So, you want to be a model?
You want to be a model? Has someone taken pictures of you? Congratulations! You're a model.
That is probably a bit came across as more factitious than it was supposed to. There is a thriving culture of people who model simply for the sake of it. To just have fun, to get some great pictures of themselves and to work with creatives bringing a vision to life. All you have to do is find a photography group on Facebook and make a post to the affect of "Aspiring model, looking for a photographer" and you'll have dozens, if not hundreds of people lined up at your door.
But I am coming at this as a photographer, not a model. And as a photographer, I want you to know that there's a lot of DWACs (politely: dudes with a camera; impolitely, change the initial word to something else that starts with D); guys who are just looking to take pictures of pretty girls. Some of them are going to try and get you naked. Some of them are going to try and get you in bed with them. Some of them are actually good photographers. (https://www.theguardian. com/commentisfree/2014/jun/17/terry-richardson-new-york-magazine-model (remove the space to make the link work)). I'm not passing judgement on models who want to shoot nekid, or want to shoot p0rn or anything like that, I just want models to be in charge of who they are and how they are presented.
So: set your boundaries. A lot of models will say things like "I'm down for anything", but there's a lot of anythings, and if you don't want to find yourself naked, and coated in honey holding a stuffed pheasant (https://www.diyphotography.net/.../2015/02/preservation8.jpg), then you need to decide that ahead of time. Again, I'm not saying that being naked and coated in honey is bad if that's the art you want to make, just that *you* are in control of how you are presented. Don't let the photographer talk you into doing things you don't want to do. You are free to change your boundaries as you gain experience and/or confidence.
Safety is important, and while the photographer is responsible for that, you are the ultimate arbiter of what you are willing to do. "Hey go stand on the edge of that cliff and spin around so your skirt flairs." You might have the balance of a mountain goat and never get dizzy. Or you might start to stumble after half a rotation. You need to understand the risks, and judge for yourself what you are comfortable with. "Here's a pheasant. Now take off all your clothes while I go get the honey." Again, you are the one in front of the camera, you and only you get to decide what you're comfortable doing. A lot of photographers exploit a perceived power dynamic to convince models to do things they're not comfortable with.
I'm not saying it's wrong for you to shoot anything you choose to shoot, just that you need to be the one in control of what you choose to shoot. Pick your photographers carefully, especially when starting out. There are, unfortunately, too many dudes with cameras out there who treat a photographer like Terry Richardson as a hero.
Making money modelling
You want to get paid as a model? That's a bit more complicated. There are different types of modelling. You need to decide which ones you want to do. Here's a brief list: https://www.hitechmoda.com/post/types-of-models .
While there is paid work to be found this side of the border, there's not a lot. Many models have taken to asking the photographer for money, frequently traveling about the province, country, or world and charging photographers for the pleasure of shooting with them.
But of course, there are photographers out there who charge models for the pleasure of taking their photos, and I've always maintained there should be a way where creatives don't have to charge other creatives to make a living. Which brings us back to paid commercial work. I don't have a lot of experience with this, sorry. You might want to find some photographers who do commercial work and find out how they line up models for their work. Some go through agencies. Some work with people they work with. You can also talk to people who do what you want to do. I can introduce you to a few people, if you like.
Another way to make money as a model is to sell your own work. Only Fans is one way, but there's an implication that your work has to be lurid. It doesn't, but it's harder to find people who want to support you if you're doing, say fashion blogging than if you're demonstrating s*x toys. And, while everyone hears stories about people who are making thousands of dollars a month, becoming a successful OF model is a lot like becoming a professional hockey player; it's a lot of hard work and only a few get really successful doing it. Again, you should find a few people who are doing what you want to do and talk to them, because posting an open question like this here tends to attract the photographers, not the models, to comment.
This is written as an observer, not from experience. I’m thinking about finding some models and some photographers to interview and add to this section, but we’ll see.
Expectations
If you want to be a model, there are a few things expected of you.
Be professional. Even if you are shooting for free, put your best foot forward. Show up on time and ready to shoot.
Bring something. A lot of models assume that the photographer knows what mood they’re looking for. This is not always the case; don’t be a tabla rasa for the photographer to paint a vision on. Ask questions. Offer options.
Take directions. While being a completely blank slate is bad, being inflexible is just as bad. Photography is collaborative art, and sometimes you can’t see what the photographer sees.
Be well fed, well watered and well rested. Don’t show up inebriated.