Safety Tips for 'Models'

Safety is a major concern for female models, particularly if you are a freelance model working online. The Internet allows anyone to portray themselves in any manner they choose with virtual anonymity. Many profit from the dreams and aspirations of naive young women. Sometimes their motives are not as presented.

 

 

An amateur photographer can pose as a prominent professional or a guy working out of his basement with an elaborate website can claim to be an agency or model management company. Many of these individuals will offer models high pay, free photos with unrestricted use, free websites, paid travel etc...Due to the intimate nature of this business, some of these individuals may also have other motives than creating beautiful images or helping models succeed. Legitimate photographers or companies rarely offer amateur models anything for free, except perhaps a test photo shoot if they believe they have real potential.

 

  

Regarding both on and offline ads seeking female models. Anybody can publish those ads and pretend to be a photographer or agency. Often, these ads offer high pay with "no experience necessary" to lure unsuspecting young women into posing for explicit hardcore pictures. Some of these ads are legitimate and posted by companies in the adult film industry.

 

  

Below are some safety tips that may, if strictly followed and accompanied by common sense, help you as a freelance model avoid a dangerous situation.

 

Don't let anybody intimidate you into making a compromise. Follow these model safety tips every time.

 

• When looking for a photographer, if the individual or company has an online presence, check to see what kind of modeling they represent and how professional their work looks.

• Always ask for and check professional references.

 

• Be suspicious of extravagant claims that promise great pay with no experience necessary.

 

• If meeting for the first time, make sure it's in a neutral public location and notify a friend or family member of where you are going.

 

• ALWAYS bring a chaperone with you to all non-public meetings.

 

• Do not give out personal information or accept a friend request on your social networking profile until you have determined the legitimacy of the individual or company.

 

• Do not be persuaded into posing in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable no matter how great the money is.

 

• Prior to the photo shoot you may be asked to sign a model release. This is common and required for most photo shoots. Make sure that you understand what you are signing and don't be afraid to negotiate and ask questions. If you're uncomfortable, ask that it be amended or don't do the photo shoot. You should review the model release during the initial meeting with the photographer.

  

 

Don't be discouraged from pursuing your modeling aspirations. Many photographers, whether advertising online or in the local newspaper, are legitimate and conduct themselves professionally. The above model safety tips will help you determine which photographers or companies to consider.





How to Smile in Photographs

1. Take a deep breath and let yourself relax. Taking pictures can be stressful, but stress and negativity leave you tense and anxious. Listen to music, sip a bottle of water or give yourself a few quiet minutes to meditate or daydream before a shoot.

2. Don't force yourself to hold your smile for too long -- you'll end up looking mechanical and unnatural. If the photographer counts down, smile on 1. If there's a pause between pics, let your face relax and then smile again just before the next photograph.



3. Think of something funny or happy before you smile -- it'll help you smile more naturally. Laughing a little helps your smile look natural, too.

4. Don't forget to smize -- smile with your eyes! If your smile doesn't reach your eyes, it doesn't look genuine. Smile in the mirror and watch how your eyes change. Your smile should brighten up your whole face, not just your mouth.

Post Process Procedure

"Post Process Procedure"

I have decided to make an effort to decide on one basic look for my shoots and create a monotone feel throughout the shots.

This can be seen specifically in my last 3 "concept shoots" this year.

Wild Thing with Roxi Richards, Project One winner!
VIVID
The Midas Touch

I have also done this with a normal shoot; see Mzamo Shozi.

This sort of uniformed look and feel can be achieved by using the same post processing techniques on each picture.

Below you will see ONE image. Modified NINE different ways.

Image number 1 is the original - straight from camera image, slightly cropped.
What one has to factor in is the overall "concept" and all other outfits and shooting locations within the shoot.
The one that would work best for all will be chosen. Quite the process and quite a challenge.
So far, so good though. Can you tell which was used for the Midas Touch shoot?

Project 365 v 2.0

On the 1st of February 2010 I started Project 365. A picture a day for 365 days.
The Group can be found on facebook; Lee Folkard: Project 365.
Ending on the 31st January this year - I had decided that I would not be doing another one for quite some time! It becomes quite challenging to take and display a worthy picture on a day to day basis.

We all have our busy days, our bad days, our time away and our lazy days.

7 months down the line - I find myself here. Day 2 of Project 365 v2.0.
What can I say - I am a sucker for photography.

My photography page: Lee Folkard Photography will be the host this time round. I have started an album titled; Project 365 v2.0.
I am pretty sure facebook has a cap on the number of images allowed per album - but I will cross that restriction when I get there.

The main change this time round is - I will not always be uploading a picture a day -BUT I will be taking a picture a day. The whole transfer to pc and resize and label takes some time sometimes and this will also stand for days when I am busy, or lazy, or away from a pc.

What you can rest assured is that by; 01/08/2012 - there will be 365 pictures.

Along the way expect some themed sets of pictures, and some interesting interactions.
Hopefully participation from members of the Lee Folkard Photography page will be consistant throughout.


PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROJECT 365 HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED. A NEW PROJECT WILL BE STARTED SOON. STAY TUNED FOR MORE DETAILS.