Modeling: The Real Life

A subject I hadn't thought about in sometime was suddenly brought to my attention when a recent post of mine, "A Model's Rights", drew the attention of a young woman with a problem and a question approached me about her situation.

It is easy for a photographer to forget about the effect that their images have on people's lives; including those of whom we photograph. More often than not, it never becomes an issue, but every so often one is presented with a unique situation.

First, the story - as is posted for models in my blog "Modeling: The Real Life":

This young woman, for simplicity I'll call her Chris (no, it's not her real name - respecting her privacy I will not be giving links or information that can compromise her), several years ago signed up as a nude model for a photography workshop. She, admittedly, wasn't really that interested, but followed the wishes of a man who was in her life at that time. As the story goes, not long after the relationship fell apart, she didn't pursue modeling at all, and the photos from that workshop came back to haunt her later on.

These nude photos of Chris began showing up on the internet, and while they aren't pornographic by any means, actually quite the opposite - they are very tastefully done, the mere presence of these photos on the internet began affecting her daily life. They have destroyed a number of great relationships, including some of those with her family, and who knows what else!

When Chris approached the photographer(s) who posted these images, she was met with hostility.

So how does a model protect themselves?

First, make sure to get copies of all documentation regarding the shoot. The model release, and a copyright release designating how you are allowed to use the images is a great start.

Read the Model Release before you sign it. Most photographers use a generic release that allow them full rights over the use of the image, even if they decide to sell the rights to the image to be used on the cover of a porno movie - not that that happens, but as a possibility. If you are not comfortable with that, negotiate with the photographer to specify in the release how you are willing to allow your likeness to be used, but don't get anal about it. Say things like, "portfolio use only", "not to be distributed electronically/on the internet", and such.

If you find yourself in a similar situation as Chris, be polite and try to negotiate with the photographer to resolve the issue. If there was no model release then the photographer does not have the right to distribute your image period.

The model release & copyright agreement is there for your protection as well as the photographer's. Make sure to take advantage of them!

The internet has opened the flood gates for self promotion and networking. Everyone here is on a level playing field, from the beginner to the professional so long as you can find the right pages. At least that is the thought behind social networking sites such as One Model Place, Model Mayhem, and many others. Even MySpace is being used as a tool for aspiring models.

The problem is that you need to approach with caution and a focused business head. The last thing you want to do is walk into something seeing stars because in the worst case that may be the last thing you see. It's not unheard of either, long before social networking sites and the internet there were cases of models (both professional and amateur) being raped and/or murdered by photographers. (Such as Linda Sobek) Though, more often than not, you will not be in such an extreme situation, it's prudent to be aware of such things. Others want to take advantage of you and exploit you pornographically, while others are just Guys With Cameras (GWCs) who promise a lot and return nothing. Maybe they'll give you some photos, but those photos might hurt you more than they help you.

The last thing you'll get, and the one that you want to find, is the photographer who is passionate and serious about what they do. They will give you prints that will make you look amazing and they will be professional about it. They'd even be happy to work with you again, but these are also the ones who will eventually charge for their service because they are in it to be something too.

Things you need to do to protect yourself is research. Learn about your photographer the best you can before you work with them. Talk to references, look at their portfolio, meet with them before committing to do a shoot, and always have an escort until you are completely sure and comfortable!

Search public records where they do business and see if they have arrest records, and be sure to talk to other photographers and models (both who currently work with and no longer work with the photographer).

For more information, check out these blogs:
Internet Networking Ethics - The Artist's Unwritten Code
Photography and Social Networking - ArTech Art & Technology

I have decided to move this blog in a particular direction involving the feedback, observations, and relations with models I've worked with, talked to, and/or befriended. I intend to discuss things relevant to modeling from my point of view as a photographer, and from other photographers who have expressed their opinions to me, or through blog publications and such.

There are two sides to this, an approach towards the "wanna-be" model who feels that everything is owed to her, and an approach towards the dedicated talent who wants to do something in modeling.

First thing that must be realized is that Modeling is NOT a glamorous job, and, more often than not, is just an expression of creativity that doesn't pay very much. Only a select FEW ever make any sort of living at it - and even then, things like modesty and privacy go out the window - even if you refuse nude work.

There are a lot of "wanna-be" photographers out there, too, and they will do anything to convince you they are not. That they are the real deal.. and then... they'll take advantage of you. Not all of them are completely devious. Some of them honestly believe they are the kings of the world - the thing is, I feel, that they can be the worst offenders by far. They can be more convincing because they have convinced themselves. They can be sincere and not give anything away. It then becomes more of a matter of HOW they see things, and approach things. It becomes a question of talent, skill, and, above all things, Class.

There are a lot of myths surrounding the Modeling industry. People who believe they can't model because of this, or because of that. A lot of scrutiny, too. There's also a new bear trap that has been growing in recent years with the advent of Social Networking, and a whole set of opportunities as well as problems that it presents.

For those who are or who seriously want to be models, I hope that this blog becomes a valuable reference. For those who think they are models because they can stand in front of a camera, or because someone said they were pretty, or just because they are full of themselves - I hope that this gives a reality check and either helps you take modeling seriously, or sends you far far away.

Without going into to much detail about the apparent attitude of many "models", since I already touched on that quite enough in my post about Time For Print/CD, I would like to discuss an issue that has been brought to my attention a number of times recently by other photographers - some of whom have been in this business far longer than I!

Many many photographers feel that they are starting to witness the destruction of the creative process altogether. With digital technology becoming more easily available and the general public having tools at their disposal to provide an easy means for image manipulation on the computer, many models have taken it upon themselves to "Fix", as one photographer put it, their photographs to their liking.

I have even heard of models submitting a photograph as her own work of art under this reasoning:

[The Model] owned half of the copyright since she was there when the photo was taken and was the subject of the photo so it HAD to be a 50/50 collaboration. Then [The Model] altered the background and did some "artwork" to the photo which had to make it 100% her own.

It's a very complacent disregard and disrespectful attitude that I've seen in other aspects of society in recent years, avoiding a sociopolitical rant, however, let me just state as fact that this is NOT how the system works.

When a model is given payment in the form of monies or trade product (such as prints, images, or such) - that makes the service they provided nothing more than a work for hire. In Title 17 Chapter 1 §101 of the Copyright Law a work made for hire is the ownership of the employer. That is, if a model could lay any claim to copyright at all. For all technical purposes, a model is nothing more than a tool for the photographer in composition, just as paint and canvas are tools for the painter, and the release the model signs simply gives permission to the photographer to use the model's likeness (and other details depending on the agreement).

When a photographer releases a final print of any image, that image is to his liking. Everything from the retouching, the artwork he's done (physically or digitally), the composition of the subject matter in the image, it is all part of the photographer's creative process and we need to remember that the presentation of the photo is just as important as the image itself!

To quote directly from a personal journal of BillyD Photography:

The model has the right to not like the pose, not like the photo or not use the photo. During the photo shoot the model always has the last word and no is no. Once the photograph is taken, I believe they do not have the right to change the photograph to their liking. Especially if my name is on it as photographer. Butting their name on it, well, that's just plain thievery.

And he's right. No model has to use the final products they get from a photographer, I know many models who've hated the work they've gotten from a photographer and they've just pitched them and never worked with that photographer again. As for myself, I always make it a rule that I will not force a model to do something they don't want to do, and, if they do something they aren't sure about (say a nude pose) - if they aren't satisfied with the outcome of the final product, then I simply dispose of the image and neither of us will use those images ever. I would not want a model to feel shameful for taking part in creating something with me, and I have wasted hundreds of yards of film, and probably thousands of digital images that have never been seen because either the model, myself, or both of us did not like the final product.

That said, it still does not give the model, or anyone for that matter, the right to take the images of some photographer and alter them to their liking. Doing so is not flattery - it's thievery and it is illegal.

I have subscribed to a rights management service whereby allowing myself to syndicate and license out my contributions myself.

Please bear in mind that at the moment I currently have about half a dozen blogs, and while they currently all have the same content on them, I have no intention of them staying that way. While they will likely have cross content, in the future, for now, the identical content is just to introduce myself to those communities while I decide what directions I'm going to send these in, and, perhaps, what other authors I may include.

So, bear with me, and the slow posts in the beginning, while I get these things moving...