Pervy Photographers And Black Market Porn
A model shares her experience
Photographers are not named. Isabelle’s modelling is not featured to avoid confusion between what she says/who she’s referring to.
“Instagram models” in Singapore.
In the past it was people who wanted pretty photos for their feed. Then “influencers”, who made people realise better feeds could get them sponsorships, free shit. So more sought photographers who could help them take “elevated selfies”.
Some GWCs are “real” photographers, others just want to hit up pretty girls.
Why model?
I didn’t see many plus-sized models; most were in the lingerie/boudoir scene. None were as popular as XMMs.
I’m bigger sized, have noticeable chest tattoos. Often Singaporean girls who bear their tits online have a similar jobs in nightlife, dance, etc.
I’ve a different career; I wanted to break that stereotype. It’s both for acceptance and sexualising myself. People have told me I’ve helped them gain confidence.
Model-photographer relationships.
Shoots usually spread word-of-mouth. Other photographers will scroll the model’s Instagram, study their face/body, followers. Models follow many photographers, scope the best to get the photos they want. Exposure goes both ways.
Photographers have more authority than models. I know photographers who didn’t like their models’ (justified) attitudes and sent them <5 photos. Usually you get~10. Getting 3 photos from a shoot would scare me—what did the photographer do with the 200 others?!
Pervy photographers and black market porn.
1.
The photographer for my second shoot wanted implied-nudity boudoir. Noob me didn’t realise “implied” means not at all. I went in naked.
He posted my photos with the caption “I don’t want people to like Isabelle just for her assets”. It’s like he’s saying “Don’t look at her tits!” on a picture of my tits!
2.
On a “Singapore Models and Talent” group chat, someone asked if models need contracts. A photographer argued that contracts allow models to “abuse their power”.
I disagreed, even agency models use release forms. Models have the right to law-binding consent. Contracts especially affect freelance models on TFC (“Time For Collaboration”) shoots.
Another photographer sent models photos of sex toys he’d bought, asked them to if they’d play with them and sleep with him. The admins took >1 month to kick him out of the chat.
3.
A notorious malaysian photographer has a history of pushing models to do more than discussed.
I understand sending pictures, no one’s going to let photographers judge their bodies in-person. But even if he promised he’d delete my photos/made me delete them on my side, there’s auto-download. So when I sent him photos I censored my nipples. He replied “Very shy to expose your nipples eh Hahaha”.
I’ve stopped photographers on shoots I’ve accompanied my friends to for wrong behaviour. So I asked:
Also, it’s fucking disgusting for photographers to say they get agitated if the model brings a friend along.
Later, on this photographer’s second Instagram account, I saw a model comment on a shoot he had done with her:
My friend once found her photos on SG Nasi Lemak. Fake IG accounts then posted screenshots of them with disgusting captions.
“Models sexualise themselves”.
Some just want sponsorships. I want to show diversity. I have friends who sell sexualised photos of themselves; but they manage themselves.
Some models don’t even ask where their photos will go. Others even have a “fuck it” mentality if they’re already deep into a shoot, to just hope the photographer will honour what they’ve discussed.
Terms and conditions.
After a year of modelling, I now bring a release form:
- I get to bring a girlfriend on-set
- I decide where my photos can go. They must not be circulated on Tumblr or group chats.
