Nat the droid wrote:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/84240110

Here, I'll save you the click:

At this point, I think I've been modeling on and off for about 17 years. Back in '06-'12, I actually found a decent amount of work on there. 

Heck, the friend of mine I stay with every time I go to NYC I initially met off of MM. I was a live in care attendant for another friend I initially met off of MM. But, these are unfortunately the silver linings.

Thank you for being here!  I mean that sincerely!  There are far fewer models on this website than in the past busier years, and nothing any of us can do will change that.  You are one of the long timers on here, and greatly appreciated by many.   I'm sorry that you've had some bad experiences from interactions on this website, but glad that you've had some "silver linings." 

Nat the droid wrote:
I have also answered a bait and switch casting off of MM, that advertised "erotic vignettes", but it was for ATK Hairy. I, for better or worse, have quite a following to this day because of work that ended up being sold to an adult site.

I have also answered a casting for a group shoot in San Francisco, that advertised a certain amount of pay, and then when I showed up I was informed that we would be doing a free group shoot first and THEN individual photographers would hire us IF they wanted to. I'm pretty sure that guy had a habit of slipping a random photographer $60 so that he could clasp his hands together and say "hooray! You made some money! Goodbye now!" Pretty sure that was someone who also set up cameras in the dressing rooms, allegedly, and definitely someone that was involved in a lawsuit with a major traveling model. Pretty sure this guy was a moderator or gatekeeper, but my memory doesn't always work right and I've slashed and burned several accounts so I can't really look it up anyways.

Please understand that in commenting to your post I don't mean to make light of your experiences. You are not alone, as many of us have had bad experiences with situations on and off of this website.  I choose to learn from it, then forget it and move on to the next experience which almost always is way better. 

Nat the droid wrote:
What I have learned to do, though, is to always take screenshots.

I reported a casting, and got the response from a moderator asking what was adult about this casting. I responded, to be clear, someone asking models to do solo sex acts involving speculum toys isn't adult work? Then got an "oh oops my bad sorry for wasting your time" response.

If I can't trust the moderators to read one of the less than 2,000 castings on a dying dinosaur of a website, when a model with severe brain fog has more cognitive ability can spot what is adult about a casting, please tell me why I bother reporting anything?

You have done the right things!  When the moderators fail to take action, it's not your fault. in fact, you are to be commended for trying to make this a better place.  This site is a "dying dinosaur!"  There has been talk of reducing the size of the forum, or getting rid of it all together. Funny thing is that one of the main reasons IB purchased this website because of how popular the forum once was. 

Nat the droid wrote:
Short of recommending revisiting Hooked on Phonics and Sesame Street, here are just TWO things that I could see actually improving MM-

1) If you block someone on MM, you block them on the forums as well. I do not feel safe posting in the forums, because there are several frequent posters who irritate the living fuck out of me and I don't trust myself to remain composed when they're... doing their usual things they do. Where are the moderators to step in? That behavior is OK? Fine, let the loud obnoxious dudes set the tone of the forums and openly wonder what can be done to make models more active in the forums.

2) Allow members to message each other on a networking site. Are you absolutely fucking serious that you have to be a paying member to message a non-friend?

This website is clunky, doesn't have a reliable app, and honestly I find more work through Instagram and craigslist. I am a professional working model, and thought just logging in periodically to browse all the paid castings in the US would be what I used MM for, but now I don't even know if it's useful for that.

Your recommendations should be noted.  I am trying to listen to you.  I am sorry if you perceive me as one of those "loud obnoxious dudes" on the forums here as we have met years ago.  In person I am a shy, often quiet and unassuming person who identifies as male. I came out to you via messenger as a member of the LGBTQIA community.  You read what I wrote as trauma dumping when it was my lame attempt at trauma bonding.  I'm so sorry!  We met for only a short time, but I thought we might have a friendship connection?

Yes, this website has some serious flaws. The first as you notice is the lack of consistency for each member as to the way various tools work, and different membership benefits at the same pay levels depending on when the member joined.  I get that it is impossible to please everyone.  There is a lack of consistency in block function.  If you block someone on the Meta platform (FB and IG) it is 100% consistent as to blocking profiles completely. You would not see anything of a blocked profile.  There are also some useful features where you can control who reads what on your profile on Facebook. It is currently my favorite platform where I have connected with many models, photographers, musicians as well as other artists.

You said you "blocked" me, but the only thing you've blocked is the ability for us to message each other. It might have something to do with the shared images we have on here?  Another inconsistency is the fact that I don't have to pay since I'm practically an original member, and I noticed I can message people I'm not "friends" with.  Tyler himself had messaged with me nearly 18 years ago when I first joined this site, as he appreciated me being an active member.  Then after he sold it, he reached out to me sending me a friend request on LinkedIn .. I greatly appreciate his friendship.  He is doing well without the headaches this site has.

Again, thank you for your contributions to this website.  You are a wonderful model and person.  I appreciate the images that we were able to create on the ranch way back in 2011.  It is thanks to this website that I have been able to connect with models like you.  I have also sent many models to this website since I had been working with models for about 20 years previous to the creation of this website.

There are many reasons people are leaving this website.  Models and photographers are using other platforms to network more successfully.  Other reasons people don't use Modelmayhem anymore might be that we get older, get married, go to school, have kids, get divorced, get sick and even die in these past 18 years.  In other words, life happens.  I don't know how much longer I have to live.  "You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy."  - Nightbirde RIP

Nat the droid wrote:
Anyways, if you're not one of the dozen-ish people who already support me on Patreon and would like to follow/support me otherwise:

https://linktr.ee/NatTheDroid

Again, I am glad that you are here.   When I get my settlement, I will send some money your way as I meant it when I said I wished I could have tipped some extra when you and Elizabeth modeled for me.  The images I have of you are wonderful, so it does not matter if you forgive me or not, I will follow through regardless.  We rise by lifting others, being gentle, understanding, supportive and kind.

Nat the droid wrote:
Just posting a selection here why I wished blocking someone in my DMs could be blocked in the forums

https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/983318
https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/983359
https://www.modelmayhem.com/forums/post/983395

From one of the links you posted above; 

Nat the droid wrote:
I am a chaotic Libra that tries to understand all positions.

One of my very best friends of over 30 years is a Libra.  She is a creative model and photographer who will be working with me to set up a gallery in Las Vegas.  Perhaps the Internet is to blame for miscommunication, and erroneous perspectives?  No matter, I still believe that an Aries and a Libra can get along in real life. 
Best wishes!

Red Sky Photography wrote:
Wow. I have seen those threads you linked and completely understand your frustrations.

I'm sorry you  have had to deal with people like this, I too would be beyond upset if someone trolled my posts like this.

Best wishes for your future.

But mods don't see the harassment! It must not exist, maybe I'm histrionic? Am i just on my period, not being positive enough?
https://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/pic/47952584
Take a screenshot because I'm sure they'll remove this photo, too

Wasn't this guy a mod or at least a gatekeeper on here?
https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/5 … bd8f32/amp

I "worked" with him, too. And quite a few mods actually. So, i am only surprised that they didn't respond "why don't you just stop posting in the forums?"

I am.

Fuck this site.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
You said you "blocked" me….

Take the hint, leave it at that. You’ve been asked to stop responding in multiple threads. Stop trying to explain your way out of whatever hole you have dug and move on. They don’t care, they no longer want to hear it. You’re not helping by trying to be MM’s self appointed cheerleader. Do yourself a favor. Just stop.

Al_Vee Photography wrote:
MM was where I made income and built lasting friendships, from 2007 until about 2017. After that, I used it less and less because I noted tht the community environment had become more hostile towards models. I continued to network on MM for model jobs, until around the time Covid hit the US. After everything shut down, I changed directions in my work and life and have spent very, very little time on MM for the past 3 years. That was a serious departure from my 20s-mid 30s, when I was active on the forums and site multiple times per day.

My split from MM was dramatic enough that when I have used this site in the past few years, I'm able to see some stark changes from the days when models WANTED and NEEDED to network on MM vs. the last 5 or so years.

MM used to be a place that openly catered to nude models, both arts and glam - and the photographers who wanted to work with nude and glamour content. MM saw itself as separate from the more "mainstream" world, where editorial and commercial work dominated - and excluded folks with diverse looks. There were people who navigated multiple genres active here, but MM was the known place to come for nude work and glamour work. There were a lot of great fetish and niche erotica models and artists here also. No one was closeted about it. We all acknowledged we were openly networking for nude work, fetish work (within reason and within the rules, hopefully) and glamour. It was a place you could be very nude and open in your work, and not have to hide. An awesome cottage industry blossomed around MM as a place for people within non-mainstream niches to find their community. A lot of really outstanding work was being made, and models (such as myself) who loved art, but had no access to the mainstream industry got to travel, create lasting work and build wonderful relationships with other professionals. Because we had a place to do so.

When I peeked back in, over the last few years, what I've noticed most of all is how MM is no longer *loud and proud* of its nude work and arts oriented creatives. This community has bowed right down to the censorship, oppression and regressive taboos that the rest of conservative culture has pushed on us. As a photographer, I do shoot a lot of clothed work. I like fashion and editorial styles, but it's not the end all be all. Imagine my shock when my CLOTHED work gets tagged by MM as "mature" content, when it's literally fully clothed and incredibly tame. You have to call it out to get the restrictions lifted so your photo shows again. How utterly regressive and depressing.

You want more models on MM? Culturally, it must regain its status as a shameless promoter of artists, nudity and flamboyant styles - including bondage and erotica that once flourished here. That made MM what it was 10 years ago.

Instead, much like the rest of the internet, it has become a hush hush place where buttocks are considered offensive and people sit around speaking in platitudes about photography in the most anal retentive ways possible.

Titties and nekkid booties literally MADE  Model Mayhem, and now it seems MM is terrified of titties and booties.

Don't bite the hand that feeds.

Simon Rob wrote:
I accept that I will get treat badly because I write occult books

Are you sure? Maybe it is because you tried to gain esteem by calling yourself a publisher and not disclosing that whatever your alleged work is has nothing to do with modeling. I'm thinking it is more of that than your fiction.

Simon Rob wrote:
I think there should be a new rule on here bitch if you don't have a world record: which I do: you don't get to criticise one that does. Plus I am a bloody publisher: can you spell f'##king iq?

Oh, not this CRAP again!
Almost EVERY TIME you post something it's just a backhanded way for you to BRAG about your self proclaimed highly-imagined publishing empire and has little or nothing to do with modeling and/or photography.
1) Nobody cares. 
2) Nobody believes you, and if they did go back to #1.

Please, just STOP IT!!!

Simon Rob wrote:
Seeing as how I get shit on here anyway may at least leave a link to a book from my publishing empire: actually its only the eBook the paperback is published by an American publisher. If I am going to piss you off may as well make a sale at the same time and enjoy it a bit.

(spam link deleted by saycheez)

So now you want to use the forums to display your SPAM???
I hope the moderators ban you.  You have contributed NOTHING in any of the forum posts you've ever posted.
NOTHING except bragging about your imaginary accomplishments and spamming.
(and you wonder why you don't get legit modeling offers).

Al_Vee Photography wrote:
Also, maybe models (I was a pro-level traveling model for more than a decade, so I still identify as such, despite primarily doing photography today) would be more inclined to network here if every thread in the community didn't just degenerate into awkward pissing contests.

There can be no substantive discussion when people are arguing.

This, the messaging being behind a paywall, and a noticeable lack of paying work are all reasons why I no longer pay for a subscription.
Also noticeable that quite a few of the photographers demanding to know why models aren't here anymore either do not hire models, or when they do, they attempt to do so at half of the going rates (or less). I'm sure they have their reasons for that, but for us it means the site is pretty useless. Especially when comparing with instagram where none of this is an issue.

Simon Rob wrote:
I think there should be a new rule on here bitch if you don't have a world record: which I do: you don't get to criticise one that does. Plus I am a bloody publisher: can you spell f'##king iq?

It's both funny and sad that you are hanging your reputation on a Kindle book that will never be printed. I'm personally more focused on photographing for books and other publications. I just finished work on probably my 15th book actually published  by a real publishing company. Not print-on-demand, not Kindle-only. You know, the kind you can actually buy at a book store or order on Amazon. The kind that has like 650 5-star reviews.  That kind of thing.

Oh...and on Amazon you are listed as Author. Amazon/Kindle is actually the publisher. It's the kind of thing you would know if you were actually in the business instead of playing around with your hobby. Buy hey, keep trying! I'm sure there are some fools who can't spot the holes in your rant.

Simon Rob wrote:
Seeing as how I get shit on here anyway may at least leave a link to a book from my publishing empire: actually its only the eBook the paperback is published by an American publisher. If I am going to piss you off may as well make a sale at the same time and enjoy it a bit.

PAPA LEGBA DOORWAYS TO THE FOLK SAINTS
https://www.amazon.com/Papa-Legba-Doorw … _author_dp

In your book, the list of saints includes Divind Child of Antocha.
Is this the same as Divine Child of Atocha?

Simon Rob wrote:
. I don't want to insult you guys but you photographers are unlikely to be top guys because you are hiring models on model mayhem because they are cheaper and if you were top you would simply use an agency. There are no supermodels on here and that's fine. But also unlikely to be very top photographers. Some great ones certainly and some great models but not the very best. But we are getting off topic.

You are aware that Ken Marcus has been an active MM member for years, right? Also Phillip Ritchie. Derek Ridgers used to be, though I haven't spoken with him in a few years and have no idea what he's up to these days, or if he's still around. Pretty sure he was on MM not too far back, maybe 4-5 years ago.

Ten years ago, I was earning a living primarily shooting with people from MM. Fine art photographers here also used to cover cost of airfare and other perks. In the mid-00s, it wasn't unusual for MM photographers to fly in a model from somewhere else in the US, then set up a group shoot or workshop around that model. Everyone made money. It was great. I know, because I was a huge part of that culture when it was going on. I loved the travel and the work and meeting people from all over. You could go do a group shoot in some random place in the desert and make anywhere from $300-600 dollars for about 4-6 hours of actual work. Circa 2011, in the wake of the housing market collapse when many people were still struggling, that felt like really good money. MM-based traveling models had a nice life. A lot of my 20-something peers at the time ended up unemployed, homeless, etc., after the 2008 financial collapse. I had a pretty stable life, due mostly to being an MM-based traveling model. I definitely wasn't struggling the way my peers were, who were trying to make it in the mainstream work world.

Somewhere along the way, that stopped and the environment grew hostile towards models. I can't say exactly when that happened, because there were years when I shot less and focused on other things, wherever I happened to be living at any given time. After a couple years of only modeling part time, I went back to living on modeling jobs in 2019, for most of that year. At that time, I found Instagram to be far more profitable and went from booking approximately 90% of my paid work from MM (circa 2009-2016ish), to only maybe 30ish percent in 2019. No one comped airfare anymore and the workshop days were mostly over. I cannot pinpoint a cause or point where everything changed. It just did.

It's just different. Things change. MM did have a "heyday," but it was years ago. There is no traveling model "scene" anymore. Many of us OGs have moved on to other careers, or switched to photography. Young, new models have no incentive to network here anymore, as the incentives, perks and sense of community is gone. It's now just guys arguing with each other. Even the most well meaning conversation spirals into a pissing contest

          ...as this one clearly has...

That being said, there are "top photographers" on MM. They just don't use it the way they used to do, and that's ok.

Simon Rob wrote:
Just because you can only take pictures does not mean other people cannot do more technical subjects like actual writing with actual words. You see what you guys don't understand is that the work here does not do the sort of stuff I am aiming for: and as I use photos as book covers I will: when I run out of photos: need to hire a photographer. You see you guys would be getting money off me not the other way around. I get it you are the king of your own little castle and feel threatened.

I hope your manuscripts have more accurate punctuation. As an author, you'd think you would actually be able to write in coherent paragraphs. But what do I know, I'm only a photographer. Except that I have a degree in journalism, have actually written articles for magazines and websites, been integrally involved with the concept and proposal for multiple books (real ones, not pamphlets like yours) that have been published, magazine start-ups that made it to the newsstand, so please tell me more about what I don't understand.

I am more threatened by bugs under my shoe than I am by you. What do you know, it rhymes.