Photography

Boudior is inherently sketchy. I think most boudior photogs are creeps

It isn't sketchy as long as:

• He has a public portfolio/website showing his experience doing this work and his professionalism. It proves he's not just some creep with a camera.
• You said he's shot with your friends? Ask them. If they recommend him then there's your answer.
• Make sure to sign a contract (any professional photography shooting even partial nudity does this). It should cover you against any unprofessional or inappropriate behavior as well as your privacy. And it should cover him against any consent issues.

As long as you do those 3 things, you should have a great time.

All the descriptions sounded pretty common especially if the photographer is starting out, building their portfolio. Everyone have to start somewhere and most starting cannot afford to pay models. (including taking a while to send photo back.)

There are things you can do to safe guard yourself: check their portfolio, use image-search on their photos to check if it is really theirs, Google their name, ask for the IG etc of other people they have photographed then contact those people to ask about their experience.

And try to insist on bringing a friend to observe the shoot. If the photographer refused, don't go.

Male photographers, even if they seem on get LGBT+ side who exclusively shoot this type of material are always sus. Bring a friend.

I'll break with the top comments and say that any photographer soliciting explicit shots for free is sketch. That's not advertising services, that's trying to get a stranger semi nude in front of him.

If he wants to break into that space, he should be talking to models he already has established relationships with about it, not someone he's never worked with.

I reached out to other photographers like this in the past and it is worked out well for both of us.

ask if your boyfriend can come to the shoot?

I think the issue lies with you, there’s nothing sketchy about it. Like many have said if you don’t feel comfortable don’t do it, also if you do decide to do it, bring a friend. But simply reaching out is not sketchy and if I was the photog and found out you thought that was sketchy I wouldn’t be working with you at all. You seem more sketch to me than the photog reaching out. Now if something was said that’s sketchy that’s different.

If his name is Steve otte or Steve gindlr DO NOT shoot with them. They're both predators with cameras.

You got marketed to, nothing particularly sketchy.

He’s taken photos for friends i know and they said he seemed cool and laid back.

That's probably how he found your contact information, through friends-of-friends connections on social media.

Your friends vouched for the photographer as legit. Take up the marketing offer or not, the photographer doesn't care.

I just read the edited update.

1000% called it. Fucking creep. I wonder who the hell all of these upvoters are saying it's normal to make unsolicited offers of free semi-nude photo sessions to strangers.

An open ended offer for TFP is one thing (though still weird for intimate shots), direct offers is something else entirely.

After reading your update, I’m glad you declined. This guy sounds like a creep. I (a female) never directly message anyone about photo shoots and instead post “model calls” with specific details about what type of shoot I’m doing to my social pages. If people comment and say they are interested, THAT’S when I reach out to say “you said you’d be interested in shooting for this concept, what’s your availability.”

I’ve done quite a few boudoir shoots and have never encouraged my clients to drink alcohol before or during their shoot. This is highly unprofessional. I also always allow them to bring a support person, boudoir or not, just to make sure people feel comfortable.

“…only young once…. I bring wine…” HARD NO even if he allowed a friend!

Wow he's creepy. His comments are pathetic.

When I've ever mentioned a shoot with someone I've met, I give them a card and ask them to call me, and that would be only for a regular shoot not boudoir. And I emphasize that they can bring their mom or dad or boyfriend or friend just so they are more relaxed.

If you don't act like a pro, you're not a pro. You're a creep.

Loosen em up with some alcohol...OH MY! Sounds like a real pro!

Photographer here. I don’t shoot boudoir but I know plenty of people that do. Here are my tips:

• Don’t shoot with someone unless you’re 1000% comfortable it.
• bring a friend (preferably someone familiar with what to expect from this type of shoot) never go alone
• meet beforehand to sus out their vibe
• look at their previous work (online portfolios, modeling mayhem, ig, etc.) if the models seem uncomfortable or the photos look off then it’s probably a creep

Be patient with photographers after a shoot. Some have a full time job or school going on, and if they’re anything like me, need to be in a certain headspace to edit photos. It’s a time consuming task and good work takes some time. My biggest ick with working with models is when they beg me for shots right away. I’m putting my name on these and I want to make sure they represent my best ability. I’m not just chucking a instagram filter on them and calling it a day. Each photo requires its own process.

As a former professional photographer myself, my first word of advise to aspiring models always was, never accept a shoot when you are solicited/approached directly by the photographer themselves. 9/10 it will just turn out to be a creep just wanting to have photographs of you in varying degrees of sexual nature or worse, might want to make a move on you at your most vulnerable moment.

Real pros are approached by the incumbent aspiring model or a modeling agency.

Yes.

Don’t work with people that ask you to drink on shoots

I always like to bring wine to my shoots just to kinda relax and ease your nerves.

Fam that just sounds suspicious as hell, good you refused

Ask him if he is ok with you bringing a GoPro camera and recording the whole session.

He can't spell "weigh". Hard pass

Lucky escape buy the sounds of your update 😱

Bringing wine to a shoot is super sketch.

Is his name Kramer?

Not sketchy. As a photographer I reach out to many models via social media. I usually leave a comment and make the initial interaction public.

Sounds like one of those weird guys that get a starter canon with a kit lens to see some skin for the first time in their lives.

Also the portfolio could be stolen work. If your gut says no then don’t go.

I always bring my own fluffer. You don't know where strangers hands have been.

As a professional photographer of over a decade and a woman, I’ll just say that it’s been my experience in the industry that the dudes doing hobbyist boudoir sessions for free tend to be creeps that just want to take photos of pretty young girls. Most don’t even understand how to light properly to flatter the subject and their posing skills are well, trashy. It’s always come off a bit predatory to me. Maybe they manage to behave well for most shoots but there’s eventually rumors and negative stories that get out. A good boudoir photographer is booked solid for weeks if not months out and isn’t working for free. Someone with a more fine art style should have a substantial portfolio of work and a great rep and should probably be paying you to model and should include hair/makeup.

If you decide to go through with this, make sure his work is good enough that you feel it’s worth your time. Insist on seeing the model release and making sure you understand where these images could end up - depending on your career or future plans, it could be a bad thing to have suggestive photos of yourself living on the internet if you end up becoming a teacher, or running for a local election or really anything where you’re in the public eye, especially in a leadership role. Is it fair? No. But it’s the reality of being a woman. People will use whatever ammunition they can find to tear a woman down. Would you be okay with your parents or (future) kids coming across them?

If you’ve considered all that and are okay with it, then go for it, but absolutely bring someone with you. If you get any pushback about bringing someone, that’s a huge red flag. Maybe even have some kind of code word so your buddy can invent an emergency that requires you both to leave if you’re uncomfortable with how the shoot is going.