Family

These are pictures taken at my grandparents' 50th anniversary I was unable to attend:


Family is a very important thing for me. I don't see them enough. I spent two days with my grandparents this past week, which I haven't been able to do since the spring.

My grandmother and I talked about whether I was safe when I was traveling, whether I was enjoying the work I was doing. I said yes, but it comes with a huge cost.

Right now I'm working on getting more established with regular work, so that I can find a home base again, or just afford to spend more time with my family.

You should never live to work; work should enable you to live.

Thoughts for newer models seeking to go full-time.. by ShivaKitty

*Reposted with Permission*

I compiled a list of basic suggestions for models looking to eventually make money from modeling. Some people might find these suggestions offensive, or harsh. It is from my own personal experience, not the law, not the Every(wo)man's-Modeling-Holy-Book by any means. Some of these topics have been discussed to death, and beaten into the ground, but models still ask about them, so I provided input regardless.


Before you even consider starting to model full-time, you should be comfortable with the idea of accepting paid work from people whose images you feel are really pretty horrible, or at least mediocre. Understand that many of the people you shoot with will post unflattering images of you all over the internet, and you will have no right to complain since you were fairly compensated, in cash, after the shoot.

When you first reach a point where you realize you *can* make money from modeling, you will NOT just arbitrarily "set" a rate. When that time comes, you will start being offered certain amounts of money per shoot. Often, the amount you will be offered will seem surprisingly low. It isn't. As you model longer, build a diverse portfolio, and have a list of strong references, you are likely to be offered increased amounts of money. Eventually, you will have more control over the rate at which you work. In the beginning, the people hiring you will control your rate. You gain more control over your rate in accordance with experience level, and reputation.

You cannot assume that every person who contacts you is creepy, or harmful. Understand that you will be shooting with a lot of people whom you probably wouldn't care to socialize with in your daily life. Some folks are unpleasant, stinky, have no social skill, etc. You will be shooting with some of these people, yes. However, if they are not disrespectful to you verbally, and if they do not engage in overt transgressions, you are going to be okay. Most people are good people. Most photographers and artists do treat their models very well, and with respect. Have some trust in the goodness of humankind. You will be pleasantly surprised with what you find.

You should be comfortable setting personal limits, but also be flexible with those limits when you realize you have started outgrowing them --- and yes, many of the things you start off saying "never" to become okay to you, or even fun, after you have been shooting for awhile. Your personal values are likely to change, because modeling full-time will force you to grow in areas of challenge that many people never even encounter, let alone go out and face bravely.

Do not let other people determine when you have outgrown certain limits and boundaries. You will know. You. You. You. You.Will.Know.

Certain things, that modeling full-time kind of forces upon you, will increase your self-esteem, your street smarts, and your personal savvy. An example is travel. I never traveled alone until I started modeling. Now, I do it a lot, and I do it fearlessly. Modeling just changes you. It really, really does. It changes who you are, how you interact with the world around you, how others perceive you. You are either able to go with that natural ebb and flow - grow with it, rather - or not.

People will often try to convince you that you are not worth the rate/trade/compensation you feel your work is worth. Either agree, or move on. You might find out that you're not so great after all, or you might discover that you are -in fact- talented, and great at what you do. Anticipate that your perception of yourself, and your perception of your work's value, will shift as you grow personally from your new experiences.

Be willing to spend a lot of time on the road. In 2009, I was putting an average of 500 miles per week on my car, and I did additional long-distance trips (requiring airplanes). There are ways to travel cheap(er), such as trading shooting hours for airfare, but it can be difficult to wrangle up these jobs. Getting started traveling to shoot tends to happen naturally over time. It is not worth hurrying; when it's time for you to work elsewhere, it will happen.

Time and time again, models you think are uglier, dumber, or less experienced will be selected for jobs, while you will be rejected. You will learn that beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, and you are the perfect model - for a DIFFERENT photographer.

You will lose old friends who refuse to support you, but you will gain new friends within the industry, who understand where you are coming from, and care about your goals and development as a creative person.

You will become jaded about some things, because -as with any job- the stress wears on you over time. You will become more open to many, many lovely things that you would have never experienced working in an office, or in doing retail work.

You will likely evolve in a "hustler" of sorts. You learn to negotiate, bargain, weigh options, etc.

You will become very good at managing your ever-changing schedule.

You will need to decide, relatively early in the game, whether you want to keep your modeling life private, or whether you want to "come out" to your family and friends. If you are over 18, and living independently, whatever you choose to do with your body and likeness is your personal business, and yours alone. Just like your personal finances stop being your parents' business once you are working and out of their house, so does the ways in which you choose to use your body. If you choose to share the information, wonderful. If you don't, it's your heart/mind/body, and only you own it.

You will be well-advised to use a stage name - religiously - for any nude, erotic or fetish work. No one should have to tell you that this shit can come back to bite you in the ass when you are 45, and running for mayoral office. Even if you use a stage name, it can still come back to bite. Just keep that in mind.

http://shivakitty.com/
http://www.modelmayhem.com/369429

Tools of the Trade

Let me start off by saying that this is by no means a comprehensive, or universally applicable, list. This is just the list of what I've found to be especially useful in my work as a freelance art model. I bring very little with me to shoots, so I've broadened my scope somewhat. Rachel Jay has written a similarly-themed list here, but hers is geared toward people who model in clothes, and who know how to apply makeup. If you're one of those clothes-and-make-up-wearing types, then I'd highly recommend checking out what she has to say. Similarly, there are some items on my list which others have done perfectly well without.

Now that we've got that disclaimer out of the way, let's get down to it. What is the stuff I use?

1. Hairbrush, and her friends the hairties- Messy hair works great for some images, but not all. For figure work in particular, being able to pull my hair up into a bun is quite useful. The hairbrush and a few hairties travel with me to every shoot. Hairties live on the handle of the hairbrush, instead of on my wrist where they would likely leave elastic marks. Which brings me to...

2. Loose clothing- This means no socks, no underwear, and nothing so tight-fitting that it will leave impressions in my skin when I take it off. I usually opt for jeans which are slightly too large for me and a tank top or tee-shirt.

3. Cards- Especially when sitting for drawing groups, I’ve found it to be quite useful to be able to hand out cards with my name, stats, and contact information. It communicates that you are serious about modeling, and it also makes it easier for people to contact you and hire you independently.

4. Modeling robe- Again, this one is mostly useful for drawing groups. While it doesn't strike many photographers as odd for me to remain nude during breaks, that is a major no-no for drawing groups. Some groups have robes on-hand for models, but not all do. Bringing my own robe means that I have something to easily throw on for breaks.

5. My car- Though I do occasionally travel by plane, much of my travel has been done by car. It allows me to easily reach artists who are way out yonder in the suburbs, and it allows me to stop by much smaller markets along the way. Anymore, I’ve found that small cities with next to no local nude models are great places to stop for a few days on my travels. Plus, my car is incredibly fuel efficient. It is because my car gets 40ish MPG that I can state that anywhere from Cheyenne to Denver is “local” to me without cringing.

6. Sunblock and bugspray- Part of being a nude model is making sure that your skin is in reasonably presentable condition. While I’ve had some faux pas moments along the way, I strive to make sure that my skin is all approximately the same non-red shade, and isn’t specked with mosquito bites.

7. The internet- Be it with my blackberry or my laptop, I strive to stay in touch with the world. If somebody needs to contact me on short notice, whether to hire me or to cancel on me, I want to know sooner rather than later. Coffeeshops have, at times, felt like a second home for me as I utilized their complimentary wireless to take care of business while traveling.

Again, this list is of the items that I have found indispensable in working as a freelance model. Those occupying other modeling niches, or with different travel styles, will have a different list. It takes some time to find your own groove, and what works best for you. Lists like this one, as well as the lists that others have made, can help you on your way as you find your rhythm.

Airport Camaraderie

I don't care for airports. By and large, I've found that they bring out the worst in people. To start with, you're pulling from a segment of the population that has a well-developed sense of entitlement. These are Big, Important People, with Big Important Places to Go and Things to Do. Airports take these people, process them assembly-line style through security, shuffle them into a holding area with crowded, uncomfortable seating, and then tell them that their flight is going to be late because of a thunderstorm, a broken part, a delayed flight crew, or because that's just the way the cookie crumbles. And no amount of self-importance can change that.

Hooo boy, that rarely goes over well. I've found airports to be permeated with a thick tension in the air, with everybody right on the verge of snapping. All it takes is a single catalyst to set off a nasty reaction.

On my way home from New York to Denver, there were more than a few catalysts. Nasty weather all along the east coast left travel a mess for many airports, including Newark, my point of departure. Flights were being delayed or outright canceled right and left, and folks were finding their travel plans effected by more than just a slight hiccup.

But shockingly, these repeated obstacles weren't met with hostility. The mood at gates B41-B48 was one of patient humor. Stranded travelers cracked jokes, helped one another with working around delays, even shared phone chargers. None of us were thrilled to be faced with the circumstances, but it was collectively recognized that a foul mood wasn't going to change anything. And so we banded together, and stuck it out with humor. After dozens upon dozens of flights over the course of my lifetime, it was the first truly pleasant and inspiring airport experience that I've ever had. So thank you, fellow travelers through Newark. It sure coulda been worse.

Touching, adjusting.. "May I..?"

Touching is fine, as long as you're courteous and respectful.

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To photographers:

I take direction amazingly, and I'm great at posing myself.. but even I need help sometimes. If I'm holding a pose, adjust my hair, outfit, body parts etc. as need be.. just be polite about it.

If you aren't sure if it's alright, ask "May I adjust...(insert whatever needs adjusting).. for you quickly?"

When moving a body part, please make sure it's not a load bearing point.. I've had people yank my leg out from under me and cause injury and bruising because they weren't paying attention enough to realize my entire body weight was on that foot at the time.

And please be gentle when moving body parts. Yanking my chin around, pulling my arm almost out of socket into a position that the joint isn't designed to go into, etc, can cause issues. If you more me quickly and gently, then if there's an issue with the pose, it can be figured out before it causes injury.

If adjusting clothing or hair, be quick and professional. Clothing shifts, we all know this. If you aren't comfortable doing it yourself, ask the MUA, hair person, etc. to do it for you, if you aren't wanting the model to shift out of position.

If the model isn't comfortable with your conduct or communication, and you know this, ask why. You can't get answers to questions if you don't ask. If you can't make it work, then end the shoot.

In general, as long as you're efficient, polite, and communicate your intention, there's rarely an issue.

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To the models:

You're a model. At some point while you're doing this, you need to accept the fact that you generally have no personal space while shooting. You may have limits as to what manner you may be adjust or squooshed or squeezed or prodded, etc.. but for the most part, get the hell over it.

I've had people with an arm up to their shoulder up a latex skirt to adjust it. I've had my boobs squooshed, squished, fluffed, shifted, etc. I've had my bikini/underwear shifted, lifted, pulled, etc. so that I could maintain a pose the photographer wanted.

I've been shifted like a mannequin into position, shifted myself into position, had my arm, leg, hand, head, etc. shifted for me.

Some people communicate differently. I work with a lot of inexperienced photographers, and many of them aren't really sure how to give direction verbally, so when I'm having trouble understanding what they would like verbally, I ask them to shift me into what they had in mind, or tell them I'm comfortable with them doing so at any point in time, as long as they conduct themselves in a polite, professional manner.

There is a difference between a good touch and a bad touch, but you, as models, need to realize that sometimes, you WILL need to be touched, adjusted, squeezed, squooshed, etc. If you aren't comfortable enough with the photographer, MUA, stylists, or whoever need be touching you, then you shouldn't be working with those people in the first place. Get up, get your things, and walk out the door.

In my 500 +/- shoots in the last 3 years, I've never had an issue with being "touched" in a non-comfortable manner that wasn't a result of poor communication, and if the communication wasn't working, the shoot ended.

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Listen to each other, talk to each other, learn from each other. You can't learn to improve your posing or direction to suite the individual shoot needs if you're scared to death of offending the other person(s).

Photographers, if you have trouble giving verbal cues, or the model isn't taking direction well, then TELL them so. Politely. Explain the issue you're having, and ask if you may gently & quickly adjust what is needed.

Models, get the fuck over it. Really. If you aren't comfortable with something, say so, politely. Explain the issue you're having, and figure out how to resolve it. Half the posing, skill, and knowledge I have as a model, I learned from communicating with the people around me at the shoot, and allowing myself to be worked into a position or such as needed. Sometimes it's things you never noticed, and being made aware of it as an issue can improve your skill and talent as a model.

Where Are You From?

I used to think that about the most annoying possible answer to that question was "All over." Really now, nearly everybody has some sort of a home base. Be it where their family is or where they last lived, you have to have somewhere that you're from.

Oh, how times change. It's a question with which I'm faced fairly frequently, and over the past year, it's become a bear for me to answer. Do I reply "Colorado," where I'm legally a resident, but have only spent about two months of my life? Should I answer "Ohio," which I used as a base of operations for much of last summer? Or what about "Seattle," the last place that I truly feel that I lived? How about telling people "I'm from Indiana," since that's where I was born and raised, and still have family and friends?

Or maybe they intend the question differently. Maybe they're asking where my last stop was. Does that mean I should tell my well-intentioned questioner where I camped along the way the night before, or the last city that I stayed in? Or would it be more appropriate to give an abbreviated replay of where all I've been in the past... week? Month? Three months? Did the trip that took me to Salt Lake City, where I currently am, begin in Wendover UT, San Francisco, Seattle, or Denver? All of them could be legitimate answers.

Do I awkwardly attempt to explain all of that? These days, I just throw my hands up, accept the irony, and tell people, "I'm kind of from all over." It's easier that way, I promise.

From me to you..

I've been shooting full-time, one or two shoots (sometimes more) a day for almost two year now.

There is very little in the way of "art nude" I haven't shot on multiple occasions. I have extensive work in many other genres as well.

From me to you, here's a few things:
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Statement from a model: There were two photographers who started saying negative things to me right off the bat. With one it started via text messages where I apparently didn't express enough excitement? and then every few minutes it was either a story about his crazy sexcapades or "why aren't you having fun." I wasn't having fun, I didn't want to know about his sexcapades or the models he shot with who let him photograph them having sex, and I didn't want to shoot the level or eroticism he did. But, him saying something negative only made me more quiet.
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At some point, you need to make a decision. [i]Is this shoot/money worth more then my personal comfort and/or safety?[/i]

If someone is behaving or discussing things you are not okay with, say so. Politely. "I appreciate that you've had a lot of interesting experiences in your personal life and/or with other models, but I'm not very comfortable with you sharing these with me."

The moment you don't feel that you are in a safe or "okay" enviroment, you need to leave. Period. If you're being pressured to shoot work that you didn't agree to, and "No." isn't sufficient, gather your things, get dressed, and go.

Being a model doesn't mean you have to put up with things you aren't okay with, and being paid doesn't mean you're property. You, as a human being, have the right to exercise your free will. If you don't learn to set your limits and stand by them, you won't last long. Be gentle, firm, polite, and if all else fails.. be on your way out the door.

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Statement from a model: With another guy it was like I get there and my make up is wrong, my hair is wrong, the clothes I picked out (from his collection) aren't right. And then it's like, why aren't you happy? I don't know, maybe you shouldn't just tell me I did a bad job without having a solution.
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Option A: Sometimes, people just aren't suited to work with one another. If you feel that you aren't able to suite the needs of the shoot, concept, etc. .. then bow out gracefully. "I feel that I am not the right model for what it is you're trying to accomplish here, and I would like to suggest we discontinue this shoot, and possibly try again in the future with something that may suite our dynamic better." If they paid you, refund it. If they didn't, part ways.

Option B: Sometimes a photographer gets this.. idea.. in their head of the perfect hair, MU, clothing, etc. and you will simply not be able to match the lovely ideal they've created. Accept it, and do your best to be the best model you can. Next time, just don't work with them again.

A lot of times, one must "grin and bear it". Working with people you don't normally work with, and learning to handle personality types of an abrasive or non-cohesive nature are part of learning to deal with the world. Do your best to be polite, patient, and understanding. If it's beyond your ability to manage the situation, then exit the situation.

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Statement from a model: Unless I really like a photographer I'm not necessarily happy at a shoot. I'm probably too busy concentrating on my pose and my facial expressions and I really can't chat if I want the right expression in a picture. A lot of photographers are kind of like dentists in that respect, how they don't realize you can't talk freely while they take a picture.
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Darlings, if you can't find a way to enjoy what you're doing, then don't do it. I may not be overly joyful during a shoot, but I do very much enjoy my work. I deeply adore the movement, emotions, energy, and art of it.

You don't have to bounce like a baby bunny, but you DO have to be engaging, pleasant, and polite. You CAN actually have an engaging conversation while shooting.. it's actually better to do so. It keeps you relaxed and connected with the person you're working with. Spending every ounce of concentration on your poses, face, etc, will only serve to make you appear stiff, tense, and disconnected with your work.

And honestly, you're new. You've barely begun to work with people, and the world doesn't revolve around modeling. If you're not enjoying the people you're working with THAT much, find new people.

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Statement from a model: Being entertaining doesn't mean you're having fun. I'm entertaining a lot of the time when I'm bitter and in a shitty mood. And sometimes I'm really happy and quiet as a mouse. Feeling an emotion and expressing an emotion are very, very different.

when I said "sometimes it's just a job" I mean, sometimes I'm just okay about the photographer/the concept/whatever rather than thinking it's super cool and wanting to capture the perfect shot. I always give it my all, unless I feel unwell for some reason, or a photographer like the one I mentioned keeps putting me down.
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No, you don't have to have fun to be entertaining. You do, however, need to be engaged in what you're doing and who you're talking to. Entertaining someone generally requires being able to connect with the person(s) you're addressing.

Learn to express what you don't feel, and to feel what you can't express. Like it or not, being a model isn't just "stand and look pretty", especially as a freelance model. You are also having to network, market, engage, create, and dissimulate. You need to be your own worst critic and your own biggest fan.

Whether or not ANYONE ELSE in the room thinks you're beautiful, talented, vivacious, creative, or amazing... YOU need to think you are. By modeling, you are placing yourself at the mercy of someone else's heart, mind, and imagination. You're taking the risk of being put on a pedestal you may not be able to balance on, and you need to be able to take the good with the bad, filter it for the useful information, and continue on learning, growing, and developing as a person and model.

Creating beautiful images isn't a one person pushing the button job. It's an everyone in the room job, and it is VERY much your job. If you can't love, hate, live, and learn from the good and bad parts of your job, then find a new job.