1. always keep someone you trust (e.g., your parents) informed and INVOLVED in your career decisions. someone you've known all your life. someone who has your best interest at heart. not a boyfriend. and DEFINITELY not a photographer you've worked with... photographers are NOT agents and, nine times out of ten, they will put their own agenda ahead of your best interest. some are just creeps. but some can be jealous, possessive, dangerous stalkers... sounds ridiculous, but they are out there. and these networking sites are the perfect platform for predators. BE CAREFUL. in fact, you will find that most people you meet in this industry, whether or not they mean you harm, are out to take advantage of you and exploit you for their own personal gain... welcome to the wonderful, cut-throat world of modeling.
2. don't reply to or seek out any agents, agencies or other offers on model mayhem, craig's list, etc. there are ZERO legitimate agencies who recruit on these websites and they are ALL a scam. 100%. EVERY SINGLE ONE. if you're looking for a reputable agency, there are several. go to an open-call (walk-in) at one of the major agencies (see links, below), but don't fall for any offers or inquiries you get on model mayhem, craig's list or any other networking site. here are a few links to some LEGITIMATE agencies:
www.bmgmodels.com (new york, chicago, orlando, los angeels, vancouver)
www.wilhelmina.com (new york, los angeles, miami)
3. release forms are an industry standard, but be sure to read them VERY carefully and DO NOT sign any contracts, especially if they require exclusivity or up-front payment of any sort. once again, there are ZERO legitimate agencies who do their scouting on model mayhem.
4. always, always ALWAYS check every photographer's references!!! if you get an uneasy feeling about someone, just walk away. be sure to contact several of the models in the photographer's online portfolio, before you agree to work with him/her. this is a networking site. if the photographer doesn't provide links on EVERY image in his portfolio, he probably doesn't want you talking to his models. that's a HUGE red flag. stay away!!!
5. every photographer has a different escort policy. personally, i don't allow male escorts (with the exception of fathers for underage models). but you should always insist on bringing an escort the first time you shoot with a new photographer. your mother is an excellent choice! in fact, just tell EVERY photographer you're bringing your mom (even if you aren't) and see how he reacts. if the photographer refuses, or even balks at the idea, it's a BIG red flag. walk away...
6. DO NOT put any personal information on your page. if you feel comfortable giving someone your contact info (after thoroughly checking his/her references), do so via private message or e-mail. there are many legitimate photographers out there, but you don't want the creepers to have ANYTHING they could use to find you. ALWAYS use a pseudonym. for instance, if your name is Jane Marie Doe, you could possibly use something like "Mary Jane" as your screen name. DO NOT use your real last name in you screen name or your page URL. Never include the following on your page: real name, email address, phone number or any other contact info, including a link to your personal facebook page. if you do provide a link to another site (facebook, deviant art, twitter, facebook, tumblr), be sure those pages don't have any traceable contact info on them...
ok. hope that was helpful. please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
