Problems with starting out as a male model.

Well hi there! Hope you're well. I'm doing good thanks. I know you didn't ask. Shut up.

So, since I never bloody shut up about it, people might be aware that I enjoy pictures - both receiving them and taking them for people who are wonderful, sexy, and creative.

I ran a Tumblr about 18 months ago where I posted images of people who did dares for me. It got quite good - about 50 unique posters and over 500 followers. Closed it down because I couldn't spare the time for it, though. However, I've just started it up again, and it has naked pictures of e on it atm - if you'd be interested in being posted/getting a dare for it please PM me. That's not the point of this blog, just puttin' it out there. Will probs post it in the dares section at some stage.

I love modelling, and having images taken of me. About 6-9 months ago I was getting into it more, starting to come more out of my shell, and meeting new people who were more than happy to take pics of me with my clothes off. I had to move away from the scene for a short while though due to overwhelming family commitments, but I'm back in the game now and looking to get in on some more shoots.

Only problem? I'm a guy. Here is a quick rundown of the issues facing you if you're a guy and you decide you want to be a male model.

Solo guys are not favourable
Some of you may have noticed this about the internet, but there are a plethora of dick pics already readily available. In addition, on the vast majority of websites like getDare, Fetlife etc, female attention vastly overshadows male attention.

Now I'm not here to be butthurt about that, and I'm certainly not suggesting that there aren't ladies out there thirsting for more sightings of their favourite male appendages, but tit does pose a problem for potential photographers (togs). For them, this is a business; or at the very least a very strong hobby. Naturally, they are going to look for the shoots that will garner them the most attention, and solo male shoots simply will not do that.

Therefore, many togs simply state that they do not do solo male shoots. This probably limits your potential contact pool by about 50%.

Other issues are safety - many togs don't want to shoot solo with a male because they feel that the guy may turn on them in a sexualised setting. No amount of promising that you won't do them any harm will get you in there - and it shouldn't either - people have to prioritise their own safety over your enjoyment, naturally.

Any approaches for advice are treated with suspicion
I have to blame my sex for this - some men are utter twats online. This means that whenever I approach someone else who enjoys modelling with a request for some honest advice regarding good togs, or decent event to attend, I'm viewed as having an ulterior motive. This pisses me right off, because when I approach anyone it's with nothing but honesty. If I want what's in your fucking pants I'll ask and wait for your consent - I'm not here to trick anyone.

But again, this is symptomatic of the online culture we've developed. I honestly believe that it's only the minority of men who behave irresponsibly online, and if you think for a second that females aren't capable of making guys feel unsafe over the internet then you need to have a long hard sit down with yourself. This, however, only serves to limit the amount of people I can ask for advice without being either turned away politely (my favourite rejection), treated with indignation (seriously, fuck you), or just ignored (fair enough, you have better things to do).

Guys with female friends get so much further
A jealously gripe here - I'm so fucking sorry for not having a like-minded friend with tits. I've seen a lot of guys online who put very little effort into making connections or negotiating with togs just because they can bring a girl with them. It's like a free pass with some togs, and it makes me feel like I'm not worth the effort. I can write messages approaching 8-10 paragraphs long negotiating, creating ideas, working with their ideas and capabilities, and then get turned away at the last min because a MF shoot came up. Seriously, fuck that.

Creepy creepy creepy
This would be a higher issue for women - it's intimidating trowing yourself into a BDSM situation with someone you've never met, tog or not. That said, you can cover yourself appropriately by finding reviews of the tog online, looking at their portfolio, asking other local togs about them, or just trusting your gut.

What I'm talking about is the people who will take advantage of you. The sorts of people who end every message with 'I can offer you relief after if you'd like', or 'you'll be tuned on after, so I can help with that'. Dude, no, I don't want anything sexual with you - I want to get images because they're what I enjoy creating. Here are a few of my other favourite creepy togs:

* Asked me to buy a hotel room for us to shoot in. Not a cheap one, we're talking about £300.
* Spent 8 messages convinced I was female. I'd told him otherwise at least 3 times
* Asked me to buy him a fucking camera.
* Wouldn't work without me sending him dick pics & my Facebook first. Dude.
* Asked me to work abroad - I'd cover travel costs. Nah.
* Asked me, and I quote, "Are you comfortable drowning?" I can't even.

Please don't assume that only women are vulnerable online. If you're a guy - take you're time, find someone reputable, and never compromise your safety.

Payment
Terminology - TFP means 'Time for Print'. Essentially, that means that no money will change hands during the shoot - instead, in return for the model's time, they will receive copies f all the images. That's the simple way of putting it.

Guess what? A lot of togs offer TFP for female models, and require male models to pay out of their arses. Haha, fuck that.

Body shaming is real
I've met this head on to get back into it. I've lost 21lbs in just over 2 and a half months and added some muscle def. Before, however, when I has a little pudgy, I got togs quite bluntly telling me I wasn't attractive enough to shoot. Well, shit, thanks for the boost there. When I moved away from the scene this thought lingered in my head and hit me hard. I ate to cope with the sadness it brought me, which made me sadder, so I ate, so I got sadder, so I ate...

Yeah, vicious cycle. Again, please don't assume that only women suffer online body shaming. If you're a sub and you're not super young and skinny, superficial togs will reject you out of hand. If you're a dom and not built like a brick shithouse, same issue. The pressure on guys to look toned/fit, or young/skinny, or bearded/bearlike is ridiculous. If you don't meet the 'preset' look then you're struggling.



That said, there are plenty of honest, open, and very accommodating togs out there. Do your research, don't be put off, stay safe, and be prepared to fail. You should also be aware that, if you do arrange a shoot, you need to be good to your word. Nothing worse than a guy with not many pics to his name constantly messing around togs - be honest, be reliable, and be confident in yourself - you'll have a fucking blast.