When the Photog Leaves You Feeling Rotten...I Need Your Help.

[GiGi Von Vroom]

...what do you do? I understand that sometimes the relationship between the photographer and the model can be a difficult one. But in an attempt to sorta get to know the photog I THOUGHT I wanted to have pictures taken with this December. And to allow myself to be comfortable working with a male. We mutually befriended each other. However, I feel I have become the butt of jokes between he and his experienced pinup friends. Clearly I'm not going to give him my business now. And I know my money won't make or break his business. I just think it's poor business on his part.
Anyone else have any experiences like this? Part of me wants to just throw in the towel knowing my looks make pinup an uphill battle for me. The other part says flip the bird at the small-minded people and push on.

[La Maison Des Chats]

Ms. Gigi, I concur with Eleanor Roosevelt! Besides, things like that ALWAYS come back around. I had a really bad experience too, but I am not trying to be a model anyways, so my loss. Anyways, I think you're simply stunning, and I enjoy when you post your pictures. Actually, if I remember right, I think I made my decision to do pinup photos after seeing your early work. Sometimes people project "stuff" on others, to feel better about themself. No matter how important this photog thinks he is, he has skid marks in his skivvies, just like all of us!

Jen Stiletto said:

I agree with Roxy and Aubrey. Keep in mind the famous quote from Eleanor Roosevelt "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." If this photographer is going to make fun of a potential client, it's his loss.

[steven harp]

I'm new here but I must throw my 2 cents in. There are two categories of "photographers" one is a GWC or Guy With a Camera. The other is a true professional and his job is to look at each request carefully. No one is perfect and if they are they are flying around the world with an agent handling their business. To place yourself in the category of not being a GWC, it is the photographers job to look at the individual and decide how to pose them in a way that is flattering. It's not to check a light meter and push a button on the camera.
Now if the photographer cannot figure out how to take a nice image, he should turn down the work and leave it to someone with more expertise. Not everyone can deal with plus size models. Nothing wrong with that but, you should kindly turn down the work. That is what I would do.
Your avatar is a nice image, a professional took that image. Flip the other guy the bird and go on.

[Arliss James]

Don't give him anymore of your business! And you should let it be known who this photographer is so none of us will give him business either!

[just christee]

well hun let me tell you if it wasn't for my photographer making me feel so comfortable in my shoot, and showing me how sexy i really am i would of never discovered my dream!! not only for modeling but to really show the world how beautiful all women are by making them into works of art, taking theit pictures and body molds..... so when i get better at this site and get my website up i would like you to check me out!! It feels great to have someone tell you that you are beautiful but to see it for yourself from a different perspective is life changing i tell ya!!

[Rosalind Friday]

Gigi, I can only echo what everyone else has said. Do not surround yourself with negativity, nor feel that you have to tolerate it because someone is a photographer or that his groupies are also "pinup" models. I think one of the main reasons that many of us are in this lifestyle is 1)because we have a passion for the time period/glamour/retro-feel of it and the styles of days gone by but also 2)that we can appreciate that beauty comes in many forms other than stick-thin high fashion images stuffed down our collective throats since we were old enough to assimilate visual marketing.

To me, the best pinup models are those who's inner beauty and happiness comes out in their photos-- make me believe that you are enjoying it and having fun! Pinup is meant to be an escape from the realities and dreary day to day stressors that affect us all, its origins in war time and old Hollywood bespeak a time when people needed an image of happiness and over the top cheesecakey FUN to let them do just that. If you are uncomfortable around someone you work with or they may you feel nervous or stressed or feel poorly about yourself, you can't enjoy your hobby/passion OR do your job as a model.

Don't be sucked into feeling like you owe anyone an explanation for their poor behavior, if they ask, you can share if you want to. Otherwise, move on and keep working it girl! You are beautiful just the way you are!

Roz

[GiGi Von Vroom]

Thank you for all of the responses and opinions. I guess he just doesn't see himself. Which I know happens to all of us at sometime. He seems to have come back down to earth. Either way, he has lost a customer for the time being.