05/13/11 - New Tampa Bay Models: Modeling scams can cost you your career! Don’t be misled or exploited! BONUS: Upcoming features on Tampa Bay Modeling, Summer 2011!

05/13/11 - Short Modeling Story - Born Beautiful, Episode 1: Independence. Story by C. A. Passinault, © 2004 Independent Modeling. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

05/13/11 - Short Modeling Story - Born Beautiful, Episode 2: Runway Talk. Story by C. A. Passinault, © 2004 Independent Modeling. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

UPDATE 03/08/11 - Buttoning up Tampa Bay Modeling for what is coming in the coming days and weeks. Although we will be doing small updates and will be adding jobs to the modeling job board (as they come in), our web team is in another castle (or, more to the point, busy building a massive fleet of photography marketing sites for Aurora PhotoArts. With the first three of the new Venus 3 Venus Class sites due online this week, and three to four sites due online every week thereafter, they will be very busy; 16 of these sites will be online, and fully operational, this spring).
So, we took this time to finish up the spring additions to Tampa Bay Modeling.
Not to worry, though. We will be back, and you won’t believe what is coming to Tampa Bay Modeling. Those modeling pay vouchers, a fully operational modeling job board (which will tie into the new Independent Modeling site), and new interactive tutorials are among the awesome things coming to Tampa Bay Modeling in 2011.
Please read our latest post on our Tampa modeling blog for the latest.

UPDATE 02/21/11 - Something to read, and it was added today to our Modeling FAQ section. We wanted to add some short and quick content to our QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE FOR MODELS, but it was a lot more work than we originally planned. We don't skimp or take short cuts, we put a lot of work into it, and now, it has enough content to carry an entirely new site. Check it: Am I model material? - Modeling Job Scams - Model Placement Scams - Modeling Management And Modeling Agency Scams - Modeling Photography And Exploitation Scams.

01/28/11 - In the process of applying an upgrade taken from the page of the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, and rerouting the model image thumbnail array to a spotlight online modeling portfolio. This will allow us to change around pictures (thumbnail images) at our leisure without having to run up bandwidth and refresh the entire site every time that we have to change anything out. We now have the capability of changing out pictures rapidly, and easily add model pictures to our Tampa Bay Modeling online portfolio; with the number of shoots that Aurora PhotoArts is about to do, this ability will become important. Regarding applying a concept from the online film festival to Tampa Bay Modeling, this is also an example of how an innovation from one industry can be applied to another. As of today, the new feature is enabled.
Note that the models who are featured in our thumbnails is something that is not the same thing as being a featured model with a featured model profile on our site, but featured models CAN be featured in the thumbnail array, too. The rule for models whom are featured in our thumbnail array will be that they are clients of Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Photography and Design; we are directly affiliated with Aurora PhotoArts, Aurora PhotoArts lead photographer C. A. Passinault is also the owner and director of Tampa Bay Modeling (as well as Florida Modeling Career, Independent Modeling, and Advanced Model), and we are both owned by Passinault.Com. The reason for this strict rule is that it would be a conflict for any other photographer or photography company to be featured here on Tampa Bay Modeling as far as image property usage, and all images used on this site are now required to be from Aurora PhotoArts. Because Aurora PhotoArts is the top modeling portfolio photography company in the Tampa Bay market, and is a leading modeling photography company in Florida, this isn’t a problem, and we will not have any shortage of great pictures of models. Knowing this, if you want to be a model in our thumbnail array, you have to be a client of Aurora PhotoArts. If you’re a featured model, are not a client of Aurora PhotoArts, pay for a featured model profile, and are accepted for publication, it IS possible for the photographs of other photographers and photography companies to be used in your featured model profile, but credits would have to be approved (we have the right to refuse crediting pictures, and would simply put a note that the pictures were not from Aurora PhotoArts), and we would not link to most photographers (We are having serious issues with linking to any unaffiliated external parties from this site, although we are getting lots of people requesting to exchange links; it seems that this would benefit them more than it would us, as they need us more than we need them at this point, and this does not interest us). Either way, models would be required to obtain a full signed release from the photographer or photography company before we could use those pictures on Tampa Bay Modeling, and we would require a copy of any release to be on file with us. Tampa Bay Modeling is a modeling resource site first, and a premier marketing platform for top tier independent models second; this site is not intended to be used to market or promote any other photographer or photography company other than Aurora PhotoArts. We own the site, and we make the rules (just wait until you see the rules being applied to certain events owned by Passinault. No competitors of any Passinault Industries LLC service company will be allowed to sponsor, or advertise from, any Passinault event, and that means all events and productions of Eventi Events and Eventi Stage!).
Keep in mind, too, that, effective immediately, that in order to be a featured model on Tampa Bay Modeling, that it will cost $500.00 per year, and you would have to be accepted, too, or you would have to be a client of Aurora PhotoArts AND be selected for the privilege (selection / acceptance is a standard term, as we are not a portfolio networking site, and we have to be picky about the models whom we feature on our site). With the value of the online real estate of Tampa Bay Modeling (just go to any search engine to see for yourself. We are already positioned first in modeling jobs and just about everything else regarding modeling in Tampa Bay), and the fact that we are more concerned about quality than quantity, which limits competition, it’s worth $500.00 a year, especially when that covers a featured model spot on Independent Modeling and Florida Modeling Career as well as here. The featured model profiles are also cross interlinked with all of our modeling job boards, which means that featured models will be looked at first by companies posting modeling jobs.
Are we worried about not having any models paying to be featured? No. We’re not desperate for models, and we’ll have plenty of models to choose from who are paying clients of Aurora PhotoArts (although it should be noted that, because they would have to be selected, that ALL model clients of Aurora PhotoArts will not be found here; just a select few. Other than the obvious reasons of quality and relevance, another reason for this is that we will not have our site used as a yardstick to gauge the clients of, and the amount of business being done by, Aurora PhotoArts). If a model understands the value of our site, and the exposure, but yet decides to pass, we wish them luck finding a better way to obtain online exposure in this market. Not even top portfolio networking sites (or agencies, for that matter) have our presence, search results, or credibility. Good luck!

Tampa Bay Modeling: Modeling Your Future – 01/23/11
We’ve prepared a simple guide of modeling information here on Tampa Bay Modeling for aspiring, new models, as well as professional models. Tampa Bay Modeling is a free modeling resource site for both independent models and agency represented models, although since, in our opinion, independent models are smarter than agency models, most of the information and tools here on Tampa Bay Modeling are geared for professional independent models. Keep in mind, too, that independent freelance models are not anti-agency, and freelance models do allow modeling and talent agencies to represent them, and to find them modeling jobs. It’s just that independent models do not allow modeling and talent agencies to manage their careers, or to represent them exclusively, especially in the Tampa modeling industry. Independent models use agencies as one of many sources of modeling job leads, and that is it. The reason for this is that modeling and talent agencies do not employ models. Modeling and talent agencies work FOR the models whom they represent. Because the models are actually the boss of the agencies, and the agencies are more like employees (although, technically, they are subcontracted), it would be inappropriate for agencies to manage models and to tell them what to do; it would be like an employee telling their employer what to do. Additionally, allowing an agency to manage a modeling career is a working conflict of interest, in our opinion. How so? Because the modeling and talent agency also works for the competition of the model. Who is this competition? Other models whom they represent, and work for. It would be like a company having salespeople working for their competition, which is a conflict of interest; allowing such a scenario gives the modeling agency an unfair advantage of the model, and enables favoritism, shady politics, unethical conduct, and modeling scams. Thus, Independent models do the smart thing, and only use agencies as a source of modeling job leads, and nothing more. Independent models make the agencies work hard and do the job that they are supposed to be doing. Better yet, the smartest independent freelance models obtain representation from several modeling agencies, and make them compete with each other to give them modeling job leads first. Even better, independent models have leverage over the modeling agencies, because the modeling agencies realize that the model will be booking work without them if they are not on the ball, and they don’t want to be cut out of a booking. The independent freelance model has every advantage over simple agency-only models who allow themselves to be dependent, and to be blindly led, by modeling agencies .
With our older sister site, Independent Modeling, spearheading the independent, or freelance, modeling movement as a worldwide leader in modeling resource site, you may be wondering what purpose Tampa Bay Modeling serves. Tampa Bay Modeling is a regional version of Independent Modeling, as well as a modeling resource site optimized for the special needs of the Tampa modeling market. Although you will find versions of tools here which are already published on Independent Modeling, the tools have been optimized for the Tampa modeling market. Tampa Bay Modeling is also a sister site to Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model. Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model all tie into Independent Modeling, which is our core modeling resource site; all four sites make up one meta site.
Our simple online guide to modeling your future is a port of a specialized modeling compact flyer developed for Tampa Bay Modeling in early 2010. It is current for 2011, and has a lot of useful information for models.

Tampa Bay Modeling Career Tip 12/02/10 - Smart models know that you never respond to any advertisement in the paper, or on the radio, for modeling jobs (the jobs are bait so they can trick you into buying something; you cannot trust anyone who has to mislead you to buy into whatever they are really selling), but even if a modeling job seems legit, never, EVER pay anything to be considered for any job!
In this economy, many scams uses jobs, and promises of employment, to trick people into contacting them so that they can sell them something. It’s wrong!

Examining Modeling Exploitation Scams. Updated 12/02/10.

Are Models Really Needed For “Major Department Store” Fashion Shows?
Tampa Bay Modeling’s Opinion? Beware of any advertised modeling jobs, especially if the specifics are vague. In a nutshell, read the following if this applies to you, young model, or aspiring model.

1. You are an aspiring model who does not yet have a portfolio or modeling composite cards.

A professional modeling portfolio and quality composite cards.
These are required tools for a modeling career, and there is no doubt of that, that is, of course, unless the model wants to work the low-end bottom-of-the-barrel modeling jobs such as promotional modeling; modeling jobs which are more bodies-to-fill-a-pot and less critical on the looks, or the range of looks, of the model. These tools show your range as a model, which makes your looks more marketable, and are like any investment into tools like business cards, a resume, and marketing material. They also demonstrate your experience so the company booking the model can be confident that the model can pull off the look that they need (What is the model supposed to do - Walk into a go-see / audition and demonstrate every look that they are capable of, with the assistance of a makeup artist, and hope that one of those looks is what they are looking for? Some things you can’t do without, especially since the model will not even get scheduled for consideration until the art director evaluating the models for the job see’s the composite card of the model, see’s a look demonstrated in that composite card which is close to what they are looking for, and checks their resume to make sure that they have enough experience for the job!). You HAVE to have these to work as a model, and this, unlike a model obtaining agency representation, is mandatory (Regardless of if a model is independent, or if they have agency representation, they HAVE to have a portfolio and composite cards to book work, and the more effective, and professional, those tools are, the more likely that the model will book paying modeling jobs). Do you think that any modeling job is going to book you if you can’t demonstrate your range of looks as a model, your experience, or the investment that you’ve made into your professional modeling career? If you were running a business, where time and money is at stake, would you?
Amateurs are not contenders in any profession, and they certainly cannot compete with the professionals who have invested in their careers. Could you imagine the chaos of a business world where people did not have to invest in their careers, anyone could become a professional just by claiming to be one, and amateurs tried to do professional-level work?
It’s not like these modeling jobs are hiring models as employees, either. The models are hired as subcontractors for a single job. There is no “on the job training” in this industry, especially for one-off, high profile marketing efforts such as fashion shows where the job demands that the models are experienced, and that they know what they are doing. That is, if the company wants effective marketing which will result in sales, and if the models want to get paid, and make a living, in their career.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PORTFOLIO AND COMPOSITE CARDS, AND HAVE NOT INVESTED IN YOUR MODELING CAREER, YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO BUSINESS TRYING TO BE BOOKED INTO ANY MODELING JOB, OR RESPONDING TO ANY ADVERTISEMENT FOR A MODELING JOB OR MODEL SEARCH.
If you’re stupid enough to not read this, to not educate yourself, and you try to book a modeling job, especially one that someone is (obviously) paying to advertise, you DESERVE what happens to you, and don’t cry to us that you were misled and that you were ripped off.
Also, if this somehow offends you, please do us a favor and leave our site, and don’t come back. We are actually sincere about trying to help people avoid modeling job scams, and you owe it to yourself to read what we have to say.
So, you want to be considered for a modeling job, but don’t have a portfolio or composite cards? What do you do? How do you become a model?
Simple. Invest in your career by paying for a modeling portfolio and composite cards from a professional photographer or a photography business who is HONEST about what they are in business to do. Look at their work, ask questions, and check references. Make sure that they guarantee their work for quality.
NEVER, EVER buy any services from ANYONE who promises that they can find you modeling jobs, or who is advertising any modeling jobs. This may be a deceptive, unethical tactic, baiting in models and aspiring models with the promise of a modeling job (a job which may or may not actually exist, as many of their victims never find out), and then turn around and sell you overpriced portfolios and comp cards in order to be “considered” for a modeling job.
YOU SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ANY JOB, MODELING OR OTHERWISE. DON’T BE AN IDIOT, AND DON’T FALL FOR THIS.
Also, never go to any modeling agency before you have a modeling portfolio and composite cards. Agencies work FOR the model, and find them modeling job leads. They are only allowed to make money by referring models into modeling jobs, and that is it. Since they work FOR the model, they have no business telling the model what to do, selling them services, referring them to any photographer, or managing them. Besides, an agency which oversteps their bounds and tries to manage the career of any model is a working conflict of interest, in our opinion. How? Because agencies also represent, and work for, OTHER MODELS, models who COMPETE with your for the same modeling jobs. Is it right for someone who works for you to tell you what to do while they work for your competition?
Additionally, the ONLY WAY to ensure that a modeling agency is making money the only way that they are allowed to is to ONLY use them as one of your many sources of modeling job leads, and that is it. If you allow the modeling agency to refer you to a photographer for a modeling portfolio, you cannot be sure that they are not making money illegally, and unethically, by receiving kickbacks or referral fees from the photographer. Also, if this is how they make money, do you really think that there is any incentive for the agency to make money by finding modeling job leads for models, and by referring models to those modeling jobs?
Also ponder this: If a company is ADVERTISING a modeling job, they are paying money out to run those ads. It is costing them money to advertise. How do they make their money, and how do they make it profitable?
It is AGAINST THE LAW for anyone to make money from referring models into modeling jobs if they ARE NOT A LICENSED MODELING AND TALENT AGENCY in the State Of Florida; Florida State Statutes indicate that it is a FELONY, and it is a CRIME.
If they are not a license talent agency, and they are not able to make money by referring models into the jobs that they advertise, how do they make their money? Can a model management company legally make money by finding and referring models into modeling jobs? Not if they are not a license modeling and talent agency. How about a model search who is advertising modeling jobs? Again, not unless they are a licenced modeling and talent agency!
They are spending lots of money on advertising modeling jobs. Again, HOW do they make their money?
Don’t you think that anyone advertising a modeling job, and who, after you go to the go-see (audition/ casting, whatever it is supposed to be), will only refer you to the job if you buy something, is a little deceptive? Could it be a modeling job scam?
Consider this, too: No legitimate modeling job is ever going to hire a model who has no experience! NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY? We say “No way”!
If you were a business paying models to help you with the marketing that you depend upon to sell a product or service, would you invest in a model who did not have experience? Can an inexperienced model effectively compete against experienced, professional models who have invested in their careers, and who have professional portfolios and composite cards? Also, the people booking models into modeling jobs are not stupid, and they know who the modeling job scams are. Do you think that they are going to take any model seriously who was lured in with a fake modeling job offer that was advertised, and who was TRICKED into paying for overpriced classes and a professionally useless portfolio before they could be “referred” to the “modeling job”? Not only will you not be booked into any modeling job, and not make your investment back, but you will be out a lot more money that you have to invest, and will CRIPPLE the credibility of your modeling career if you fall for any modeling job scam!
Our opinion? If it’s a modeling job, or a model search, which is advertised, stay away. We have NEVER, EVER seen ANY of these modeling job offers turn out to be legitimate.
Also, while we understand the allure and prestige of anyone being considered for a fashion show by a “major department store” in the Tampa Bay area, why is it that, after we call all of the major department stores, that none of them know anything about these fashion shows? Who are these “major” department stores? Can the companies that are advertising these so-called modeling jobs, modeling jobs where “no experience is necessary” (We suppose because the “major” department stores who are putting all of the time and money into these so-called fashion shows don’t know what they are doing, and increase their risk of failure by working with inexperienced amateurs. I don’t know about you, but I’d be leery of working with any business which lacked such business sense!) tell models exactly WHO these “major” department stores are, so that the job can be verified?
Also, when was the last time that you saw ANY fashion show done in the Tampa Bay area where models were PAID for their work, let alone fashion shows which are done by ANY department store?
Don’t fall for false advertising. Do the modeling industry a favor and REPORT IT to the Federal Trade Commission, as well as the media. False and misleading advertising, in our opinion, is FRAUD, and it is a FELONY. Can criminals who have to mislead you and trick you into buying what they are REALLY selling actually do anything for you or your modeling career? We think not!

2. You are an experienced, professional model who has a modeling portfolio and composite cards.

NOTE: This does NOT apply if you are an amateur model pretending to be a professional model, and you have not invested in the professional level career tools that your competition, who are actual professional models, are using. If you have built your portfolio with free TFP / TFCD (Time For Print/ Time For CD) shoots with amateur photographers (No professional photographer is going to work for free, or exchange services with you, if you are an amateur model who is in need of a modeling portfolio. It’s that simple. Why would they give away the store and work for free? Sure, they may say that they are professional, but most TFP photographers are amateur hobbyists or guys with cameras who use photography as a way to pick up pretty girls, or who use photography as a way to take advantage of women. Why expose yourself to risk, and why waste your time? Do you think that photographers who are in “business” to work for free will be able to give you a marketable modeling portfolio which will enable you to compete with real professional models who are smart, and serious enough about their career, to invest in the professional-level portfolio that they need?), you work as a chicken wing waitress in order to “break into modeling” (Hey, maybe you can get breast implants, and lock yourself into a “sexy” bimbo look, which limits your marketability as a model, and make it big on one of the calendars! Yes, that’s the ticket! Don’t blame us when professional models, real models who ensure that their looks are flexible enough to maximize their marketability as a model, and you know what they are doing, take all of the jobs. Limited models will not be able to compete against professionals! Why handicap yourself?), and otherwise compromise in order to market (Yes, we are sure that most businesses will consider allowing a model to represent their product or service if the model has tacky nudes all over the Internet. Sounds like a genius P.R. move to us, and a way to reach your target market without alienating them and costing you business! For those who are idiots, we are being sarcastic here. We’ve known many talented models who sold themselves short, or out, for a quick dollar, only to crippled their marketability, and their modeling career, in the long run. Nothing makes a professional model happier when their competition limits themselves by locking themselves into any limited market!) themselves as a so-called “professional” model.
If you’re not really a professional model, please go up to the first example above, and read it, as it applies to you. If you’re really a professional model, please continue reading.

This is simple. If you already have a modeling portfolio and composite cards, and they have been working for you, you’re not in the market for any services. You’re also among the only models who are qualified to book a modeling job.
If anyone tries to convince you that your portfolio is not good, ignore them, but proceed with caution. Obviously, your composite card and portfolio were good enough to get your foot in the door. If they try to sell you any services, tell them that you are not in the market for services, and that you only wish to be considered for the modeling job that they are advertising. If they give you the run-around and try to sell you something, walk away and report them for deceptive advertising.

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BREAKING NEWS 09/10/10 - Introducing the Model Dominion.
An association of professional independent models from Tampa Bay, Florida.

NOTE: The Model Dominion is an association of professional models who operate within the law to change a backwards industry. What we do is the right thing to do, what we do is professional, and we do not do anything wrong. Everything that we do is legal, and ethical, so please do not take certain metaphors literally. Quite simply, we’re the bigger and better deal, and that’s how we will change the industry. The Model Dominion is NOT a modeling and talent agency, is not a model management company, it is not some lame model placement company which claims to place models with agencies, and it is not a modeling school. Our models are independent, professional models who book work on their own, earning the full rates that agency models would normally earn, while the modeling job and the model save money on the commission that would normally be paid to the agencies. Our models manage their own careers. The Model Dominion is the force of the new modeling industry, that new industry begins here in Tampa Bay, and we answer to no one but ourselves. Agency models who allow their careers to be limited because of their dependence upon agencies, and modeling agencies themselves, cannot stand before us. Modeling scams cannot hurt us because of our knowledge and experience, and we work to restore balance, ethics, and integrity to the modeling industry. Thank you.

The Model Dominion will take the modeling market in Tampa Bay within two years, and begins operations now.
On August 18, 2010, Tampa photographer and modeling expert C. A. Passinault and Independent Modeling formed the Model Dominion, an association of professional independent models which operates out of Tampa Bay, Florida.
The main Model Dominion web site can be found at ModelDominion.Com .
The models of the Model Dominion will force change in the modeling industry, starting in the Tampa modeling market. Literally an army of models, the models will go out, find modeling jobs, book those jobs, and take those jobs away from modeling agencies, and the limited models who depend upon those agencies. Each model will directly compete with the agencies, and faced with hundreds of competitors in the span of a short amount of time, the modeling and talent agencies will be vastly outnumbered, and will be unable to compete. Each job taken away from the agencies, and their limited models, will be another conquest of the Model Dominion. Since our models are top professionals, they will earn repeat bookings, too, further denying the agencies, and the limited agency models, those modeling jobs. As a result, the pool of prospective modeling jobs will become increasingly limited as our models work the market.
Many of our models will work both sides of the fence, and will also allow multiple modeling agencies to represent them, competing with agency models directly, too. The agencies may, or may not know that these models are associated with us, which is up to the individual model, but regardless, it will not matter. Even if the agencies knew that a model was a member of the Model Dominion, they would have to realize that the model is smart enough to book work on their own, and the agency will have to work harder to book our models into jobs, before the model finds the job first and cuts them out of their commission. The models of the Model Dominion have leverage over the agencies, and put them in their proper place, as well as have the advantage over the modeling agency models who remain ignorant by choice; agency models who allow the agencies, which are supposed to work for them, to manage and manipulate them. Agency models will be forced to wake up and adapt to the new market standards, or find their careers adrift.
The members of the Model Dominion will be in three distinct classes. We will have face models, models who are the public faces of our organization, and these models will be the PR head of our organization, also serving as our voice. More commonly, too, we will also have legions of shadow models who are off the grid, and who will not publicly acknowledge that they are members of the organization. These models will be our eyes, ears, and our hands, and will work the market to our advantage. The third class is a specialized class, instructor class. These advanced models and modeling experts, who teach while also working successful careers, will work to keep our body of members educated and informed.
Our operatives have already infiltrated many of the clients of local modeling agencies, and we have spent years preparing for what is happening now. Those clients would rather work with independent models, and cut out the agency middleman. It won’t take much convincing to convince others to book independent models, especially with the deployment of free online evaluation tools such as the Risk Analysis System on Independent Modeling, which will become the main resource web site for the Model Dominion. The Risk Analysis System, or RAS, will be deployed on Independent Modeling, Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model, with each version optimized for the target market of each modeling resource site.
That same Risk Analysis System, which will enable modeling jobs to quickly evaluate independent models for professional credibility, will also be used to put the amateur modeling market in its place. Models and photographers who refuse to invest in their careers, building their portfolios with free TFP photography shoots and operating from freebie portfolio and social networking sites, will find that their professional credibility will be crippled. Models and photographers who don’t respect their careers enough to invest in it will be seen for the amateurs that they are because of what they do, and they will be unable to compete with professionals who are serious enough about their careers to invest in it. Those amateur models and photographers will be forced to adapt, and they will be forced to get serious about their careers, investing in real web sites, portfolios, composite cards, and other tools. They will find it hard to book jobs without professional tools, and without being able to demonstrate an investment into their careers.
Likewise, the Model Dominion will be aware of modeling scams and unethical people operating in the modeling industry, and we will work to identify and address these issues.
Balance will be restored in the market.
The Model Dominion will also be doing other projects through our modeling resource sites, such as Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling. These projects include, but are not limited to, media interviews, which we have been doing already, under Tampa Bay Modeling, since 2008. The Model Dominion web site is currently being built, and will be launched soon.

On Wednesday, August 18, 2010, Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Advanced Model, and Florida Modeling Career initiated a special modeling program which may rival Independent Modeling itself as far as innovation. It will change everything.
At this time, this program is only open to professional models, and it is classified as top secret, with a reveal in 2011. What is it? The princess is in another castle, and her initials are “MD”. That’s all that we can reveal at this time, other than this is something that the agencies have been accusing us, and are extremely afraid of, for many years. It will enhance Independent Modeling, as well as all of our other modeling resource sites. Consider it to be a supercharger, and it will literally change the face of the Tampa modeling industry within a span of two years.
These are exciting, revolutionary times.... unless you are a Tampa modeling and talent agency, a Tampa modeling scam, or one of seven other things. In those cases, we are not sorry.

How to get started in modeling: Pending Feature. We almost had this done, and then a computer crash a few weeks ago wiped it out. We are rewriting this feature, so please be patient.
We will give you this tip for starting out: Get a modeling portfolio and your composite cards done BEFORE going to any Tampa modeling and talent agency. It is against the law for any Florida modeling agency to make money by selling modeling photography, portfolio, comps, or any other modeling career tool. If an agency is set up to make money this way, too, there is no incentive to do what they are supposed to do, which is find modeling jobs for the models who they work for (represent). Agencies work for models, and not the other way around. They have no business trying to manage any models (as they also work for the competition, who are other models who they work for, which would make it a conflict of interest). To MAKE SURE that an agency is not scamming you, and that they are only making money the way that they are supposed to, NEVER allow an agency to refer you to any photographer or service for your portfolio, comps, or other career tools; you can not be certain that they are not making money from illegal kickbacks or referrals. Make them work for you, and make them earn money by finding you modeling jobs, and referring you to them. Also, NEVER, EVER buy any service, modeling photography, portfolios, or composite cards from anyone advertising modeling jobs, like they have been in the paper, and on the radio. They have to be an agency in order to make money referring models to those jobs, and if they are not, there is no incentive to find jobs for the models. Can you trust someone who is not straight-up with you in regards to what they are actually in business to do? If they have to trick you by baiting you with a job offer, and then turn around and try to sell you something, is it right? Modeling scams will hurt the career of any model! Only by services from businesses who are honest with what they do, and what they offer.
In related news, independent models, the long-awaited modeling pay vouchers for professional Tampa models will be up by the end of August, 2010!
Large numbers of updates are coming to Tampa Bay Modeling this fall, including a new modeling scam analysis database, and new modeling scam fighting tools!

Networking in nightclubs? - Party Models

2011

TAMPA BAY MODELING AGENCIES
FLORIDA MODELING AGENCY LAWS

OUTRAGE! Tampa modeling jobs hit a new low!

Article - Modeling and the economy.

UPDATE 07/15/10 - Annoyed because we lost about 30 pages of content that we were about to upload, and publish, on Tampa Bay Modeling. There was a computer crash a few weeks ago, and with it went some content (back up your files!). The content now has to be rewritten; it should be better the second time around.

UPDATE 05/28/10 - No WONDER modeling and talent agencies still have a measure of credibility in the modeling industry. We launched a new, ongoing section today, Party Models, about amateur models and people who claim to be models working their "careers" by networking in nightclubs and using freebie tools such as portfolio networking sites. What's our issue? It is undermining the independent modeling and talent movement, and enabling unethical, unprofessional practices in the modeling industry. We are going to do something about this!

UPDATE 05/26/10 - The Risk Analysis System is now being installed on our Independent Modeling mother site (see our Tampa Modeling Blog for more). This method of evaluating professional credibility of models, photographers, and the businesses which book them will cripple amateurs who try to build portfolios using free exchange services such as TFP / TFCD, and businesses who try to rip od professionals by trying to get them to work for free. If you are one of the amateur models, photographers, or whatever who use free portfolio sites to work your "career", or who refuse to invest in your business and use a freebie Myspace or Facebook profile as your main "business web site", we are not sorry. You people clutter the market with confusion and undermine legitimate professional business practices. Welcome to a new era, an era of having a tough time getting work. You get what you pay for, and we are going to help legitimate professionals do business, the business which they are qualified to do, and what they deserve to get. We will link to this new section on Independent Modeling once it is online, and all of our modeling job boards and other modeling career tools will heavily utilize it. If you want a legitimate career as a professional, you want to be recognized as a professional, and you want to be able to compete with professionals, you will invest in your career, or go out of business. Thus, a new modeling industry war, the war against unprofessionals who are littering the modeling industry, begins. Good luck!

UPDATE 04/15/10 - Work on the modeling resource sites is stalled at the moment. The web team is working on managing the content on several blogs, and then they have to work on content and upgrades for some photography marketing sites. We will be underway again sometime in May 2010, and Independent Modeling and our modeling job board will be updating then, too. Florida Modeling Career will be updated in May, and Advanced Model will launch.

UPDATE 04/13/10 - Oh, my, it's going to get really nasty (see our Tampa Modeling Blog). We are discovering a new type of modeling job scam, which are companies which take advantage of models and feel that they do not have to pay them if they don't go through an agency. Obviously, this is not what independent modeling is about, and not how to work a modeling career. Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model are all going to address this, and fight it. Models need to get paid just as much on a freelance basis as if they were referred by an agency, if not more, especially since the modeling job saves money in the first place by not having to pay agency fees. We have a lot of work to do, obviously, and it will get done, especially since we are in the position to do something about it.

Obviously, this is going to make attracting modeling jobs to our modeling job boards more difficult, but this will work well. How so? Just like big retail businesses discreetly evaluate the profitiability of their customers and discourage the ones which are not profitable, we don't want modeling jobs which make money and don't pay models, and do not want any modeling jobs which exploit models or undermine the integrity of modeling careers. This said, we are delaying the full rollout of the Independent Modeling job board until next month, because our modeling job support content is about to become a whole other level of complicated, and we need to simplyfy it for models and everyone involved.

UPDATE 04/07/10 - We're working on some things, as well as preparing for the launch of Advanced Model. There will be more, soon.

UPDATE 02/13/10 - Our Tampa Modeling Blog has another update. Independent Modeling will see massive updates in the nxt week and a half. The modeling job board, which has been in development for years, and will be used by Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model (as well as Independent Modeling itself), will be fully operational this weekend. New job lead theft-prevention countermeasures will be active, too; a big surprise for those who steal modeling job leads from free online modeling job boards.

UPDATE 02/13/10 - Our Tampa Modeling Blog has been updated, again, with some new (and updated) announcements. Our new Modeling Your Future campaign begins today, too. Tampa Bay Modeling, as of today, has fully transitioned to a marketing platform as well as a free modeling resource site. The links to the latest features, as a result, have shifted below. In related news, Independent Modeling is ready to resume full scale operations, and Advanced Model is preparing to launch, too; expect the following sequence of events: Tampa Bay Modeling updated, Florida Modeling Career up to spec, Independent Modeling brought up to speed, Advanced Model launch, and then new tools on all of the modeling sites, which includes new forms, pay vouchers, tutorials, new modeling scam analysis databases (each optimized for the target market of each site), new modeling scam fighting tools, the RAS (Risk Analysis System), and a lot more. Advanced Model, which will take point, is expected to launch in spring, now, because of all of the work that needs to be done.

UPDATE 01/22/10 - Working on our new Risk Analysis System (RAS), the modeling job lead board on Independent Modeling (some freebies, but the really successful models will find their own jobs and book them, and not be dependent upon a job board; we have free tutorials on how to do this, too), two types of modeling may vouchers, bumper stickers, shirts, apparel, a featured model section, and much more.
Among these, the RAS, or Risk Analysis System, will prove to be the most effective. A hint to make this work in your favor is to invest in your career, whether you are a model, and photographer, or any other modeling-related profession. Invest in a professional portfolio. Invest in a real web site. Invest in composite cards and other tools. Modeling and photography are careers, and you cannot begin a career for free. If anyone tells you this, they either don’t know what they are doing, or are trying to scam you. Sure, this web site has free modeling information, with no obligation to buy anything to utilize that information, but we also sell services. A model require a professional modeling portfolio and composite cards in order to market themselves and to book work, or for an agency to market them and obtain job leads for them. You cannot obtain professional tools which will be effective in a career for free, and there is no way that you will be able to compete with professional models who have properly invested in their careers with cheap, or free, career tools. Also, forget about model searches and any modeling jobs advertised; we have never seen a single one which have not been a scam. Forget what they are really selling- can you trust them if they have to trick you, by baiting you with a job offer and then switching you to buy some service, in order to sell you something?
Tampa Bay Photographers will have its own version of the RAS when it launches soon.
Who will be impacted by the new RAS? So-called models and photographers who don’t bother investing in their careers. If you use freebie, or cheap, portfolios (TFP), and use a free web 2.0 profile such as Myspace, Facebook, or one of the clutter of amateurish portfolio networking sites as your primary business web site, your credibility as a professional will suffer. Want to compete against the professionals? Invest in your career- or else.
In related news, our new Advanced Model site will be launching sometime in February. The site is a monthly online modeling magazine, as well as the official web site for the national modeling book now being worked on my C. A. Passinault. Features of Advanced Model will include the return of the monthly modeling mail bag by Tampa model Monica Stevens (a pseudonym for a modeling professional who wishes to remain anonymous), and a regular series of podcasts. Advanced Model is also a modeling resource site which will use Independent Modeling as a resources, much like Tampa Bay Modeling and Florida Modeling Career will.
Tampa Bay Modeling will become very important, too, as it will be used for modeling services marketing and a free source of modeling information for the Tampa Bay modeling industry, which is becoming ground zero for a revolution of the next modeling industry (we’d hate to be an agency here in the next few years, and that’s why we are not an agency, although, if we were, we’d be the only one which would be able to handle the changes). Our Tampa Modeling Blog has also been updated.

UPDATE 12/31/09 - Our Tampa Modeling Blog has been updated. Check it, and happy new year from your friends at Tampa Bay Modeling!

UPDATE 12/28/09 - A problem with the code of the Tampa Bay Modeling site, where some of the template content and the picture thumbnail array reverted back to an earlier version, has been corrected. The directory index, and all of the site files, of Tampa Bay Modeling have been refreshed. In other developments, the modeling job lead index is in the process of being brought up to speed, as is its supporting modeling job board on Independent Modeling. Independent Modeling will become the modeling job board, modeling career tool, and the core resource of Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model. Because of critical work that must be done to Florida Modeling Career and Advanced Model in the next few weeks, the Independent Modeling site will be brought up to where it needs to be by spring 2010. Updates to Independent Modeling will be steady, and gradual.
Becoming a source of legitimate modeling job leads is important to us because of the increase of modeling job scams in this poor economy. Expect a lot of modeling career tools which will assist models with finding their own modeling job leads, too.
Tampa Bay Modeling will continue to be regularly updated, as will Florida Modeling Career and Advanced Model (one they are brought up to spec), although the majority of the modeling resource content updates and modeling job information will be on our core support site, Independent Modeling.
Any modeling resource content relevant to the Tampa modeling industry will be published on Tampa Bay Modeling, and Tampa Bay Modeling will continue to serve as the main geographical lead-in site for Independent Modeling and the other modeling resource sites. Expect a lot of continuing Tampa Bay marketing work and PR work to come from us, such as Tampa Bay Modeling models making television appearances and doing interviews with the media. This media relations work has been ongoing since 2008, and it’s been very successful, with many Tampa Bay Modeling models making routine appearances. Expect much more in this area in 2010.
Advanced Model is a monthly online modeling magazine and a modeling resources site. It also serves as the web site for the modeling book which modeling expert C. A. Passinault is currently working on. It will launch in mid January 2010, with new issues being published online every month. An exciting development of Advanced Model will be the return on the modeling mail bag which used to be featured on Independent Modeling in 2002 and here on Tampa Bay Modeling in 2006. Continuing the odd four year move cycle, Tampa model Monica Stevens will resume her monthly mail bag on Advanced Modeling with the premier issue in January 2010. The bugs of the format have been worked out, and it is now cost-effective to publish this feature. It is intended for the mail bag to have its permanent home on Advanced Model, and it will be a strongly supported, and promoted, monthly feature (it’s been revealed that lengthy mail bags will be avoided from now on, with response which reply long, detailed replies linking to articles, tutorials, and resources on Independent Modeling).

UPDATE 12/18/09 - The Tampa Bay Film sites are now completed, and have been put on standby for an indefinite period of time. We can now concentrate on the Tampa modeling industry; please note that much of what happens in 2010 is going to be very noticeable, and will have a profound impact on not just the Tampa modeling industry, but the modeling industry as a whole. Please check out the latest Tampa modeling blog post for more.

UPDATE 12/17/09 - Took a break to celebrate our FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY . We couldn't make deadline, so we took some time off and tied up some other loose ends. We're now in position to spend a lot more time with Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model. We added a new Tampa Bay modeling jobs to avoid section, and am working on several more things. We also finally got around to jump starting the Tampa modeling job lead board, which will tie into the modeling job board at Independent Modeling (we are not going to be redundant here, and we're not into duplicating modeling job post information. The modeling job board on Independent Modeling will become the modeling job board for all of our modeling resource sites). The modeling job board will go online Monday, December 21, 2009, along with the modeling pay vouchers and other tools. This is our Christmas gift to professional models, and although this should prove to be popular among them, we stress that models should never, ever depend upon a modeling job board, or anything else, for their job leads. The most successful professional models obtain modeling job leads on their own, and we have free information on how to do that.

Did you know that the top modeling scams are modeling job scams, where they bait models and aspiring models with the promise of modeling jobs, and then turn around and sell them modeling portfolios and other services? Did you know that there are models and photographers out there who give the industry a bad name, working for free (with unethical motives), exploiting others, and not bothering to invest in their careers? Did you know that it is against the law, and unethical, for a licensed Florida modeling and talent agency to make money selling portfolios, composite cards, and any other services to the models and talent whom they represent? Well, we do, and we are going to do something about it.

UPDATE 10/16/09 - We added a Press Releases and Media Contact Center section for the news media. We have enhanced our Tampa photography rate section, and have updated the content to define what fair rates are for professional modeling portfolio photography. We have also brought back the reverse auction system to address the conduct of budget photographers who don't bother doing quality work, instead relying on low rates to swindle people. The rest of the Tampa Bay Modeling site has also been updated. Other news: We are deploying not one, but two modeling pay vouchers this weekend (one for large businesses who traditionally obtain models through modeling and talent agencies with delayed billing, and another for smaller modeling jobs where the model is paid in full, in cash, at the time of the modeling job). We expect the newer, pay-in-full-at-job vouchers to be popular with Tampa models who work smaller modeling jobs. We are also working on our new second-generation modeling scam analysis database, and will be adding a "model scam" analysis database which will expose the activity patterns of unethical, unprofessional models. The Independent Modeling modeling job board will be online by Monday, December 21, and our Tampa modeling job board will directly tie into it. All of this work is in celebration of our BIG FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on Sunday, October 18, 2009. In the near future, expect some exciting new additions, such as our Tampa Bay Modeling Risk Analysis system, which will devastate budget photographers and aspiring models and photographers who do not invest in their careers.

UPDATE 10/15/09 - The Tampa Talent Agency site has been updated, and crosslinked with the already-popular Tampa Modeling Agency site. These are not sites for any modeling and talent agency, but are resource sites from Tampa Bay Modeling and Tampa Bay Acting, addressing some of the issues with Tampa modeling and talent agencies (there is the option of turning these into marketing and business sites if Passinault ever decided to open a Tampa modeling and talent agency. If he were to do that, in our opinion, there is no way that any of the agencies will be able to compete with it. This is just speculation for now, however, and there is no agency connected to these sites currently). There is some good stuff on there. We are also going to expand the Tampa Model Search site, soon, due to the crazy increase in Tampa modeling job scams; the economy seems to make people desperate, and it looks as if it is bringing out the worst in a lot of people (either that, or people are desperate, their pretense goes away, and we now see them for what they really are).

UPDATE 10/15/09 - Our sister site, Tampa Bay Acting, updated today with a section defining what fair headshot photography rates are for the Tampa photography services market. Several of our resource sites are mobilizing to address an apparent crisis in photography rates. You have a lot of guys who go out and buy a digital camera, and who then claim that they are "professional photographers". The are amateurs who run around, and either shoot for free or shoot at low rates to compensate for the lack of quality in their photography. Their motive? To rip off people, or to hit on pretty girls. These people actually do succeed, occasionally, at luring in people who are looking for cheap photography services and people who don't have a clue about what to look for in photography. The average person is also deluded into thinking that they can get quality services at the insultingly-low rates that they dictate, and then get angry when the photographer tells them no. Keep telling them no. Let their ignorance and their sense of entitlement teach them a lesson. For the smarter consumer, we have an easier solution. The consumer needs to be educated. Tampa Bay Modeling and our ally sites will begin deploying advanced tools to address the instability in the talent photography services market. We are even bringing back our proven, and effective reverse auction system for photographer who try to offer services that are cheaper than the competition (you know that tool, guys... When we first introduced the reverse auction system to the Tampa modeling portfolio photography market five years ago, it put a lot of the budget photographers out of business and stabilized the rates for this market. This is the reason why professional Tampa photographers today are able to make the rates that they are worth.) With the present economy, we see a lot of photographers doing the budget route again, but this time, the consumer is compromising their values because they mistakenly believer that all businesses are hurting for money, and that they can get whatever they want at whatever rates that they want. This is a mistake, and we are going to emphasize that. Expect a lot of professional photographers to simply say "no" to the entitled consumer in the future, as the unprofitable consumers face a backlash from professional photographers. Think that you can get it cheaper? Knock yourself out. You will get low quality photographs, and even expose yourself to dangerous people, going the budget route. You'll learn. We have other tools, too, which will address TFP issues and budget photographers. Shape up, and learn the business, or you will face credibility issues. We expect to see a lot of amateur photographers go out of "business". A new sister site of ours, Tampa Bay Photographers, is also due to launch this month. Tampa Bay Photographers will have a comprehensive section defining what fair photography rates are for all photography markets, and will have tutorials for photographers who wish to learn more about the photography business, as well as for the consumer who wishes to learn how to evaluate the quality and the value of photography. Tampa Bay Photographers will be a free resource site for professional photographers, as well as for people who are looking for the best value in photography, and you will never guess what the photography scam section is going to address. It won't have much about photography scams- it will address people who try to rip off photographers, and models who give photographers a hard time. Here at Tampa Bay Modeling, we are all for bad models being taken to task, as we do not support unprofessional models. Unprofessional models give us all a bad name, and undermine the progress of the independent modeling movement. Professional standards will be established for the Tampa Bay markets, and we are all going to make it tough for anyone who tries to undermine those professional standards. TFP photographers, photographers using free networking sites as "business" sites, and other amateurs who take shortcuts, have unethical motives, and who don't bother investing in the business, be warned: The Tampa market is about to get really rough for you.

UPDATE 10/11/09 - We're going through the site content today, updating everything that needs to be brought up to date. This includes information originally added years ago. We have a long list of things which will be added to Tampa Bay Modeling this week, and will be sending out press releases shortly regarding our fifth anniversary a week from today. For more, please read the Tampa Modeling Blog here on Tampa Bay Modeling. Oh, and for the one millionth time, Tampa Bay Modeling is NOT a modeling agency. Any more emails asking for us to represent models will be deleted without a response because the model did not bother to read anything and assumes that we are some sort of agency, which we are not. Respect us enough to at least take a moment to read what we have on this site! Also, we will not directly click on any links in emails, and will not open any attachments. Attached files will be deleted. If you have a web site which you would like us to see, write the URL, and we will manually check it when we are ready to by typing it into a browser window.

UPDATE 10/09/09 (Friday) - BIG updates are coming next week. Right now, our web team is working on updating Tampa Bay Film, and that work should be done by Sunday morning. October 18 is going to be a big day, and we get an entire week of content overhauls, new features, and old content adjustments to prepare. We hear that modeling pay vouchers and new, cool stuff is on the way. We are even launching a new section titled "Craigslist Follies". Oh, and Advanced Model should be launching near the end of the year. Advanced Model, a free online modeling magazine, modeling career resource, and the official web site for C. A. Passinault's upcoming Advanced Model book, will incorporate some of the most recent tools developed by Independent Modeling and Tampa Bay Modeling for Florida Modeling Career. Advanced Model will be the most advanced modeling resource site in the world. Independent Modeling will be the core resource site, with modeling job boards and resources used by the other modeling sites, and both Tampa Bay Modeling and Florida Modeling Career will be regional lead-in modeling resource site supporting Independent Modeling and Advanced Model. These are the times. These are also the best times for models and their career.

Now if you excuse us, we have to spend some time on Craigslist and laugh at the obvious modeling scams, modeling jobs with no pay, and high risk modeling jobs which exploit models and ruin careers. Any models out there stupid, or ignorant, enough to fall for these? We especially love the ad which had models call a phone number, which in turn billed the cell phones of the models (a model posted a rant on there warning everyone about it... Models, do NOT call any numbers in those ads!). There are also stupid amateur models on their posting ads, and it is obvious that we will have to deal with those models in the near future by addressing their behavior (we never thought in a million years when this al began that we would be fighting so-called models, in addition to modeling scams, but there are some real idiots out there calling themselves models, and they must be exposed for what they are- unprofessional!). Did you see the ads on there with aspiring models asking photographers and make up artists for FREE modeling portfolios? Pathetic! You have to invest in your modeling career, aspiring models, or you won't be able to compete against real models ( See Modeling Mistakes 101: New model wants free portfolio, posted 05/08/09). Fortunately, there are a lot of smart professional models out there who see these shady modeling offers and modeling scams for what they are. They've been flagging them off, and the ads mysteriously disappear (for the record, we are not flagging any ads off. We simply do not have the time to. We are also not inciting, or encouraging, models to do this. They are doing this all on their own, and we are very happy that they are.

UPDATE 09/30/09 - We refreshed the site directories this morning (Ingrid, your pictures are history!). We will have a much larger site directory refresh in a few weeks, as we prepare for our BIG FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on October 18, 2009! In other news, it seems that our Advanced Model web site has a HUGE, MASSIVE future in store for it. It is about to become very, very, very important. Not only will it serve as the web site for the Advanced Modeling book now in the works by resident modeling expert (and the top modeling photographer in Florida) C. A. Passinault, and a marketing lead-in for Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Independent Modeling, but it will also be an online modeling career magazine, published monthly! Expect Advanced Model to debut its first issue in late 2009! While details on the features of the new online modeling magazine are currently scarce, we are very happy to report that Tampa Bay Modeling resident model Monica Stevens (which is a pseudonym, and is not her real name) will be launching her third modeling mail bag series on Advanced Model. Monica will launch her third mail bag series with a refined mail bag format, and this will be a monthly feature on the Advanced Model online modeling career magazine. Since we abruptly ended the Tampa Bay Modeling mail bag two years ago (it became too complicated and was way too much work, with each mail bag swelling in at over 20 pages, with some lengthy answers by Monica), we have been looking at different formats, and different ideas, for continuing the mail bag. This work is now being used by Advanced Model, and Monica is happy that she will be able to continue in a new mail bag series. The new mail bag format will be cost-effective, unlike past versions, because of a refined format, links to references of supporting information, and because it will also be the official mail bag of Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Independent Modeling! There will no longer be any issues about the amount of work that will go into the new mail bag, especially since it will serve as a mail bag for four large modeling web sites!. Welcome back, Monica, and we look forward to the new mail bag (and it sticking around this time). We are also looking forward to more emails from the French Fry, a photographer from Clearwater! Archives from Monica's older mail bags from Independent Modeling and Tampa Bay Modeling will be maintained here on Tampa Bay Modeling, with her new mail bags published on Advanced Model.

UPDATE 09/13/09 - Added Tampa Bay modeling agencies listing and Florida modeling agency laws on the Tampa Bay Modeling site. We are sick and tired of the complicated mess that the state of Florida databases are (their web designers should be fired, in our opinion. ASP? Ha ha ha! Nice, easy menus you have there!), so we put the information here on the site. Also, don't worry, as we will link to the source and publish references. We also began building the directories for the new modeling scam analysis database, which is a second generation scam analysis database with a format designed for Florida Modeling Career. The scenario-based front-end will be added after the database is built, and then it will be brought online and will be accessable from the main menu. The old modeling scam database will be archived on the site, accessable from our features section. The links to the modeling scam section will be rerouted in the archives to link to the new database when it is brought online.

UPDATE 09/12/09 - Our first Tampa Bay Modeling site code refresh in almost a year is in the works. We should be refreshing our entire web site in late September 2009, just in time for our BIG FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY on October 18, 2009! Lord... we've been around five years already! That's nothing.... mother modeling site Independent Modeling, which will once again become our core modeling resource site in 2010, just turned EIGHT! They didn't have much of a celebration there, however, because a lot of work is being done to overhaul the site right now, and we are still taking point (they've been busy). Regarding our upcoming site code refresh (overhaul), we will be changing some details on the main site, such as replacing some of the modeling picture thumbnails at the top (yes, Ingrid, we are looking at you......). Ahem. Note to Webmaster / Director C. A. Passinault: For our five year birthday, we "would like" (demand) the following things on our friendly little modeling web site..... Are you paying attention? Ok. We want:

1. Free Modeling Job Pay Vouchers which models can print from the site (how many years have these been coming?). We want them all nice and pretty, too, with the Tampa Bay Modeling logo on them. Could we make them pink, too, or would that be a bit much (as well as run out the colored ink cartridge on computer printers everywhere!)?

2. A shiny, new second-generation Modeling Scam Analysis Database with one of those scenario-based front-ends developed for Florida Modeling Career (it was made clear yesterday that our current database needs to be replaced, as it is not easy for some people to find information on it).

3. Tampa Bay Modeling BUMPER STICKERS, SHIRTS, and other Tampa Bay Modeling branded items (Oh, yes! Our models want to go jogging in Tampa Bay Modeling T-shirts, and dodge modeling scammers who try to run us off the road when they gaze upon our cool Tampa Bay Modeling bumper stickers and become enraged! We would really like Tampa Bay Modeling clothes to cover our little bods up with, too).

4. A Tampa modeling job-relevant Modeling Job Board like the new one going up on Independent Modeling (this should be up in another week).

5. Some pretty models featured on our Featured Model section, who can all be linked into the Tampa modeling job board. The Tampa modeling agencies need to see the models who are taking modeling jobs out from under the noses of their overpaid, minimum-wage booker people (maybe the agencies should work harder to find the jobs before we do so that they can refer us to them and make their money the way that they are supposed to be!).

6. Some more articles and other cool stuff!

7. The resignations of all of the Tampa modeling and talent agency owners (Just kidding, but wouldn't that be cool? Actually, a lot of models wouldn't shed a tear if a few closures happened here and there. We get most of our modeling jobs on our own these days, anyway, despite the lack of promised pay vouchers on our sites! Hint, hint!). Ahem. We wouldn't mind seeing a resignation from a booker named Chris, however. We'd like to see her work in some other industry, and leave ours alone (We are not saying that she is doing anything wrong, it's just that we think that she would be better in another industry, like telemarketing, or working for a collection agency. Oh, wait! The DMV! Actually, maybe a temp agency. Yeah, that's a perfect fit there! Away from the pretty models, and getting common people blue collar jobs. We can see her fitting in well at a temp agency). We can dream, can't we?

That is all that we want... for now. See, we are not as high maintenance is some might think. Alright. Note to PR department: Send out press releases early next week concerning evil Tampa modeling scams, and again a new round of press releases about our five year birthday in October. Keep them coming, too!

UPDATE 09/12/09 - Sigh..... And here we were thinking that all that we had to do was keep our modeling scam analysis database up and running, and that's all that we had to do to fight Tampa modeling scams. We though that our second Tampa modeling scam war was winding down. Seriously, though, we have a responsibility to help bring integrity and professionalism to the Tampa modeling industry, and it's going to take a long, difficult fight, regardless of how much of an advantage that we have over modeling scams and modeling agencies. We have much to do, and our second Tampa modeling scam war continues as it escalates again (see our latest Tampa Modeling Blog post, today, for more). The fight will continue on two fronts. First, we will educate people on what modeling scams are, how they work, and how to fight back. Second, we will take business away from modeling scams by offering, and selling, professional, legitimate services. Our services will be better in every way, and the way that we will obtain business will be straightforward and honest. We do not have to trick people in order to get them to buy our services, as we are not a modeling scam, and besides, our work sells on the merits of its quality alone. Having a top-ranked web site helps, too. Tampa Bay Modeling is now preparing a second press run of upcoming interviews with the media, and we are now planning on expanding our next Tampa modeling scam analysis database with a journalist and news media resource section where news reporters can easily research information on the modeling industry when they work on their stories (for news reporters who want to cite our information without the fear of potential conflicts or giving a commercial service exposure, we so have an annex site, Tampa Talent Scams, which you can feel more comfortable referencing. There are no ads there. Also, check out Tampa Modeling Agency and Tampa Talent Agency, which are NOT modeling and talent agency sites, but rather resource sites about agencies. Good stuff.). It seems that some consumers obtained a refund from a modeling company because of media coverage, which is good. The real issue, however, was that the refund should have not been needed, because the photography shoot was not legal to begin with. It seems that the modeling company was a licensed modeling and talent agency, which makes selling services such as modeling portfolio photography illegal, according to Florida State Statutes. Oh, my. Could it be that the real story should have been that some people bought an illegal service, and that the agency needs to be reported, investigated, fined, and stripped of their agency license? Additionally, we have no idea why the agency "passed" (approved) the aspiring model, because we don't think that she had any modeling potential to begin with (obvious from seeing her on the news story). This, of course, raises some credibility questions about the so-called modeling agency. There are other Tampa modeling scams to be aware of, which are even more dangerous than lame agencies doing runway shows in malls and tricking wannabe models into buying crappy pictures. We're talking about all those modeling jobs which are advertised in Tampa newspapers! We've never seen a single advertised modeling job turn out to be legitimate, and what those ads really are are deceptive advertising. They advertise modeling jobs in order to bait people and lure aspiring models into contacting them. Once in their door, the aspiring models are then convinced to buy the services that they are really selling. Think that a modeling consultant or a model management scam- we mean "business", is going to refer models into the modeling jobs that they advertise when they have to be a licensed modeling and talent agency in order to make money referring models into modeling jobs? THINK AGAIN! What, are they are going to work for free? No way.... They are going to take your money and run, and the so-called "models" will have nothing to show for it but crappy, useless pictures that they paid way too much for.

In all honesty, many models tell us that we shouldn't care about these modeling scams. They tell us that most of the people who are scammed are stage moms and people who have no business even attempting modeling. True, very few of them have any chance of being a model, and their motivation is often questionable, but these are people who are being tricked into buying things! They are being ripped off! Why shouldn't we care? What really torques us, though, is the fact that many of these scams drag the sacred name of modeling and the reputation of the modeling industry through the mud in an attempt to make an easy dollar, at the expense of (often delusional) people who have a dream.

It's on, Tampa modeling scams. We are going to fight you, take business away from you (by competing with legitimate, professional alternatives to what you are really selling, and being straight-up with people), and make it tough for you to make money at the expense of others! Prepare for hard times ahead!

This said, the balance statement made before still stands. Tampa Bay Modeling will continue to fight Tampa modeling scams, but we will be a balanced modeling resource site for Tampa models, and we will not focus too much on modeling scams.

UPDATE 09/11/09 - We had some phone calls from the local media today concerning a Florida modeling and talent agency which is selling modeling portfolios and headshots to models. We were not able to return those calls until after 5PM, which was just before the stories were aired, but here it is: It is against the law for any modeling and talent agency to make money by selling modeling portfolios, headshots, modeling services, or by referring models to such services (Florida State Statute 468.410 Prohibition against registration fees; referral. - (1) A talent agency may not charge a registration fee. (2) No talent agency shall, as a condition to registering or obtaining employment for any applicant or artist, require the applicant or artist to subscribe to, purchase, or attend any publication, postcard service, advertisement, resume service, photography service, school, acting school, workshop, acting workshop, or video or audiotapes.). For more, check out modeling agency scams here on Tampa Bay Modeling. We will also be sending our media contacts information that we have on an even more dangerous modeling scams that we have been researching, modeling job scams - courtesy of our sister site Independent Modeling (Going back to the modeling scam that we were called about today, we still find it amusing that there are modeling agencies stupid enough to sell modeling portfolios, but, hey, there you go. It just made the news!).

UPDATE 08/30/09 - We have a lot of projects in the works here at Tampa Bay Modeling (Independent Modeling has a lot going on, too). Although we will be upgrading and expanding our modeling scam analysis database and our arsenal of free modeling scam-fighting tools, we do NOT want this web site to be obsessed with modeling scams. We're looking for a balance, and the second modeling scam war is winding down. Tampa Bay Modeling is a free modeling resource site (which just happens to sell modeling portfolios and composite cards, although there is no obligation to buy any services or to give us a dime for models to use our site!). We want to focus more on modeling careers and modeling career support for both independent models and old-fashioned agency-represented models. So........ We have a line of bumper stickers and Tampa Bay Modeling-branded merchandise coming out (unfortunately, not free, but fairly priced); a whole lot of very cool swag for the professional model. We also have a series of free modeling tools coming out, such as our long-delayed modeling job pay vouchers. Oh, and regarding modeling jobs, we're here to help models learn how to find modeling job leads on their own, how to book that modeling job, and even give them modeling job leads that we find and leads which are sent to us. Look at the search engines, and you will find Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, and Florida Modeling Career at the top of the results for modeling jobs. Those results are no accident, and all of our modeling resource sites are now positioned to be the ultimate modeling job marketing platforms for the Tampa Bay, Florida, and eventually the national modeling industry. With modeling job scams now the top, and most dangerous modeling scam, we're more than happy to be the gatekeepers and to flood the industry with legitimate, professional modeling job leads which will not cost the model a dime. That's right, our modeling job leads will be available free of charge (at least for the foreseeable future)! Oh, and on the subject of marketing platforms, featured Tampa Bay Modeling models will be added to our site shortly. Don't think that our main site is going to become a lame portfolio networking web site, either, flooded with questionable amateur model profiles, because that's not what we are about. There will not be a lot of featured models on our site, because we want to focus on quality rather than quantity. All model profiles will cross-link with our modeling job board and our other modeling job resources, as we want to give anyone with a modeling job who is looking for professional models the option of looking at our featured models before posting their modeling job offer. This means, of course, that models who are featured on our site will get the first opportunity to land those modeling jobs before any other models do! That's not all, either- we will have parallel, regional-specific "channels" of all the features on Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and on Independent Modeling.

How do you become a featured model on Tampa Bay Modeling (and, by default, also on Florida Modeling Career and on Independent Modeling)? There are two way to do so. One is free, and one is not. We only want professional models featured here. Amateurs need not apply (we also frown on fetish models and models who are not commercially viable because of questionable, or adult-oriented modeling work, that they choose to do. Also, scratch those so-called models who demonstrate that they do not know what they are doing. You know who we are talking about, models who type in ALL-CAPS and who beg for free shoots on Craigslist..... and so-called models who try to scam other models with fashion shows and projects where the models don't get paid if the show even happens at all.... oh, and trashy models who try to get other models to shoot at inappropriate venues such as nudist resorts.... amateur, pathetic aspiring models....... If you are a professional model who already has an established modeling portfolio and a good work history as a professional model, you can become a featured model on here by collaborating with us on our many projects, which includes a Talent Connection Project photography session with us free of charge. The other way, however, is for models who are in need of a modeling portfolio and composite cards, and that route won't be free (and becoming a featured model here in that case is not guaranteed)! invest in a modeling portfolio photography session with Aurora PhotoArts, and the best models who they work with will be considered for featured models on our web sites. If you are a good model, you'll probably make the cut. We are not an employer, and our not a modeling agency, so we can pick and choose who is a featured model on our sites. It's not discrimination when you have to be selective to uphold professional standards. Qualified, professional models only!

Again, you don't have to pay us anything to be considered as a featured model on our sites. We only ask that you are a professional model who already has an established modeling portfolio, composite cards, and a career as a model. We also ask that you collaborate with us on at least one of our projects.

We don't have any shortage of professional models for our featured model project, either. There are a lot of professional models out there who are smart, and who have noticed our high search engine placement. They realize that our modeling resource sites are prime modeling marketing real estate, and that we are higher profile than all of the lame modeling portfolio networking sites combined (you won't get lost in a clutter of models here). The past few months, we have been getting a lot of inquiries from impressive professional models (including one from an agency-represented model by the name of Willow, a very impressive professional model, who inquired as to how she could get added to our site). We suppose that the professional models are getting sick and tired of all of the unprofessional modeling mayhem in the modeling industry? Consider us the professional alternative. We'll be in touch!

Tampa Bay Modeling will be the gatekeeper of featured model profiles on our site and our affiliate modeling sites.

UPDATE 08/13/09 - Tampa modeling job ads in the paper? What's our take? They advertise modeling jobs that they cannot legally make money referring models to in order to lure people in (bait), only to turn around and sell them overpriced modeling portfolio photography services (switch). These are misleading ads to sell photography services that cost a lot of money and won't do your modeling career any favors! You have to be a licensed modeling and talent agency in order to make money referring models into modeling jobs such as fashion shows (and if you can't make money doing what you are advertising, what is the incentive to follow up on those jobs and to refer models to modeling jobs? Will they work for free, out of the goodness of their hearts? Professionals do not work for free, and they are straight-up about how they make their money.) and follow through on what you are advertising, and if you are an agency it is unethical, a conflict of interest, and against the law to make any money selling any services such as modeling portfolio photography services. We have never seen any legitimate modeling job ad advertised in the paper! The models are SICK and TIRED of seeing the same misleading ads in the paper week after week, because we know what they really are; you need to know them for what they really are, too. Stay away from any advertised modeling job unless the advertiser is the company actually offering the modeling job, and they don't try to sell you something! LOOK FOR IT: The next three days, there will be updates on Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, Florida Modeling Career, Tampa Talent Scams, Independent Modeling, and Independent Acting. We will be aggressively countering modeling and talent job scams, and a lot of work will go into our job / audition boards as well as out scam analysis databases. Our opinion? You really picked the wrong place to do business as a modeling scam if you try to do it out of the Tampa Bay modeling market. This is our modeling market, and it's ground zero for our modeling scam fighting efforts! Good luck scamming people! Have you checked the search engines, lately? We love it!

UPDATE 08/04/09 - Our newest sister site, Tampa Bay Photographers, will be launching soon! We know, we know.... Our company has owned the domain name forever, since August 4, 2004! This, of course, technically makes it older than Tampa Bay Modeling, but since the site has had placeholder content on there, it never technically launched. This means that it will launch as a brand new site, and this will be year one, officially. Tampa photographers really do need help, especially with all the amateur "guys with cameras" and photography scams flooding the market. Seriously, what's a model to do when they are looking for a professional, reputable, ethical modeling portfolio photographer? MODEL TIP: Professional models won't be able to build an effective modeling portfolio on TFP/ TFCD. Be smart and safe. Ignore the photographers offering free shoot and work with photographers who are in business, have references, and who have a real web site that they had to invest in. Tampa Bay Photographers will help the few professional photographers in Tampa with their careers and their businesses. Also, look for more work to be done on Florida Modeling Career, our sister site which launched a year ago, and then was sideline for other projects. Oh, and then we have Independent Modeling... Stay tuned!

UPDATE 08/04/09 - Modeling industry professionals, do you want to be taken seriously and have an advantage over your competition? You will only get out of your career what you put into, regardless if you are a model or a photographer. While you can use freebie portfolio networking site and social networking site profiles as marketing tools, NEVER attempt to use them as as your professional web site! Likewise for your portfolio; it is extremely unlikely that you will ever build a professional, effective portfolio by collaboration alone, as the professionals who can actually help your career are in business selling what you need, and they don't work for free. You truly do get what you pay for, so invest in your career for the professional tools that you need! Don't want to invest? Well, good luck. Get your TFP free portfolio, and use that Myspace account as your official web site. You'll never be able to compete with the smart professionals who have made the proper investment into their career. Who would you book? Someone with a Myspace account who can disappear without warning and set up another account under a different name when they flake out on you, or a professional with a real web site who has obviously spent time and money into their profession? Representation by a modeling agency won't boost your credibility, either- models who choose to have their modeling careers managed by a modeling agency are a dime a dozen, and are lost in the crowd of composite cards. It's the smart, independent models who have the advantage, and we are now hearing that many modeling agencies are losing a lot of business to models who are smart enough to book work on their own. Smart models obtain work on their own, as well as allow several different modeling agencies to refer bookings to hem. Never put all your eggs in one basket; spread out your investment, and maintain a multifaceted career with several strategies.

UPDATE 06/14/09 - Models, never, ever buy any services from anyone offering any modeling job! Can you trust anyone who has to trick you into contacting them by baiting you with a modeling job which may or may not exist? Models should never buy services from anyone advertising or offering modeling jobs. Modeling job scams are the most common modeling scams, and they use modeling job offer to bait models into buying whatever it is that they are selling.

UPDATE 05/08/09 - Modeling Mistakes 101: New model wants free portfolio. Tampa Bay Modeling answers a post by an aspiring model on craigslist. We tell her how it is, and that if you are a new, aspiring model, that you cannot obtain the modeling tools that you will need for free. This new section, dedicated to helping new models avoid making mistakes before they begin their modeling career, will be an ongoing feature, and will be our way of educating new models who are misled by being referred to modeling agency-owned modeling resources sites which are full of misleading and outdated modeling industry propaganda.

UPDATE 05/06/09 - Work on Independent Modeling is progressing nicely, but indications are that more work was needed than originally thought. Independent Modeling has spent the last three years dormant online, with several redesigns and false relaunches (Tampa Bay Modeling obtained most of the work). This is a thing of the past, as the site has been progressing a lot lately. The modeling job board is now online, sections are being brought up to speed, and a modeling scam definition database roughly up to the new standards is being installed. Another important section being worked on is the forms section, with paperwork, agreements, ASA's (Anti Scam Agreements), and at least two types of modeling pay vouchers! The vouchers are long-overdue, and Tampa Bay Modeling will have its versions ported, adjusted, and branded with our web site branding on the forms. All of the forms and paperwork will be made available free of charge, and can be printed directly from the web site. Independent Modeling has some other interesting surprises in store this summer, and they will be particularly nasty in combating modeling scams as our war against modeling scams expands. Speaking of the war against modeling scams, we are getting lots of help next month. It's going to become very proactive, with several new tools and resources being deployed. Regarding Independent Modeling, both Tampa Bay Modeling and Florida Modeling Career will be using the site as a resource core, as a tool source, and we will be using the site for our modeling job boards and other site functions (as an example, the risk analysis system will become the great equalizer, putting portfolio networking sites and amateurs who pretend to be professionals in the modeling industry in their proper place, which is out of business unless they step up to what they need to do). These are exciting times for the modeling industry, and for professional models in particular!

UPDATE 04/25/09 - Tampa Modeling Blog post added. We are now fighting our second modeling scam war, and modeling job scams are a critical target of our ongoing fight. So, you noticed an advertisement for "models are needed for a major department store fashion store" (which they won't name, although they are advertising the modeling job, and they are not legally able to make money referring models to that fashion show job, if it actually exists, because they are not a licensed modeling agency) and that "no experience is necessary" (Right... no business in their right mind is going to book a model into a job without experience, especially fashion shows, which demand the most experienced professional models to pull off). There are at least three Tampa modeling consultation scams / model management scams running these modeling job scams right now. None of them are agencies, and cannot make money by referring models to the jobs that they are advertising. The jobs, which probably do not exist (and, if they did, a business which is not a modeling agency cannot make money referring models to them- if you cannot make money doing a job, where is the motivation to follow through on the results promised?), are only used to bait models into buying overpriced modeling portfolios and modeling classes. We have talked to the Tampa "major" department stores, and none of them have any fashion shows where they pay models. How many "major department store fashion shows" have you seen in Tampa (or even Miami), especially ones with inexperienced, short models stumbling around on the runway? That's another thing, too...... That 5' 8'' height requirement mostly applies to fashion models who do runway (like the major department store fashion shows being advertised), and most models cannot do fashion because it requires a certain look. There is a way to market such a scheme that would make it better, and less of a scam, but we will not publish it here because many of these con artists running Tampa modeling job scams read our site for ideas to steal and pitch to their victims,and we don't want to give them any ideas that they can use to enhance their modeling job scam. Don't even get us started on the modeling job scams posted on craigslist, or on the modeling scams who use freebie modeling portfolio networking web site profiles or free profiles on myspace and facebook as their "business web sites- God, the web 2.0 environment and networking sites have made modeling scams more dangerous!) The modeling scam war is about to get more interesting, and the modeling job board on Independent Modeling is about to become very important in our fight against modeling job scams!

UPDATE 04/15/09 - War is declared against modeling scams. Today, April 15, 2009, Independent Modeling, Tampa Bay Modeling, and Florida Modeling Career declared war against modeling scams, specifically modeling job scams which seem to be the cancer of the modeling industry these days. An important, and critical part, of that fight against modeling scams is the new Independent Modeling Modeling Job Board, which will be fully operational on April 16, 2009; tomorrow morning. This is our second modeling industry war, and like the last one, we will win. Unlike the last one, this one is expected to last for years, and it is going to be a tough fight, despite our advanced modeling scam-fighting tools and resources.
Florida Modeling Career will be updated a lot this month, and will be fully operational by May, 2009, after exiting its beta test. Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Independent Modeling will all be obtaining new modeling scam analysis databases, too; each modeling scam resource adjusted for the relevant market. More will be announced shortly.
Once our modeling resource sites are running at optimal capacity, work will shift to Independent Acting and Tampa Bay Acting to get them to where they need to be.

UPDATE 03/23/09 - Tampa Modeling Blog post added. This one, Tampa models, is important. It addresses Independent Modeling (and its return to glory), the modeling book by C. A. Passinault, and our secret weapon against modeling job scams! You want to read it now, don't you?

UPDATE 03/12/09 - Tampa Modeling Blog post added. Read it now, Tampa models.

UPDATE 01/24/09 - Tampa Bay Modeling director C. A. Passinault today indicated that there would be an aggressive campaign to combat Tampa modeling scams in 2009, hinting that this year would see an all-out war against modeling scams and unethical, unprofessional activity in the Tampa modeling industry. 2008 saw an increase in Tampa modeling scam activity, and despite heavy press coverage of Tampa Bay Modeling and our 2003-era modeling scam-fighting tools, the modeling scams continue on. Despite being based on six year old technology, our modeling scam-fighting tools have been very effective. There are many indications, and first-hand reports that we are costing modeling scams a lot of money, but they seem to be redoubling their efforts to compensate. New 2009-era modeling scam-fighting tools are on the way, and they will be utilized on Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, Advanced Model, and the Tampa Talent Scam sites. The new 2009 tools are reported to be over 10 times more effective than the current ones, and it will take years for most Tampa modeling scams to adapt to what is about to happen to the Tampa modeling industry. In 2009, too, Tampa Bay Modeling and our allies will begin to compete against Tampa modeling scams with legitimate business and legitimate business models which have been enhanced with some of the smart ideas used by modeling scams (we are still not sure if Tampa modeling scams will benefit from this, with our teams showing them ways of staying in business legitimately with our tactics). Part of our new fight against Tampa modeling scams will be an array of modeling job boards where models can find modeling job leads without any obligation to buy anything- there will be aggressive modeling scam-fighting countermeasures in place to prevent modeling scams from using information gleaned from our modeling job board; information which they would then use to bait models with. See our Tampa Modeling Blog for more.
The 2009 Tampa modeling scam war will be industry-wide, and not focusing on a few targets like the 2004 Tampa modeling war between Independent Modeling and a group of photographers. This new modeling war will be massive in scope, and fought with the latest technology. We expect a measure-countermeasure cycle to begin with this ongoing fight, and we should be able to stay several steps ahead of modeling scams while we undermine them, directly compete for their target market, and put most of them out of business.
Currently, the top Tampa modeling scams are modeling job scams. Our modeling job boards are one of many tools which will be used to combat those modeling scams. We were tempted to start naming names and asking questions, but we decided that this tactic would be too much of a risk with all of the modeling scams monitoring our web sites. We will stick to the new tools.
A valuable modeling career tip: IF ANY BUSINESS ADVERTISES MODELING JOBS AND THEY ARE NOT A MODELING AND TALENT AGENCY, STAY AWAY FROM THEM. A business is not allowed to make money by referring models to modeling jobs if they are not a licensed modeling agency; it is against Florida law to do so. If they are not a modeling agency and they cannot make money by booking models into modeling jobs, how do they make their money? While it is perfectly legitimate for photographers to be in the business of shooting modeling portfolios and modeling schools to do their thing, it is misleading, and unethical, for them to use the promise of modeling jobs in order to bait models in so that they can sell services to them instead. This is a bait and switch, and may be blatant fraud, and it is happening way too much!
We only ask that modeling schools, modeling studios, and modeling portfolio photographers use truth in advertising, and that they are straight-up with what they are selling instead of using modeling jobs, which may or may not actually exist, to bait models.
Oh, and another thing. NO ONE IS GOING TO BOOK A MODEL INTO A MODELING JOB WITHOUT MODELING EXPERIENCE! You have to have modeling experience in order to book modeling jobs. If they advertise that no experience is necessary, don’t fall for it.

UPDATE 01/17/09 - Could it be that C. A. Passinault isn't happy with the latest design of Independent Modeling? Well, it wasn't for lack of trying; the version up now is the result of a week of work and two different designs. With the latest Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival site, the latest Tampa Bay Film site, and older sites such as the Eventi Events site winning design awards, this will not do; Independent Modeling is a flagship site, and will be the core site in a group with Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Advanced Model (don't even get us started on Advanced Model). With Tampa Bay Modeling correctly the top modeling resource site, and Florida Modeling Career incomplete, but with the most advanced tools, it is likely that Independent Modeling could be recommissioned as a Raptor Class site like ours.
Of course, with the downturn in modeling jobs available for posting on the very refined modeling job board format, there is some downtime now, so there is time to go over the options available. Independent Modeling, despite its mostly dormant status over the past four years, still enjoys top search engine rankings and heavy web traffic.
In the meantime, Passinault has indicated that Florida Modeling Career may be brought up to speed, with new scam analysis databases added to Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, and Tampa Bay Film as a result. The advancements on Florida Modeling Career would directly benefit a renewed Independent Modeling site. Stay tuned.

UPDATE 12/11/08 - Tampa Bay Modeling's index and file directories have been adjusted and refreshed. The main menu has dropped Opinion and Tutorials, and they can now be accessed from the Features section. We have added "Services" and "Blog" (check out our new Tampa Modeling Blog for information on what it does) to the main menu, and will now be selling Tampa modeling portfolio photography services, modeling composite cards, and modeling portfolios directly from the Tampa Bay Modeling site. Tampa photography and design company Aurora PhotoArts and Tampa Bay Modeling are directly affiliated, and are both owned by Passinault.Com. Tampa Bay Modeling bumper stickers, accessories, bags, and shirts will be available this month. In other, related news, Independent Modeling has been updating for the last week, and the new site should be online tomorrow, with the modeling job board online on Monday, December 15, 2008. Florida Modeling Career will also see a large update, and will be completely online in two weeks.

UPDATE 12/09/08 - Tampa Bay Modeling's Ann Poonkasem was on last night's FOX 13 Lightning Round. Click the link to watch her on the Lightning Round.

UPDATE 12/08/08 - Independent Modeling begins reinitialization process.
The past several days, the Eos web team has been working on Independent Modeling, separating it from its sister sites and completely redesigning the site with a new Athena Class format. The newest version of Independent Modeling, which currently has top search engine performance even though it has been mostly dormant for the past three years, will center around modeling jobs and modeling scams, with an emphasis on addressing modeling job scams, model search scams, and the outdated modeling agency-centric old modeling industry. Tampa Bay Modeling and Florida Modeling Career will utilize Independent Modeling for its job board and other assets as a back-end. Florida Modeling Career, which launched a few months ago, will also be completely online sometime in January, 2009, now that it has major search engine presence (Florida Modeling Career is the Florida-regional version of Tampa Bay Modeling, and has all of the latest web site technology and modeling tools; resources which will be added to Tampa Bay Modeling soon).
The new, fifth-generation Independent Modeling web site will also serve to tie in with several undisclosed, upcoming projects, as well as with C. A. Passinault's upcoming modeling book deal, an advanced modeling book with the potential to seriously disrupt the modeling industry and assist models in speeding up the change which is already going on. Forget those other modeling books, which only serve to indoctrinate aspiring models with outdated modeling agency propaganda. This new book will serve as the bible for the new, 21st century modeling industry! C. A. Passinault is putting aside a large novel project that he has been working on to finish the modeling book sometime in 2009, and he already has a major publishing deal for that book! The novel, which currently does not have a publisher lined up, will be completed in early 2010. The modeling book has priority.
Independent Modeling has not been updated with the new design, yet, and the modeling job board resource isn't up at the moment. This will change later this week, and the site will see impressive growth in the next six months (Tampa Bay Film and the Tampa Bay Film Online Film Festival, which have both seen major updates and a lot of work in the past few months, will now drop to normal updates). Passinault and his staff decided last week to invest at least 70% of all their web site resource into the modeling sites over the next several months, with most of the work slated for Independent Modeling, and additional updates for Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and several other modeling and talent support projects.
Independent Modeling will be receiving an updated, advanced modeling job board and modeling job support resources, as well as a new third-generation modeling scam analysis database with a primary modeling scam scenario-based front end menu (much more advanced than the one that currently exists on Tampa Bay Modeling, and ten times more effective- this is the version which was developed for Florida Modeling Career, and it will later be added to the Tampa Bay Modeling site as well as Florida Modeling Career). All the modeling sites will now have new anti-theft countermeasures in place to discourage plagiarism and the theft of our modeling job leads and other resources (we have some really effective tools developed specifically for this). Anyone who steals from our sites will be sorry, as their unethical, unprofessional tactics will backfire! Additionally, it also helps that all of our sites are well-known, and we have top search engine performance. Most models will know where the free modeling job leads are, and the true source if anyone tries to use our information to bait them into some sort of modeling scam.
This isn't all, either. The Talent Online Database (TALON) will move to a brand new web site of its own, utilizing the updated Athena Class design format, and will serve as the back-end for the modeling job board resources and the featured model profiles. TALON will be a massive modeling and entertainment industry contact directory, and it will tie into Independent Modeling, Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Acting, Tampa Bay Acting, Florida Modeling Career, the upcoming Independent Talent Network talent resource site (formerly known as Independent Performer), Frontier Society, and other web site resources. A revolution is upon us, and the Tampa Bay market will be ground-zero for that entertainment revolution!

UPDATE 11/20/08 - Reminder for Tampa models - please read. Tampa Bay Modeling IS NOT a modeling and talent agency. We do NOT book models into jobs, are not licensed as a modeling agency, and do not make money as a modeling agency.
We keep on getting inquiries from models who want us to represent them. We cannot do that. Doesn't anyone read what's on our site? Besides, models, the agency way is no longer the only way to work in a career as a professional model (please see Tampa Modeling Agency or Tampa Talent Agency for details on what is wrong with the modeling and talent agency business model and what their proper place in the modeling industry is). We would rather teach models how to be self-sufficient than lead them on with the promise of modeling jobs. We can teach them how to fish instead of giving them fish; you only get out of your modeling career what you put into it, and no one is going to take you by the hand and give you modeling jobs, not even a modeling agency.
What is Tampa Bay Modeling? We are a professional modeling resource web site, available free of charge, for models to learn how to enhance their modeling careers so they are no longer dependent upon modeling and talent agencies or on anyone else claiming to offer modeling jobs and modeling careers. Models can find and book work on their own, and this will bring balance to the backwards modeling industry.
Where do we see Tampa modeling and talent agencies in the future? Well, much like temp agencies have a niche in the business world, they will always be around. We just don't see them having the influence and the power that they used to have, in part due to modeling resources such as Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling (wow- we have to get on the ball and help them update that site). Models, modeling agencies WORK FOR YOU, and not the other way around. Modeling agencies have crossed the line for way too long by telling models what to do, and trying to manage their careers, when they are also "managing" the modeling careers of other models who are the direct competition of the model. This is a professional conflict of interest, and the misconception that working through a modeling agency being the only was to work a career as a professional model only lends itself to an environment of manipulation, unfair politics, and unethical business practices which are not in the best interest of the model. How many employees get away with telling their employers what to do and how to do it? Wouldn't that be backwards? Well, this is how the modeling industry has worked for too long because of the misconception that modeling agencies are the only way. The employee (modeling agency) dictates terms to their employer (the model) while also working for the competition of their employer (other models) and treating them the same way! Could you imagine any business running this way? It's only worked for so long because models have been kept in ignorance of basic business practices by modeling agencies and the modeling industry as a whole. The way that the modeling industry has worked for almost 100 years is flawed, and can be disrupted and circumvented. We know lots of models who do this every day. The modeling industry is changing, and there is nothing that the old modeling industry can do about it.
So, the friendly booker tells the model that they won't be able to book work like catalog print modeling without going through a modeling agency because of credibility issues with independent models? WRONG. Don't believe what they are telling you. We have talked to lot of legitimate, professional art directors and television casting directors who are sick and tired of modeling agencies, too, and they are surprisingly open to booking models without the assistance of being referred to them by an agency. Are they concerned about the credibility about freelance, independent models? Not at all. Modeling agencies insult their art director and casting director clients all the time by implying (or outright claiming) that they are not qualified to screen models like an agency can. Hello? What do you think that as go-see or an audition is? This is another case of a modeling agency overstepping their bounds and telling their employer what to do.
So, what about the credibility issues of independent models who don't have a modeling agency to screen them and "vouch" for them? What do you think modeling portfolios and composite cards are for? What do you think references and tear sheets are for? Models who invest in professional portfolios by spending time and money are much less likely to flake out than aspiring models who run around trying to get portfolios for free by working with amateur TFP photographers. The professionals who have obviously taken the time and invested into their career will always rise to the top and book all the work, with or without an agency referring them.
So, other than the working conflict of interest, what issues do we have with modeling and talent agencies? We have one big one. It seems that modeling scams, such as those modeling searches advertising for "major department store fashion shows" on the radio, use being referred to "large" modeling agencies for "potential" representation as bait. Spoil the bait, and you weaken the allure of the modeling scam.
Oh, and no business in their right mind is going to book an aspiring model who has no experience. Those model searches who advertise modeling jobs have no more of a connection to legitimate modeling jobs than a model does cold-calling businesses who book, or hire, models. Those model searches make their money by baiting aspiring models with the promise of a modeling job and then selling them overpriced, low-quality modeling portfolios and / or expensive modeling conventions where agencies can be "introduced" to them. We have never seen a single model search work out and benefit any aspiring model!
Is a modeling and talent agency the only "legitimate" way of having a professional modeling career? Of course not! What makes an agency booker more of an expert than a model? Models can do the job of a booker, and they will get job leads without the same job leads being given to their competition. Did you know that modeling and talent agencies have a high turnover rate? Most modeling agency bookers are minimum-wage employees who spend their days cold calling businesses and who have less experience in the modeling industry than the models, who they are advising, do! Most modeling agency bookers are LESS QUALIFIED than the models which the agency represents! Do you really want to put your modeling career in the hands of someone who isn't as qualified as you are? Models, use bookers as a source of modeling job leads, but never allow them to give you career advice or to "manage" your modeling career! Any professional model can do what bookers do, and they can do it better, without the risk.
Models, if you need a professional modeling portfolio, do it smart. Invest in a photographer who preferable is not in bed with a modeling agency, and who doesn't try to bait you with the deceptive promises of modeling jobs. See if the photographer has invested in a professional portfolio, and check out their references. Avoid any conflicts of interest or situations (such as an agency-referred photographer" where the photographer is in the position to benefit at your expense - example: giving you a poor modeling portfolio and giving the agency a kickback because the agency really has no interest in finding you work, and this is really how they make their money. This is against the law, but it happens every day!)
Will modeling and talent agencies always be around? Of course! They will always serve as one of many sources of modeling job leads for professional models, and this is how it should be. A modeling agency should NEVER be the main source of modeling job leads for professional models! Of course, the modeling and talent agencies will always be able to take advantage of the dumber models and "manage" their modeling careers. These ignorant models don't like to think for themselves and want everything handed to them. They want to be told what to do, and their modeling careers will be limited as a result. Who will out-book those dumb models? The independent models who take charge of their own modeling career and are smart enough to keep the modeling agencies in their proper place by only using them as one of many sources of modeling job leads. The independent model will not have the limitations imposed on them by allowing themselves to be dependent upon a modeling and talent agency, and the will out-book and do better than the models who allow themselves to be blindly led by modeling and talent agencies. Will you be one of those stupid models? We didn't think so!

UPDATE 10/22/08 - Aurora PhotoArts Now Our Exclusive Advertiser - Due to complaints about modeling scams slipping into our Google ads, we have discontinued the large Google side ads. Tampa photography company Aurora PhotoArts, our primary sponsor and affiliate, is now our main site advertiser. We will be selling Tampa modeling portfolio photography and Tampa model testing photography with them on our web site. For those who believe that we are a second party, and are "Recommending" them to models, please note that we are directly affiliated and that the Tampa Bay Modeling site director, C. A. Passinault, is the Aurora PhotoArts lead photographer, and the owner of the photography company. This said, many models do recommend Aurora PhotoArts for Tampa modeling portfolio photography, and we have references.

You are not obligated, in any way, to book photography services from Aurora PhotoArts to use the Tampa Bay Modeling web site.

Are you a model who wants to know more about modeling composite cards and are looking for Tampa comp cards? Check out our comprehensive and exclusive Composite Cards article!

Reports of Tampa modeling job scams continue to increase. As a rule of thumb, if it is a Tampa modeling job advertised in Tampa newspapers or on the radio, it is a modeling scam where they use the promise of modeling jobs to bait aspiring models into buying poor quality, overpriced modeling portfolio photography services and modeling classes. No modeling experience necessary? DON'T BELIEVE IT! It is a modeling scam if they claim that no experience is necessary to book their so-called modeling job, as they will tell you that you will need to buy something from them before they can refer you. See a modeling job or audition offer on a web site such as Craigslist? Check the link to their web site. If the site is set up to sell portfolios or modeling classes, you'll know that the job ad is not legitimate. Regarding Craigslist, a team of models just went on there and removed some of those ads, but this is no reason for models to depend upon our models to remove these fraudulent ads before models can see them. Learn what to look for, AVOID the scams, and depend upon yourselves!
Remember the golden question. If you must contact any of these people, ask them "how do you make your money"? Remember that any business needs to make money in order to advertise or to stay in business. No one is going to do something for nothing. Also remember that in order to make money referring models to jobs, they MUST be a licensed modeling and talent agency according to Florida law. If they are not a licensed agency, and they make money by referring models into modeling jobs, it is a FELONY! Additionally, if they ARE a licensed modeling and talent agency, it is also against the law for them to make money by selling modeling portfolios and modeling classes. Can you see how many of these modeling job offers, modeling consultants, and modeling management schemes cannot work? Can you now see that up to 70% of ALL MODELING JOB OFFERS, with the exception of many promotional modeling jobs (which do not require portfolios or composite cards to book), are modeling job scams?
Our imminent Tampa modeling job board, the Independent Modeling modeling job board, and the Florida Modeling Career Florida modeling job board will be utilized to help combat abd undermine modeling jobs scams. Although we cannot guarantee any modeling job offer is legitimate, we can say that obvious and identified modeling job scams will NOT BE POSTED on those modeling job boards. If the modeling job scams try to post questionable modeling job offers, they will simply be ignored. Also, if modeling consultation scams, modeling management scams, and modeling agency placement scams attempt to steal modeling jobs from our modeling job boards so that they can use legitimate modeling jobs to bait models into a scam, they are in for a big surprise! We have taken measure to discourage being ripped off, and are ready for them. Besides, have you looked at the search engines lately? Our modeling job boards are already at the top search engine results, and it will be obvious where the true source of those modeling job offers are. Now are you going to trick models into a scam when they know that you stole the information from us? How are you going to be able to hide details of the modeling job offers when the full offers are available, and much more visible, on our free modeling job boards? Don't even try to spin yourselves as the way to prepare models for those modeling jobs, either, as none of you are as qualified as our affiliates are!
Regarding advertising for modeling jobs, we are seriously considering removing our current ads displayed on our site. Some of the ads, which we cannot control, are questionable. We are also considering replacing those ads with those of our primary sponsor, Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Photography and Design. Yes, we ARE directly affiliated with them and they are a business which sells modeling portfolio photography services, modeling composite cards, headshot photography services, and talent headshots, BUT we are being up-front with you regarding our association. What separates us from these modeling scams is that we don't utilize deceptive marketing tactics to trick models into buying services. We are honest with you. If you need a modeling portfolio, they are the best in the Tampa Bay market for that, but you are not obligated to buy anything from them in order to use the Tampa Bay Modeling web site. Also, if you already have a professional modeling portfolio and modeling composite cards, you don't need to buy anything from ANYONE! Regardless of who you invest in for your modeling portfolio, Tampa Bay Modeling remains a free modeling resource for both independent models and agency-represented models.

Tampa Bay Modeling's Somali Rose, a model, actress, and writer, appeared on the July 7 edition of FOX 13's Lightning Round. Somali Rose did an impressive job with some interesting topics in the FOX round table commentary. She also did a great job with the FOX Tampa Bay Modeling interview a few weeks ago. Check out the Somali Rose Lightning Round, and when you are done watching that check out the Tampa Bay Modeling FOX 13 Tampa modeling scam interview, featuring Somali Rose. You can also check out Somali Rose at her main web site, SomaliRose.Com.

Florida Modeling Career, the Florida-regional version of Tampa Bay Modeling, is almost finished and is about to launch. This web site has the latest technology, and is designed to have up to ten times the performance of Tampa Bay Modeling (most of this web site, Tampa Bay Modeling, is built on content and technology created back in 2004! The latest Raptor 3 upgrade has brought us up to speed, but much of our content is old; we still have it up because it works). Florida Modeling Career has a lot of updated content, too, such as a brand new modeling scam analysis database and new modeling scam-fighting tools. There will also be a heavy emphasis on an advanced modeling job resource, which ties into the modeling scam database. The modeling job resource is an updated version of the one developed by Independent Modeling, and once it launches on Florida Modeling Career, there will be versions on Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling (it has been determined that having modeling job boards and resources which are dominate in the modeling industry is critical for combating several types of modeling scams, so this is now a priority, especially since we already have the top search engine results for modeling jobs in Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay Modeling will not be left out, either; once the new technology has been online on Florida Modeling Career, all of our sites will benefit. The new scam analysis database format and all-new content will be adapted for Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, Tampa Bay Film, Tampa Bay Photographers, Independent Modeling, Independent Acting, Independent Talent Network, and some other web sites. Tampa Modeling Agency, Tampa Model Search, Tampa Talent Scams, Tampa Talent Agency, and Advanced Model are working on massive, next-generation talent scam analysis databases and resources. Oh, yes, and we also have a secret project launching this week, as well as other updates. Look for Dark Blue this weekend.

There are reports of more victims of Tampa modeling job scams advertised in newspapers and on the radio. THEY ARE ALL MODELING SCAMS, and we haven't seen a single one of them pan out! These modeling job scams all lead to modeling consultation scams, modeling and talent agency placement scams, model management scams, modeling portfolio photography scams, modeling school scams, model search scams, and other types of modeling scams! At this time, it is our intention to address, combat, undermine, and cripple Tampa modeling job scams, and we are looking into taking legal action against some of them (we are hoping that they are stupid enough continue to steal things from our site, which we do not allow or approve of. It's stealing, and if they do it to us, they will not hesitate to do it to you). If you check into one of these scams with the hope of being considered for modeling jobs (often with the claim of "no experience necessary", which does not work in the business world), and they turn around and try to sell you modeling portfolio photography or other services, it may just be a bait and switch, which may be a case of a deceptive trade practice or FRAUD! If this happens to you, take a copy of their ad (if it is the paper), get whatever they are trying to sell you in writing (ALWAYS get everything in writing), and contact your LOCAL POLICE, the STATE ATTORNEY, and the FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION (FTC) to REPORT THE MODELING SCAM. Help get these con artists criminally charged, convicted, and out of business!!!!

Tampa Modeling Scam Alerts on Top Tampa Modeling Scams

Modeling Job Scams - Modeling Consultation Scams - Modeling School Scams

Florida State Statute 817.41 Misleading advertising prohibited.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to make or disseminate or cause to be made or disseminated before the general public of the state, or any portion thereof, any misleading advertisement. Such making or dissemination of misleading advertising shall constitute and is hereby declared to be fraudulent and unlawful, designed and intended for obtaining money or property under false pretenses.

We really need the new modeling scam analysis database which will debut on Florida Modeling Career. It is much more advanced than our current scam database, and up to ten times more effective. Once it is up, we will overhaul and redo our Tampa modeling scam analysis database with the new technology. Independent Modeling, Tampa Talent Scams, Tampa Model Search, and an armada of other web sites will utilize the new format, too. It is a BAD time to be operating any modeling scam in Tampa, and we will put many of these people out of business in the next year.

Florida Modeling Career is scheduled to launch this week, and with it three parallel modeling job boards will go online, one for Florida Modeling Career, one for Tampa Bay Modeling, and one for Independent Modeling. We feel that maintaining top modeling job boards will be critical for our war against modeling scams, so there will be three focusing on their relevant target markets, and we are aggressively pursuing this. The modeling job board will feature Independent Modeling's new modeling career risk analysis tool and new resources designed to defend against anyone trying to steal our job lead information and attempting to sell it to models. HINT: Don't do it, as it will destroy your credibility (have you looked at our search engine performance? Can you risk doing something wrong when models have a good chance of figuring out the true source?) as well as land you in a lot of legal trouble. We are looking forward to upcoming legal challenges, and you don't want to be the first.

They were scammed long before they arrived at the closed doors of the modeling school. The actual scam was the deceptive way that it was sold, and everyone needs to realize that. The closed-down business only served to make what happened obvious, and was a glaring mistake in an otherwise slick con. - Tampa Bay Modeling site Director C. A. Passinault comments on the fallout of a radio-advertised modeling school scam reported by the news media in downtown Tampa; see Modeling Job Scams and his latest opinion post for more information.

UPDATE 06/14/08 - We've been busy at Tampa Bay Modeling, and a lot has been going on. Where to begin? We'll start with the big story.
Tampa Bay Modeling director C. A. Passinault and two professional models, both provided by Passinault, were interviewed by FOX 13 on Monday, June 9, 2008 in response to a press release issued by Tampa Bay Modeling on Thursday, June 5. Passinault and our staff were annoyed by a news story about a modeling school scam which aired on several Tampa Bay news stations earlier that week, and Passinault decided to hit the scam back hard by issuing a formal response. The Tampa Bay modeling market is ours, and we don't appreciate modeling scams operating here and undermining the integrity of the modeling industry.
The FOX 13 news story on Tampa Bay Modeling aired in prime time on Thursday, June 12, 2008. It is our hope that this story will help models avoid modeling scams as well as assist professionals with taking charge of their careers. Expect more news coverage in the future; we are working on obtaining coverage from national news programs (which may go to Independent Modeling or the new Florida Modeling Career site, the latter being a Florida-region version of Tampa Bay Modeling).
Click on the FOX 13 Tampa Bay Modeling Story to see the interview. A new browser window will open so you can watch it and return to our site after you are done.
Concerning our war against modeling scams, we have been working on several things for some time now which will take the war to the next level this summer. With work on TampaTalentScams.Com progressing and the procurement of TampaModelSearch.Com, TampaModelingAgency.Com, at least two talent blogs (replacing the mail bags and run by several professional models and actors), and now FloridaModelingCareer.Com, our effectiveness fighting the most common modeling scams and modeling scams in general will increase exponentially. A year from now, these modeling scams will find it very hard to operate and to stay in business.
Mentioning Florida Modeling Career, which is going to be the Florida-region version of Tampa Bay Modeling, the staff of Tampa Bay Modeling will be working on this new modeling resource web site this weekend. The Florida Modeling Career site will be a Raptor 3 web site, like this one, with some major improvements. While some improvements will not be immediately obvious to most visitors, as they may address things like search engine performance, Florida Modeling Career will feature an Independent Modeling-developed modeling job board and the most advanced modeling scam analysis database ever developed (ours is over four years old, and while it works well, we've already long been working on the next one!). The new modeling scam database will be many times more effective and easier to use than our present one, and once it is online it will be ported to Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling with adjusted content and relevant tools. The scam databases on Tampa Bay Acting and Tampa Bay Film will be developed from this new database, and this is one reason why their scam analysis databases have not gone online- yet. An expanded version of this new modeling scam analysis database, relevant and tweaked for the Tampa Bay talent market, will replace the existing content on Tampa Talent Scams. The Tampa Talent Scams web site will become a massive talent scam analysis and scam- fighting resource web site. It will become the ultimate talent scam resource, and will assist all of our web sites in our war against modeling and talent scams. It will even address production, and other types of scams, too.
For us, the modeling job and modeling consultation scams have a special place in our hearts. We are on a mission to undermine and disrupt these scams, as they are hurting models and are hurting the modeling industry! We are also planning on aggressively fighting modeling scams which try to take and resell our content. They pitch our ideas and our content to models in an attempt to bait them. We are planning on taking legal action against some of them, too.
One way to combat modeling job scams is to flood the market with legitimate job offers to models at no charge (this works with content, too). This will serve to devalue and undermine the effectiveness of modeling jobs that scams use to bait models. This is the reason that we are utilizing the modeling job board and modeling job resources developed by Independent Modeling. Our sites will have the most advanced modeling job boards ever seen.
Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Modeling Career, and Independent Modeling will all have versions of the same modeling job board, which will share data and emphasize modeling job offer posts relevant to their target market. Tampa Bay Modeling will emphasize Tampa region modeling job offers, Florida Modeling Career will emphasize Florida modeling job offers, and Independent Modeling will emphasize national modeling job offers. All of our modeling job boards will contain modeling jobs from all markets, however, and we will not limit ourselves to our target markets. The difference will be in the priority of out job listings and what is listed first, which will help models easily find relevant modeling job posts.
The Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling job boards will go online Monday, June 16. Every model and every legitimate modeling job source that we can find will be notified this weekend (we have a large database with all these contact already). The Florida Modeling Career modeling job board will go online when it launches next week, perhaps as soon as Monday.
That's not all, either. Once the Talent Online Auditions web site and the Talent Online Database web site go online, all of our job boards will be rerouted to these huge databases. Consider this to be stage two, and it comes later this year.
That's it for now, We will reveal more of our plans and what we are working on later. In closing, what is the modeling risk analysis system? You will all find out in due time; modeling agencies and portfolio networking web sites, among others, won't like it. Neither will anyone offering free modeling portfolios or aspiring models who are misled into thinking that they can build a professional modeling portfolio and a modeling career for free. It is technology that will help to transform the modeling industry forever.
The revolution is just beginning, and it starts here in Tampa Bay!

UPDATE 05/03/08 - Tampa Modeling Scam Opinion by Tampa Bay Modeling director C. A. Passinault - Avoiding Modeling Scams Is Up To You! Lots of people were recently scammed by a modeling scam advertised on Tampa radio. We've been warning you for eight months now about a modeling scam that the news media is now just finding out about, and the scam could have easily been avoided by spending just five minutes on our web site and reading up on Tampa Modeling Scams!

UPDATE 05/04/08 - The long-awaited Modeling Composite Cards Feature article is up on Tampa Bay Modeling! This article covers all that any model needs to know about composite cards, composite card design, and composite card printing. If you are in the market for modeling composite cards, you must read this. Next month, we will also have the official Tampa Bay Modeling Model Pay Vouchers, and will be adding a ton of articles and tutorials from the old Tampa Bay Independent Model web site! the old articles will be adjusted and organized.

UPDATE 04/25/08 - Tampa Bay Modeling's very own featured Tampa model Ann Poonkasem shined on FOX 13's Lightning Round last night, discussing top news topics with Mark Wilson, Chip Carter, and Paul Dellegato. You can check out her main web site, which can be found and explored at AnnPoonkasem.Com, and also watch the Lightning Round online HERE (Please note that a new browser window will open). She impressed a lot of people, including us. Tampa Bay Modeling's relationship with the media continues; expect a lot of media and news coverage for Tampa Bay Modeling starting this year as our models make a lot of professional appearances. This is only one part of our promotion and marketing agenda, too. On the subject of marketing, we have reports today that rank Tampa Bay Modeling as the top search engine result for most Tampa and Florida modeling search terms, which would explain the popularity of our site. We are now the leaders of the Tampa modeling industry, and have an influence beyond that of all of the Tampa modeling and talent agencies combined. Everything is as it should be, and we are only getting started.

UPDATE 04/23/08 - FEATURED TAMPA MODEL Ann Poonkasem, pictured on the right, will be featured on a Tampa Bay news program tomorrow night representing Tampa Bay Modeling. Ann is a model, singer, actress, television host, and a multiple beauty pageant title holder. Ann is the current Ms. Gasparilla 2008.

In related news, we will be launching a new featured model section, which will be accessed from the main menu, replacing the FAQ button. This new section will showcase featured Tampa and Florida models and will eventually link to their Independent Modeling featured model profiles as well as their TALON Talent Online Database contact profiles. Rumor has it that the modeling composite card designers over at Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Bay Photography And Design, the leaders in Tampa composite cards, will be creating special Tampa Bay Modeling web comps for this section (Please note that we are directly affiliated with Aurora PhotoArts and we are now both owned and operated by Passinault.Com). Speaking of composite cards, we are working on a series of articles and tutorials about this important modeling career tool. Also, our new modeling job board for Tampa and Florida is about to launch. The first version will be updated by hand until the Talent Audition Database is online, when we will utilize that database for our modeling job board and will show region-relevant modeling job posts. Independent Modeling will use the same database, and will show modeling jobs from all over.

UPDATE 04/23/08 - Our new Tampa Bay Modeling bumper stickers, shirts, bags, and model lifestyle apparel will be ready by the end of the month. The bumper sticker featured here will be pretty close to the finished version, except the finished version will probably have our slogan "The new look of modeling" on it. We can't wait, and neither can you! After talking to the staff, we wouldn't be surprised if we become our own best customer, as we all plan to buy loads of these products when they become available, and many of these will become available as prizes and give-outs during tampa modeling events and contests. Get ready to see Tampa Bay Modeling all over the Tampa Bay area in the near future! The Tampa Bay Modeling bumper stickers have been in the works for a while now, and now that we are beginning to market and promote the site on a new level, we are ready to offer them for sale to professional models and modeling enthusiasts. Any Tampa modeling and talent agencies out there interested in buying some? Perhaps not.

UPDATE 04/20/08 - The Tampa Modeling Job Board WILL have to go online early; we will have to rig a hand-edited version for now and set up a dedicated modeling job board (expect a code refresh as we reroute the main menu). We ran out of time for today, but we are getting modeling job submissions for our Tampa modeling job board and the PHP database-driven version where businesses with modeling jobs can post their own model job posts automatically is still a few weeks off. We checked, and we are now at the top of the search engine results for Tampa modeling jobs and anything modeling related for the Tampa Bay market (which explains all of the submissions, as everyone is finding this site now and our web traffic is setting records, especially after the move to our new server a few weeks ago- you have not seen anything, yet. Internet search domination will be fully realized this summer, when anyone looking for anything modeling related will find us before anyone else or any Tampa modeling agency, as it should be!). That makes us the top modeling resource web site for this region, and perhaps Florida. Ally and affiliated modeling web site Independent Modeling is also right up there, so they may have to rig up something temporarily until their new site is up. We can no longer ignore the success that we have become. We have to do something to get the jobs up there. Expect something as soon as tomorrow. Ah, yes, and keep your eyes on your local television broadcasts later this week (hint: look for the top Tampa newscast as late in the evening as possible, as lighting will strike in the same place many, many times). Just a thought- wouldn't it be cool if some of our professional independent models were to debate with modeling agency owners and so-called modeling school "instructors" on television one day about the modeling industry and how it is supposed to work as compared to how it really works? That would be fun, and although it isn't on our schedule at the moment, it is beginning to look like a future possibility. This is just the beginning, and 2008 is looking to be our most incredible year.

UPDATE 04/16/08 - We are now in the process of updating our Tampa Talent Scams scam-fighting resource web site index. This will become a massive scam-fighting resource for models, actors, talent, and production professionals which will interconnect with the talent scam-fighting resource sections of Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, Tampa Bay Film, and Tampa Bay Photographers. Tampa Bay Acting should be brought up to initial operational capability later today, and once this is done all of our support sites will be updated. Yes, and Tampa Bay Photographers should be up next week (at the moment, it is forwarded to the Tampa Photography Society photographer association web site, but this will change as soon as the site has launched)! Model and talent scams will soon have a hard time staying in business, because our web site network will be in the position to educate and inform anyone who is looking for anything entertainment or talent related in the Tampa Bay area in the near future.

UPDATE 04/08/08 - The web site indexes for Tampa Modeling Agency, Tampa Talent Agency, and Tampa Model Search are now up. Tampa Talent Agency will tie into Tampa Bay Acting, once they are up all the way. Our next Tampa Bay Modeling web site code refresh will link to these sites. Expect large updates this month. See our latest Tampa model opinion post for more.

NOTE 04/03/08 0415 HRS - Good morning, models. We did a run-through on our background-check tools yesterday, and the process is sadly lacking. Expect an overhaul on our background check resource section for Tampa modeling scams shortly, along with instructions on exactly where to go in the public information web sites referenced in our links. Anyone ever try to find arrest records on the Hillsborough County Jail web site before? It's not easy if it's your first time. We'll show you how! Before long, you'll be laughing along with us at the mug shots (awwww- they're so happy!).

Work on the new Independent Modeling and Independent Sites is ahead of schedule. The new Talent Online Audition Database will be a PHP / MySQL driven, user-maintained modeling job, audition, and production job database a lot like Craigslist, but more advanced. Tampa Bay Modeling, all of our sister sites, and all of the Independent Talent Sites will use this database. PHP will change our world, and will rock yours, once the web team addresses the security issues and compiles the code to infuse into several web sites!

Progress on the Tampa Modeling Agency, Tampa Talent Agency, and Tampa Model Search talent resource supplement web sites has been coming along (check out the 03/30/08 Tampa Bay Modeling Opinion post for more on what all this is- any of the modeling agency bookers and owners out there choking on your morning coffee yet? Did you burn yourself? Sorry! They will if they didn't already know!). Expect some work on these sites as soon as we get Tampa Bay Acting completely up. Tampa Bay Acting should be at minimal capability the morning of 04/03/08. We are working on it now. Yes, and the Tampa Talent Agency site will be handed over to the provisional staff of Tampa Bay Acting once they get a handle on things. It's a re launch, and we are happy! So shall you! Oh, yes, and we get modeling pay vouchers and other forms added to the Tampa Bay Modeling site next week! In related news, Monica is thinking about returning with her mail bag, too.

What's this we hear? Our newest sister site, Tampa Bay Photographers, is launching this month! Can't wait!

What is up with model job offers that claim no experience necessary? DON'T BELIEVE IT! Just because it is advertised on the radio or in print does not make it legitimate! WE HAVE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE ADVERTISMENT FOR MODELING JOBS ADVERTISED ON THE RADIO, TELEVISION, OR PRINT TURN OUT TO BE LEGITIMATE! Learn more about what to recognize so you can avoid it in our Tampa model scam section!

MODELING MATTERS FOR TAMPA MODELS

Tampa Bay Modeling Scam Alerts on Top Tampa Modeling Scams

Modeling Job Scams - Modeling Consultation Scams - Modeling School Scams

Afraid that a Tampa Bay photographer is going to sell your "sexy" swimsuit or glamour images to a 900 line ad or a print ad for a pornographic product? This has been a problem here in Tampa Bay, and you can avoid this by making every photographer sign our FAIR USE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY FORM!

Check out MODEL CONSULTANT SCAMS and TFP/ TFCD PHOTOGRAPHY SCAMS!

Smart models learn from our web site, so they don't undermine their modeling careers by making the mistakes of models who choose to be blindly led. Knowledge is power. It will set you free and give you an advantage over other models.

Free your career from the limitations that modeling consultants, model agencies, and others try to impose on you. Think for yourself and obtain an advantage over those who are content to be blindly led in their careers. Trust yourself and in those who earn your trust.

This is the future of the modeling industry. It begins in Tampa Bay, and we are the new voice of professional modeling.

1. TAMPA MODELING JOBS ~ Model Job Go See Board of the leading modeling resource site.
2. TAMPA MODELING SCAMS ~ Model Scams, unethical conduct, and modeling misconceptions.
3. MODELING FEATURES ~ Articles, tutorials, anecdotes, locations, and about us!
4. TAMPA MODELING PHOTOGRAPHY ~ Model Portfolio Photography Exposed!
5. MODELING RESOURCES ~ Recommended photographers, agencies, and more!
6. CONTACT TAMPA BAY MODELING ~ Drop us a line and tell us what you need!

Modeling is not making money while making compromises. Modeling is not doing every job at no charge, as careers are not meant to be charities. A professional model has limits, does not compromise their integrity to book a job, and carefully considers who they work with, what they do, and the professional associations that they maintain. A professional model does not accept the limits that others try to impose on them, and realizes that they do not have to depend upon anyone but themselves while taking advantage of networking with genuine, reputable professionals. Professional models are able to book legitimate modeling jobs both with and without the use of modeling agencies.

The Tampa Bay Modeling site dedicated to true professional models who think for themselves and are serious about their careers. We are here to help you!

Opinions expressed on the Tampa Bay Modeling web site may not be shared by the model shown in photograph. There are no photographs of our staff models on this web site, and our models reserve the right to publish under Pseudonyms for their safety. Models featured on this web site may not be affiliated with this web site and may not be contributors. Photographs are the property of our contributing photographers from the Tampa Bay and other Florida markets.

Opinions published on Tampa Bay Modeling may not be shared by our contributors and advertisers. Opinions expressed may not be shared by the Tampa Bay Modeling web site, and are solely those of the model or contributor behind them.

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