Australia

Going Down Under - Modelling Work in Australia

Photographers in Australia have a problem - aussie girls don't want to get naked for magazines. So this means that there is an opportunity for a UK girl wanting a working holiday in Australia.

(Obviously as a side effect, there's not much scope for Producers/Photographers to shoot there. Not worth a special trip).

Money

You don't go Australia to make your fortune. It's not LA. You go because you want to travel, and be paid while doing it. A trip to Oz normally costs thousands, and for you it will cost nothing (and you'll also cover your home expenses like flat rent etc).

For a model, it's way to fund that Trip of a Lifetime, esp if you use a Round the World ticket and include stops at Fiji, Tahiti, USA etc.

The Market

Because porn is sort of illegal (in the States, but not the Territories, spot the loophole), in practice all the commercial work is soft nude, no stronger than pink.

The commercial work is mainly for magazines and web sites.

Private work is also mainly soft, and there is plenty of it at the soft end, and some at the hard.

Getting Paid

Magazines - The magazines only pay on acceptance, which means the photographers shoot on spec. The main way the industry works - with professional magazine photographers - is they they shoot, and you get paid when they do IF it is accepted. (The turnround is fast, unlike in the UK). If it's rejected, you don't get paid.

On this basis you'll get Aus$1000-Aus$1500 a spread and could get several spreads.

(I know this seems like a scam artists charter, but that's how it works. The thing to do is check that the photographer is a regularly published professional before working with them on this basis).

OR - you can insist on payment irrespective of acceptance. In that case you'll be offered less - typically a few hundred Aus$.

Websites - A few hundred Aus$, paid on the day of the shoot.

Private shoots - Aus$200-Aus$300 per 2-3 hour shoot - nude to pink, and you can shoot every day in major cities, if you plan properly.

Hardcore work is variable, but seems to be around Uk rates, and sometimes more.

Where you can work

Most of the work is in Melbourne and Sydney. You could spend a month in each and shoot every day, if you are decent looking and plan well. (You could easily save Aus$4000-Ays$6000 in a month in Melbourne, and have some days off as well. Ditto in Sydney).

The other cities will also have work, so city trips should be self financing on the basis of "1 day work, one day off".

Beach areas and small towns, outback. The larger coastal places - Gold Coast etc - will have work, but probably not enough to support an extended stay, so visit these places when you have savings. Small Towns and Outback - these really are small towns, often villages by UK standards, so don't expect work.

Practicalities

Australia is a HUGE country, and you need to be organised.

In particular you need to plan your travelling a few weeks in advance so that you can group your shoots as you visit each place. For example - If you are in Melbourne the second week of the month, you can't accept a Sydney job - Sydney is 500 MILES FROM MELBOURNE

Written with help from Aussie people (do contact them) :-

Vincent - http://www.photomode.com.au