I was recently stood up by a new and inexperienced model. In itself, this is not a new thing. The model had every right to walk away because the situation felt strange and uncomfortable.
However, she had utterly failed to communicate with me, even after she’d decided not to attend.And this generated all sorts of ill-will on my side for the wasted travel-time and investment.
To help avoid this kind of situation, here are a handful of tips that will help you stay safe and confident, not just during your first photo-shoot, but in every one that follows.
BEFORE YOU SAY YES TO THE SHOOT
1) GOOGLE-SEARCH THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Get a good solid idea of what they like to shoot. Does it overlap with what you want to do? Are there reviews, comments about this person? If their stuff makes you feel uncomfortable, working with them will probably make you feel uncomfortable.
2) CHECK OUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER’S WEB-PRESENCE
Does he or she credit their models? Are they new? Do they have much of a following? Are there reviews or comments about other models’ experience with this photographer?
3) GET IN CONTACT WITH FORMER MODELS
Don’t ask for references… Instead, contact the credited models to ask for their opinions. Believe me, the other models will be glad to share their experience, good or bad.
ONCE YOU’VE DECIDED TO DO IT…
3) TELL SOMEONE WHAT YOU’RE DOING
Tell someone you’re going to a photo-shoot. Give them all the information you have from the photographer.
4) CONTROL SOME OF THE SHOOT CONDITIONS
If shoot constraints permit, agree to meet in a public place, or even to shoot in a public place. But it’s not just location. You need to talk with the photographer to arrange what you’re going to shoot. if you have specific boundaries, you need to communicate those too.
The photographer doesn’t want you nervous and uncomfortable–that shows up in the image.
5) ARRANGE TIMED CALL-INS
Arrange to call someone you trust at specific times. Say, every hour, to say you’re okay and this is where you’re at…
6) BRING AN ESCORT
Ask the photographer if you can bring someone along to act as an escort. Different photographers have different takes on the presence of an escort. Many don’t like the idea of multiple strangers in their studio with unsupervised access to their equipment. It’s always good to ask. If they say no, it’s might be a concern for you.
IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO GO TO THE PHOTO-SHOOT
If, for whatever reason, you decide you don’t want to go through with things, tell the photographer! You want to minimize the photographer’s investment of time and–potentially–money invested in this.
It’s possible that other people might need to be informed, such as a makeup artist, hair-stylist, and other support people. If you don’t tell them that you’re not coming, they will see this at best as flakiness, at worst as an insult. And it’s possible the photographer may still have to pay the makeup-artist, hairdresser, support-people. The sooner you tell them, the better!
DOING YOUR HOMEWORK PAYS OFF
I recently shot with a fantastic young lady earlier this summer. I approached her on the street, looking to fill a spot left by another last-minute cancellation. The concept I pitched was “under the covers making faces”… This involved the dubious-sounding situation of her coming to my hotel room for the shoot.
This lady did her homework. She checked out my Facebook page, my website, checked out “the dirty”… , She got a feel for who I am and what I shoot. We set a time-limit and she called a contact at specified intervals.
Because she had her safety protocols in place, things went off without a hitch. She didn’t seem at all nervous. Shooting with her was fun and relaxed. And we communicate now and again, hoping to arrange another shoot next time I’m in her neck of the woods.
EVERYONE GETS FIRST TIME JITTERS
It doesn’t matter who you shoot with, if you’re new to modeling, you’re going to have to deal with nervousness and discomfort. You’re doing something new. But if this is something you really want, you’re going to have to push through it.
Discomfort shows that you’re pushing your boundaries. A LOT OF DISCOMFORT shows that you should probably get out of there. You have to take care of yourself. But it is respectful to make sure the others involved in this know what’s going on. Once you’re safe, of course.
Online Resources
For more discussion on model safety, check out:
Model Mayhem Education Page – http://www.modelmayhem.com/education