Dear Models,

I hope you are all well!

My name is Chris! I am an amateur photographer and Ryerson student.

For a class project, I am looking to learn more about how to work as a model, and the difficulties behind the profession. Can you share some stories about how you would find a client, negotiate the terms of the photoshoot, execute the shoot, settle accounts, and any other steps that I might be missing?

I would also like to hear about your vetting process for new photographers that contact you, any horror stories, or what the biggest problem that you see in your profession!

Feel free to comment below or shoot me an e-mail at [email protected] to share your story.

Thank You for your time!

Sincerely,

Chris Joly

For a class project, I am looking to learn more about how to work as a model, and the difficulties behind the profession. Can you share some stories about how you would find a client, negotiate the terms of the photoshoot, execute the shoot, settle accounts, and any other steps that I might be missing?

Working as a model honestly depends on your niche because each niche has its own "process" and certain "aesthetic" appeal to it. Most models now-a-days look for photographers to find them through social media or ModelMayhem or similar sites (my first photographer was found via ModelMayhem). As a minor, I didn't really understand ModelReleaseForms but as an adult (really around when I was 18-19) I started taking them much more seriously and actually reading what the hell was on the form so I knew who could distribute what and if there was any potential legal concerns I had. Contracts save lives and can make things much less of a headache.

I would also like to hear about your vetting process for new photographers that contact you, any horror stories, or what the biggest problem that you see in your profession!
Have references from the photographer if they're brand new or have professional looking photographs with other models is always good. I don't have a horror story with a photographer, but I once helped co-run a tumblr about "confessions in the modeling/fashion" world and we got some huge photographer-creeper confessions and some sexually-explicit confessions from photographers that wanted to do things to the models they were photoshooting, WHICH IS NOT ETHICALLY OK AT ALL.

Honestly the worst parts I see in the industry are the "old school" mind photographers who are SO QUICK to judge models with piercings and/or tattoos. Also, the glamorization of obesity (SSBBW) and glamorization of emiaciation. Both ends of the weight spectrum have potentially severe health consequences. It also rubs me the wrong way with how certain photographers want to photoshop out certain body features (scars, stretchmarks, etc.) because these are things a person have often gained just through life.