The Price To Pay
A UK survey last year found that over one in ten female students uses “the sex industry” to help pay study fees, by which they are apparently referring to glamour and nude modelling. Now I strongly object to Fluffytek being labelled part of the sex industry, on SO many different levels. I feel we are part of the art world, but I know many of you will just tell me I’m kidding myself.
Truth be told, no matter whether we are labelled artists or, heaven forbid, pornographers by the public, many of the models who have worked with us in the past have done it not for the art, not for the empowerment and to make themselves feel beautiful (although this may well be a side effect, and they may use these reasons to justify what they are doing to themselves, family and friends), but simply for the money. To students who are trying to put themselves through university, who are on the breadline, taking their clothes off for a couple of hours is lucrative – better paid than sweating at the local McDonalds, that’s for certain.
Sure, nude modelling is risky and scary if you’re a newbie and you don’t know the photographers or the way the industry works, but once you’ve build a reputation as a good model, checked the references and become used to working with reputable photographers, then you can earn a tidy sum per month, which will help with living expenses and college fees.
Of course there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and we really hope that models feel comfortable, trusting and happy working with us. We really try to ensure we look after them, that they have fun, that they realise how beautiful they are, and that they have helped create breathtaking art.
But…there has to be a but…how many of these young women have actually thoroughly thought through just what implications nude modelling will have on their families and friends?
Some models I know haven’t told their parents they model nude because the parents would have a blue fit. Some have been ostracised by their university friends when they have confessed to modelling naked. Almost all university-age models we have come across admit that nude modelling negatively affects their relationships. One young and very popular model eventually ended up in the divorce courts, not a result of shooting with us, I might add – the jealousy of seeing his wife splattered all over nudie magazines became too much for her hubby to bear.
And then there’s the career implications. Most models who supplement their income with nude modelling are very confident, well adjusted and happy to be shooting with us. They enjoy themselves and they are good at their work. But I strongly suspect that many do not think about the possible effects of this part-time job on their long term future career.
We have had several models who explained that they were modelling to pay their course fees whilst they were training to be teachers. Several have wanted to work in childcare with the young. A couple of models wanted to go on to careers in prestigious corporations. One was a lawyer who was training for the bar. They didn’t think nude modelling would conflict with this at all. Because they feel so natural in front of the camera, because there’s nothing unnatural or wrong about showing your beautiful body for the purpose of art, then they think this means that there is no risk of discrimination in the future. They think that if they choose a pseudonym and try not to show their face very much, then they can avoid the risk of being recognised.
This is just plain naïve. Sweet, but naïve. I specialise in employment law, I have frequently seen cases where a teacher has been fired from a school because her pupils have found naked pictures of her on the internet, which she took many moons ago when she was young and trying to support herself with modelling whilst she studied.
The real world doesn’t see nude modelling as art. It is biased, discriminating, judgemental. It thinks you are working in the sex industry, and that this means that you have unsavoury and unwholesome morals. Let me spell this out for you, in simple plain English, as your Aunty Lin, unofficial lawyer and employment counsellor:
1. Be very, very sure that nude modelling is what you want to do.
2. Don’t do it just to earn money, as a sideline to help with your studies, unless you are absolutely positive (and you have researched it thoroughly) that you are embarking on a career where naked pictures of yourself on the internet will not cost you your job when (not if) you are recognised. That means no childcare, no working with minors, possibly no professional career either. Because I model nude, I will never be able to become a judge now. And if my accountancy profession find out, I would be kicked out of that too. (That’s O.K. incidentally, I knew what the price would be, and it was worth it, IMO.)
3. Realise that at some point in the future, your nude pictures WILL be found. Even if you have a different modelling name, it makes no difference. The truth will come out one day, make no bones about it. It’s easy to find out the real identity of someone on Google, and it doesn’t matter if you’re using a false name. Don’t believe me? Think you’ve covered all your tracks? You’re wrong. I’ve done it loads of times. If you know what you’re doing on the search engines, it’s not difficult, trust me.
4. You must be sure that you’re not going to be ashamed in the future of your images, that the man you haven’t yet-met-but-might-one-day-marry won’t mind that you were once “Juicy-Lucy, fetish model extraordinaire.” That your parents support you (yes your parents’ opinions are still important even if you are over twenty.) And that you won’t ever want to embark on a profession where you might get fired one day because you used to model nude.
By now some of you will either think I’m exaggerating, scaremongering, or worse. Lord knows I wish this were the case, but I’m not.
Nude modelling is a double-edged sword. You get to feel beautiful, to create art, and to have a higher degree of financial security. This is wonderful of course, but please remember that this comes at a price which must be paid at some unspecified time in the future.
Just be sure it won’t be too expensive.
Rachel T.
Truth be told, no matter whether we are labelled artists or, heaven forbid, pornographers by the public, many of the models who have worked with us in the past have done it not for the art, not for the empowerment and to make themselves feel beautiful (although this may well be a side effect, and they may use these reasons to justify what they are doing to themselves, family and friends), but simply for the money. To students who are trying to put themselves through university, who are on the breadline, taking their clothes off for a couple of hours is lucrative – better paid than sweating at the local McDonalds, that’s for certain.
Sure, nude modelling is risky and scary if you’re a newbie and you don’t know the photographers or the way the industry works, but once you’ve build a reputation as a good model, checked the references and become used to working with reputable photographers, then you can earn a tidy sum per month, which will help with living expenses and college fees.
Of course there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, and we really hope that models feel comfortable, trusting and happy working with us. We really try to ensure we look after them, that they have fun, that they realise how beautiful they are, and that they have helped create breathtaking art.
But…there has to be a but…how many of these young women have actually thoroughly thought through just what implications nude modelling will have on their families and friends?
Some models I know haven’t told their parents they model nude because the parents would have a blue fit. Some have been ostracised by their university friends when they have confessed to modelling naked. Almost all university-age models we have come across admit that nude modelling negatively affects their relationships. One young and very popular model eventually ended up in the divorce courts, not a result of shooting with us, I might add – the jealousy of seeing his wife splattered all over nudie magazines became too much for her hubby to bear.
And then there’s the career implications. Most models who supplement their income with nude modelling are very confident, well adjusted and happy to be shooting with us. They enjoy themselves and they are good at their work. But I strongly suspect that many do not think about the possible effects of this part-time job on their long term future career.
We have had several models who explained that they were modelling to pay their course fees whilst they were training to be teachers. Several have wanted to work in childcare with the young. A couple of models wanted to go on to careers in prestigious corporations. One was a lawyer who was training for the bar. They didn’t think nude modelling would conflict with this at all. Because they feel so natural in front of the camera, because there’s nothing unnatural or wrong about showing your beautiful body for the purpose of art, then they think this means that there is no risk of discrimination in the future. They think that if they choose a pseudonym and try not to show their face very much, then they can avoid the risk of being recognised.
This is just plain naïve. Sweet, but naïve. I specialise in employment law, I have frequently seen cases where a teacher has been fired from a school because her pupils have found naked pictures of her on the internet, which she took many moons ago when she was young and trying to support herself with modelling whilst she studied.
The real world doesn’t see nude modelling as art. It is biased, discriminating, judgemental. It thinks you are working in the sex industry, and that this means that you have unsavoury and unwholesome morals. Let me spell this out for you, in simple plain English, as your Aunty Lin, unofficial lawyer and employment counsellor:
1. Be very, very sure that nude modelling is what you want to do.
2. Don’t do it just to earn money, as a sideline to help with your studies, unless you are absolutely positive (and you have researched it thoroughly) that you are embarking on a career where naked pictures of yourself on the internet will not cost you your job when (not if) you are recognised. That means no childcare, no working with minors, possibly no professional career either. Because I model nude, I will never be able to become a judge now. And if my accountancy profession find out, I would be kicked out of that too. (That’s O.K. incidentally, I knew what the price would be, and it was worth it, IMO.)
3. Realise that at some point in the future, your nude pictures WILL be found. Even if you have a different modelling name, it makes no difference. The truth will come out one day, make no bones about it. It’s easy to find out the real identity of someone on Google, and it doesn’t matter if you’re using a false name. Don’t believe me? Think you’ve covered all your tracks? You’re wrong. I’ve done it loads of times. If you know what you’re doing on the search engines, it’s not difficult, trust me.
4. You must be sure that you’re not going to be ashamed in the future of your images, that the man you haven’t yet-met-but-might-one-day-marry won’t mind that you were once “Juicy-Lucy, fetish model extraordinaire.” That your parents support you (yes your parents’ opinions are still important even if you are over twenty.) And that you won’t ever want to embark on a profession where you might get fired one day because you used to model nude.
By now some of you will either think I’m exaggerating, scaremongering, or worse. Lord knows I wish this were the case, but I’m not.
Nude modelling is a double-edged sword. You get to feel beautiful, to create art, and to have a higher degree of financial security. This is wonderful of course, but please remember that this comes at a price which must be paid at some unspecified time in the future.
Just be sure it won’t be too expensive.
Rachel T.
posted by Lin at 3:55 PM
8 Comments:
Whew... Man, this is some truth staring you in the face. I think I'd like to use it for some of my model resource links. I counsel models upfront on the same thing when I do my first of two interviews with them.
But also, let me offer the same warnings to photographers. I made a choice last year not to hide from my art nudes and decided to use my name in all my work, blog postings, websites, and whatever. I think I am indeed paying a price that that decision. I am very proud of my art and stand behind it, but the truth is that I know it hurts me on my job search. Any potential employer can google my name now and I am sure becomes judgemental of what they learn that I do. So I have challenged myself to find a way around it. In 7 months I hadn't found it yet, but I am working on it.
Thanks Lin!
Well put, the one thing that I make perfectly clear when having a model sign a release, is that they understand that there is good chance that the photos we create may in fact be published or exhibited at galleries or museums, perhaps being seen by thousands if not more. I want absolutely no misunderstanding.
I prefer to work with models a bit older, as I believe they understand the ramifications of doing so perhaps a bit better than younger models do (just a preference).
I make sure that they understand that modeling at this level is not a game...it's the real deal.
bt
again..great topic
A friend of mine experienced this, her husband almost lost his job and a child risked being embarrassed in front of his schoolmates. This is serious stuff, unfortunately, it shouldn't be but that is reality.
Thank you for publishing your piece and your entire blog.
My family, girlfriend, friends, and teachers support my nude modeling.. so does my old supervisor from the university library job I quit. And I'm going into a career where self-employment is very popular.
I guess there is a lot for other people to think about though, so this was a great post.
Just a clarification.... you start with: "A UK survey last year found that over one in ten female students uses “the sex industry” to help pay study fees, by which they are apparently referring to glamour and nude modelling. Now I strongly object to Fluffytek being labelled part of the sex industry, on SO many different levels."
Unless it was clarified elsewhere in the article, it seems you were the one to make the primary association between modeling and "the sex industry". My reading of the article would consider stripping and escorting/prostitution, and hardcore porn as "the sex industry" with glamour and nude figure modeling possibly on the edges. (Especially in the UK... would Page 3 girls be considered sex workers?)
I agree with the rest of the posting, and am always chagrined that so many people would consider art nude modeling/photography such a transgression that it could cost careers/relationships. Funny how Rudy Guiliani is a serial adulterer and he was able to get elected mayor of NY and be considered a serious presidential contender, but someone who did art nudes in college would be pilloried. It's a crazy world...
There is no prejudice so strong as that which arises from a fancied exemption from all prejudice.
Author: William Hazlitt 1778-1830, British Essayist
Who wants to bet that those men that want to fire that teacher or not hire her at their corporation would not hesitate to look at her in all her naked glory time after time.
How is it that the Dad that is outraged that his daughter would pose nude, has no problem looking at someone else's daughter.
I agree that that the young girl should go into this area of art with her eyes wide open, but as we all know, the enthusiasm of youth often clouds their judgment.
It is so sad that a person is judged by what "part of society" feels is good or bad. I would rather my daughter posed naked than took drugs. But if she took drugs she would probably be sent off for rehab and then everything would be forgiven and their world would be right again. It's to bad there is not a rehab program for women that have posed naked.
As far as being in the sex industry your in good company. Every ad agency - media company is in the sex industry. If they didn't use sex to sell, we would only see about 25% of the advertising we see now.
I started this comment out about prejudice which I feel is some of what is being talked about here. I recently came across a Dude that is walking the talk when it comes to trying to change the world about prejudice and hatred. Google - The Scary Guy. He is great.
D.L. Wood
Heady stuff! Your advice is spot on. Would the Western-world be a less judgmental place if Victoria had never ascended to the throne? Or am I over-simplifying the problem? On the flip-side, would young, attractive, aboriginal females of the Amazon be chastised (by their own) for posing for National Geographic photographers while wearing clothing that covered them up?
I sincerely hope that what you write here never applies to Northern Continental Europe, where I come from. So far it doesn't. But Anglo-American moralitis is a disease that respects no borders. The UK (whose passport I still carry) is just about the most hypocritical society I know.
BTW, I don't have a model release clause in my contracts - in that way, my collaborators always have control of what happens to the photos I take of them.
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