Taken on trust

Taken on trust

Working with models a lot, I’m used to trusting people – and they trust me. We work in each other’s homes, make arrangements to meet in outlandish places, send deposits (or turn up miles from home without a deposit)…

Novices will do well to pay it really safe and work in an established studio – this has the benefit of a built-in chaperone, as well as plenty of lighting equipment and advice. Everyone’s interests are protected, and it’s well worth the extra cost of a studio.

There’s one area where trust should be backed up by hard evidence, and that’s age. If you take nude pictures, as I do, it’s important to understand that there are significant legal consequences that result from photographing anyone under the age of 18 without clothes. It follows perfectly logically that partially-clothed or suggestive images are a dangerous area with an underage model. And, quite apart from the legal consequences, would you really want to take such images?



The standard check is to ask the model to produce photographic ID, either a passport or a driving licence. And I’d suggest that – for any model who is young or young-looking, it’s well worth asking for ID and taking a portrait with the ID next to the model’s face.

Of course, there can be strong circumstantial evidence of age: a model who has been a member of a networking website for six years, and posting nude images of herself all that time is very likely to be 24 or older. Reputable websites take great care with these things, because they would be likely to lead to closure and a lot of legal hassle, even for an innocent mistake.

It’s not an area where I’ve had many problems: I tend to photograph slightly older models – they fit my aesthetic. But occasionally, I meet models who can look young in the right light, or who have a smaller, underdeveloped-looking bust, and in these cases I take great care. Once, a model contacted me, keen to shoot nudes in her home: as soon as I asked her for identification, the conversation ended. I drew my own conclusions, and you may well do the same.



Even if you don’t take nudes, you may need to be careful. There are potential crossover areas of photography which can sneak up on you and take you unawares.

If you agree to take portraits of a friend’s daughter, shall we say, it’s wise to lay out the territory in advance and ask that a chaperone is present all the time. It’s not unknown for a girl of 14 or 15 to want to present a glamorous view of themselves, in a way that could be very difficult to deal with. Mum or Dad in the room should provide a deterrent to this, though it’s wise to remain alert anyway. Remember, your country needs lerts…