Model Mayhem

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

As you might know, I'm trying to boost myself as a model this year as part of my new year's resolution. I've heard people talking about modelmayhem.com and I just want to know...

a) what exactly is it?
b) are you on there?
c) is it worth it?

Thanks guys!

[Kestrel St James]

Interesting you should mention Myspace and creeps. Ugh! I think I'll go broad on that one and say the 'just starting out creeps' Guys who know you haven't been at it long enough to spot the difference between creep with camera and photographer.

I've found that MM isn't *bad* per se so much as you just have to be a bit more selective about what you want, and know that for the most part, unless you're Megan Fox or something you aren't going to be offered any once in a lifetime opportunities on MM.

If you're working with someone who has a great port with multiple models, positive comments, who pitches a great idea and checks out well, then honestly I would shoot with them without bringing along an escort. If someone has spent the last ten or more years and ten thousand dollars or so on equipment I'm gonna say in 97.9 of the cases they're not going to throw all that to the wind over trying to cop a feel on lil ol me. Everything I've got, someone else has one better somewhere out there and they're probably willing to give it away for free to someone holding a camera. Seriously, they should be more afraid of me actually. ;-)

If someone doesn't check out eg (and this really happened) doesn't give you a name, doesn't have a portfolio anywhere to be seen, can't agree on where to meet, asks you for a location, asks you for a ride, ASKS YOU FOR A WAKE UP CALL and to remind them what to bring...

DON'T WORK WITH THEM AT ALL!!!

[Toesup]

I'm on MM as a photographer.. I'm **** as a model... ;-}
http://www.modelmayhem.com/toesup

I've done two good shoots with models I've met through MM and have another shoot arranged for next week.

There are some good models and good photographers on MM.. and some that specialize in Pin Up style.

I guess, like most networking sites, there are those 'creeps' out there..
One piece of advice, if you are going for a shoot, contact the photographers previous models and ask how their shoot went, that will give you an idea of the photographers 'quality' and if they fall in to the 'creep' category.

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

I've got my account approved and am on the prowl for photographers

Add me please =D

http://www.modelmayhem.com/roxieroulette

[Soda Shop Sue]

KEEP THE RADAR up... there are alot of people on there... good chance for TFCD shoots... i'm on there... but there are ALOT of creeps, and NO offence to photographers who are accually trying on there (like myself) but there are "photographers" on there that are more like 'a new christmas camera' photographers.... like bottom corner of the pic you can see there arm from a self portrait... WHICH IS FINE in most cases, but does not make a photographer.... be careful... but all in all with references from other models, there are some GREAT people to meet, and a good chance for your portfoilo....
i was quite sceptical at first, and just cruised around the site, without a profile, and "get ther jist of it"..... now i'm on and cautious...
xoxo SSS

Desirée {PL} said:

It's free, and is definitely a nice place to meet some new, quality photographers.
BUT! Keep your creepo radar on high there!

[Stephanie Jay]

I'm on there too but haven't really got too much on mine!

http://www.modelmayhem.com/1461592

[Warbird Pinup Girls]

I personally think that Model Mayhem is a good place to network, I found almost all of the models from my projects in there and I found a lot of great talent in my local area.
They have recently reduced the photo limit on the free accounts from 20 pictures to only 10 but it's still a good start to find local casting calls, hair and makeup artist etc..

You are welcome to check out my profile at:
http://www.modelmayhem.com/753966

good luck :-)

[Miss Lethal Gem]

I have a cup of pages and although yes there is the odd creep – have had some really good shoots from there and have built some great contacts as well, I find there a lot of people jumping on the pin up ban wagon at the moment though so try check out their previous work – see if they have done anything vintage looking before – as don’t think all photographers understand the idea of what a pin up truly is I tend to find a lot of glamour photographers wanting to move away from page 3 style and more into pin up but they don’t always do it right – so no matter how good someone’s photos are always check references and their portfolio x

http://www.modelmayhem.com/LethalGem
http://www.modelmayhem.com/LethalImages

[Nyxon]

I've been on MM for about a year as a model, now, and I've had some pretty good experiences and have worked with a lot of amazing photographers who have helped me produce some amazing work. However, there is a trick to weeding out all of the sh*t, like kreeps and GWC's (guys with cameras). I have posted on my profile that I DO NOT do TF. That is only partially true, as I do do TF on a case by case basis, but there's no need for me to advertise that at all. I do this for 2 reasons.... 1- This is how I survive and I need to be paid, and 2- Kreeps & non-legit GWC's do not want to pay and will generally not bother you. That being said... some of my best work been TF, but I digress....

If you are having a conversation with a photographer about a potential shoot, it's a good idea to discuss you bringing an escort (I think someone else brought that up here as well). Even if you are not going to, it's good to see their reaction. If they say, "Yes by all means your escort is welcome as long as they stay out of the way", then they are probably safe & legit. If they balk at you bringing an escort, it's probably a good idea to stop talking to them as they are probably up to no good. Bear in mind, though, that some photogs have a "No escorts allowed" policy. Not because they are nefarious, but because they've had bad experiences, so it's a good idea to ask a lot of questions so that you can make a well-informed decision. It's also a good idea to look and see with whom the photog has worked with previously. It's not a bad idea to contact those models to get a reference. We are all here to help each other!

In addition to Pin-Up, I also work in the Fetish & Adult end of the industry, so I have had my fair share of Kreeps and Ne'er-do-wells to weed through. It looks like you've gotten a lot of good advice on this thread, but if you have any more questions, you can message me.

My Model profile www.modelmayhem.com/1088294
My MUA profile www.modelmayhem/618810

Good Luck!!

[Retro Lovely Magazine {★}]

I've been on MM for some time.

I ended up meeting and working with a model there. We got a great set. She posted some on MM. Back then a gent from Playboy was using MM to seek out fresh talent for their Grapevine section... he then contacted me to see about using the image.... if it were not for MM I could not list Playboy as a publishing credit.

I was also on OMP - One Model Place... but it's site has gotten so annoyingly clunky to use... I cancelled that account. MM on the other hand.... all functionality is included with the free accounts. It is easy to navigate, fast when using it...... though they have been plagued from time to time with some database issues which keep you from getting on.... but not so much it would have me use anything else.

And I agree on the bloke bit... if a photog with limited work, and work that looks "newbie" and won't work with you at your request to bring an escort... I'd raise an eyebrow.... if it's a photog with KILLER work and a lot of examples and would allow you to speak with other models he's worked with..... I can understand that part of the process may mean distractions are something they don't want to have... as a photographer if a model asks this, I also request to bring someone myself.. not for the sake of physical harm, but afterwards I don't want two people saying I did things I did not... I just want a witness of my own..... There are shady people on both sides of the gender line....

Go for it!

[Kitten Kaboom]

I highly recommend Model Mayhem as well. I've made some valuable contacts and have had some great shoots as a result of joining. I'll just reiterate what the others have said. Use good judgement. And do reference checks. It's always a good idea to meet a photographer before a shoot to make sure everyone's on the same page, and to make sure he/she's not an axe murderer.

[Retro Lovely Magazine {★}]

You know, it makes me wonder -
What if Model Mayhem had a functionality ala E-Bay where people could enter into a "feedback" rating sort of thing.... now I know we're talking artists here... and all the cattiness that goes with it (and I so.... don't just mean models, no no no....) I'm sure it would be tough. But often on MM I invite and encourage anyone new I am about to work with to contact anyone I've previously worked with. Similarly I had a shoot not long ago where a model did bring along an escort. It was at a B&B, actually it' was Ruby Von Vanity who's in the redhead in my avatar here, anyway... he came along and busied himself in another room as we shot, now a good part about a shoot like this is that there was another model present, the people who owned the B&B plus a corsetier who also did some styling and assisted me... But Ruby's MM profile talked about not wasting her time etc... She came, was very professional, easy to work with, FUN to work with, her escort I saw upon arrival and when they left.... so I was motivated to remark on her profile a digest of all this and for others to know she's the real deal... and DO NOT WASTE HER TIME...

So I wonder if right there on MM some kind of formal feedback system could work as sometimes I see profiles where users have their little "black list" of people who wasted their time or were dubious or did not keep up their end of the agreement.... but you'd never know that unless you stumbled upon their profile....

And Daddy Cool here said something that struck me - if a photographer contacts me about my project.... and their webpage is a social networking page... not a unique domain.... They loose a bit of credibility with me...

[Roxie Roulette {★}]

The idea of feedback is fantastic! How have they not thought of this? If they did that then it would be so easy to find out who was reliable, good at what they do, axe murderer, etc. Maybe we should get onto them?

Retro Lovely Magazine said:

You know, it makes me wonder -
What if Model Mayhem had a functionality ala E-Bay where people could enter into a "feedback" rating sort of thing.... now I know we're talking artists here... and all the cattiness that goes with it (and I so.... don't just mean models, no no no....) I'm sure it would be tough. But often on MM I invite and encourage anyone new I am about to work with to contact anyone I've previously worked with. Similarly I had a shoot not long ago where a model did bring along an escort. It was at a B&B, actually it' was Ruby Von Vanity who's in the redhead in my avatar here, anyway... he came along and busied himself in another room as we shot, now a good part about a shoot like this is that there was another model present, the people who owned the B&B plus a corsetier who also did some styling and assisted me... But Ruby's MM profile talked about not wasting her time etc... She came, was very professional, easy to work with, FUN to work with, her escort I saw upon arrival and when they left.... so I was motivated to remark on her profile a digest of all this and for others to know she's the real deal... and DO NOT WASTE HER TIME...

So I wonder if right there on MM some kind of formal feedback system could work as sometimes I see profiles where users have their little "black list" of people who wasted their time or were dubious or did not keep up their end of the agreement.... but you'd never know that unless you stumbled upon their profile....

And Daddy Cool here said something that struck me - if a photographer contacts me about my project.... and their webpage is a social networking page... not a unique domain.... They loose a bit of credibility with me...