communicate through some representative, especially when they all too often don't reply. If I see a model profile, and I read what appears to be the model herself speaking in her profile, I want to communicate directly with her. Asking too much?

That bugs me as well and I agree that the agency should also register. It's not too much to ask if the you want to speak with the model directly.

Posted by J. Welborn: 
If an agency represents a model it should be stated up front and not appear that the "model" is listing or representing her self.
The agency should also be required to have the following
1. A full real name
2. A real address
3. A real phone number --not a cell.
4. A web site would be good too.
OMP proves the point with their refusal to require "managers" and so called agents to step up and identify them selves with the above.
If they are real and business like what do they have to hide?????

first off I have great respect for OMP people and this site's people.

But as many of you know,  I think 98% of the "model managers" are more trouble for the model than a help.  But I also do not have blind hate.

But I think OMP's problem is that they label everything as Model Manager's when for some it is just a coach and nothing else.  If someone wants to have someone speak for them or check their e-mails then I do not see a problem.

I do not agree with the logic listed.  I have often made over 100,000 a year in the past(not the past few years) without having a "studio" but by renting and using the place that I lived.  I will have a LeBook page in the near future(when they get around to giving me the page I bought at a charity event).

I will have this page but yet do not have a separate address with which to work out of.  Why should I?  I do not have a web site that is excessible by the general public at this time-I have a private jewelry site. 

By not having a site does that mean that I am not a professional.

What is the difference in getting a new cell phone and getting a new phone line installed?

Companies use names to incorporate or to be known as all the time.  Sora is the name of one of my dogs.  I give out my last name when I meet with people.  It is on the cover of my print books.  Are we going to require that everyone uses their real names and not the names of their studios.  My studios (in hyperspace where they are) I call Sora studio and Hanasora studio.  Does that make me evil?

I have stated elsewhere that it is not hard to get around these false barriers put up.  But logical ones like the requirement on this site on not being able to sign up two photographer names under the same ISP does much to keep the abuse down.

I yell all the time on OMP that the models should not just blindly trust that the person writing is really the person.

I say barriers Yes but logical ones.  The same with airline security. 

I like to be the straw that stirs the drink.  And as I stated elsewhere I work in different fields.  I do not need my Jewelry clients seeing my fetish work or mythology work or religious work.  I piss off plenty of people with my honesty and I do not need them showing up at my house throwing rocks at my dog.  Theda saw my book and my name was on the front of the book.  I do not block my caller Id when I call people but I do not list my number either.

It is also easy to put out false information on a person but it takes that person a long time to clean it up.

I agree that agencies should be upfront and not hide behind someone.  But if an agency wishes just to check on a model or if I want my assistant to send out e-mails for meetings or listings or shoots as I did last week for a trip to my parents place.   The e-mails were simple and to the point and my assistant did not write in my name on the boards.
I do not see a problem with that.  Tell me if you do.

I like freedom and logic.  If we take away some of the freedom,  I hope that it is done in a logical way.

Posted by Alex Alexander: 

Most of the top modeling agencies have their own sites, and it's  more in dealing with photographers & clients they are working with to see. With most you need an access code to view it, which means as a photographer you are a working(I hate this next word) Pro that works with these agencies for ad work to editorial work. So it's a mostly closed loop system of who sees the models on these sites and you would deal with the agents for each model. So connecting MM to it I think at this point is not of any great usage for the industry as a whole....No I am not down playing MM, but it's a different area of  resource which is MM and I am sure 90% of the photographers here will not be able to pay $10,000 for a model to shoot with or that we we say TP? they would just laugh at us. Trust me Ty has a good thing going in letting there be an education here...so there you have it

Your talking about real brick & mortar agencies like on modelwire, models.com, ect. They are talking about the sleazy omp practice of model collecting or harem building.  Omp managers/photographers is one of the worst things on that site and a source of constant frustration among photographers.

Posted by Dan Hood: 

Posted by Alex Alexander: 

Most of the top modeling agencies have their own sites, and it's  more in dealing with photographers & clients they are working with to see. With most you need an access code to view it, which means as a photographer you are a working(I hate this next word) Pro that works with these agencies for ad work to editorial work. So it's a mostly closed loop system of who sees the models on these sites and you would deal with the agents for each model. So connecting MM to it I think at this point is not of any great usage for the industry as a whole....No I am not down playing MM, but it's a different area of  resource which is MM and I am sure 90% of the photographers here will not be able to pay $10,000 for a model to shoot with or that we we say TP? they would just laugh at us. Trust me Ty has a good thing going in letting there be an education here...so there you have it

Omp managers/photographers is one of the worst things on that site and a source of constant frustration among photographers. 

but dan, OMP is a modeling site, not a photographer site who cares if the photographers get irritated?

Posted by Reese: 
I agree with Theda.

I agree with Reese...

...who agrees with Theda...

...who agrees with me.

If anyone runs across a situation like this, please send me an email with their profile #. I've already flagged and banned a couple of these insidious, insecure fools. We don't like weasels here at MM!

(now I'll probably hear from the Sierra Club or something...)

Posted by Matthew Grogan: 

Posted by Reese: 
I agree with Theda.

I agree with Reese...

...who agrees with Theda...

...who agrees with me.

hey I agreed with Reese
who agreed with Theda
who agreed with you
I feel left out

Posted by Reese: 
MarkSora - don't feel left out... (in the words of Greg Focker's father in law, "You are now in the circle of trust..."

Cool Reese has put me in the focker's circle.  Sniff,  sniff, Mark wipes away a tear and stops squeezing his dog Hana so hard.

Reese gets 1 Hanachan point for making Mark feel better.  The first one ever,  Hana is very pickky.

Posted by XtremeArtists ®: 
Sometimes you wonder if the "model" is even aware she is listed...

Not on here, but on OMP, I know of a photog who has several girls listed as under his "management". They have free OMP accounts that he set up. 2 of the girls I know didn't know about their profiles and one of the grils didn't even remember when she shot with this photog.

It's just a way for a DWC wannabe to feel more important.

Posted by Dan Hood: 
Omp managers/photographers is one of the worst things on that site and a source of constant frustration among photographers.

Dan, a poll needs to be taken on that one, because I can only count one time (out of hundreds) where electronic communications between me, a model and a client got botched up and that was a deal set up by the model before she listed me as her manager. For the most part, I only intervene when a model asks me to and it's usually just to get a second opinion about an opportunity, help navigating OMP land, with casting call, website, computer, and to cut down on the funky solicitations they get. Once in awhile, I'll get hit up by an interested photographer and I just connect the two so they can set up a shoot. But, for the most part, most of the models listing me are self managing. I'd not have it any other way.

It's easy for me to say I get nothing out of it, because in actuality, none of the models listing me as their agent pay me. Though in actuality, the rewards I get is model referrals from the photographers who shot with them. Plus references, plus other cool and helpful things. Such as invites to events, location scouting, ...One photog saved my hiney one day after a location became a no-go at the last minute...he offered his very nice looking backyard. I sent him a bottle of wine as a "thank you". That's how I am.

This is how I've always envisioned OMP's Booking Agent/Model Manager field to work for me and so far, it has. I think the complaint going around really stems from the fact that some of the models who are listed might be too finnicky, or wishy-washy about the content they're willing to model, who they're going to shoot with, etc. But this was something I already knew years ago, even before the idea to use that Model Manager field for networking opportunities popped into my head.

So, I'm hoping that Photographers everywhere take a moment to step back and try to analyze what's really going on before finalizing a judgement call.

Posted by Brian Kim: 

Posted by XtremeArtists ®: 
Sometimes you wonder if the "model" is even aware she is listed...

Not on here, but on OMP, I know of a photog who has several girls listed as under his "management". They have free OMP accounts that he set up. 2 of the girls I know didn't know about their profiles and one of the grils didn't even remember when she shot with this photog.

It's just a way for a DWC wannabe to feel more important.

See? Now this is exactly the kind of Internet Manager that gives the whole situation a bad light and that's why I recommended in another thread the use of an automated phone call verification for profile creation.

Posted by Angel Tara: 
Monsante Bey,

heyyyy, i know you! you are on TKM's forums huh? lol...just figured that out...

lol, yea. So you KNOW I don't live in fantasyland.

Posted by XtremeArtists ®: 
Sometimes you wonder if the "model" is even aware she is listed...

That becomes fairly clear when the models response is "You saw me WHERE?  WHAT pictures?"

It's called harem building, and it's WAAAY too common in the "fitness modeling" area.

Posted by JHoward:
That becomes fairly clear when the models response is "You saw me WHERE?  WHAT pictures?"

It's called harem building, and it's WAAAY too common in the "fitness modeling" area.

Now that is scary.