I’ve been a model in various forms for over 20 years; I’ve done everything for agency work, freelance modelling, cat walk, promo work, photography work for commercial, catalogues, editorials, beauty campaigns and much much more. At one point I was doing upwards of ten shoots a week and although I’ve slowed down a fair bit now, I still love shooting and creating photos. With all this experience, you’d think that I’d never have an issue with photographers or photoshoot but unfortunately over the years, I have experienced some pretty scary and uncomfortable situations which have left me a bit cautious of certain photographers and a tad overprotective of newer models. Photoshoots are supposed to be fun and a chance to create great images for whatever purpose they are needed yet they can take a scary turn very quickly so today I wanted to create a post about how to stay safe during a photoshoot if things go wrong.

Trigger Warning: this post will contain examples of my own sexual assault during shoots. If you want to read about that experience, please go here as I will only briefly mention that in this post.

There are more and more photographers popping up each day so for a new model, it can be both very exciting and also a little intimidating when it comes to figuring out who a photographer is, what they are like to work with and what kind of experience you will have. It’s important to stay safe during a shoot so I have created a list of things to do that can help you but of course, nothing is guarantee and things do go wrong.

Tell Someone your Shoot Details: if you are working with someone new and are unsure what kind of experience it will be, I’d recommend telling a friend, partner or family member your shoot details. Tell them the photographers name and any contact details you have of theirs, and then tell them your starting time and location. This is helpful incase something does go wrong because someone knows your last location and the time you should have started working.

Secret Code Texting: When telling a friend/partner about your shoot details, I always establish a predetermined secret code so I can tell them I feel safe or unsafe without alerting the photographer. For example, something mundane like texting “remind me to buy juice on the way home” can be code for “I feel safe” or texting “Do you still need milk before I get home?” can be code for “SOS get me out of here”. These secret codes can also be spoken if you are at a shoot with a friend and want to leave or to just let them know that you are ok and feel safe. This idea may seem a little odd but has come in handy over the years especially when I am shooting whilst travelling and don’t know the photographer well. If I feel unsafe and alert someone, a preplanned action will take place be it I receive a panicked phone call with an emergency reason that I need to leave. You don’t have to do this for every shoot, only the ones you are unsure of.

Check in Call: After telling your friend/partner/family your shoot details including your start time, ask them to give you a courtesy check in call about 30 minutes in just to make sure you’re ok because you may not always be able to text out a secret code. This gives you the chance to say your code out loud without being obvious but also tells the photographer your location and activities are known were something to happen.

Choosing a Photographer: Before you agree to a shoot, make sure you want to shoot with that particular photographer and if you are comfortable doing so. I’ve been offered shoots by photographers who only post artistic nudes on their social media and since that’s not a style I’m comfortable shooting myself, I will politely decline the offer. If a photographers portfolio isn’t your preferred shooting style, you don’t have to accept a shoot with them. Of course, some photographers want to try a new style of shooting so feel free to have a discussion with them before hand to determine what they want out of the shoot. This is your time to establish boundaries and set your limits to what you feel comfortable doing and what you will not do during a shoot.

Talk to other models: If you are still unsure about a photographer, contact models they have worked with. Say you are thinking about shooting with said photographer and ask them how they behaved, if the model felt comfortable and if there is something you should know. Unfortunately, not all models will be open about experiences due to a fear of getting called out for defamation. In my own personal experience, after I was sexually assaulted at a shoot, I would tell any model who asked that I wouldn’t recommend shooting with said photographer because “they made me very uncomfortable and pushed my boundaries” but wouldn’t go into details because I was too embarrassed and also feared being attacked by other photographers.

Bring a Friend: If you are unsure of yourself come shoot day, bring a friend or someone with you. I’ve done this several times and it’s always made me feel better about the shoot. Somebody else at the shoot who is there can be a major deterrent to anyone trying to take advantage of you. You can use your secret codes if necessary but an extra pair of hands is always a plus. I know I’ve personally gone to several shoots with model friends who just wanted someone there, especially if it was a lingerie or bikini style shoot.

Trust your Gut: At the end of the day, your gut will tell you everything you need to know. If your gut is telling you this photographer and shoot are a bad idea because they don’t make you feel comfortable, cancel the shoot (the earlier the better) and trust your intuition.
If you are already at your shoot and things start taking a turn, get out. Even if you run the risk of looking rude, just get out because there’s no reason to be polite to someone who is making you feel uncomfortable and pushing your boundaries. Tell them you feel suddenly very sick and want to leave. Just go.

In an Emergency: If something has happened, you need to leave or call for help. Even if you video call or leave a quick voice message to a group chat just to alert someone to the fact you need help ASAP. Of course, you may not be in a position to access your phone or you may be for example in the photographers car getting to the next shoot location or whatever reason, so you may need to employ some self defence.
I had a young model friend agree to shoot at a gorgeous hotel in the city and the photographer attempted to sexually assault her. She threw the bedding over him to get away and locked herself in the bathroom. Luckily hotel bathrooms have phones and she was able to call me and I came to get her straight away, the photographer had fled at that point but she stayed in the bathroom until I knocked on the door of the room and took her somewhere safe. As the photographer was travelling from another country, he was never caught or reprimanded and nothing came of the attack.

It feels odd creating this list as it makes modelling seem very scary but after being in the industry for so long, I’ve seen, heard and experienced so many things that even just a few safety measures are always a good idea. Even if I am shooting with photographers who I love and have shot with 1000 times before, someone knowing my location and start time also protects the photographer if something were to happen to both of us. When shooting in public, you never know what can happen. I do not wish you frighten you from shooting as such scary experiences are far and few between but I’ve seen some young models make silly mistakes that can easily be fixed and if just one of my safety measures helps someone from an attack like mine, that makes all this worth it.

Things don’t always go to plan. On the day I was sexually assaulted I used a secret code, had my partner with me and had done a few other safety measures yet the assault still happened. Anyone who sexually assaults another is a predator and will find ways around your boundaries and safety measures so please never blame yourself if something happens. It is never the victims fault and if it’s happened to me more than once, it can happen to anyone. You can always call emergency services if you need to.

Note: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions and thoughts expressed are solely my own and not influenced in any way. There are no affiliate links and I do not benefit from any link clicks or purchases made.