Model Mayhem… For “professionals” only? HA!
Man, I received a message from my boss TG this morning that said: ” www.modelmayhem.com Seems you guys might have something to say about this site.” Ok, F.Y.I. I really have wanted to stay away from bashing and otherwise hating on other peoples way of doing what they do, art is relative, blah blah, but I can bite my tongue no longer… Modelmayhem.com I’m talking to you. Well not the website it self, but more so the people the website has become populated with. I’m sure there is a small population of actual models and photographers looking to network and do legitimate work. Sadly, those few are vastly overshadowed by the sheer skull melting number of “models” that look like they never got a call back from that Suicidegirls.com casting call and waiting for their “big break”! Everyone knows showing your tits means your a professional model, any minute now ladies you’ll be a star! Don’t get rid of that latex jumper just yet!
Then we have the what even modelmayhem fondly refers to in the FAQ section as “GWC’s” or Guy with camera, here is their definition straight from the site:
What is GWC?
GWC is an acronym for “Guy With Camera.” It’s a derogatory term for an amateur photographer. And it has taken the intraweb by storm thanks to MM. It usually implies that said guy is only interested in photography in order to get hot ladies to get nekkid for him.
That pretty much sums up a good 98% of photographers on this site. Not to worry fellas even though the site calls your scam out, there will always be nieve young models waiting to take their tops off for your “art” (boner material) that will one day make them famous! Take a look around, it looks like a fucking soft core porn site, of poor photographic caliber might I ad. The saying “everyone is beautiful” should be taken with a grain of salt in this case. Phew! Well, If you made it through the vomit of text I just spewed, I’d like to hear your thoughts. Especially if your a member of gothicgirlsgivemeboners.co…I mean, ModelMayhem.
heatherhanrahan
Aahhhhhhh, so refreshing. Doesn’t it feel good to get it out.
Oct 07, 2008 @ 4:13 pm
Freak
MM is like playing spin the bottle with cracked out Goth girls. I’m a DWC,
“Dude With Camera/Cock” and I tell it like it is…I shoot wanna be Pornstars looking for their “big break” and a big cock.
Nov 06, 2008 @ 3:17 pm
Kelli Miller
ha ha ha oh man. What a terrific story. I was amazed at the pot shots taken by photographers toward agencies. And allowed by model mayhem. WOW! funny how some photographers think they know everything and funnier how everyone is a model now.
Good luck MM in all you do. Some of your clients should be deleted from your site but really, in the end, the truth wins out.
chillin like a villan
KM
Feb 11, 2009 @ 6:21 pm
Former MMer
You guys shouldn’t be surprised. I have read several complaints online that the owner of Model Mayhem is involved in adult entertainment. I didn’t believe it until one of my own models was propositioned by “Tyler Adam” (the supposed owner of Model Mayhem).
Research the following link and see the complaints for yourself: http://www.ripoffreport.com/searchresults.asp?q5=model+mayhem&Search=Search&q1=ALL&q4=&q6=&q3=&q2=&q7=&searchtype=0&submit2=Search!
Apr 20, 2009 @ 4:52 pm
MAC
This is brilliant. I have known ‘photographers’ who shot for MM and ACTUALLY GAVE A LESSON/LECTURE/SESSION on how to shoot models???!!! WTF…Are you kidding? This same individual was also involved in the kidnapping of one of ‘his’ more popular models. Great company, great….err…..employees?? Simpletons shooting simpletons with photoshoped bodies (simply and poorly done I add) leads to a crap product that leads to the thought that ‘anyone can do it’. Professionals??? Professional what?? Answer…ASSCLOWNS.
Apr 23, 2009 @ 8:18 am
key
Where did the all the other Honorable photographer go????
Wow, I am a “guy with a camera” [1700.00 camera set] and have been doing beginners since 1990. Mostly glamour shoots for friends at the start and now the “unsuspecting public casual photographer”, that is to say I belong to a Ren-faire group and do 6-15 shoots a year.
I have thought about joining MM but the rate of rejections 75% depending on which moderator you get, well i will not open my life and its details to be judged by moderators that can not complete a simple sentence on their own profiles.
I have heard good thing about the site OMP [onemodelplace], or I’ll just stick to my favorite site for pic and well organized photos/people, the Deviant Art site is great.
Be Safe, Take a friend, use a safe call [call before you go anywhere with another - use public places w/camera for meetings - and a call after you think your safely alone at home].
98% of my work does not see the web except for email sample to the client.
oh, my profession, James Bond in a brief-case.
Key
Fact.
At a BBW shoot in Texas some years ago a BBW magazine from Calif. sent a lead-scout that was great and Honorable. On the other hand the video/camera photographer was leading on girls/ladies wanting sex for being included in the shoot and not even doing the session after he had sex with them. On the last day [3rd] drugs were involved. One of the last sessions was of a nice bbw lady pretending to be an office mgr. coming home and disrobing all the way to the bed and toys.
Question I would like to have answered,
“how many Pro-photographer VS non-Pro have attitude or want sex and before or after they will shoot the pictures/video?”
My answer,
“I speak to my models/friends making them feel relaxed and that is what it is all about [the inner light] and have had sex with 2, my girl friends at the time and I have seen as-much skin than a Doctor “.
Apr 29, 2009 @ 10:05 am
Patrick Melley
this is where the photos I used are located
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=178295105&albumId=1904194
this conversation left me asking who’s the key master lol
I have gone through all of the requirements and I meet every one. I am a photographer submitted 4 photo’s 3 different models all taken by me Gave a valid to the point description of why I am on the site in my about me. I am not an agency or a website I am just a photographer starting out. I am even going for a paid account I am not doing anything wrong on your requirement list now I am confused.
M.hana
May 24 09 03:18 pm
Hi,
Please check here for the requirements.
http://www.modelmayhem.com/reqs.php
The gatekeepers must have had an issue with your bio being about video or the image quality.
Thanks.
Add some more photos and press resubmit.
Imortalsaga Productions
May 24 09 03:20 pm
come on there is no way you can help me out. I have no way of knowing if I fill all of the requirements in the first place why I am still being told no.
Imortalsaga Productions
May 24 09 03:20 pm
ok thankyou
BlindMike
May 24 09 03:21 pm
As a modeling site, personal snapshots are unacceptable. We suggest you upload better examples of your work.
Imortalsaga Productions
May 24 09 03:31 pm
These are not personal snapshots they are actual paid jobs. unfortunately just starting out these are all I have and I got denied when I had the cleaned up shots up for try as well. I did fix the issue about the mentioning about my video and other services I provide to models. I tend to try for a more natural style instead of using a lot of artificial light I use what they already have to show there beauty.
Imortalsaga Productions
May 24 09 03:39 pm
ok then if you are not going to accept me you don’t need to withdraw the 6 bucks for the first month and if you have I’m going to be needing it back this is just plain wrong. the photo’s are the same resolution of all the others on your sight you just don’t like the lighting.
M.hana
May 24 09 04:06 pm
Your credit card is not billed unless you become active.
thanks
May 24, 2009 @ 4:50 pm
Dan
Granted much of what you say is true, but what you say about model mayhem is true of much of the internet. There are all sorts of sleazes and two bit hacks and “GWC” all over the net. Flickr, myspace, etc.
When I first started shooting portraits I joined MM and organised three successful shoots- contacting models and makeup artists via the site. This provided a good platform on which to build the beginnings of a portrait portfolio.
Like a lot of things you just need to be able to sift through the crap and be able to identify the types of people that you want to work with.
Through working in the photographic industry I have met all sorts of sketchy people- many of them photographers, some of them run model agencies.
A site like MM does provide a starting platform for photographers though, who are in the early stages of a photographic practice to network etc.
I agree with much of what you say but I feel that there is a legitimate place for these sorts of sites. The very nature of them is in fact flawed because as soon as you put them on the internet the scammers and pornographers etc. will flock. But short of not having them what else can be done? The screening may also be flawed but who can really judge the validity of someone’s photography when they may well be in the early stages.
May 26, 2009 @ 7:36 am
Glenn
Model Mayhem exists to make money. They make money by letting in any person that is alive and has a few photos of themselves or has taken a few photos of someone else.
There is nothing professional about the site, you cannot run a proper casting call or search for models, the population of photographers are mostly a bunch of creepy men looking to photograph their “fine art nudes” on the weekends. Models range from homely to attractive but mostly it’s a lot of people who have no idea what modeling is about and have no interest in actually modeling. (They just want to be told how beautiful they are.)
The forums on the site are filled with improper information from scam artists and fools but the moderators on the site feel that’s alright because everyone is allowed their opinion. (So bad information gets passed onto others as part of free speech.) To top it off, you have a whole section devoted to politics and it’s there you can see how many members are completely incapable of taking a decent photograph, they’re only on the site to meet young naked women and vent against minorities, illegals, gays, Obama, Muslims and anyone else who they consider weird. They call that section Soapbox but it should be called Land of Rush listeners who couldn’t properly shoot the side of a barn if their life depended on it.
A good number of seriously creative people are leaving the site because they are so frustrated about the number of bumbling fools on their and then not being able to use it for it’s intended purpose, networking. They can’t find serious people to work with on a consistent basis and no one on MM’s part seems to care, they just want warm bodies and not really talented users.
Jun 15, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Melissa
hi.
im a model member of Model Mayhem, and have been for a decent amount of time. It is a very good site for SOMEWHAT beginner models, although, i do agree on the fact that unprofessional photographers should NOT be allowed. I have had many requests and “opportunities” from “GWCs” and it is very annoying!! I’ve gotta say, alot of what everyone is saying is true, that it is a big scam. but for those of us who are actually trying to break through, or get big in the industry know exactly what to look out for and what to search for. for us, the website is a good place to get into the modeling/photography world.
Jul 12, 2009 @ 10:57 pm
chris
I guess i could say im semi pro, and i actually have a model mayhem account , and yea… its all true haha this site has gotten me very angry at time to time . Why you ask?
- It is all about porno, when you look at someone who actually takes amazing pictures and i mean amazing, lots of special effects, or amazing costumes/wardrobe selection they get next to nothing for comments and views, then the picture next to it has the chicks tits popping out in a not so great set up its like what 5000 views , 60 comments? compared to the clothed one which is like 600 views 12 comments?? there is a big number difference
-Its all trade for trade, For real professional models and photographers, or those who are fortunate enough to make money off of what they do…. they cant anymore!!!! because everyone wants to be a model or a effing photographer i did a search in my local area guess how many people are registered as “Professional Photographers’ 3000+ what a joke
-You have models who have done 3 photo shoots maybe? not acting, agency represented , working for magazine or runway and they set “Standard Hourly Rates” like lets say 200 dollars an hour is what i have herd from a few girls with 3 photos in there portfolio. Seriously just because you work with one person off of model mayhem does not mean your well into your modeling career
the guy who took the time to write this about model mayhem being a scam summed it up pretty good , it is shit, no professionalism at all, im trying to make a living doing what i do but all i here is trade for trade horrible man… horrible lol
Nov 12, 2009 @ 10:12 pm
jazzy
That is the most unprofessional site I have ever experienced. I have heard of several people who have tried to get an account on that site only to be rejected. In addition to this, the current models that have on the site look like trash!
Jan 28, 2010 @ 11:59 am