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Paul Hamer, who oversees the STC Fan Group, recently had to remind the group that inappropriate remarks to or about the models are—just that–inappropriate. And I jumped in to make the point that the behavior line between photographer and model can be a very delicate one, an easy one to get on the wrong side of in the presence of a beautiful partially clad or unclad young woman.

This is a subject we were acutely aware of at Playboy during my long reign there as Photography Director. Models, whether professional or amateur, are extremely vulnerable in shooting situations, especially those in which the purpose may be to shoot images with an erotic impact. Your reputation as a photographer is on the line every time you are behind the camera in one of these situations.

One misstep with a model could label you as a “Creep.” If a model gets the wrong vibe from you, not only will you not get the images you want, but she’ll likely not shoot with you again. And, as likely, she’ll tell everyone she knows that you were inappropriate with her. And that sign will then hang around your neck for the rest of your career. And if you really cross the line or if the model has personal issues you don’t know about (a jealous boyfriend, an overly protective parent, a friend whose husband is a lawyer), you could find yourself in court, in jail or worse in a hospital.

So as much as your testosterone may be telling you it’s ok to say or do something overly suggestive, don’t do it. There was a time when we all didn’t have to be as careful about what sexual harassment trainers refer to as the “red light, green light” mentality of the world we live in. It’s something all of us need to be aware of not only in the work place but in our every day lives. I was having dinner with my daughter last week. Our waitress was very friendly, very attentive. As she was about to leave our table after taking our order, I remembered something else I wanted to add.

So I reflexively touched her on arm and said, “Can you also bring me a Diet Coke?”

After she left, my daughter said, “Dad, that was inappropriate. You invaded her space. Maybe she didn’t want you to touch her.” For a moment, I thought

Oh, that’s my 23-year daughter being silly.”

However, after thinking about it a few moments, I realized she was right. There was no need for me to touch her and I did it because the waitress was very attractive and seemingly very friendly. I forgot for a moment that it was part of her job to be friendly.

The touchy-feely equation is even more sensitive in our business.
I remember one photographer who was fond of giving models shoulder rubs between takes. He said it relaxed them. My guess is that it relaxed him (or perhaps that’s the wrong term) more than it did her. It became part of his reputation and some models would not shoot with him. And with social media today, he would have been labeled worldwide.

If possible, it is always a good idea to have someone, an assistant, a makeup person, a stylist on set with you, particularly if you are shooting nudes. That person has to have a legitimate function, Gawkers are never OK even if they own the house or boat or whatever location you’re shooting in. And, by the way, those people have to act appropriately as well.

Does that mean a photographer is never going to date or even wind up marrying a model? Of course not. It’s very similar to any workplace situation and you must be extremely careful to separate your work from any personal contact with a model. If anyone has any suggested rules of conduct or personal horror stories they’d like to share, feel free to chime in.

~ Gary Cole

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