Zen Allure How-To Guide

Welcome to ZenAllure! You’re only a few easy steps away from your own branded web page. Just so we’re clear this’s a service from Model Insider and takes advantage of MI’s tools to make this work. That means you need a Model Insider account to make your free website. We’re not asking you for money… we offer more features to supporters, but our free account still has more features than any other networking site. If you like us enough to give us money we won’t object though, and you’ll get all sorts of extras! Your support helps us bring you things like this.

So if you’re already an MI member click HERE to get started building your ZenAllure - but DO read the rest of the page, there’s important info (and sneak peeks at upcoming features) you need to know!

If you’re not part of the hottest Model/Photographer network yet, click HERE to set up your Model Insider profile (a fast & easy process with no wait for approval) and then come back. We’ll wait!

All right, you’re ready to go. Just follow these steps!

#1: Pick a template.
Simply click once on your choice. As noted, we only have a single design as we launch but we’ll be adding more soon. You’ll be able to change templates at any time without losing anything else on your page. Some templates will be “Premium” designs with extra features like a “slideshow” main image. These will be available to paid members but you’ll have the option to purchase them separately.



#2: Set a short URL.
For instance you can be http://BobsPhotos.zenallure.com or http://MarieTheModel.zedzen.com. Keep this name short, and do not use any spaces or punctuation.



We have more than one domain name (zenallure and zedzen for now, more coming later) because they’re necessary for features we’re going to launch in the future (sneak preview: you’re going to be able to create more than one page, with different names on them so if, for instance, you want one nude webpage and one non-nude webpage you can have them!). For now you can choose either one.
We’re also going to add the ability for you to use your own URL, like www.bobsphotos.com, soon. You’ll be able to change URLs at any time without losing the rest of your page.

If the name you pick is available you’ll see this, and then you’re ready to move on to step 3:

#3: Pick your galleries.
Decide which of your MI galleries you want to show. If you haven’t set galleries you’ll just see your default gallery. Click a gallery once to highlight it, and you’re done. You can also create a gallery JUST for your ZenAllure images. Any images you add to a gallery on MI will automatically be added to your webpage unless you make them “Members Only” or “Private.” If you delete an image from your MI gallery it automatically vanishes from your ZenAllure gallery too. Any images that you have set to “Members Only” or “Private” won’t show (see image below), and Private/Members only galleries won’t be available to select.



(This is what you’ll see if you don’t have galleries set up and are using your default gallery)



#4: Set the basic information for your page.
First thing’s first, select your web page’s name, which’s also the headline at the top of your page. Default choice is the same as the display name on your profile. So if your MI name is portzebie75 or xXDiVaPrInCeSsXx you might want to change it to “Bob’s Photography” or “Marie the Model.” Any time you change your display name it will automatically update your ZenAllure page. Remember, the name is a HUGE part of what Google & other search engines will index, so think carefully about it! If you pick “Other” you can choose a different name that will appear on your ZenAllure page, this will NOT change if you change your MI name.

Your location and default email (the one you used to register your MI account) are pulled from the information in your MI profile. They’ll automatically update if you change them on MI. Your City/State/Country/Zip are displayed automatically, you can disable that by unchecking the box. If you want to show your street address (for instance if you work out of a studio) or email check those boxes.
REMEMBER – If you don’t display your email people will NOT have a way to contact you! We’re working on adding a contact form, but for now your email is the only way people can reach you. If you have a “work” email that’s different than your registration email you can enter it instead.

Then put in a short title for your About Me section like “Who I Am” or “Welcome.” Finally, put in whatever you’d like people to know about you.
PLEASE NOTE: You can’t use any html tags, bbcode, or other formatting tricks in “About Me,” it’s plain text. We’re going to offer additional options here in the future.



Your ZenAllure page will automatically include some other information from your MI profile. If you have links to (for instance) your Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, or other sites in your MI “Site Links” section they’ll automatically display on your ZenAllure “Links” page.

If you’re a model the following stats will automatically display next to your “About Me”:
Females- Height/Weight/Bust/Waist/Hips/Dress Size/Shoe Size/Hair Color/Eye Color
Males- Height/Weight/Neck/Sleeve/Chest/Waist/Inseam/Shoe Size/Hair Color/Eye Color
So make sure your stats are accurate! We’re already working on designs that’ll put your stats on their own page if you want that option.

You’re almost done!

#5: Select a main image for your page.
For now you’ll need to upload one, we’re working on the ability to pick any image in your portfolio and use it. You can use any image that’s within MI’s image rules, including nudes. This is YOUR page, you decide what shows.


Once you select an image it’ll automatically be resized, and then if you like you can customize it. This’s great if, for instance, you have an all nude portfolio but don’t want to show any nudity on your main page. You can “crop” the picture to adjust the display. Move the slider to zoom, and click & drag the image to move it inside the frame.

#6: Save your page.
Take a last look back to make sure everything’s perfect and exactly how you want it. Don’t worry, once the page is created you can go back & edit your information or change your galleries any time from your MI profile page. You can also delete the whole page any time. Is everything perfect? Then just hit the button in the lower right hand corner of the page:

And if everything’s right you’ll be taken back to the top of the page where you’ll see this message:



You’re done! Show the world YOUR ZenAllure!

 

Meet and Greet Etiquette: How to Treat a Model

by Roxana Hire on Friday, January 20, 2012 at 4:56pm ·

Photography Meet and Greets offer wonderful opportunities for networking between models and photographers. These events are also great for beginner photographers and models to practice and learn from the pros.

After one of the recent events I attended, I was sitting around with other models talking about how the day had gone. Many of them had the same complaints about how they had been treated. They were shy about speaking up about this behavior because they were new to modeling and thought that "that is just the way things are' in "the industry." Honestly, I do not know about "the industry" but I DO know how I want to be treated at a Meet and Greet, AND I know how I DO NOT want to be treated. To this end I have written an etiquette primer for new photographers.

If you follow these rules you will have a very good reputation with models and we will be happy to work with you again.
If you do not follow these rules, we will do our best to avoid you and tell our model friends to do the same.

 

First: A M&G is like an interview for both model and photographer: be clean, sober, and professional.

What A Photographer should Bring (aside from a camera):

1) A portfolio: To show models the kind of work you have done and your style of photography.

2) Business cards: This should go without saying at a networking event

3) Model Releases: This shows that you respect the model enough to write a legally binding contract telling her how you will use her photos. Note: if you take photos without a release you are putting yourself/company in jeopardy of lawsuit. At the very least taking photos of a model without her permission is a violation of her trust, and will not make her more inclined to want to work with you again

 

Second: First impressions are very important. Nothing is more offensive to me, as a model, than being photographed by someone who then walks away without introducing themselves or offering contact information

How to Treat a model:

1) Introduce yourself. Just saying "wanna shoot?" is not an appropriate introduction.

2) Treat us as you would want someone close to you (parent, sibling, child, partner) treated. I recently had a photographer show me pics he had taken of a young woman, and he preceded to comment on who 'moist' he thought her private areas must have been. If I had not been a lady I would have slapped him... I did, however, make sure to tell all my friends to avoid him for the rest of the day. If I had learned his name I would have had him black listed from the event altogether.

3) Ask permission: If we are on a canvas, or in a pose, do not come and start taking photographs without first asking BOTH model and other photographer for permission. Also do not presume that all the rooms with open doors are available for your use... when in doubt, ask! Reputation is everything and if you offend a photographer that we models love dearly it is as bad as if you offended us, personally.

4) Speak respectfully: We are doing this for you for free. Some of us command hourly rates of $100 or more, and take offense at being ordered around like a dog. "Please lower your arm and rest it on your lap" is preferable to "Get your arm out of the way." "That pose isn't working in this light" is preferable to "Stop that, it looks bad," etc

5) Ask a model about comfort zones. Do not ask a model to take off articles of clothing without first asking her if she is comfortable with nudes/implied nudes. A photographer who gets the reputation as a 'Perv' will not get repeat models no matter HOW good him final images.
Note: #5 also includes putting models in poses with other models. For instance, do not try to create your girl-on-girl fantasy shot or a boudoir shot without FIRST asking the model if she is ok with being intimate in that way.

6) Respect the models time. Some of us may have multiple shoots planned at an event. Generally it would be a good rule to not spend more than 15 minutes with a model unless you have booked that time with her before hand.

7) A model has the right to say "No". We do not have to work with everyone.

8) Contact all the new models you work with promptly after the shoot to let them know when you will have their photos ready.You should have cards and release information on you so you will have their contact information as well.

9) 'This pose is not for free': Recently I saw an internet post that went around FB in which a photographer details how much it cost him to take a picture that magazines want to use for free. Well, looking this good costs a lot too. We come to these M&G to network, and we put a lot of time and money into these 'looks'. If we have 'interviewed' with you at the last M&G and you did not contact us with pictures or job offers, do not be surprised if we do not wish to work with you again for free (you wouldn't show up to work for a company you never called you back after an interview would you?). Some of use are happy to do TFP, but we ask that you respect our working sisters.
Note: this goes for make-up as well! If you want your model in make-up please be willing to pay the $10-$20 to 'interview' the MUA at the M&G as well. A good MAU will cost at least $50 per look, so if you are only paying $10-20 you are only reimbursing her/him for their supplies and not their artistry.

10) M&G are often very loud and confused. It may be better to contact a model later about private shoots you have in mind. We models are in high demand, and it may be difficult to give your idea the attention it deserves because we are trying to prepare for the next shoot, or you are trying to talk to us while we are in a pose for someone else.

 

Again, if you follow these rule, you will have a wonderful reputation amongst us models and well will be happy to work with you again and again. We will also be more willing to work with you TFP, because we know we will enjoy the experience!

Note: I used female pronouns because I am a woman, this advice applies equally to male and female models.  Everyone should be treated respectfully.

MODELING IN CHINA

written by: Michelle Mousel

I get a lot of questions about modeling in China, "What is it like?", "Is it a good place to work?", etc etc. I've decided to write a very decisive, coherent article about it so you everyone can better educate themselves on this market and make responsible decisions accordingly.

I will give you a breakdown of the *typical* situation and this will all be in reference to MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

Before we begin. DISCLAIMER: What are my credentials? I don't claim to be an expert. I'm not an agency. HOWEVER, I have spent over a year and half working in China both freelance and under agency contract with several of the top agencies and I can speak Chinese, which better enables me to understand the clients directly and better negotiate and navigate the industry there.

So you wanna work in China do you?

This article contains much good advice from Roger Talley (Model Insider Member Emeritus) that can also be found at his site, NewModels.com. He is always pleased to answer questions in the forum.

Types of Modeling Scams

The world of modeling has been around long enough that it has been infested with all manner of low-lifes.  These are the companies that promise great things for you with no intention of delivering anything of real value.  Some of them look real; others rely on no more than hype and bluster to separate you from your money:

Model “Exposure Books”

The Pitch:  A model or actor pays to have their pictures put into a book or magazine, the book is to be sent around to Casting Directors and/or agencies who would “discover” their new talent by finding them in the books.

The Reality:  These books look something like a legitimate agency marketing tool:  the headsheet book.  Nobody ever explains why a fashion agency in New York might want to “discover” a 5’4” model in North Platte, Nebraska.  But never mind that - send in your pictures and your money and take your chances.  A few of this sorry breed of entrepreneur actually do produce the books and deliver them to some casting directors and agencies, where they hit the wastebasket within minutes of arriving at the office.

So I am doing a casting for publication right now and there are a few tips I feel I could share with models about when and if you are ready to submit for a casting, and why it can hurt your career to submit to castings you are either not right for or not yet ready for.

Some things you should be aware of in any casting situation:

1. The person doing the casting is likely looking through dozens to hundreds of responses. This means they most of the time do not have time to think of you as a human being, they only have time to think yes or no.

2. The casting call is only the first step, after the first go through your images will be sent onward and upward. You might have 2-30 people looking at your book and deciding if you are the person they want.

3. in the event of a group shoot, or a shoot involving several models the models must also look good together as a group

Let’s start with two observations:

1. Far too many models here have portfolios that leave the viewer wondering, “what does she look like”? It’s not unusual for me to look at an MI model’s portfolio and still not feel I could reliably pick her out in a lineup. That’s not good. If you want photographers to hire you, you need to give them the information to make good decisions. And that means having a good, clear, close, evenly lit picture of your face.

2. Virtually every working mainstream actor and model has good headshots. There is a reason why they are working.

That said, lots of you have now already received everything you need to know about headshots. The remainder of this post is really only for three classes of people:

1. People who aspire to be working actors.
2. People who aspire to be mainstream fashion, commercial or glamour models.
3. Photographers who shoot “portfolio pictures” for any of the above.

Welcome to the world of internet modeling! Your profile is your introduction and resume, so it's important that it be detailed and complete.

Here are a few things a lot of newbies leave out that are really helpful to have:

• What are your REAL stats? You are not 100 years old or 10 pounds, and your height isn't measured in your heels. Put in real and accurate stats. Some models will put in their age as 100 years because they don't want to show up in searches. If this is you, ask yourself why you're signing up at a profile site in the first place. If you are not here to be seen and network maybe this is not the place for you & you’d prefer something like MySpace or Facebook which allows restricted profiles.
  
  
• What is your schedule? What are your abilities?
• Are you willing/able to travel? If so, how far?
  
  
• What are your modeling goals?
  
  
• What types and genres of modeling are you interested in pursuing?
  
  
• Do you have any piercings or body modifications? If so, what and where are they, and can they be removed or covered? If you have tattoos, are you comfortable with the photographer asking that they be covered? Would you reject the suggestion that they be removed in post production?
  
  
• What is your current hair color and style? If you show more than one hair color in your portfolio we need to know which you have now, as well as how it's cut. Consider including an image marked as "latest" to show your current look.

Safety In Internet Modeling

By James Glendinning/ SilverLight Esoterica Photography

Hey folks, how about some REAL, VALID safety tips for models? (these are for Internet modeling, not agency work)

If you're under 18 and not an agency model (they operate differently) always take a parent or legal guardian with you. A boyfriend or girlfriend or sibling is NOT ok. First off, your parents should know about and support what you're doing or you shouldn't be doing it. Second, the photographer probably will want or need papers signed that require a parent or legal guardian, and there are specific legal requirements someone has to meet to fill that role. If you can't tell your parents what you're doing...you shouldn't be doing this. You have bigger problems.

If you are under 18 and the photographer says "Come alone" that is the exception to automatically assuming there's something creepy going on. If you're under 18 and they say that, there probably is something wrong. Why chance it?

What is Due Diligence in the Internet Modeling and Photography Environment?

By Curt Burgess, PhotoworksWS

In the debate about the usefulness of an escort for safety purposes versus doing one's due diligence the question often comes up about exactly what is involved in the due-diligence process. First, in wondering if you even need an escort, find out from the photographer if a make-up artist, stylist, or other staff will be present. If so, consider if you really need an escort. But what is meant by due-diligence? It is commonly known as "doing your research," "checking references," "doing your homework," "using common sense," "having a clue," or "being an adult" among other things. Due-diligence is the process that you undertake to verify the quality, professionalism, and safety of a prospective experience with a photographer. This is a list of some possible steps to take - nobody would need to do all of these. You need to assess your concerns and interests to determine what specific steps to take.

So what are the specific behaviors entailed in the due-diligence process? Here are some of the possibilities to consider:

 

This article contains much good advice from Roger Talley (Model Insider Member Emeritus) that can also be found at his site, NewModels.com. He is always pleased to answer questions in the forum.

So you just got an email asking if you'd like a choice modeling or photography assignment, congratulations! Unfortunately, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Every day, hundreds (if not thousands) of models, photographers and makeup artists receive these emails. Often they say that they saw your portfolio online and they want to hire you to model clothing, or walk in a fashion show, or shoot or do makeup for a wedding. They offer great, though sometimes not outrageous pay, and assure you that all will be handled for you. If you respond, you typically find out that they will send you a check for the full payment plus additional money that you should forward on to someone else. Often they'll state that they'll send you money for travel which you should wire to their travel agent. Or, perhaps, they'll tell a model that she needs to wire the extra funds to the photographer. Either way, the check turns out to be fake and you're out the money.