> Re PF member's exhibits at http://www.rit.edu/~andpph/gallery.html > Andrew Davidhazy - Figure > Not over-impressed by this image she looks uncomfortable. Do you use any > special techniques to get the lady to go naked? One college I was at said > they used hypnotism. Some of our UK colleges get their models from ladies > who have committed minor offences such as shoplifting and are doing > community service. I understand hypnosis is used there too. Any comments? I put an ad in the local newspaper and state clearly that I am looking for figure models and that a small fee will be paid and photos provided. If someone answers then I make doubly sure they understand it is nude modeling the ad talks about. Usually the conversation ends right there and we never work together. But once in a while I make a connection to people who have either already have worked as figure models for "life drawing" classes or who simply understand and want to collaborate and obtain not only the fee but also some photographs of themselves. I am not sure about working with someone under duress such as you mention might be done in the UK - I don't think that asking someone, or even offering a chance, to do "community service" by taking their clothes off is ethical or proper. But if a request is broadcast widely and some people find the opportunity of interest under the given, prestated, conditions then the situation is different. Even so, once I was quite taken aback at one model who told me, as we were working, she was only there for the fee because she had financial problems. I would have stopped the session right there but decided to give her credit for her "gumption" to deal with life's problems and recognize her effort. We worked on stroboscopic motion photographs and you saw one of them a few weeks ago. I have also offered the opportunity to have a portrait according to a couple of samples I provide the station (nude portraits) made over local public broadcasting network when they try to auction off goods and services to keep their operation afloat. Last year several people bid on the opportunity and I made the photograph (she brought her husband to the session - who was not very intrusive at all and let us work in peace although I did share the polaroids as they were being made with him). This "ruse" is great because I get a model without having to ask anyone, the model gets a photograph they hopefully like and the station gets the bid money. We all benefit in some way. The only drawback is that in this case I did not require that the model sign a model release although I asked if it would be OK to include the image in gallery exhibitions, etc. and got a verbal ok. andy PS: BTW, I do not photograph students at our university although once one came back 2 years after graduation and asked for a Phoenix Process figure portrait.
