Doll Series No. 9

One of the most common questions that pop up on fetish forums with areas devoted to photography & modeling is some variation of “Can I be a fetish model/photographer” or “how do I get started as a fetish model/photographer?”  From the discussions that follow, it usually becomes quickly apparent that they haven’t asked, or grasped, the more fundamental questions of why they are doing it and  should they do it.  More specifically, they seem to be entering it with mistaken ideas about what they’re getting in to.  This is the first of a multi-part series of columns addressing some of the points models and photographers need to consider before walking this path.

There are a number of common myths that plague prospective fetish models.  If any of these sound like what’s in your head, please stop and ask yourself “Why am I doing this” and “Should I be doing this?” before you ask “Can I do this?”  The major ones are:

1. I’m not suited for regular fashion or commercial modeling, so I’ll do fetish instead
2. Fetish modeling isn’t like a real job or regular modeling
3. This is fetish modeling, so I don’t have to get naked
4. This is fetish modeling, that means I can just model heels & latex clothes
5. There are fetishes for anything, so anyone can be a fetish model.  My gender, race, and sexuality don’t make a difference in fetish modeling
6. This is an easy way to make lots of money fast without doing porn
7. I can do this and be anonymous, like wear a mask or something
8. I can be a fetish model under a stage name and no one will ever know
9. Being a fetish model is a way to get paid while doing all the scenes I want to do
10. I can base my work entirely around my own fetish, orientation, or proclivities

I’m not suited for regular fashion or commercial modeling, so I’ll do fetish instead.

While it’s true that fetish modeling doesn’t have some of the strictures that commercial and  fashion modeling have (the insistence on height being the most obvious example), that does not mean anyone who doesn’t fit into “standard” modeling molds can be a fetish model.  Parts of this are addressed in point 5, but the basic flaw here is no different than when a girl is told that, at 5’2”,  she’s too short for fashion so she should try commercial or print without noting that commercial photography generally requires a height of 5’6” or above, or that even if she’s got the height she might not have the look.  If those points are brought up, someone will almost invariably respond “Oh, try ACTING!” as it anyone can just step on to the Broadway stage or a Hollywood set.  Similarly, models are often told “Go do nudes and/or fetish!”  (Alt modeling is also suggested in the same breath with fetish if the model has piercings & tattoos.)  While it’s true that most (female! See point 5) models can put themselves out in the nude and fetish categories and pick up a few paid jobs, being successful is another matter entirely.  As with any branch of modeling, there are only so many slots and there’s a lot of competition.  Not everyone has the look, the personality, or the fortitude to do this.  Additionally, since there are no legit agencies (in the US anyway) for fetish work, and the overall mass market is much smaller, slots are even more limited than mainstream modeling.  So just because it’s been your dream to model (especially if it’s because people are always telling you “You’re beautiful and should model”) and you’re so determined that when you find out you’re not going to be in Vogue don’t automatically assume it means you can be on the cover of Skin Two.  Fetish modeling is not for everyone, so the blithe referrals to it as a path for anyone who doesn’t fit “standard” modeling are balderdash.

Fetish modeling isn’t like a real job or regular modeling

In some respects, this is the exact opposite of point 1 and comes back to the basic question of “Why are you doing this?”  If this is just something you want to do for a little fun or a hobby, that’s fine.  You can give it a go (providing you consider the other points here, especially point 8) and have some fun, get some great photos for memories, and maybe even make some money.  However, that’s only if you’re not serious about this as a job or career.  If you’re looking at it in either of those respects then it is exactly like regular modeling, and it’s not “like a real job”, it is a real job.  What burns a lot of new models out in a hurry is the mistaken idea that this is all fun and not work.  They get in to this and find out differently, and they’re gone in a hurry.  Unfortunately the tendency to flake, cancel, or quit–or adopt the dilettante attitude of those who don’t take it as a job–tend to hurt the market for serious new models by making photographers distrustful of new people.  Ask yourself seriously why you’re doing this.  If you’re doing it just for some part time fun let people know.  They’ll respect that, and you, far more and you won’t be creating negativity for others.

This is fetish modeling, so I don’t have to get naked

This is a big one, and has a lot of crossover with point 4.  It’s most common in models from point 1 who take it to heart that they won’t be agency models and are then confronted with nudes or fetish as being their only option.  Many of them (never realizing, of course, that nudity would’ve been around even in agency modeling) dislike the idea of nudity so they decide to go the fetish route.  They assume they can just do tickling, or foot fetish, or smoking, or some other subset, and “make it” without ever taking their clothes off.  While the definition of “making it” varies, it usually includes either financial security, fame and recognition, or some combination of the two.  In fetish modeling, as any other type of modeling, the more restrictions you place on yourself and what you will and won’t do, the less chance you have of “making it.”  While having limits and sticking to them is fine, this is a major one.  It’s extremely uncommon to become a full time successful fetish model without doing nudity.  Some of the long term big names like Kumimonster have publicly stated they don’t think it’s possible.  If you don’t want to do nudity in fetish, as in any other type of modeling, that’s your choice but it will severely limit you, far more so than in many other types of modeling.

This is fetish modeling, that means I can just model heels & latex clothes

This group, as noted above, crosses over with the folks in point 3.  It flows from a basic misunderstanding of the fetish market.  People outside the market and community assume there “must” be a need for a huge pool of models to show off corsets, latex clothing, specialty heels, etc.  The reality is that there are three sets at play here.  First there’re the mass market companies; the people who do the big catalogs & websites.  They’re not generally going to look for “fetish models,” per se.  They’re putting out a commercial project, so they’re going to go to exactly the agencies that likely wouldn’t accept those who go in to fetish modeling.  They’re also generally looking for generic pretty girls (you’ll often see crossover from girls who work the Frederick’s of Hollywood catalog, for example) than they are “name” fetish girls, because a) they want to keep costs down and b) they want the focus to be on the merchandise.  Second there are the more craft/niche market folks who do want a “name” fetish model, largely for the extra attention, marketing, and cache.  This runs back in to the issue from point 3, if you don’t do nudity you’re unlikely to be that big of a name.  Lastly, you have the smaller distributors and handcrafters who don’t update their websites or catalogs that often.  Most of them are working on a shoestring budget and are likely to seek out friends or people in the community or those willing to trade clothes for work.  If you get yourself established and make the right connections you can probably get gigs doing these, but you won’t be getting paid much or often and unless the maker gets famous you’re unlikely to get enough notice to take you far.

There are fetishes for anything, so anyone can be a fetish model.  My gender-race-sexuality doesn’t make a difference in fetish modeling.

These are so closely related they didn’t bear splitting up, but they address slightly different issues.  First, it’s true there are all sorts of fetishes, and thanks to the internet anyone can find anything.  However, as mentioned in the limits comment above, there are natural brakes on anything and the less “mainstream” you are the less market there is.  So while I have no doubt there’s someone out there who gets off on seeing a left handed albino dwarf play a flugelhorn, that doesn’t mean said dwarf can be a successful fetish model.  The market’s likely simply too small to support even one such person as a full timer.  As in any other type of modeling, there are market-driven preferences that make a lot of determinations about who makes it and who doesn’t, and this doesn’t open the door for everyone.  A huge issue here is with BBW (Big Beautiful Woman) and larger models.  While they form a big fetish niche, and certainly have far more opportunity than in mainstream modeling, that’s still a smaller segment of the overall fetish market, so not everyone can do it.  I mentioned tattoos, piercings, and “alt” modeling above.  Similarly, there is far more leeway for, and acceptance of, those with heavily modified bodies in fetish modeling it does not mean that just because you have lots of tats and piercings you are or can be a fetish model, or that they’ll help you succeed.  In fact, heavy body mods have become so common that some photographers and producers and, more importantly, consumers often want to see “clean” skin.  Unmodded models are so rare as to be a bit of a premium these days.

This brings us to the second half of the point.  Fetish modeling, like regular modeling, is heavily skewed (based on the buying market) towards females.  In some respects it’s more female-centric than the mainstream market.  A lot of straight men who approach this (as dominants or submissives) seem to have the idea there’s a huge need for them.  Much as in porn, they’re mistaken.  Unless they’re willing to do gay work (for which there is a much larger male market) the chances of becoming a regular well known fetish model are vanishingly small.  The same is true for the huge number of transsexual, transgendered, and gender queer models, all most all of whom (in my experience) are genetic males, who want to push in here.  The small niche and limited opportunity factors both apply.  This is also true for genetic females in those groups, but their numbers are smaller (again, in my experience) and there are other factors that might get them a bit more work.  Race also falls in here.  While fetish people like to think of themselves as egalitarian, the vast number of successful fetish models are Caucasian (including Hispanics) or Asian.  Black fetish models are becoming somewhat more prominent, but it’s a slow process.  The straight market overwhelmingly favors Asian or Caucasian women (with a big preference there for traditionally pretty Playboy style looks) and the gay market white men.  The idea that people can just somehow magically “make” the markets change thru the force of their own personalities is no more realistic in fetish than it is in mainstream modeling.  Insisting it’s the photographers or producers enforcing their own standards is untrue, and is far less true in this market since it’s much easier for people to produce their own material than in mainstream modeling.  The truth is borne out by where the market votes with their money.

That’s it for part 1.  We’ll pick up with points 6-10 in part two, and then move on to the photographer side of this.  All comments here are my opinions, based on some time in various modeling & photography markets, based on observations and interactions with a number of people at varying levels in multiple markets.