Photography Modelling Work - Advice Please!

fifomania

Hi all
I came across a job on an Irish job website for female models. I enquired about it and they sent me back info about it. It's good money and only a few days but the thing I'm wondering about is that some/most of it is nude. They said they don't shoot faces. And then the shoots are sold online. They attached 3 photos to show me what they do. They need to know my measurements and take shots to see if I'm photogenic.
Anyone any advice? Is this common practice? Should I apply?
Thanks!

Fajitas!

Did they give you much info on the contracts written up for it? You'll have to sign a model release for the shoot, so I'd be keeping a careful eye over that.

Do a google on the company name and see if anything comes up that screams scam. If they mention to you that you'll have to pay X amount to get the polaroids/test photos taken, begin to think scam.

sineadw

strikes me as a bit odd that they don't shoot faces either. I'd be wondering exactly what type of nudes they were talking about...

Fajitas!

A lot of stock image sites take on low key faceless nudes, some are even quite classy. I'd still be wary, but then, I always am

CabanSail

If it's as you describe then it just has a very dodgy feel about it.

Do you have a link to the advert?

AnCatDubh

you might enquire over on folio32.com to see if people are familiar with the organisation? folio32 is an Irish models forums.

Fajitas!

Fajitas! wrote: »

A lot of stock image sites take on low key faceless nudes, some are even quite classy. I'd still be wary, but then, I always am

From your time as a faceless nude?

fifomania

http://www.gumtree.ie/dublin/63/39539163.html

Perfect fit

AVOID!! ive seen scams like this before where "photographers" a certain person i wont name( not saying its that guy, but it was the same scenario) gets you in for "test shots" with the promise of paid work afterwards. He takes off with your nudey pics and you never get any paid work or here from him again.

isadub

I'd be suspicious of this. Art nude is (or should be) a form of art. Any serious photographer could get a nude model easily without resorting to ads on gumtree.

I fail to see the connection between this and 'promotional opportunities'. Promotional work in Ireland is usually handing out leaflets and doing promos for drinks companies around pubs etc.

Someone mentioned folio32.com earlier. Try asking for advice there. It's free to join.

AnCatDubh

I wouldn't walk away from this one. No, i'd run so fast you wouldn't see anything but dust. Not only would I run a mile from this one I think i'd be reporting the post to the Gumtree people.

The poster hasn't been exactly truthful in their ad. They didn't mention that nude work was intended which is NOT a minor detail to such an advertisement. Yes they've said that you must be 18 but you need to be 18 to sign a model consent in the first place so there is no inference in that. I just don't like the approach that the person responsible for the ad has taken. To my mind, albeit that you will ultimately have the choice to partake or not, it is a form of entrapment - unsuspecting respondents are lured by the chance of €300 per day (which in this economic climate is not to be sniffed at) and then when they think they may be onto a good thing they find out that they are required to pose with nudity involved. By the way - nothing wrong with nude art just so long as the person employing you is above board and up front about it.

If you are continuing with your enquiries - seek a business name, check it exists in the companies registration office (www.cro.ie), seek a studio address, ask what kind of equipment do they use (lighting, cameras, etc..), ask to see samples of their work - if in this business you would expect a bare minimum of a web site that you could see samples of their work, introduce a male into the equation - tell them that your husband/boyfriend/father/brother always attends your modelling sessions and check that this is ok with them. Is there email address a gmail / hotmail / eircom.net account or a real business domain such as 'nudeartphotography.com'. The ad mentions upcoming promotional projects - ask specifically what projects/what organisations are these projects for/ with. I suspect that they won't be able to answer the half of such queries but if they are above board then they shouldn't have any issue with answering all these questions.

The other side of it is if you are seriously interested in getting into modelling as a career then the folio32.com site will be a good place to start to ask definite questions about getting into the industry. If you need to build a portfolio and want to do it on the eh.. cheap, then this forum has a services wanted/offered thread which you could use to seek a photographer to assist you to build your portfolio. From time to time people from this forum will do studio sessions and look for models ( on the cheap ) so your desire for a portfolio and their desire for studio experience could come together.

Above all, be careful out there. Nothing to be scared of as long as you are in an informed comfort zone with the whole thing.

AnCatDubh

Actually my point on the email is reiterated by gumtree's Terms and Conditions;

We do not accept postings that advertise for models or actors (either male or female) using generic (hotmail, yahoo, gmail, etc) email accounts and/or mobile phone numbers. These posters must include a registered agency email address and land line phone number.

Unless they have a real agency/business email address and a land line advertised then they are in breach of Gumtree's T&C and shouldn't be advertising there.