I am frequently asked by adult Webmasters, “Where do I find my models? How do I get them into those naughty poses?” And I often get comments like, “Wow, that girl looks just like my next door neighbor… she was willing to do THAT on film?” My answer to that is always a resounding, “Yes!”How is it done? The answer to that is the focus of this article – how to work with female amateur models. One of the first things you must do when working with amateur models is properly screen them, to separate the “flakes” from the truly “motivated.” I have shot over 120 models, and it is my belief that over 99% of them were in it for the money. Of course, it would be nice to think (or fantasize) that these attractive females are here because they are horny, but this is just not the case. I can only remember working with one model that was not looking for money – she just wanted to experience the thrill of being a porn model. This lady actually had a Masters degree in architecture and was already gainfully employed. But, even in her case, it was tough when it came to negotiating her compensation. In fact, she felt she deserved more than the industry standard because of her background and education!

On more than one occasion, I have shot college girls whose phones would have been turned off if they didn’t make a payment in two days. The bottom line is that when you work with amateur models, if they happen to be desperate and in need of money, they will often be motivated, and therefore very reliable.

Unlike professional porn models who have a lot of experience, amateurs have tons of questions. Even if you try to answer them all, many of them are likely to be “no shows” when it comes to the actual shoot. It takes a lot of patience to coax an amateur into trusting the photographer and feeling more comfortable about the modeling assignment. But, if you take the time to make them comfortable, they will be more willing to give you that “extra” effort when you need it. Here are some of the things I do to help models become comfortable:

Safety

Undoubtedly, safety is a model’s ultimate concern. They have to know that you are legitimate and that they will be safe working with you. They also need to know whatever you are planning to produce is legal. Past model references as well as samples of your work will be helpful in this regard.

Another safety concern is STDs. Our company requires a recent (within the last 30 days), negative HIV test result if the model will be working with anyone else. This is the standard of the adult video industry and I believe it should be the standard for the adult Web industry as well. The only acceptable exception would be if the models were husband and wife. Be sure you let your models know that this requirement is for her safety as well as for the protection of her working partner(s). Many photographers do not insist on HIV tests because they are afraid of losing the model for the shoot due to the expenses of getting the test done. In my opinion, insisting that they get tested only makes you more professional – not to mention it covers your behind legally.

Compensation

Complete and full compensation should be paid to models at the end of each session. Models work hard for their money and unlike in traditional show biz, most of them don’t have any residual income, which makes it even more important that they are well compensated for their modeling sessions.

Full-Disclosure

Everything you plan to shoot should be carefully disclosed and agreed to by the models. Don’t assume that just because you are paying someone good money, she will agree to do anything and everything you ask. In an earlier experience for me, I had a model who agreed to pose for a full boy/girl session with double penetration, so we all assumed that she would have no problem with some of the less hardcore scenes. We were surprised when she absolutely refused to pose for peeing shots. In another instance, I explained to a model who was new to the biz that I needed some “pink shots.” She agreed. But again, to my surprise, while she was OK with vaginal pink shots, she refused to do anal pink shots. Her reasoning was that she did not think it was sexy. I can only blame myself for not having spelled it out for her.

Try to avoid industry terms such as “Playboy Style,” “Penthouse Style” and “Hustler Style.” Ten years ago, these terms had clear demarcations. But nowadays, Playboy shows angled spread shots and Penthouse shows boy/girl interaction and toys. There is virtually no difference in the sexual choreography of Penthouse and Hustler. The main difference is in the style and quality of the images. (Penthouse is much more glamorous and Hustler is more hardcore.) When I initially discuss the types of shots we’ll need in a modeling session, I make sure to use terms such as “spread shots,” “pink shots” and “insertion shots.” Once we pass the preliminary stage, I describe (in writing) the specific shots I will need and I always make sure that the model has agreed to everything before the booking.

A good way to do this is to email the models a laundry list of what to expect. Include things like what they need to bring with them to the set: two forms of ID, their HIV test result, wardrobe, shoes, make-up, matching underwear, nail polish, personal toys, favorite CDs, robe… even sun screen and bug spray! I also let them know what the sexual choreography will be, even down to what will be on the lunch menu.

It is of paramount importance that you discuss and agree to all the details beforehand. Nearly every model has a “limit” – something they just will not do. So it is wise to let the model know exactly what type of shots you’ll need. Many photographers use what I call a “go with the flow” method, which means they purposely avoid discussing the sexual chorography in detail in hopes of sweet-talking the model into doing what they want during the shoot. Well, I have never been very comfortable with the smooth and fast talking method, and that’s why I always email the model first. I itemize exactly what I want to shoot so we can make sure she is in full agreement. I believe that by removing all of the “unknowns,” the model will know what to expect and ultimately feel more comfortable – which of course helps to achieve the desired result.

Be Professional

By this I don’t mean be a professional photographer but rather, act professionally. Just because you’ve hired an amateur model to pose nude for you, it doesn’t mean she’s going to have sex with you (unless it’s part of your shoot and she was informed and agreed to it prior to the session). I can’t believe how many times I’ve been asked by inexperienced models whether it is normal for the photographer to try to have sex with them when it was not discussed beforehand. I guess this is one of those “go with the flow” techniques of work.

Other Talents

If you book a model to work with another model, make sure that they receive some personal information and pictures of each other prior to the shoot. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, make sure that both of them have a recently completed HIV test. That way, there won’t be any surprises when it comes time to have the two of them work together. This is true whether your female amateur model will be working with another girl or boy.

Minimize Anxiety

A detailed description of the shoot, including location, sets, wardrobe/costume, make-up, props/toys, climate, interaction with other models, and privacy are just a few more issues you will have to deal with to make the model feel more comfortable and to minimize anxiety during the shooting session.

Music

We ask models to bring their favorite CDs to help them get into the right mood. It makes it easier to relax when their preferred music is playing in the background.

Alcohol

Be very careful when serving alcohol during shoots. We want to avoid any possible legal claims that the model was drunk and coerced into doing something they would not have normally done if they were sober. Furthermore, if a model is intoxicated, it is very easy to trip over cables, lights and tripods. In addition, many models are not old enough to drink legally. Having said that, we do occasionally serve a glass of wine or offer a model (of legal age) a beer during the session to help them relax but you should never allow a model to become anywhere near intoxicated.

Drugs

Absolutely no drugs are allowed at our shoots. If we spot a model that seems to be high on something, we’ll send her home immediately. This is something we have zero tolerance for. At Neb Content, we do everything by the book, legally.

Here are some common “pit-falls” that every adult photographer should be aware of when working with amateur models:

Boyfriends and Husbands

Most amateur female models don’t consider themselves as porn stars. If they have a boyfriend or a husband, they won’t work with other male models (although most of them will work with other girls). Sometimes, they will work with their boyfriend or husbands – but be careful, we have learned from our experience that this can be a huge trap. Let me explain.

Have you ever wondered why major studios don’t hire new male talent? While there is a constant supply of new female talent each week, how come we keep seeing the same few male porn stars? The answer has to do with “performance under pressure.” Major studios spend thousands of dollars each day on a set to produce porn, and if an unproven, inexperienced male talent is unable to perform under the presence of a camera crew, make-up artist, producer and whomever else happens to be on the set – then everyone will be left standing around… which costs the producer money – for no footage.

When photographers work with amateur male talent, they have the same problem on a smaller scale. Neb Content usually has a two to three person camera crew (the two photographers are partners in the company), so our exposure is less and we can take a chance with boyfriends and husbands. In fact, we prefer to work with unknown talent to give our customers “real people next door” images. But when we do book a couple for a shoot, I always make sure that they’re aware that we are not responsible for any overtime if the male model is unable to perform. For example, we planned a half-day shoot with a husband and wife team once and the husband had tremendous difficulty maintaining an erection. The shoot lasted seven agonizing hours! Most of time was spent waiting for him to get hard just to snap a few pictures. Because I make clear we are not paying for any overtime, we did not incur any extra costs even though the shoot actually took seven hours to get the shots we needed.

Never Quote the Job by the Hours

The first two questions that come from a model are usually, “How much do you pay?” and “How long will it take?” We try to avoid quoting any job by hour. If you tell a model you’ll pay $100 per hour and the job is four hours, you can bet that if you are fifteen minutes over the four hours, she will ask for an additional $25. You can also reasonably predict that she’ll take her time getting ready for the shoot – completing paperwork, putting on make-up and changing wardrobes.

At Neb Content, we tell our models that we book our shoots either half-day or full-day. We can usually complete a half-day shoot in five hours and a full-day shoot in ten. However, we don’t quit until the job is done and overtime will not be paid (unless we decide to extend the shoot). The time quoted includes paper work, make-up, wardrobe changes and lunch breaks. Since we have shot so many models, we pretty much know what we can complete in a half-day or a full-day session. But since we can’t control how diligently a model will work during the session, we will not be financially responsible for it.

For example, we have no control over how long a model will take to complete the paperwork, to get ready for the shoot, or to change wardrobes. We can’t predict how long it will take her to change poses, or whether or not she will complain (and therefore slow us down) or if she is sore or if something hurts, etc. One model we shot took forty minutes to change outfits! This is definitely not reasonable! But if we do decide to extend the shoot (usually because we want to get an extra photo set), then we do offer the model an additional fee for the extra work involved.

No Shows

I have discussed this problem with several other glamour and adult photographers. No shows are just a natural part of the adult photography biz, especially if you are working with amateur models. Get used to it! Be prepared and don’t be surprised. After screening over 1,000 models and actually working with over 120 models, I’ve developed a pretty good “feel” for whether or not a model will show up to the shoot. Generally, if the model does well in following-up before the shoot (sending in sample pictures as requested, confirming by email, replying to our emails and phone calls), they are more likely to show. If you can’t get hold of someone the day right before the shoot to confirm, your odds are 50/50 if they will even show up.

If you get a feeling that the model might be a “no show,” don’t commit to a location rental, camera crew or other expenses until she does show. For example, call the rental studio and tell them you might have a no show and that you may need to re-schedule. If you are planning to shoot in a hotel, do not check in until you are sure the shoot is going to take place. A back-up plan is very desirable at this point. Instead of shooting a girl/girl shoot, your fallback plan may be a single girl shoot if one of them does not show.

Monthly Visitor

Make sure you don’t book any models for any time close to her monthly cycle. We all know the monthly visitor can come a few days early or few days late. Out of 120 models, we’ve had three models start their cycle in the middle of a shoot. Ironically, all three were on Depo-Provera shots. Needless to say, we had to stop shooting, clean up and reschedule.

It can be exciting and rewarding to work with amateur models, but it can require more “hand-holding” and understanding as well. As a photographer, it is your job to make sure your model is comfortable and you must establish a certain trust before any work can be scheduled. Treat all models with respect, be professional and try to avoid the pitfalls discussed above. Good luck and have fun!