Safety First

Safety First by Phoenix Rain

Every model wants the big break. No matter how seasoned you are, or which level of the profession you are at, there is always something more to strive for and it is this promise of the next big thing that makes us vulnerable.

For novice models, particularly the younger ones, it is very easy to be pressured into a situation where you are taking off your clothes because you want to seem professional. You are on a shoot, the photographer makes comments about your posing ability, your experience and compares you to other models he has worked with and suddenly you are feeling insecure and vulnerable. You don’t want to be the prudish model that, “hasn’t got what it takes”.

The comments are made in such a way that they come across as friendly advice, rather than rude. You feel like something is wrong but you can’t voice your concern because you are suddenly unsure of yourself. The photographer is paying you for your time and you are scared of upsetting a paying client. Yet, you have gone from feeling like a professional to an amateur novice in the space of 20 minutes. Please know right now that this is nothing to do with you! In situations like this, the manipulator knows exactly what he/she is doing...

If you find yourself in this situation, the scenario can move on very quickly from feeling uncomfortable to doing things you never thought would happen in a million years. Saying stop or having the intuition to get yourself out of a dangerous or threatening place may seem like an obvious thing to do from the outside but when you are in that place it is very easy to for panic to take over and suddenly you are frozen.

Now, I could write a thousand articles about preparation being key, pre-shoot communication, letting someone know where you are and who you are with. To be honest, no matter how prepared you are these things aren’t going to help you when you are faced with a situation that has gotten out of control. When you become frozen, rational thinking does not exist.

Understanding the way manipulators work and the mind-games they play to get you into a vulnerable position is far more useful. If you know the warning signs then pack your bag and get the hell out of there. Fast.

I must give credit to Veronica Varlow at this point. A while back when I found myself in a similar situation I read her article, “7 Tricks Manipulators Use To Get You To Do Anything They Want”. It is well worth reading and shows you that no matter how famous someone is, no matter what the job is, there is always a chance that the shoot can turn into your worst nightmare.

Trick #1 - I thought you were a professional...?

Your desire is the easiest thing to use against you. A manipulator will ask you questions about your sincerity and question your ambition. They will tell you the only way to get your break is to do the things they are asking you to do. They will question your professionalism and your ability to work in the industry.

“How bad do you want it?”

“I thought you were a professional model, don’t be a prude!”

“I can’t even see you from behind the camera, I’m not looking at you, I’m looking at the shot!”

Trick #2 - They make you feel inadequate

They use veiled or even direct insults to make you feel inadequate. They put themselves in a position of authority and make you feel so insecure about yourself, using anything they can against you. It maybe your age, your complexion, your figure or posing ability. Once they have you feeling completely inadequate they use your need for approval against you to get you to undress or into a position where you are completely vulnerable.

“Do you get much work then?”

“Have you thought about a modelling course?”

“It’s just easier if I show you how to pose...”

NEVER LET A PHOTOGRAPHER CROSS INTO YOUR PERSONAL SPACE OR TOUCH YOU ON A SHOOT!

Trick #3 - They will act like they are going out of their way for you

The most difficult thing about this kind of situation is that everything comes across like a friendly suggestion to “help you” see where you are going wrong. They will act like they have a vested interest in your success and that the things they are suggesting are only for the benefit of your career.

“You see how this outfit make you look bigger? If you lose this then we can make that same shot look top notch”

“It’s really difficult to get a shot here, is there a bedroom we could use?”

“I’ll edit / crop the photo so you can’t see anything but we need to do it like this to get the shot”

Trick #4 - They will compare you to others

They will talk about other models they have shot with and how natural they were, how much fun they were to work with and how busy those models are with bookings. They will intimate that you are none of these things, but if you do what they are asking you will have a chance at breaking the industry, fame and recognition.

“Have you seen the images on my port? You see that model Miss X, now there’s a true professional. She has no qualms about doing XYZ and she’s impossible to get bookings with now.”

Trick #5 - Two or more people telling you the same thing will make you feel like they are right and you are uptight, immature and a prude

Any situation where an assistant, PA or other person condones the behaviour of the photographer will always make you question why you are feeling weird about a situation.

“Speak to any of the models I’ve worked with”

“Your agency has booked you for this. I’ve been doing this for over 30 years now, I’ve worked with hundreds of girls and I know how to get the best out of you.”

Trick #6 - They will make you feel like you are backing out of a contract and that not complying is career suicide

“I’ve already paid you for this booking, it’s my time that is being wasted here”

“If you want future work, I suggest you learn how to take direction”

“If you nail these images then you’ll definitely go on my list of regular bookings”

Trick #7 - They will attack you personally

“Look your complexion isn’t the best is it?”

“You’ll never make it as a model, you’re so uptight you look like a lump of wood”

Situations like this can escalate so fast you barely have time to recognise what is happening. After my bad experience I felt disgusting, cheap and completely inadequate. I burst into tears immediately and was shaking so bad I could barely dial the number of my friend to tell her what had happened.

Lucky for me I knew things were going bad and walked away physically unharmed.

Number one rule - know the signs. Safety first.

Phoenix Rain is a leading female fitness coach, writer, part-time model and full-time supermum. for more articles, videos and tips on model fitness and help with disordered eating visit her at www.phoenixrainfitnesstraining.com