Safety Tips for Models
Don’t worry, modeling can be loads of fun, give you bags of confidence and be very rewarding. But of course, like in most walks of life, whilst most people you work with will be helpful, friendly professional and honest, there are a few exceptions and, just like any other job or social situation, you need to guard yourself against the potential risks. The following list is intended as a helpful guide but is by no means exhaustive – you should always assess the risks of every situation individually.
Don’t give out your personal information – set up a free email address just for receiving images so if it gets clogged with spam or someone won’t leave you alone you can just shut it down and start a new one.
You might need to exchange mobile phone numbers with the photographer to ensure proper communication. Only do this on the day of the shoot or the night before and if possible either don’t do it at all (you can often still message each other over the internet if you both have 4G) or have a second cheap PAYG phone just for modeling.
Always try to take a chaperone – if you are under 18 years old, this is compulsory but even if you are older you should still take one if possible. Don’t work with any photographer who says you can’t bring a chaperone – even if you don’t intend on bringing one, someone insisting you’re not allowed to bring one is a definite red flag.
If you can’t take a chaperone and your satisfied you’ll be OK without one (e.g. you’ve worked with the photographer before and the location is a safe one out in public) still make sure you tell someone you trust where you are going, who you are with and what time you expect to be finished. Make sure you have a FULLY CHARGED mobile phone and agree to phone them at a certain time when the shoot is due to finish and half way through a longer shoot so they know you are OK.
If you have agreed to accept a lift to and from the shoot, make sure you still have the means to get home on your own if you need to bail out of the shoot. Never give out your home address – agree to be picked up and dropped off in a safe, visible, public place.
Agree the “levels” well before the shoot. This means it should be made very clear and explicitly agreed if you are going to be fully clothed (and if so, what sort of clothes you will be modeling in) or if you will be modeling lingerie, swimwear, topless, art nude, etc. NEVER let the photographer talk you in to something you aren’t comfortable with and has not been properly agreed to before the shoot.
Think very carefully about what “levels” you are willing to work to. Once a photo is taken, the photographer owns the copyright and it could stay on the internet indefinitely whether you like it or not.
Take extra care when shooting out on location. Location shoots often take place in secluded unfamiliar places miles away from anywhere. Make an extra effort to take a chaperone in these instances, do some research about where you are going and make sure you can get home on your own if you have to. Make sure you’ll have a good phone signal where you’re going. Save these remote location shoots for photographers you’ve worked with before and trust, it’s just common sense not to agree to spend the day alone in the middle of nowhere with a complete stranger!
Carry a personal attack alarm, this is normally enough to unsettle an attacker enough for you to get away from them. A can of hairspray makes a good pretend pepper spray too and wont land you in court either! Photographers are people too so carrying a concealed knife or other weapon is not only illegal but is bound to freak them out and make them feel unsafe – how would you feel if you noticed that the person you were with was hiding a weapon in their bag!! Waving a weapon like a knife at an attacker can also make things worse as they could use it on you in a panic to defend themselves.
Remember that all of the above is just a precaution; don’t let all this put you off! Almost all photo shoots go off without any major hitches and are rewarding and enjoyable experiences for all involved but it never hurts to take some sensible precautions!