regthecat

erotica, sleaze and filth

Model safety and all that shit…

Model safety and White Knights

It would seem that there is an onslaught of disillusion about the “industry” ( and i use the term very loosely indeed), amongst the model websites regarding certain predatory photographers and unfortunate incidents. Whilst the fact that there are a few undesirable photographers out there remains, the paranoia and White Kinghting amongst the holier than thou brigade is probably more harmful than anything else. Photographers asking models to name and shame is no more than rubbernecking whilst trying to appear the perfect gent.

There is no doubt in my mind also that the people that do the most damage are the ones that have no idea how inappropriate their own behaviour is. I am not talking about “touching up models” or making untoward offers off friendship here, I am talking about making Ill thought out and Ill conceived comments on certain forums that are just pandering to the paranoia that is creeping in. Yes - model safety is important, very important - but adding fuel to the fire is not going to help anyone.

What really pisses me off (and I have witnessed it on many occasion), is photographers who seem to think that they are beyond reproach as far as reputation is concerned, offering to be a models guardian angel. You know the type, “Girls, if you are shooting anywhere in my area please get in touch with me before the shoot and I will be on hand to rush to your aid should the photographer you are working with be anything less than angelic.”

What a crock of shit. The chances are the ‘protector’ is more ‘undesirable’ than the booked photographer. Maybe not physically but the chances are he is not as altruistic as he makes out. He wants you to swoon at his offer of being there for you should you ever need it. He will call you at all hours, tell you that you should just work with him as nobody else is trustworthy. He will get the hump if you work with anyone he doesn’t approve of (by ‘approve’ I mean dislike for no other reason as he sees the ‘other’ photographer as a direct threat to his involvement with you). He more often than not feels that these people will steal you away from his protective arms by being decent and upstanding - the ones that he would love to envelop you in given the chance. Basically he thinks all models are really looking for a knight in shining armour rather than a photographer. And you know the saddest part? He is blissfully unaware that he is in fact the scary, inappropriate one.

The more worrying part is that this type of photographer is a hell of a lot more common than one that will touch you up or push your levels. He is on the forums saying that if you work with professionals rather than GWC types then the risk is lower. He sees anyone who’s work isn’t up to a certain standard as someone who is just after seeing flesh whilst banging on incessantly about how his nude work is about the art and the art alone. Yes mate……are you reallly sure about that?

It tends to be the same types who throw their hands up in disgust if they message a model offering to improve their port and don’t get a reply within 39 seconds. They know you are online as they are checking every other minute.

These people are the dregs of this thing we call Internet modelling. Nothing more and nothing less.

So - after my little rant apart from the (very rare, thankfully), molesters and obvious deviants to avoid there is now someone else to be on the look out for. Yes, the chances are you will be safe in their company physically - but the damage they will do to your views on modelling and photographers will be just as harmful.

And now some facts.

Not every photographer who shoots erotica/porn/nude sees it as a way of getting their rocks off. In fact very few do.

It is possible to have ongoing professional relationships and collaborations with photographers to whatever level you are comfortable with. Erotica/hard erotica TF collaborations are more common than you think.

It is possible to shoot different levels with different photographers for different types of remuneration, no matter how much a photographer says if you shot TF bestiality with photographer X then it is your moral duty to shoot it with him.

It is possible to socialise with photographers of your choice should you both feel the want. It isn’t unprofessional as some would have you believe. We all meet people in all walks of life. Why should models and photographers be any different. The ones who dismiss such behaviour as unprofessional are probably the ones who are desperate to have a relationship of any kind.

It isn’t an impossibility that a photographer will find you sexually attractive, the chances are pretty high, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he will leap on you or wander round like a tripod. He is more than likely to treat you with the utmost respect. Let’s not fool ourselves here, models do have relationships with photographers. It’s pretty common, but usually a spark is there between the two of you and that may or may not develop into a friendship or more.

Finally - there is such a thing as a predatory model. But I will save my experiences on that front for another time.

Stay safe.

  1. regthecat posted this