Modeling and Age Discrimination

About three weeks ago I worked with a model I’d never worked with before. She is gorgeous in every way. Polite, intelligent, beautiful skin, gorgeous full and shiny hair and an amazing fit body. As long as a person is of legal age I don’t really care how old they are. If they suit the look I’m going for then I really could care less beyond getting the job done. But I was stunned by what she told me. She mentioned that in her experience many people were turned off by her age. She perfectly recalled an occasion, when a photographer she had just finished shooting with asked her age. When she told him he visibly expressed shock and immediately became dismissive and treated her horribly. I personally just don’t understand the obsessiveness with age. Clearly this model was perfect before the photographer knew her age. I was appalled and very disappointed in this photographer’s behavior. It makes the entire industry seem so very very superficial.  All we really want or really need is a competent and talented subject to meet the criteria of the task. 

I might have known that something was off when she asked the average age of the models I typically work with early in the photo shoot. She was unnaturally interested. When I mentioned all ages she was visibly but pleasantly surprised. I clearly remember saying, “I don’t have an age limit. I only have qualifications. If a person suits those qualifiers then I don’t care. If she is slightly older then all the better since statistics tend to suggests that more mature models are more reliable.” Then she told me her story. I couldn’t get over how someone calling themselves a professional could behave in such a manner. In her estimation, anyone over 30 years of age was at a horrible disadvantage. Clearly she had been shaken and somewhat discouraged by her experiences and given her talent and her looks I was simply baffled why anyone so beautiful might have developed such a distrust and negative attitude about the industry at large.

It didn’t take me long to realize she was not alone. I did a bit of research and spoke to a few colleagues and other models. While there are certainly more mature models working, many have experienced some form of push back when they revealed their age. It wasn’t because they didn’t look the look, walk the proverbial walk or that they didn’t meet all the criteria of the task - NO! It was only because of their age; a simple number that often disqualified them from further consideration.

When did we become so shallow a society to care how old or how young a person is if they perfectly suit the task at hand? In fact, I have argued that on occasion it might be more attractive to seek out a slightly more mature model because of their attention to detail, their work ethic and dedication. Paid or unpaid, collaboration or commissioned, I have never had a model over 30 years of age not show up. From a marketing perspective, any smart person would know that models in their 40s, 50s and 60s is a rapidly growing and sought after group due to the amount of products and services seeking that demographic. More specifically, the amount of quality images needed to promote products to that group is rapidly expanding. It is quite simply, a smart move to work with this rapidly expanding market. If anything, this photographer should be bowing and pleading for the pleasure. But even that is not really the argument here. The lack of common business sense is argument enough for the imbecile that has a problem with age. But what truly perturbs is the fact that this age-nazi expressed no problem whatsoever until he or she actually learned the model’s age. It’s baseless and ignorant to age discriminate for any reason short of not being able to perform the task and that can be true of any person at any age. 

This photographer, whomever they are is simply a fool. It was a tactless thing to do, a blatant lack of professionalism and it shames me to know that someone as kind and as beautiful as this model has to endure such ridicule for being who she is. 

Lucky for me I did photograph her and quite frankly I loved every second of it. She was perfectly qualified, punctual, experienced, respectful, communicable and gorgeous. What else could I possibly want? All things being equal she was perfect and I don’t care how old she is beyond being of legal age. 

What Are We Shooting?

What photography do we like to do? Naturally, paid assignments take priority. That's a given. But we're fans of most photography if not all. However, for publishing and personal projects, fashion, beauty and avant garde take priority. We’re also major fans of fitness in general so most opportunities to shoot fitness under the right circumstances we’re willing to do. The truth is, we're more likely to take on a fashion editorial or even a fitness project over a lingerie one. It's just our taste. 

The trends lately has favored glamour and lingerie. While we love beautiful lingerie and glamour as much as the next person it has become our priority to take on such projects with extreme tastefulness while still being sexy and stimulating. Too often have we witnessed lingerie slide slowly into distaste and pointless sexual exhibitionism. We're convinced that lingerie can still be gorgeous, sexy and sensual without going too far. We've use Victoria's Secret as a benchmark. They've always been tasteful, sexy, glamorous and beautiful without overstepping decency. They have found that perfect balance of what we coin as "acceptable sin." But there is nothing sinful about looking, wanting and being sexy and even showing it off a little. We'll be exploring this topic more in forthcoming issues of Sircus Magazine.

Swimwear is wonderful; the beach, the water, sunshine; who wouldn't love it? Categorically, it's nowhere in the vicinity of lingerie to us. Same amount of skin showing - perhaps less, but it's just not the same. We akin a well poised swimwear photo shoot to a fashion one. We approach it the same way. We still consider accessories and lighting and props. Our fav is swimwear with separates like jackets, heels, and clutches. If we can bring fashion to the beach we're down for it. 

Art nude is also a favorite of ours. Strangely, it is one of the most sublime and less sexualized than one might think. It is far more about light sculpting and mood than about the person; It's an exploration that admires and highlights the human form. It takes a special person to do art nude modeling and a special team to shoot them. We're fortunate to have done a few and we have always been pleased with the results. 

For the more immediate future the plan for publishing will fashion editorials, beauty and avant garde. Naturally, we will always consider different ideas all throughout the year. Our TF or "trade for" assignments are minimal to almost non existent. Currently, nearly every shoot is a paid assignment by a client or model or used almost strictly for print magazine publishing or online publishing. It doesn't mean an immediate "No." It just means we want our minds blown about an idea before we will even consider it. 

We will keep you up to date as events unfold for 2014.

Sircus Magazine Issue 6 is Coming

Schedules and release dates have been moved, changed and updated but we are working diligently to bring you Issue 6 of Sircus Magazine.

There will be new faces and new pics and if all bodes well, one of your fav faces (and body) will be back for i.6 if not soon. We will be keeping you posted. But if you can't stand it like we can't wait, Issue 5 is here NOW at www.sircusmagazine.com. Don't wait!

Until then, enjoy this incredible pic by model Kristi Wright. As always she is definitely easy on the eyes and born to do it; modeling that is.

We're looking forward to more Kristi and of course we're super excited about the new things and new faces coming to issue 6. It's bound to be a blast.

If you've missed Kristi as much as some of you have expressed, you can catch her spread right now in Issue 5.

Stay tuned....

Sircus Magazine Issue 5

Sircus Magazine Issue 5

By SIRCUS Magazine in Sircus Magazine

52 pages, published 7/16/2013

Popular photo-centric magazine by Helios Digital Imaging & Graphic Design featuring a variety of fashion, beauty, avant grade, cosplay, glamour and lingerie photography from a plethora of different models. Additional issues to include themed shoots, articles about local artists, events and popular culture.

Lingerie

Untitled, a photo by helios00 on Flickr.

Beautiful blonde photographed by Helios.

Independence Day

Independence Day, a photo by helios00 on Flickr.

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All Rights Reserved
Unauthorized use is prohibited
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ID4

ID4, a photo by helios00 on Flickr.

Sexy ID4 pic of model and fitness enthusiast Trexie Dorrell

Kim Jonet for Sircus Magazine

Being nude isn't what it use to be

I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t wake up and decide I wanted to do this. Nor did I sit quietly as a child and gaze dreamily into nothingness fantasizing about life as a glamour photographer. I’m still not a glamour photographer by trade. However, I’ve always said that you have to give the people what they want and right now that’s glamour. But what has me mystified as of late are varying definitions of what constitutes “nudity.” While it might be argued that society has reveled in a flagrant glorification of sexuality as of late, it still perplexes me how something so obvious can be so ambiguous. 

As more and more clients, models and just curiosity seekers began pursuing my photographic services, there has been increase in the amount of people wanting glamour and boudoir photography sessions. Don’t get me wrong, I find nothing more glorious than a well defined human body or any body for that matter. the human form is a work of art. Yet, I can’t help thinking that art is taking a back seat to an over glorification of sex and sexuality in general. Most of what we see isn’t even art. It’s just plain and simple flagrant sexualization for no reason at all. There is a vast difference in people that shoot glamour well vs those that just shoot naked and scantily clad people. It’s a matter of taste and style. I’ve found my style and place within the genre. I steer clear of those shoots that don’t reflect my level of taste and style.

But all of the aforementioned things belong in a posts all their own. What really has me baffled are the different definitions of nude I run in to. Of course everyone is familiar with “implied” nudity. These are cases where no unmentionables are visible; unmentionables like genitalia or breasts. Yet, there are other situations where full breasts are visible but a model or client says it’s implied because it covers genitalia. Then there are situations where a model is totally nude but her back is to the viewer. This is often considered implied because no breasts or genitalia are visible even though it is “implied” the subject is totally naked despite how obvious it may be. It's just a matter of visibility. Or is it? My mother or father wouldn’t say that was implied. They would be offended as would I had I not been learned in the nuances of art and what the industry has become.

How you define "nude" as a glamour or boudoir photographer or a client seeking these services will determine your publishing rights and your ability to comfortably interact with agencies, licensing stock companies, model releases and ultimately working with your subject or photographer. I recently had a model who sought out my services for her own reasons (who knows what they were). I agreed to shoot lingerie and other articles with an understanding that my pursuits were more fashion oriented. In other words... clothed with a magazine ad vibe and stye. Why? Because no matter how beautiful she is, I prefer images for myself that has a marketable commercial appeal for sake of attracting a broader client base. Being a pro glamour model, it wasn’t long before she resorted to old habits. I didn’t mind. I’m a professional after all. I’m shooting tasteful boudoir and glamour shots all session long. Besides we pre-agreed that a few shots of such a nature were fine as long as it didn’t go too far as determined by her own level of comfort and my creative style.

Aside from some obvious ego eccentricities she manifested, the results were okay and along the lines of what I expected from her. She was stunning but somewhere along the line a person’s personality colors how you view them. Whether that is good or bad has yet to be determined. I’m still confused over this shoot. I can’t even determine if it was productive or not.

When the time approached for us to both go over the model release, she wanted a special notation that she didn't want any nude images published. I immediately said, “why did you shoot nude if I can’t publish you?” What good do these images really do me? That is the point of this session. I mean, I didn’t even care to see you naked...ever.  Nothing trumps my necessity to publish and advertise short of monetary compensation for the session. Furthermore, I didn’t ask her for anything nude. She volunteered herself for it. She asked if I thought it was okay to pull certain articles off. I said, only if she felt comfortable. They were of her own choosing. She asked me after all. Maybe she was in the moment and didn’t care until the end. Then I knew how ambiguous the term “nude” had become so I asked, “what do you consider nude?” She replied, “I don’t want my breasts to show.” I asked, “why did you show them then?” I reminded her that other images of her that I’d seen taken by other photographers were nude. She said that she didn’t shoot nude with just any ole’ photographer and that there were only a few nude pictures of her in her portfolio. I’m thinking that ‘you just did a nude photo shoot; at least in part. I was here... remember.’ But in her model profile she wrote that she would shoot nude if it’s for a big magazine like Playboy or something. So, I think Oh... this is a vanity thing not a matter of personal decency or comfort level or anything like that. 

I got complimented and condescended to in one sentence. Wow! She is good with the word play. Either that or she’s super dumb. I don’t know. To paraphrase, “I’ll be naked and published for Playboy but you’re nothing and yet I choose to be naked with you. But you can’t show anybody cause I don’t want anyone to know I was this way for a mundane but equally qualified professional photographer.” What????!!!!! Is this a just 'keep this between us' moment cause if so, it was not as good for me as her ego told her it was. Let me re-iterate. She is probably considered by most to be beautiful. It just wasn’t enough to offset her unusual level of vanity and inflated ego. 

But this post isn’t really about beauty. It’s about what is nude and defining it clearly for yourself and your prospective subjects. It went back and forth to the point of my frustration and it came down to nipple coverage. So, I’m thinking what in the hell just happened? I mean, really? So she’s wearing nothing but her skin in front of a stranger and went thru every possible glamour pose of her own choosing and she’s worried about... nipples? Really? Are you using that pen you're signing the release with to sign over a fat check for what started out as a barter session?

Maybe I’m just too socially conservative to handle this kind of back and forth. Nude is nude. I know my grandmother would say that a panty/bra set is butt naked and burn her own eyeballs out if she saw a Victoria’s Secret ad on television. But times are changing and what we call “implied” will eventually become full nude and the current nude may become adult photography. Just like fashion photography is now borderline avant garde and regular portraits are more like fashion photography. Unless you’re the CEO of a financial institution, a basic portrait just won’t cut it. If you don’t agree then you’re not doing it right. 

I’m still perplexed and mystified over this particular photo shoot. I’m not quite sure what to make of it. This is all the more reason that I’ve limited my barter work. There are almost always issues. 

What do you call nude?