| Our Models and Model Releases
We bring you the best models! We provide legal, industry standard releases, not legally questionable promotional releases other workshops provide. We’re providing this article to educate photographers on the pitfalls of many workshops that and to showcase the type of talent we utilize at all our workshops. It’s our policy and belief that models deserve to get paid and as an attendee, you deserve to showcase your workshop photos legally, not questionably. First, let’s talk about our top-quality glamour, fashion and editorial models. We strive to always bring you the best, in fact, we’re so known for our talented models, that we rarely if ever advertise in advance the models appearing at our workshops. Many workshops will provide a long list of models and many no-show the workshop. Many workshop “promoters” will tease you with promises of certain models, but if you read the fine print, “subject to change” really means don’t count on all the models advertised. That’s not our policy, we just ensure you’ll have top talent, period! Our models come from all walks of life, some of the more notable ones came from appearances on Deal or No Deal, one was on the most recent American Idol as one of the Top 12 Finalists and the media wrote that she was probably the most sexist contestant ever–oh, she model at workshop before and after her appearance on television, We strive to bring you published models to, some have appeared in Maxim, European Maxim as a cover model (not the Hometown Hotties, real editorial photo essays), Playboy Playmates, international agency represented fashion models, FHM, commercial advertising, Playboy Special Editions, Penthouse, state beauty pageant winner, Miss Hawaiian Tropic International, MTV music videos, and even the television show CSI Miami plus much, much more! We always exhaust all possibilities to ensure you get top-quality models–besides, our models get paid so they have more incentitive unlike the workshops with promised prints and promotional releases. The models below have attended our previous workshops and some will attend future workshops–you will get this caliber of models always and this is just a few that have modeled for many of our workshops.
(Just some of our models!)
(Just some of our models!) Models know in “our” photography workshops they get compensated monetarily, not with half-promises. They know we’re the best workshop to model for, not just because we have more credentials with our host alone than other workshops have in combined instructors, but because we ensure our models (and our make-up artists) receive more than promises of photos from the mentors and attendees–hence why our models tend are exclusive to our glamour, beauty and nude workshops and why we provide you top models. We also require you do your part in letting the talent know you’re happy with their hard work, none of this is ever hidden, always upfront on our workshop web pages and email updates. Rest assured, when models know they’ll receive compensation for their efforts, they will give you more than a 110% effort. Our models aren’t “suckered” into signing “promotional” releases which top attorneys frown on. Our models will sign “full-releases” (with only adult/porn restrictions to protect the model) not questionable promotional releases. Promotional releases are nasty and if ever challenged in court, well let’s just say, that’s probably why you’re in court. No photo stock agency, magazine, or credible publication will ever accept a promotional release. In fact, the Cambridge Dictionary defines promotional as “intended to advertise something.” Advertising is a commercial. Our model release system is tested tough in the past seven years and designed to protect you and the model–there is never a question of what is promotional and what is commercial use. Promotional is the adjective for promotion. Advertising is a commercial. ad·ver·tis·ing (dvr-tzng) n. Our model releases are always voluntary for our attendees and our workshop terms allow only use of the images in your professional printed portfolio if you choose not to sign releases with our models. We encourage full-releases, which we provide, between you and the model for a small fee–usually from $40 to $100 per model, paid directly to the model. The majority of our workshops the voluntary model release fee is $50, only our one-on-one workshop are higher. We supply the releases for the model and your protection and we never take a dime from the model. In fact, we pay for our model’s transportation, meals and lodging, more than any other workshop today. Our releases allow the use of your images taken at our workshop for your on-line portfolios, websites and commercial use. For releases to be valid, a model has to receive something of value–what’s $50 for two days of hard work? While you’re sleeping in bed, models are usually up at the crack of dawn in make-up. Note: If you’ve ever attended a workshop or model/photographer event where a model signed a promotional release and you failed to supply her with images or something of value, that release is invalid. Also, if a group of models signed one release for one photographer, especially if it was photo-copied and given to all the photographers, the validity is seriously questionable. Ever wonder why mentors and VIP’s in other events use their own releases and not the promotional event releases they hand out for their own event? That’s why they’re pros, well, more like cons. We do it right for you and the model! Think of our releases as an added incentive for the models to work harder for you verses promises of prints. Knowledgeable attorneys frown on promotional releases because anything of “promotion,” like posting photos on model and photography sites, forums, on-line portfolios, personal websites, etc., is in fact a “commercial” for your work and abilities. Don’t be suckered into these workshops where models are also suckered. In fact, we’ve heard the horror stories from many models of these (promotional release) workshops and it’s unfortunate. We’ve proven that professional photographers know that models need proper compensation for their talent. A workshop is a place to learn and being up front with our releases is the way it’s done in the real world of photography and modeling, not promotional promises. Again, while it’s voluntary, we encourage our releases and ask that you budget appropriately for our models so we can continue to keep our costs down and pass them on to you while supplying top-quality models who understand it’s OK to be paid for their hard work. We settle for nothing less, top models for you, happy models for your camera and models that will work with you again as they respect your professionalism. |
