Public Forums > Photography > Photographer Horror Stories

I posted a similar thread in the modeling section about models sharing their bad experiences in the industry and I'm curious to ask photographers the same question. Have you ever had a bad experience with a model where you were just like, "Ugh, I cannot believe this!" Then please share it...of course you don't have to name names. I know that sometimes models can be unbearable and I'm interested to hear horror stories from behind the camera. =)

Hey I just posted on your other thread about this.  It was quite bad when I had a model who hated the shoot and tore her braids out making the hairdresser stay for longer, and redo it.  She also hated her red lipstick and washed it off! It was amazing this was just a fairly new model and it shouldn't have been like that!

That is a horror story to me! I can't believe she really just tried to dictate the shoot like that! I mean, it is normal to maybe not agree with how the makeup, hair, or clothes are but you are there to do a job and it isn't up to the model to make those decisions. Shoot, if it makes the photographer happy then go along with it, you know? That's appalling behavior. Have you ever had to work with her again or have you heard if she is still actively working? Hopefully she hasn't acted like that on other shoots or else she might as well find a new job.

Sure! unless the photographer is telling you to do something stupid, or strip off, or something that goes against your beliefs then you shouldn't cause trouble - certainly not over the hair, the clothes tc. That's the models job, a glamouros clothes horse!

Sometimes it can be unnerving to let other people dress you up and do your hair and makeup but at the same time, models aren't hired to be themselves and i think many of the models out there fail to realize that. It's about being able to morph into someone else...very much like acting. There have been times that i've questioned the final images chosen (i always thought there were better ones that they could have used) but in the end i have to accept that it's not my decision and if they chose those particular looks then they must have liked them so models need to learn to give up their qualms about how they look. unless they paid for the shoot and did the hiring, they need to know how to behave.

Yes, there are cases when a model has paid to have a certain shoot for her portfolio - then its her call! But with a paying client, its always up to them ultimately! Models dont realise (the difficult ones) that if you behave like this you won't get hired again! Even Naomi Campbell was once well behaved, I'm sure!