BBC, should girls under 16 be allowed to model?

[RMThompson]

NJMAN, you are correct. I think I will take the opportunity to at least direct her to some decent modeling websites, and let her know there is more to modeling than taking your clothes off.

One thing I forgot to mention... her portfolio also had a few shots, seemingly semi-professionally shot, of bloody murder/suicide scenes. Things like her in a bathtub covered in blood... things that even as an ADULT I find disgusting.

 

[newrmdmike]

its so strange to me that so many girls get into that, when the difference in the amount of money from mainstream legitimate old fashion modeling jobs is so great!

i personally know philip warner, and apnea, have been to their house and what not . . . they are at the top of the industry, but not wealthy.

i also know a girl modeling in new york, and working as an intern for some fashion company who makes enough money to live quite comfortably in nyc, downtown.

it strikes me as an odd choice, but i guess thats just something some people are into, regardless of pay.

 

[Big Mike]

I think it comes down to availability and hard work. Good paying, mainstream modeling jobs don't grow on tress and take hard work and dedication. But if a girl is willing to take her clothes off for money...she won't have to go very far for work...even if it's low paying...as someone said, blame society for this...not necessarily the girl.

It's also environment...maybe this girl in question lives in a community that is more isolated from the broad spectrum of modeling work. Maybe the only people that she knows, that have made any money modeling...are strippers...so that's naturally what she aspires to. It's almost like little kids growing up in a bad neighborhood...the most impressive and influential people they see are drug dealers...so that's what they aspire to.

Another thing that still gets me...is our societies inability to separate nudity from sexuality. It's practically automatic that when people see nudity, they think sex and then all the alarm bells start going off. I don't have a problem with nude photography...although I agree with an age restriction...but there is a big difference between nude photography and seductive photography and porn.

 

[RMThompson]

Big Mike, you are somewhat correct about the nude form and sex... but it's a natural instinct, not a transgression of society.

The simple fact is that nude bodies remind us, instincually, about mating, and that rings certain bells in the brain. Even nude art, while not overly sexual in nature can still be considered "sensual" or "erotic" if nothing else. Hell a lot of what I DO falls into that category.

You are correct, sex sells, in more than just modeling though, so these girls see a quick way to make a few bucks. I wouldn't have had much of a problem if she would've said "I aspire to make amazing nude art"... which would've at least indicated that she had some idea on what forms of modeling their are and whats available for her.

 

[Big Mike]

Your right...it is a natural progression...but I just wish it wasn't so immediate.

Look at nude beaches, nudist colonies and even more 'liberal' countries around the world. There are plenty of places where people are nude in public and that doesn't mean they are having or selling sex. Our society, by trying to hide the human body...has made it something to desire...maybe more than it should be. It is, IMO, one of the greatest examples of true 'art'.

I agree with you...and think you did the right thing.

 

[Garbz]

What scares me more than the nude/non-nude debate is what actually happens to these models even if they don't end up in the nude / xrated camp. Australian models are now required to have a minimum BodyMass Index, I think on the lowest end of healthy or something like BMI of 18? The very first thing our models got labelled internationally is "overweight". I don't get this one of my sister's friends has a BMI lower than 18, and it is unattractively thin. In fact I think there's a lot of models who could do with a few extra kilos just so you don't see their ugly bones.

I believe this is an internationally growing debate, especially among catwalk models, but imagine how this applies to a minor. These are people who can easily be influenced by the actions of the people around them, and I can see this causing belimia and other physical not to mention mental health issues.

 

[craig]

I think 16 is slightly young to be getting into a grown up profession. Generally speaking your decision making skills are non existent at that age. The machine will chew you up and spit you out if you are not careful. Kind of dangerous emotionally and physically. A BMI index sounds like a good idea, but I do not know enough about the industry to have a view on that.

I agree that it is society that made these rules surface. If we were not perverts maybe we could have a little more creative freedom. That is a whole other story.

Love & Bass

 

[Chas]

Big Mike, you are somewhat correct about the nude form and sex... but it's a natural instinct, not a transgression of society.

True, but I see it Big Mike's way. The separation of nudity from sexuality is highly culturally determined, that much is clear. I was brought up in England and am therefore just hopeless at it myself. But I had a dutch girlfriend once as an impetuous youth and spent some time in Holland - peoples' attitudes to nudity there (in its proper place) are different, and I mean really very different. I envy them their naturalism (or is it naturism?).

So, in our culture, it must be very hard or next-to-impossible for a man or woman to separate out nudity from the other in a photo session - but I suppose it can be done. For someone aged 16, forget about it! What would the majority of studio pros say I wonder?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Its very interesting that you brought that up. It's no secret I do modeling work, for their portfolio mostly, and recently I came across a 16 year old girl doing... implied nudity.

Now, nothing was really showing, but still it bothered me. She contacted me about possibly working with her, so instead of just spouting prices, I asked her a few questions, this is a basic recap of my conversation with her:

Her: I love your work, what are your rates?
Me: They vary depending on time and what you are looking to do. Let me ask you, what kind of modeling are you trying to break into?
Her: Well, since I am only almost 17, I can't do anything nude or anything, so just regular fashion stuff, I dunno.
Me: Well, what about when your older, is this something you want to make a career out of?
Her: Maybe. I will probably be stripping when I am 18 so I dont think Id have a problem with doing nude work then, if that's what you mean.

...

I was floored. She had no idea what modeling types were other than "nude" and "non-nude"... she hadn't researched anything other than starting a profile and people asking her to model....I mean, if this isn't a road to x-rated work, I don't know what is. This girl is very pretty too, probably could make it as a model somewhere, but I kept thinking.. "Where are her parents"? She is ASPIRING to strip? I mean, no offense to the lovely ladies of poledancing, but I doubt many of them wanted to do that at age 16.

So I decided I won't shoot with her. I don't know why though, I mean as long I am not doing anything overly sexy with her, and she is clothed, I don't see why I couldn't, but I just felt uncomfortable.

Maybe I am wrong... maybe I feel like that since I have an 11 year daughter whose into Barbies and I can't even IMAGINE her wanting to do this at age 16... I dunno.

IMO, That's a perfect reason you should use her as a model. I don't know what you shoot for a living, but for the sake of argument, lets say you do commercial catalouge assignments. You can use her in that and keep using her to try and PREVENT her from selling her body with sex. You can show her OTHER forms of modeling work, and when she turns 18, use her in fine art nudes.