Florida Models

"Where Florida models build their careers."

Florida Models is not a modeling and talent agency. We are not a modeling school, as modeling schools are overpriced, and do not work, IMO. They all answer to us, any way. We are a modeling resource site, and we are here to help Florida models in their careers. - Editor C. A. Passinault, Florida Models.

LATEST NEWS AND UPDATES

Professional Models needed for upcoming modeling jobs.
Looking for family and business-friendly modeling experience with minimal tattoos and body modifications. 5' 8" and taller a plus. Composite cards and a professional modeling portfolio required. Agency-represented models welcome.
These are ongoing, paying modeling jobs which are career friendly and professionally relevant.
There is no obligation to buy anything to be considered for these jobs. These modeling jobs are NOT low paying promotional modeling jobs.
Models are contracted into jobs, and are not employees. This is not an employment offer. We are not a talent agency, do not refer models into jobs, and are the business directly offering the modeling job opportunities.
Most jobs will be for the Tampa Bay area.
Consideration for any modeling job is not a guarantee that the model will book any job.
Submit by physical mail, only; no phone calls or email. Send a cover letter, a relevant modeling resume, a composite card, and at least three references to P.O. Box 1224, Riverview, FL, 33568-1224, ATT: Florida Modeling Jobs.
For more information, please go to the Florida Models modeling job board and read our post.

New security measures added to Florida Models.
We have removed date information from some of our posts where relevant, as models don’t need to know what is updated to an extent, as they can find what they need on this site.
This is to make the job of opponents whom are monitoring our site extremely time consuming, which should discourage them from watching our site.
This is to make the job of opponents whom are monitoring our site extremely time consuming, which should discourage them from watching our site; instead of being pointed where to look so that they can glance at it and move on, they would have to go over the entire site constantly. Most won’t do that.
These measures are needed to prepare our site for what is to come, which is the implementation of next-generation talent resource web site tactics and tools, which will come after brand new sites are launched with them.
See a post on Tampa Bay Modeling for more.

Cleaning up more of the site.
In preparation of the launch of the new Florida Models web site, we are cleaning up more of the content of the legacy site. We are removing more links and are considering removing and rewriting some content.
We are also working on a new modeling job board web site, Florida Modeling Jobs.

Cleaning up web site preparing for the new site. New web sites in the works. Gearing up for agenda.
We are cleaning up content on this web site to prepare for the new Florida Models web site due in 2017. This clean up job includes removing outbound links, such as links to Florida modeling and talent agencies.
We are gearing up for our new agenda, which will be made clear, soon.

07/29/16/0346- No Modeling Jobs?
There haven’t been any modeling job posts on our job board in a long time.
Is it over?
We explain it all, as well as why it has to be this way for now. - 07/29/16/0549

07/27/16/0414 - Age and career appropriate modeling to be aggressively addressed with saturated, long term online campaign.
A post about our plans to address teen modeling, age-inappropriate modeling, and models being exploited. Art is often used as an excuse to exploit people. Exploitation is not art. - 07/27/16/0527

07/16/16/0359 - Florida Models Work.
We will be working on Florida Models to prepare this legacy emulated site to be archived and turned into an online museum; we will be fixing broken links and will be editing, and then adding, content. The content will then be preserved as an online museum that visitors can explore, and it will be a museum full of relics compared to the incredible tools and resources on the next-generation Florida Models, which will be cutting-edge and 21 years more advanced than this current site, built using what has been proven over the years by Independent Modeling and Tampa Bay Modeling, as well as C. A. Passinault himself.
A brand new Florida Models web site will be built and deployed over the foundation of this one, and the new site will be a true next-generation modeling resource web site with cutting-edge tactics, tools, content, resources, and modeling jobs! All of these new things will be built from what has been tried, tested, and proven over the years. These are the same tactics and tools that we will be using in our careers!
With the mobile-friendly requirement no longer so urgent in the wake of the revelation that a certain search engine wants sites to be SSL certified (ridiculous for a site that does not do secure transactions such as E-Commerce, as well as way too expensive), the SSL requirement impossible for so many web sites, we simply are going to do what we want to, and what needs to be done. We will no longer react to what anyone else is doing and have requirements dictated to us.
The Florida Models web site a year from now, in the Summer of 2017, will be far different from what it is, today, and it will be joined by over 150 new sister and support web sites as we build a powerful fleet of web sites (while reducing our risk and potential liability. This means that we will no longer be addressing what anyone does on an individual level, and will address the industry as a whole, instead. We also will not be naming anyone or dropping hints on what anyone is specifically doing, and will focus on activity pattern analysis and scenarios, as you are what you do). The Florida Models web site a year from now will be over two DECADES more advanced, and effective, than the current web site!
There are some developments in the works which will force the modeling industry to change, too, and Passinault has spent years developing those measures. They will work.
Florida Models will finally achieve its full potential, as well as surpass it, and what is coming is dedicated to Kitty and Ken, the founders of Florida Models, and our mentors.
When the new Florida Models web site launches, this existing site will be archived and will seldom be updated, which won’t matter because people won’t find these pages unless they are specifically looking for them or the bookmark them, as visitors to Florida Models will find themselves on the new web site, rendering what is here now obsolete.
For more, please click on Florida Models Work! - 07/16/16/0631

04/05/16/0439 - Real modeling jobs only, please.
This post is important. We keep getting modeling job offers which we cannot publish on our modeling job board. Obviously, we do not want to waste the time of anyone.
If you are a model or are someone who is offering a modeling job, please read this before posting or responding.
Models, if you encounter any modeling job offer which is outlined in this post, please let us know so that we can remove the post and consider banning the poster.
Although we are not fond of promotional modeling jobs, they are legitimate modeling jobs, so they are permitted.
Together, we can make this site mutually beneficial for all.
For more, please click on the title link above or click on real modeling jobs. - 04/07/16/0330

03/28/16/1406 - Updates resuming on Florida Models.
We have had things on hold because we have been working on new web sites for Florida Models and our sister sites, and that has been further delayed because the new sites have to be “mobile-friendly”, which is aggravating.
We have also spent a great deal of time going over editorial policies concerning the content on this site. Some will be removed, and replaced. New content is also on the way. Content which can be used to “train” the competition of our affiliates will be removed, as will content which reveals trade secrets or the specifics of certain services or tools (no more articles about composite cards and what makes them effective, for example, and no more information which is used to sell services by our affiliates; we will not give away their stores. Articles on things such as how to find and book modeling jobs on your own, however, will continue, even if the details on what makes career tools effective are no longer available). The Florida Models of late 2016 will be a lot different than it is, today, regarding content; we have some very advanced content and tools which will never be made available to the general public (reserved for the clients of our affiliates), as well as some very useful content and tools which will prove to be effective.
Don’t worry, as we will continue to provide worthwhile, effective content and tools, free of charge, as long as they are not a conflict of interest with what our affiliates are doing.
That said, we will be resuming regular updates on this site, because our site readers and users have been inconvenienced by the wait. Additionally, the lack of updates has made this site pretty much useless (we are not playing favorites, either. You will see that updates on ALL of our talent resource sites, including Tampa Bay Modeling, have been on hold).
We do apologize for the inconvenience.
Updates will resume on the site, as it is, now. Once the new site launches, however, current information on this legacy site will be frozen in what will then become our legacy archives (and some of that information will be removed and replaced with new content, as well as links to the new relevant sections on the new site).
We went over emails today, and have read the complaints. Although we can’t answer all of those emails, especially since most are months old, we will resume reading and answering emails from this point forward, as well as posting model and modeling job information to the site. We will not, however, be updating our modeling scam section, as any information concerning modeling scams will, instead, be used on the modeling scam analysis databases on (the new) Florida Models, Tampa Bay Modeling, and on Independent Modeling.
Likewise, we are no longer accepting ads or paid listings, as those will remain on hold, although we will gladly post model listings.
We have noticed that many of the modeling “job” offer emails that we have received over the past few months have been “job” offers which we would not post, anyway. Please read the instructions on this site concerning modeling jobs and make sure that your posts are formatted properly; we don’t want to see vague offers without details anymore, as those will be ignored.
Modeling “jobs” which are not really jobs will also be ignored. See Tampa Bay Modeling this week for more about this.
Additionally, please heed the following:

1. Removal of content.
If you want content removed, we ask for the courtesy of a reason why. There is also no reason to delete your information on this site, unless you decide to quit whatever you are offering. This site offers free exposure, and no party listed on this site is affiliated with us (unless specifically stated), nor do they necessarily share the views and opinions expressed on Florida Models. Deleting your information to protest what is on this site or for some petty reason only hurts you.
Information deleted for unacceptable reasons (reasons which waste our time) will ban the poster from any future participation on this site, which includes a refusal to post anything from them.
Be aware that many future model listings on this site will be the model clients of Aurora PhotoArts, and that there will be a lot of them (and all photo listing will be exclusively for the model clients of Aurora PhotoArts, as we will not post images from any unaffiliated photographers or photography companies on this site without the express written permission of the copyright holder).
If you wish to compete, you might want to keep your listing up.

2. The traveling photographer (Can keep on traveling).
We received an email from some pretentious traveling photographer traveling from city to city offering photography services that they are trying to sell to models (because the photographer is supposedly some big-shot photographer, or whatever). Not only is this something that is, in our opinion, unacceptable, but we will no longer be posting ads for photography services for unaffiliated photographers or photography companies on this web site. Period. Aurora PhotoArts and its affiliates are the exclusive photography services provider for Florida Models, and they have rights to all photography services ad space.
The new Florida Models will be used as a marketing platform for Aurora PhotoArts, although this is a free modeling resource site which is not a part of Aurora PhotoArts. This said, this site will remain free of charge for models and industry professionals to use, and there will be no obligation to buy anything from our sponsors or affiliates.
We are NOT a listing for modeling portfolio photographers in Florida for models to browse, especially since we find very few legitimate professional photographers in the market which know what they are doing (nor are we inclined to help them). Models wanting a choice in photographers are more than welcome to use a search engine, as this is a modeling resource sites for models to use in their careers and not a listing for photographers. When we took over this site on September 27, 2012, we immediately purged our photographer listings, as we had had issues with it for several years.
We will also allow legitimate modeling job offers from photographers, providing that the photographer is not using the job offer to try to sell models something. Photographers who use jobs as bait will be banned from using this site. We also reserve the right to refuse any posting without cause or reason, as well as the right to pull information with no warning.

3. Do not ask our opinions about specific parties.
We will not give our opinion about specific parties, such as when people email us asking if “so and so” is a scam. We will not open ourselves up to liability by getting drawn into that.
There is information available on this site which can help you figure out things for yourselves.
Even the legacy modeling scam section cited public sources (and we are not responsible for any content posted before September 27, 2012).

4. Content to be removed.
We will be removing and replacing outdated or sensitive content over the next few weeks. We have new guidelines, which we cannot reveal at this time, concerning the content that we will allow on our sites. Just rest assured that this site will continue to be more than useful, with free content and tools available, with no obligation to buy anything.
Which brings us to........

5. New content and tools coming.
Next-generation modeling resource site content and tools are coming soon. This site is about to become a lot more interesting, as well as easy to use and useful, even on the legacy site.

6. Modeling jobs?
We are working hard on making sure that modeling job posts on Florida Models and on our other modeling resource sites are legitimate and professional. Our job boards will become the cores of our web sites, and will be heavily pushed later in 2016; as soon as May 2016.
Those jobs which models think that they have to go through an agency to get? We are going to work on getting those jobs on here.

7. Modeling knowledge.
We literally know more about the modeling industry than anyone else at this point, even the agencies, especially in things that no one has thought of or addressed in the history of the modeling industry, but which will soon become a part of it, and which will be impossible to ignore or avoid.
We will soon be aggressively introducing new measures to markets which will help purge markets of amateur models and photographers, as well as others pretending to be something that they are not. At this time, there is not a single model in Florida, even the agency-represented ones, which are compliant with what is coming, and they will be caught by surprise (we also expect them to be mad at us, but that is their problem. In the long run, professionals will all benefit). There will soon be a lot fewer models to choose from in Florida, and, to a lesser extent, photographers.
What we are working on now will change the modeling industry worldwide, forever, and it does not require the acceptance or the belief of anyone. It is coming, and everyone will have to adapt.
Again, what is coming will be impossible to avoid, and everyone will have to deal with it.

09/29/15/0554 - Rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.
No, we have not abandoned Florida Models. In fact, we have big plans ahead for this site and our sister sites. It is just that we have been busy.
Expect updates to resume shortly. Also, expect a brand new, “mobile-friendly” web site to launch soon; whether that is an Athena Class site or not remains to be seen, as this mobile-friendly requirement imposed upon us by a certain annoying search engine was one of the big challenges thrown at us this year, leading to delays on top of our normal delays (and causing the web development directly delaying us to come to a halt).
We realize that we, as in the the new management, have had this web site for three years and two days, now, and not much has been accomplished. That will change, and, soon, the delays will be forgotten.
In the last quarter of 2015, we will make up for the lack of updates this year. We will also resume checking our email daily and updating the job board.
With that, we apologize for the lack of updates, and will do better.

02/05/15/1027 - Watch out for things that you cannot see!
Models need to be aware that there are things out there being offered to them which are too good to be true. Most of the time, they are.
We know of at least one photographer in the Tampa Bay area whom is offering modeling photography sessions in an office where models pay a low price of under $30.00, they get to shoot with him for a few hours, and it includes a picture or two.
Models have to ask themselves if this is it.
Think about this. Is a modeling photography shoot worth it if you are paying for a picture or two? If that is all that you are getting, then that “low” price is too much.
Is that the total cost of what the session is? Is it really a good deal?
Many times, a photographer will lure in models with some deal which seems to be really good. They then nickle and dime them with extra fees, hidden fees, which the model ends up paying to make the shoot worth it in their mind. The model often ends up paying far more than they would have agreed to had they known the details.
Photographers need to be straight-up with models about the details of an offer, and models need to know all of the details before going to any shoot.
What is worth it? In this case, the model needs to be able to walk away with ALL of the picture files on a CD or USB flash drive, in addition to the “free” picture or two which was promised in the offer. That’s fair of you are going to be spending a few hours doing a shoot with the photographer. Do you really want all of those pictures being held hostage?
Of course, we don’t see the photographer agreeing to that, especially after the model has done the shoot. That is why you need to make them agree to it before you pay them a dime and do the shoot.
Do not be misled by offers which are too good to be true!

02/05/15/1000 - New, enhanced cutting-edge Athena Class site launching in 2016.
Florida Models will be launching a new Athena Class site in 2016, as will Florida Actors. We are currently building new 3rd Generation talent resource site technology into the new sites, and this is taking time.
We wish to thank everyone for their patience!
We have some special surprises in the works, too, so keep checking back for more!

11/14/14/1001- New Site Coming.
We are working on the new Athena Class site, as well as the one for Florida Actors.
We have simply been busy elsewhere.
The new site should be online by early next year. Thank you for your patience.

08/26/14/1228- Update About New Site.
The last post was supposed to be the final post on this legacy site, but we have been delayed with work on sites such as Tampa Bay Film, and we are getting emails from people wondering about what it going on.
So, here is an updated which we never planned to do.
Tampa Bay Film took a lot more work than we originally expected, and although we are almost done today, we are not quite there. Tampa Bay Film is important because it is the first 3rd Generation talent resource site, which is where all of our sites, including Florida Models, are heading for this year. The current legacy Florida Models site is a 1st Generation talent resource site, which is nowhere near as effective as it needs to be. Tampa Bay Modeling, which was extremely effective over the past decade and dominated, is a 2nd Generation talent resource site. Tampa Bay Modeling will be upgraded to 3rd Generation standards, with new tools and resources, this year, although it will keep the site design that it currently uses. Florida Models will be fully operational as a 3rd Generation site this year, too, with both sites up to speed by the end of the year!
We should be able to build and launch the new Athena Class Florida Models site later this week. It’s not quite the mammoth task that Tampa Bay Film was, even with the 3rd Generation upgrade, because Tampa Bay Film is a far more complex site. It will take a few months, however, to add all of the support resources and tools to Florida Models to make it a fully operational 3rd Generation talent resource site.
We took over Florida Models and Florida Actors on September 27, 2012, almost two years ago. We want, and intend for, both sites to be upgraded to new Athena Class sites by September 27, 2014, with Florida Models up within the next week.
That’s it for now. We have not forgotten about this site, and the work will get done. We now have to do some more work on Tampa Bay Film and its Revolution Class site.

06/04/14/0956 - Update On New Florida Models Site
This is the final post on the Florida Models site.
At least on this legacy emulated site, which has been in operation since September 27, 2012, and based upon the original web site design from 1996. Also, as it is now.
This is the end of one era, and the beginning of another. The present will soon be retired to the past, and a time of legend. The future will then become the present.
Finally.
A brand new Athena Class web site, like the one used by “mother” site Independent Modeling, but more advanced, is being built for Florida Models at this time. This site will both respect the legacy of Florida Models, as well as enable it to fulfill its original ambitions. It will be the most advanced modeling resource web site in the world, at least until the other sites are upgraded to match it, and, then, until the next generation modeling and talent resource sites launch and come to power in 2015, at which time all of the existing sites will experience another upgrade to match the new standard set by those next generation sites (There is some information on Tampa Bay Modeling about this).
It should launch by the end of the week.
At the time of launch, this existing emulated legacy site will become an archive and online museum, and will very rarely be updated, because new content and updates will be created and published on the new site. The main index of the new site, which is the front page, will have entirely new content and a new format. This index will become the main page of the online archive, and the existing content will move to a new file name, which will serve as the main page of the archive and the online museum. This index of the site will then become the main index for the new web site.
The new web site will look like Independent Modeling, but will be more refined, and will obviously have different content. One thing that will be improved will be the modeling job board, which will then be retro applied back into the Independent Modeling site. A version of the new modeling job board will be translated to the different design layout of the Raptor 3 variant of the Raptor Class web site used by Tampa Bay Modeling, which has to have a modeling job board compatible, and having continuity with, the ones used by Florida Models and Independent Modeling.
Why now? Florida Models has to be online and completely operational with the new site because the new modeling jobs project site is launching this week, also, possibly within hours, and it requires that the three main modeling resource sites, which would be Independent Modeling, Florida Models, and Tampa Bay Modeling all have operational, current web sites (there will be some time lag between the launch of the jobs site and the modeling job boards coming online. We want the new web site to be established before linking them. This will take a few weeks). The modeling jobs site, which currently has a classified name which cannot be revealed, will be used as a marketing front end for all three modeling job boards, which are organized by region and will cross-post relevant modeling job posts with edited posts (to avoid duplicate content issues), and used to drive models and the sources of modeling jobs to use our job boards. The modeling jobs that we are aiming for are the ones that the models used to have to go through an agency to book, too! The modeling jobs site will be heavily promoted, and we will be printing literally thousands of business cards this month for it. Everyone will know about it; we will make sure of it.
This means, of course, that we will resume paying attention to the modeling jobs which come into Florida Models, and the site should be regularly updated several times per week.
Sister site Florida Actors will be receiving a new Athena Class site of its own this Fall.

#weavingcodes #lowhighobservability #informationisavirus #infectingyourmind #revolution #agenciesareoutdated #openmarketsuperiority #noparity #smarterthanyou #settingstandards #nowayjose #jrprodouchebag #cannotcompetewithus

06/04/14/0956 - Updated Note From The Editor 09/27/12.
We had to because of a typo, and because this note will be archived along with the original site.

05/31/14/1336 - New Athena Class Florida Models Site Is Coming Soon.
It looks like priorities have adjusted a bit.
A lot will change in the coming week.
With the launch of the new modeling jobs site imminent (and there are rumors of FOUR jobs sites due online by next week, but this remains to be seen), Passinault has decided that the new Florida Models site, a cutting-edge Athena Class web site like the one used by Independent Modeling, has to be online, too, to support the job leads that the new site will help generate and sustain. It has to be online in early June, too!
Passinault has postponed work on his Mosaic Class sites for Aurora PhotoArts one week (and up to two, if needed...... Mass production of the Mosaic Class sites will commence in June, regardless, with a one to two week adjustment in the schedule, and the initial fleet of 19 Mosaic Class web sites deployed and fully operational sometime in October, or November at the latest) to work on Florida Models, Independent Modeling, and Tampa Bay Modeling. Since all of these sites are monitored by models, friends, and the opposition alike, this will attract a lot of attention.
Big changes for Florida Models are imminent!
Existing sections of Florida Models will be maintained as active archives once our new, advanced Athena Class site launches.
The new Athena Class web site for Florida Actors is expected late Summer or Fall, 2014.

05/29/14/0940 - Modeling Industry Work To Increase For Passinault.
C. A. Passinault today announced that most of the work that he would be doing in his photography and design business would center around modeling, which makes sense since he owns all of the world’s top modeling and talent resource sites, and he also seems to be one of the few in Florida, and the only one in Tampa Bay, who has been able to figure out how to make a legitimate, sustainable business out of photographing models (we see all of the photographers claiming to be modeling photographers fall back into consumer markets such as wedding photography, which they would do if they are only about photography, and this is especially true if they do not know what they are doing. Some of them can shoot, but they do not seem to have a head for this business, and shooting models takes a lot more than just being a photographer. Note, too, that going out and buying a lot of equipment does not make you a professional, and does not mean that you will be able to compete with more experienced, and established, professionals in the market. Passinault could care less about wedding photography at this time, although his company will offer services in that in addition to modeling photography. Also, modeling work does NOT have anything to do with the local night club industry or glamour modeling, as this is a compromise by those who have no business being in this business because they do not know what they are doing; just because you are an attractive bartender who gets hit on all of the time does not make you a model, and most of you will find out, the hard way, that they will not be able to compete with legitimate professional models, especially with Passinault helping those professional models take work away from the wannabes. That said, Passinault will help salvage that limited scene by working that side of the fence, too, since those who insist on or want to do high-risk modeling need appropriate instruction on how to limit those risks, and they currently are not getting it). This means that he will own the modeling photography market in Tampa Bay, and will have a dominant position in the industry; we wish anyone trying to compete luck, and they will try to compete after Passinault demonstrates that there is a market shooting models, especially without going through or being dependent upon the agencies.
Since there also seem to be a lot of modeling scams out there, especially modeling job scams, Passinault will increase work fighting scams and helping models to recognize and avoid them; it’s not like anyone else is doing anything about it (and they are not, at least not sincerely like he does).
Florida Models, Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, and a new generation of super-secret modeling resource sites now in development, which will soon be deployed in addition to our established sites, will be a large part of his work helping models and redefining the modeling industry.

05/20/14/1047 - Slow, But About To Pick Up.
It’s been a quiet three months here at Florida Models, but we have not forgotten about the web site. A lot has been going on behind the scenes, and our new web site is now scheduled to debut this Summer, well before September 2014, which will be our second anniversary of the site being under new management. The new web site will be an Athena Class site, much like the one that mother and affiliated site Independent Modeling uses; we want our new Athena Class web site fully operational before our September Anniversary, and we will have to launch it this Summer to get it up to speed by then.
As for our modeling job board, well, that has been on the back burner while we worked on building the support infrastructure to attract and sustain the same kind of job offers that models used to have to go through a modeling agency to book. This takes preparation and a lot of work, because those offers, if history is any indicator, will not be simply sent to us; we will no longer settle for just promotional work and leave the models with no choice but to go through the agencies to work their career. We will not push something before it is ready, too. There will be no more selling short or settling for working the fringes of the modeling industry. For years, Florida Models has seen mostly promotional modeling job offers on our job board, and while there is nothing wrong with that, models need more options, and more opportunities. We need to get away from dependence upon the agencies for models to book the type of modeling work that they want and need, the type of work that they need composite cards and portfolios to book. Basically, and this has nothing to do with promotional work, independent “freelance” models, which this site was founded by and built for, cannot, and will not, accept the bottom of the barrel of modeling work. Independent models deserve respect, and they need to be able to get the jobs that they want without having to go through an agency to get them.
That is why we have not been paying much attention to our job board lately, and that is what we are working on, behind the scenes. What is coming will be more than worth the wait, as you, our site visitors, deserve the respect of having a web site which is useful and which has the value of visiting regularly. If you have sent in a job offer and we did not publish it, well, it is because we simply did not see it because we have been checking our email irregularly, and for that, we apologize.
A new Florida Models and Independent Modeling jobs web site, designed to market and reference the new modeling job boards of Independent Modeling, Florida Models, and Tampa Bay Modeling, will be launching this week, and probably as soon as tomorrow! Once this new site is up and we begin aggressively marketing it, we will have the modeling job leads to keep our board updated and balanced (We will also resume checking our email for any modeling job offers which sent to us, and will consider publishing them, providing that they are legitimate job offers, that models will find them worthwhile and beneficial, or that they are not modeling scams, are not sent to us by middlemen who are not able to follow through on the job offer, and are not for utter and total crap such as teen modeling jobs, which, although they do pay well, are not worth it for any reason, in our educated and experienced opinion, and selling out is not the same as making money by working a sustainable and marketable career).
We are about to begin a new era, and will make our founding models proud, as well as fulfill their original vision for Florida Models!

02/21/14/0830 - Modeling Scam-Fighting Efforts To Increase.
The past decade has been an experiment.
An effective experiment, but an experiment all of the same.
We now know what works. We have developed an entirely new generation of modeling scam-fighting tools and resources which are actually two generations ahead of anything currently on any of our modeling resource sites (including Independent Modeling), and they will be deployed as powerful, fully operational tools and resources, built on a foundation of what has been tried and true. All of these new, advanced tools and resources will be cutting-edge, and effective on an entirely new level, blowing away what has come before (the content and tools on our current modeling and talent resource sites, which effective and proven, are based on 2002-level technology); true, 2012 to 2014 technology.
With the third generation of modeling, talent, and industry resource sites which will launch in 2014 (with four of them specifically optimized for and targeted at the Tampa Bay area; these sites are not going to make a lot of people happy, at all, because they will make previous attempts at addressing the industry look like picnics. These sites will be much, much more aggressive, as well as effective; they will hammer the market and force change), all of which do not currently exist, but are in the advanced stage of development, new technology, based upon proven technology and results, but advanced two generations to 2012 to 2014 specifications, will replace what is out there now. Once the new sites are established, their technology will be retro-applied to the existing web sites. This technology is awesome, powerful, and it is lethal in its application. It will change everything!
Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Models, and Independent Modeling will be different, and much more advanced, by 2015, and they will be joined by a fleet of brand new, third generation, cutting-edge talent resource web sites (as an example, Tampa Bay Modeling, which has been and continues to be extremely effective, is a first generation modeling resource site using 2002 technology. The current Independent Modeling site uses 2007 to 2010 vintage, second generation technology. The new Tampa Bay Film site is, indeed, the very first third generation talent resource site, with 2012 technology, but it is not fully operational, yet, and it is more of a prototype at the moment. This will change. You have not seen anything, yet!).
For those who have been wondering about results, well, they are certainly coming, and while professionals will love and embrace them because they work, and they will be a benefit to their careers, scams and unethical people out there, whom make up the majority of our industry, will not be happy at all. We would not have it any other way!

02/21/14/0830 - New Modeling Jobs Site Launch Imminent.
The aggressive, and soon-to-be-proven-effective, modeling jobs site of Florida Models, Tampa Bay Modeling, and Independent Modeling is about to launch, and is uses technology developed by Independent Modeling. In development since August 2013, the stand-alone modeling resource sits is all about the jobs, primarily finding and booking PAYING work without having to go through an agency or becoming dependent upon an agency, and it connects to the modeling job boards of Tampa Bay Modeling, Florida Models, and Independent Modeling.
Money talks. What is going to happen when people fund out that this program is legitimate, and that it works? Models won’t support you if they feel that you have lied to them, that you are short-changing them and ripping them off, and that you are misleading them. Do you really know what you are doing? What will happen to your credibility when people find out that, indeed, you don’t know what you are doing?
Our support, obviously, is going to grow, just like our support for some people will wither on the vine and fade as the tides change.
The new jobs site, and all of the modeling job boards of our resource sites, are available free of charge, with no obligation for anyone using the site to sign up for membership or to buy any service or product. Also, unlike another site out there (which also steals modeling job information from legitimate modeling resource sites so that they can use the jobs as bait), we do not withhold critical information such as the contact information so that we can make someone sign up for the site to get it (and, in the case of the other site, they use the membership data to then contact the new member to sell them something). Our job boards will be completely free of charge, with no hidden agenda, or purpose, and with no strings attached. You won’t have to spend a penny to use them, and won’t have to pay with information, either.
Our job boards will be coming online in the Spring (along with a new Athena Class Florida Models site). The job boards and the jobs site will be fully operational this Summer, and will heavily, and aggressively, promoted to professional models, as well as the modeling jobs which went through the agencies to find models in the past.

01/31/14/1045 - Please be specific about your complaints and opinions.
It’s about being specific.
Yes, we realize that we have critics (they are wrong, too, and we can prove it). Criticize us if you wish, but if you do so, we only ask that you be specific. So does everyone else.
When criticism is NOT specific, and it is a blanket opinion which does not go into detail, it is pointless, as well as ineffective. In such cases, the blanket critical opinion is merely a form of a credibility attack, and people see right through it. They do not take it seriously, because you did not qualify it in any way, and it makes you look like a petty idiot. Credibility attacks are not only pathetic, but they also tend to backfire (so does bad-mouthing others). It’s a poor way to make any kind of case. That’s all you can bring to a fight? Why bother?
Take photography for example. It’s something that is difficult to quantify, and it is subjective. It is more a matter of opinion than it is right or wrong, and it is more-so better or worse as far as relevance for the intended purpose (for example, there is nothing wrong with a high-key portrait, but they are not good as talent headshots because the emphasis should be on the talent in the photograph, and marketing the talent. There is a difference, and professionals know it). We often get people who get mad at our sites who not only complain, but then take a swipe at the photography that we feature without being specific. So, it sucks? How? Can you tell us why? We did not think so.
Also, consider that the critic does not have to actually do what they are criticizing. Roger Ebert was a movie critic. He did not make movies. Why was he a good critic, however, and why did his opinions matter? Because he was specific, and he made valid points which stuck. He QUALIFIED his opinions, and stuck to them.
As usual, there are attempts at an insult in which the person who is criticizing probably does not believe their own opinion, and they have other motives which are more obvious. Sure, you can say that something sucks, without being specific, but when you try to copy it, and pay attention and react to everything that the photographer does, your actions outshine your words.
You know that it is true.
History has shown that most of the people trying to criticize us have no room to talk, especially as you have to consider the source of any opinion to evaluate whether it has merit or not, as well as their motives.
Additionally, regarding insults, you cannot be insulted unless you give the person doing the insulting permission. Literally, the insults only have the power that you give them, and allow them to have. If anyone else believes the opinion or the lie that someone tells them about you, too, without checking it out, then they are fools who are not only selling themselves short (or out), but demonstrate that they have poor judgement, and are probably not worth working with.
Instead of trying to attack the credibility of your opponents, why not debate and make some specific points which stick and have to be addressed. What’s that? You can’t? You do know what you are doing, don’t you? If you cannot debate without resorting to other tactics, what is the point of having an opinion to begin with?
On a related note about being specific, we had an issue with a Florida talent agency a few weeks ago.
Here is what we know. Keep in mind, though, that this is more speculation on our part, because they did not bother to respond to us when we asked them to clarify what they were talking about, which is the professionalism which we have come to expect from talent agencies. This is also our opinion, so take it as such. Oh, and, yes, we will be specific. It’s what professionals do.
In late December 2013, the owner of a Florida talent agency sent us an email (from their iPad, of course!) complaining that we (supposedly) posted that they were affiliated with (connected to) a (gasp!) m-m-m-m-modeling scam (Yeah, that's what we have to do... We have to slander people in order to hurt their credibility. Actually, give us more credit than that... We are better than that. Our opponents also do more to harm their own credibility themselves than anything that we could ever do; don't blame us because we simply ask specific questions, make specific criticisms, and shine a light on what they do)! They also threatened to call their attorney (which had absolutely no bearing whatsoever on how we responded. We do not get intimidated by threats, and are professional regardless).
Well, we did not see this email until early January 2014, but when we did, we sent four responses, mainly asking them to clarify where on our site that we published this information. We even called them, both on their listed number which a recording informed us was about to be disconnected, and on their new one, where we left a friendly message.
Their lack of a response did not stop us from looking for ourselves. We even used search engines to loop back into our site to see where the “post” supposedly was.
Imagine what we thought when we could not find the information that they were whining about. Hell, although they were listed on the site as a Florida talent agency, we did not even know who they were. We only knew that they were a licensed agency.
Without them being specific, also, we could only speculate what it was that they were talking about.
We did find out this much, however, and if it is the reason why they emailed us and threatened us, it is the most pathetic and insane thing that we have ever seen an agency do. The agency owner would be, in our opinion, either an idiot, or someone splitting hairs to try to censor us.
As specified, we used search engines to loop back into our site content to locate the post which they were not specific about. Those search engine searches turned up other things, as well, and this is the only thing that we could find that they could have been referring to (unless, of course, they were referring to a post about having removed a modeling and talent agency from the agency section which was directly affiliated with a modeling scam, which could not have been them, by default, because they were not the agency which was removed, and, if they were, no one would have known who they were, simply because they were no longer listed on the site; very few people, if any, keep track on what is on a site and what has been removed, and it would take a lot of research to figure out what content was removed. We do, because that is part of our job, but it's highly unlikely that your target market would go to such extremes. As it was, however, they were still listed, so if this was what they were referring to, it made no sense at all. Regardless, after wasting our time, we may remove the agency from the site simply because we do not want to deal with them anymore, AND we are doing anyone listed on Florida Models a favor, especially since this is a free site and we are not charging anyone to be listed! We reserve the right to retract the courtesy that we extend to any party, and can remove anyone listed on this site at any time, without any given reason, at our discretion. We may simply remove them because they fired off some nasty emails and then refused to respond when we replied).
Over ten years ago, there was a model scouting scam, a well known and infamous model scouting scam, which was in business then. It went through several name changes and owners before it went out of business, well, for being a scam, and has not been around for many, many years.
Florida Models, being the world’s first modeling resource site, since 1996, has a modeling scam section where the previous owners named modeling scams (our current strategy is to not name scams, and use an activity pattern analysis and matching system, which was originally developed by Independent Modeling in 2003, but we respect the legacy content of the original Florida Models site, AND the owners were smart about how they listed references to back up the claims of the named modeling scams. We stick to our current strategy because it is more effective, as well as cost-effective, in general. We are not cowards at all, but our experience is that, if we name names, it becomes personal, and then we waste a lot of time fighting with the named party. Activity pattern analysis is superior in every way because, well, you are what you do, and scams cannot easily change their tactics, even after being exposed; they out themselves by simply doing what they do. We also don’t risk our credibility by looking like we have an axe to grind and have some sort of a vendetta against someone). The original modeling scam section of Florida Models names the model scouting scam, even though it no longer exists (and, as stated on our updated site, we are not responsible for the original content on this site published before September 27, 2012, just like any other web sites are not held responsible for what other parties post on their sites. We did not write it, after all, and it is the opinion of another party).
In our search engine inquiry, we came upon a post on ANOTHER modeling site, a modeling scam fighting web site which is not affiliated with us in any way, where the agency owner is sticking up for the modeling scam.
That’s the only explanation that we could find (unless they want to contact us and clarify what they were complaining about).
Eliminating the improbable, let’s get this straight. Are we correct in assuming that you emailed this modeling site because we name a modeling scam which you are associated with, by default, only because you named them and supported them in a post on another web site? You are complaining about a scam which is not you to a site which does not associate you with the scam in any way?
It’s a whole new level of bizarre, and yet another example of why we do not take modeling and talent agencies in Florida seriously.
If this is what they were complaining about, it’s completely ridiculous, and we are sure that their attorney told them the same thing. We only hope that the attorney was able to keep a straight face.
Idiot.
If you must complain to us, please be specific. Also, please make sure that the complaint is relevant, and one which we can look into, address, and respond to.

12/31/13/0921- Modeling jobs to be emphasis and priority in 2014. New web site coming in 2014, as well as a new sister site.
We know that it has been a slow year here at Florida Models, especially with our job board updates, and for that, we apologize, although it could not be helped. Additionally, we’re sad to say, but most of the job offers that were sent to us were not worth posting (and, yes, we purposely ignored some people, such as the teen modeling web site people, as we will no longer tolerate their “jobs”, and will not post them. Stop sexualizing underage girls; we do not care if it is technically “legal”, it’s wrong, and it’s not a real modeling job as far as we are concerned, especially since it hurts and exploits girls. We do not care how much money that you offer us, the answer will always be “no”! We are even working on a dedicated talent resource site with cutting-edge tools and resources in 2014 to directly address teen modeling on a national level, as well as here in Florida). The lack of good job offers will change, of course.
We will rectify this in 2014, however, and we are sure that, as the year progresses, all will be forgiven.
Modeling jobs will be a huge priority in 2014, not just on the Florida Models web site, but on Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling as well, with the main modeling job resource on Independent Modeling, which is our “mother” site (officially, although technically, Florida Models predates and inspired the creation of Independent Modeling, so we are more of a mother site, although Florida Models is now an Independent Modeling site, which is quite the weird little role reversal).
Tomorrow, in fact, we have a new site launching, which we have been working on since August 2013 (We have a plan, and it is long-term), which will be used for our jobs program, and will be used to aggressively market the job boards on all three of our modeling resource sites. This site will be fully operational sometime in January 2014, and will be aggressively pushed and marketed to hundreds of professional models a month starting in February 2014. We are going to be everywhere and unavoidable, and models are going to quickly learn that we are the real deal, and that we are in their corner supporting them and their careers.
Obviously, if we are going to be pushing our modeling job boards through an additional dedicated web site, which pretty much tells you how serious that we are about this, we are going to need good jobs to post on our boards, AND the boards will have to be constantly updated. Do you know what that means? Well, although there is nothing wrong with promotional modeling jobs, one thing that Florida Models, as an example, has had too much of in the past ten fourteen years is, you guessed it, promotional modeling jobs. Although we continue to welcome all promotional modeling jobs, these jobs will become a minority on our job board, simply because they will be outnumbered by mainstream modeling job posts of the type which you used to have to go through an agency to book (We shed no tears about what this will do to local agencies, and neither will models. Most agencies will deserve it, especially the one which ripped off Florida Models founder Kitty several years ago when they did not pay her for a job which she booked through them. Although Florida Models is now under new management, we remember). Basically, we will be getting the modeling jobs which models usually have to go through an agency to get by directly soliciting those agency “clients” to post their job posts on our boards. Since we are not an agency, there is no charge for models to find and contact those job offers on our boards, and the businesses offering the modeling jobs will also be able to post at no charge.
Agencies, you knew that this day was coming. We’re gunning for your business, and Florida models will, more and more, begin finding and booking those good modeling jobs on their own. Why not, after all? Agencies are only a middleman, and they no longer run the industry.... At least in Florida. 2014 will not be a good year for some Florida talent agencies. It will also not be a good year for anyone who does work which undermines or cripples the marketability of models, such as glamour photographers and photographers who do other high-risk work; stick to gullible, insecure consumers, and leave the models alone! Models are going to find out, through experience, that doing that kind of work will cost them the mainstream modeling work that professional models are booking, and that such work is only for models who wish to specialize in that kind of work, and that that kind of work is a limited niche of modeling. One of the more troubling trends of late is that many models think that doing that kind of work is the only kind of work that they can hope to book on their own without going through an agency, and there are plenty of sleazy photographers out there who prey on such insecure models. Modeling has been too crazy, and “sexy”, as well as too connected to the night club industry, and this is going to change. If you are a glamour photographer who likes to get models to take their clothes off, you’re going to hate us, because you will lose work. Good. We intend to put you in your place, and would not have it any other way. You are welcome to hate us and out sister sites, because it won’t matter, and will not do you any good, as we are more powerful than you are, and always will be. Your sleazy modeling “opportunities” are going to become a very tough sell, too, as more and more models avoid you. Models are not going to put up with the risks, the lies, the manipulation, the sexual harassment, and the B.S. anymore, especially when they discover that they do not have to, and that they never should have, to begin with.
Our job boards, too, will become a powerful tool to fight modeling job scams, which are too common, now, and our state-of-the-art scam fighting tools and resources will be highly interconnected with all of our job boards. If you are running any kind of scams where you bait models by advertising a job and then try to sell them something, you will regret it, because it will be harder and harder to get to work.
By Spring 2014, too, the new Florida Models site will finally launch. Our current site will become an online archive and museum of sorts, and the new site will have all new directories and files. An Athena Class site like the one used by Independent Modeling, the new site will be state-of-the-art, and will be as advanced, and as effective, as the web site used by Independent Modeling.
There is more, too. We will be launching a new Florida-regional talent resource site, which will be a direct sister site to Florida Models and Florida Actors. Unlike our legacy sites, this site will be completely new, and will not have archives or an online museum.
2014 will be a good year, and Passinault, our director, has promised that more work will be done to our collective network of talent resource sites in 2014 than in the past ten years, especially as all of them need to be upgraded to new technologies and tactics developed for our sites. It will be the best year yet for models, too!

09/24/13/0846 - Legal notice for modeling portfolio and talent headshot photographers concerning the protected, trademarked slogan “Invest in your career”.
We have noticed that at least one photographer in the Tampa Bay market, who obviously cannot compete with real professional photographers, has taken this slogan from the Tampa Bay Modeling site and the sites of Aurora PhotoArts, and is now trying to use it to compete.
"Invest in your career", especially pertaining to modeling portfolio photography and talent headshots, is a service marked (trademarked) slogan which has been used by Aurora PhotoArts and Tampa Bay Modeling for several years now; there is documented proof of our ownership, and everyone knows the true source.
Effective immediately, anyone using this slogan is commanded to cease and desist any and all use of it. We reserve the right to take legal action against anyone taking and using this intellectual property. Also, all of the web sites of Aurora PhotoArts will begin using this slogan a lot more, and people will see it on those web sites, first. If anyone has any questions, we will be more to happy to prove that you stole our slogan, too, and that you have to try to compete by learning from us.
If you wish to stay in business, and to earn the respect of others, stop taking what does not belong to you. Be ethical and professional for a change.

09/24/13/0830 - New Florida Models and Florida Actors web sites should be online in October 2013.
Due to some extra web development work, the new Athena Class web sites for Florida Models and Florida Actors will not be online until October 2013, at the earliest.
We were aiming for September 27, but now being 72 hours away, that’s not going to happen.
New, refined Athena Class design templates have to be built for Florida Models and Florida Actors, anyway.
Thank you for your patience.

09/13/13/1513 - Florida Models Director C. A. Passinault diverts talent resource site resources.
Although this has little to do with Florida Models (it will slow down updates to the site, however), which is still scheduled to be re launched as a new Athena Class web site this Fall, as well as Florida Actors and Independent Acting, Passinault today ordered resources from most of the fleet of talent resource sites to be diverted for the rest of 2013 for the construction and deployment of four huge talent resource sites for the Tampa Bay market; The Tampa Bay market is ground zero for the next modeling and talent industries, and will be the area of the most innovation in Florida over the next few years. These web sites will be built with the latest technology and tactics, being 3rd Generation, 2014 spec talent resource sites.
These four new talent resource sites will launch as fully developed, fully operational web sites in January 2014, the same day that their domain names are procured. This will enhance their already formidable SES (Search Engine Superiority) technology built into the sites. The new sites will use a design class derived and developed from the proven and effective Pioneer Class (Frontier Pop), Revolution Class (Tampa Bay Film), and Athena Class (Independent Modeling) web sites, but will resemble the Pioneer Class more than anything else. Each of these new sites will address and service an entire market, and one of them will be for professional photographers (another will cover fashion in Tampa Bay, and that’s all that we can reveal now, as these site are all classified, and are highly secret at the moment). None of these sites will connect to each other, as they will be stand-alone talent resource sites, although the branding and marketing slogans will be shared (but not duplicated, obviously).
The current Florida Models site, although an emulated version of the original site, is, barely, and we mean this literally, a 1st Generation web site using content from the late 90's and a format from 2002 (No offense to Kitty and Ken, who have done a lot of great work on this site. Tampa Bay Modeling is outdated, too; although it launched in 2004 and was upgraded over the years, it is still built on 2002 specs, and it is currently a 1st Generation talent resource site. The current Independent Modeling site, which does not need an overhaul, is a 2nd Generation talent resource site using specs and technology developed between 2008 and 2010, and it, too, will be upgraded to a full 3rd Generation, 2014 spec web site in early 2014 using its current Athena Class site design format. Tampa Bay Modeling will also retain its current Raptor Class design after it is overhauled and upgraded to a 3rd Generation, 2014 spec talent resource site, just in time for its 10th anniversary). As an emulated web site, the current Florida Models web site does not have a design class specification, as it is considered to be temporary.
Our new Athena Class site will launch as an enhanced 2nd Generation site, matching the current Independent Modeling site, and will then be upgraded to a full 3rd Generation talent resource site in early 2014 (1st Generation talent resource sites are from 2002 to before, up to 2007, and 2nd Generation web sites are from 2008 through 2010 to 2012. 3rd Generation talent resource sites began development in 2013, and will be officially 2014 Independent Modeling specifications, using the latest technology and tactics which can be deployed. Note the last part of the last sentence, as we always have more advanced technology in development, and some technology will never be used or disclosed on any talent resource sites. Never show your best hand, and always hold back something. We do not introduce anything to any market which we do not have a countermeasure for, just in case things go wrong and get out of control; we are the only ones prepared to go around our own technology and tactics, and are immune from their affects. Since we lead and develop the new concepts and ideas, we are prepared to deal with them effectively, if needed, by default, which keeps us several years ahead of anyone else).
A year from now, Florida Models will be very different from what it is, now, and will be one of the most advanced modeling resource sites in the world. The modeling job board will also be busy (not that we are complaining about the sparse updates now, as we would rather not post anything at all than half of the scams and other bottom-of-the-barrel offers that we are getting now. We have been very effective at weeding out offers which are not good for models).

08/27/13/2125 - An overhaul for Florida Models is in the works for the Fall of 2013.
We will be receiving a shiny new Athena Class web site, just like the one used by Independent Modeling, which we are now powered by.
We looked at our email today. There was one good question, and two modeling job posts which followed instructions. There were a lot of emails that we would not dignify with a response, either. Also, if you are under 18 years old, models, please have your parents contact us. We will not respond to emails from 13 year olds.
Going back to the job offers, one was a modeling scam from the Tampa Bay market, which we ignored. We know who you are, and what you do. You know what you do, too, and that does not necessarily mean “what you are doing”, because if you knew what you were doing, you would not have to resort to scamming people, now, would you, especially using fake or overblown modeling job offers as bait in order to try to sell something to the models who are responding to your offer.
The other was a legitimate modeling job offer from a company in New York. They attempted to post the job offer about ten days before the job, which was ok, but tight, but the problem was that we did not see the modeling job offer email until days later, when it was too late. We’d rather not post a job offer on our modeling job board at the last minute, because it would be unfair to the models, and we do not want to give the impression that posting to our board yields poor results, which is doesn’t, providing that enough lead time is given.
It was partially our fault, too, because we have not been checking our email every day, and for that, we apologize. We would probably check out email more often, however, if we had more legitimate job posts coming in, which we don’t. Still, we would rather concentrate on quality over quantity.
From now on, however, we will be checking our email more often to make sure that we don’t miss anything that needs to go up on our modeling job board.
It does not matter, though. Soon, these problems will be rendered moot. Independent Modeling has been working on a modeling jobs program for the past four years which is almost ready to be implemented, and it ties in with Florida Models, Tampa Bay Modeling, and Independent Modeling, with Independent Modeling being the mother job board and resource (read the latest posting on Independent Modeling for more).
Soon, our modeling job board will be busy again, especially when the new site comes online, and the job offers will be as legitimate as they can possibly be. We are just trying to help models weed through them.
We realize that some of you out there may be mad about our new quality rules, and it may look like the job board is on it’s last legs. The state of the job board is just a temporary perception, however. Do not underestimate us. The new jobs program will work splendidly.
It will all work out, and in late 2013 and throughout 2014, it will be a new golden age for the job board of Florida Models! We promise!
Until then, and even afterwards, if you have a legitimate, professional modeling job offer, please send it to us.

06/26/13 - Removed a licensed modeling and talent agency from our modeling agencies section, as they were located at the same address of a known modeling scam, and they are working with that scam to sell models services (which is against the law and unethical). Just because they are licensed does not make them legitimate. For more, please read today's tip at the top of our agency page. Although we have taken action to correct this, Florida Models is not responsible for the conduct of any party listed on our web site. If anyone has any information about any modeling and talent agency in Florida which has done something wrong, please contact us to let us know. If your complaint has merit, we will take the appropriate action which we are able to do. Thank you!

06/07/13 - Added information to modeling jobs; there are now new rules regarding which type of "jobs" that we will accept. A modeling job is where models work and get paid. If you make money, the models need to make money, too.
If they are good enough for you to book them and utilize their services, they are good enough to be paid for their work. Are you in business to work for free? We didn’t think so.
Effective immediately, Florida Models will no longer post, or respond to, “modeling jobs” which are not really jobs. This includes any and all events for “charity” where money is being made. I, for one, and sick and tired of obvious for-profit event planners hiding behind the skirt of charity and using it to convince people to work for them for free and to make them money. Models are, too.
I am not going to clutter my modeling job boards with low-value jobs which are not worth it, or with jobs that are not really jobs. I will not clutter it with scams, which include bait and switches which are “job offers” used as bait to sell something to the models who respond. Be honest about what you are doing. Calling something a job when it is not is misrepresentation, and it is a scam. Deceptive marketing is fraud!
I am an expert in modeling scams, and at spotting them. I constantly study them and develop countermeasures and tools to keep them in check. I will not tolerate them.
Regarding these events, I could care less about which celebrity is going to be at an event, and neither do the models. The pretension, the hype, and the fluff do not pay the bills, and do not respect the careers of the models!
Our modeling jobs boards will focus on quality, and not quantity. I’m not going to fill the boards up with filler fluff where models have to spend a lot of time figuring out what is legit, or worth it, and where I have to spend too much time updating the boards.
One big problem that I have with all of this is that these low-value and pseudo modeling jobs make the modeling and talent agencies more attractive, and give them more leverage, and I am not accepting that. Professional models deserve to make money by booking modeling work on their own if they choose to, and should NEVER be dependent upon an agency or anyone else to have a career! What’s the point of having these modeling job boards if there are no checks and balances, and the agencies are laughing about it because the models will have no choice but to come crawling to them for work? Such abuse will NOT be tolerated, and both the models and my sites have leverage. We are doing YOU a favor by allowing you to post your job offer here free of charge! Would you like me to start charging to post here in the near future? Even if you paid to post here, we would still be doing you a favor, because you will get a far better deal, and a better value, posting here than with traditional advertising. Respect the models, and respect this site!
The bottom line is that, even if it is charity, if you make any money, the models need to be paid, too. To make money off of free labor is exploitation, and it is wrong.
Any events where tickets are sold will be scrutinized, and you will need to prove to us that you are not making any money if you want the models to volunteer and work for free. Any events which market themselves as charitable will also be scrutinized. You better show us your 501 (c) 3 status, or be able to prove that the charities which you are “supporting” have the proper non profit categorization, as well as a good reputation.
For exposure? Working an event? Professional models do not buy it, and neither do we. That should be gravy to being paid, pure and simply, and “exposure” should never be used in place of pay. What, you want the models to network while working for free so that they can book another “job” where they also work for free, and probably get to network to be considered for another free job? Professional collaboration may work for professionals exchanging services for something like TFP/ TFCD, but in event and promotion work, it doesn’t work!
This is going to end.
If we agree with the charitable cause, and you are not making money, we will certainly post a modeling volunteer opportunity. Don’t call it a job, however, when that is not the case. Fortunately, most of you will not qualify for this waiver.
Respect the time and the work of the models, as well as the time and the work that we do here at Florida Models.
Do I have to show you people how to do this correctly? Do any of you event planners know what you are doing? Do you even care? Do you deserve to be supported and to stay in business?
It doesn’t matter. Your so-called “job” posts will not be published on any of my sites, and change will be forced upon you all in the near future, anyway. You will have no choice but to start paying models.
There is nothing wrong with making money, or doing something charitable, as long as everyone is treated fairly, and you are honest. You can be in this industry legitimately, and do not have to resort to taking advantage of people. There is way too much of that in the industry today, and that, too, is going to change.
In the Tampa Bay market, I will be doing events, shootouts, workshops, and fashion runway shows where the models, ALL of the models, will get paid. How? Well, for those of you who need lessons in running a legitimate event planning business, there is something called “overhead”. You add the expense of the models to your budget overhead, and work accordingly. Don’t you dare profit at the expense of the help!
Remember the rule that making cuts to business expenses like advertising is self-defeating? Well, it’s the same for shorting the help. You shoot yourself in the foot by ripping off the people working your events, and you will not stay in business long. Sooner or later, the word will get around and no one will want to work with you. What is better, to profit in the short term by being unethical, or to run a professional business over the long term and not only make money consistently, but for as long as you wish to remain in business? By burning the support that you need to run a business, you will eventually burn yourself.
By paying models, I will force the others in the Tampa Bay market to pay their models, too, in order to compete, as models will become acclimated to being paid. Word will get around. Some of you will not be able to adapt to the changes forced upon you, however, because you are used to getting models to work for free, and will not be able to absorb the additional expense. This has already happened, with a photographer who was doing shootout events where he made money and did not pay the models who worked his events. He was unable to absorb the additional expense of paying models after I exposed him and forced change upon him, and I did so with merely the threat of offering shootouts which pay the models. He is no longer in that business, and struggles to make anything much of a business today, especially photography.
If your overhead is high and your budget is limited, let us know. At least pay the models something, however. We will all understand, as long as your payout and profit margin is proportional to what you are able to pay. In those cases, as long as you let everyone know what is going on by communicating, we would allow you to post your job offer.
This policy also applies to my other modeling and talent resource sites, which include, but are not limited to, Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, Tampa Bay Talent, Tampa Bay Dancer, Independent Modeling, Independent Acting, Tampa Bay Film, Florida Independent Film, Advanced Model, and some others which I will not name here.
Florida Models is not an agency, and does not claim to be. We are not a middleman like an agency is, we do not act as an agency, and do not make a dime from the referrals of models to any jobs. Florida Models does not make any claims to the legitimacy of any modeling job or offer posted by a third party on our site, and nothing is guaranteed. Use at your own risk. Please see our disclaimer and terms of use (TOS) for more.
Sincerely,
C. A. Passinault
Editor
Florida Models
Friday, June 7, 2013.

06/07/13 - This classic emulated legacy archive for Florida Models, which is the old site, will soon receive one more large update, with additional sections added to make using this site easier; this may, at least, double the number of pages. We will also add advertisement banners for Aurora PhotoArts, the Tampa Bay photography and design company which we are directly affiliated with.
Once this classic site is updated, the new Athena Class site will launch over it. The new Florida Models site will be built like our Independent Modeling mother site, and will use all of the latest Independent Modeling technology and tools. This classic site will remain online, and will be maintained.
Our sister site Florida Actors will undergo the same enhancements, and will also launch a new Athena Class site like the one used by its mother site, Independent Acting. Something interesting to note about the new Florida Actors web site is that, due to the extra complexities of the acting profession, that the site will eventually be larger than Florida Models. This is opposite of how it used to be, with Florida Actors looking like the red-headed stepchild of the two sites, and being much smaller. The new Florida Actors site, much like Tampa Bay Acting and Independent Acting, will support the independent film initiative of Tampa Bay Film and Florida Independent Film, and will give actors the tools that they need to evaluate independent films and filmmakers to decide if they want to get involved with their film projects.
This work will be done in the Summer of 2013.
This Fall, we have another surprise, too, which is currently a secret.

05/10/13 - Added modeling job leads to modeling jobs. Updated the Tampa Shootouts web site.

05/10/13 - Although updates to this site have been slow in recent months, there is a reason. We have been busy working on supporting web sites (and the image sets for them are critical for this legacy, or current, version of Florida Models as well as the upcoming Athena Class Florida Models site), and have been doing other work that the current and future Florida Models will depend upon (see the link to Tampa Shootouts in the post above, as one of many examples. We have a plan, and it is brilliant). We have clues to what we are working on published recently on many of our affiliated web sites. The future modeling job board of Florida Models, for example, will depend upon some advanced support infrastructure to make it as cost-effective as it needs to be, and effective for both the models and the modeling jobs.
We updated the site today, and will resume updates every couple of days as the updates are warranted. Please follow instructions outlined and defined on both Florida Models and Florida Actors before submitting any content. Also, please give appropriate lead time for any scheduled announcements. Job offers submitted hours or days before the scheduled audition will be ignored; please give those a week or more lead time.
The entire current legacy site of Florida Models will be overhauled, with ads added, among other improvements, later this month. Our new Athena Class, which will be like our mother (daughter.... It complicated. We inspired the creation of Independent Modeling, which in turn became our mother site in 2012) modeling resource site Independent Modeling, will be launched this Summer, perhaps as early as next month!
We are looking forward to the rest of 2013, as these are exciting times!

03/03/13 - I removed a link from our modeling links section to a risque portfolio networking site, which a concerned parent pointed out to us (thank you so much!). Looks like we will have to take a day, as soon as we can take the time, and review every link on this web site (Florida Models is not responsible for the content of any site that we link to, and we do not necessarily agree with or endorse any third party in the industry, even if linked to; we simply do not have the time to investigate and look over every one, and models really need to step up, take responsibility, and discern these things for themselves. This said, we are not interested in promoting such things, so we will find and remove such links as they are presented to us. If you see something that we should now about, please let us know!). Remember: We will no longer post links to, or job posts from, teen modeling web sites, modeling wrestling videos, questionable offers where the models are modeling themselves in high-risk work (any modeling job where the model is modeling themselves, and are not helping to market a product, service, or business should be treated with extreme caution!), and obvious modeling scams (the top modeling scams are modeling job scams, such as radio ads for models being needed for major department store fashion shows, etc. We are completely against scams, especially when they use deceptive marketing, which is fraud, as well as unethical, inappropriate, and unprofessional conduct in the modeling industry. Why can't these idiots figure out how to run a legitimate modeling business, and be honest about what they are really in business to do? If they have to trick you to sell you something, they not only prove that they cannot be trusted, but also that they do not know what they are doing; they cannot help you or your career! Remember: NEVER buy anything, or any services, from anyone advertising modeling work, or from anyone whom they refer you to. If you are a professional model who is eligible to find and book into modeling jobs, you will already have invested in effective marketing tools such as modeling portfolios and composite cards, and would not be in the market for any services, any way... After all, if the modeling job contacts you after you submit your information, your career tools have already obtained their attention and have done their job (which disproves any claims that "your portfolio needs work", which is the B.S. that modeling job scams will tell you in order to try to sell you something that you obviously do not need, because they contacted you in the first place when you submitted your composite card and information to them!). Also, if you are a new model who has not invested in a modeling portfolio and composite cards, and/ or try to have a "career" for free or cheap (you will only get out of your modeling career what you put into it. Remember: You are in competion with some very good models out there for limited legitimate jobs! Skimp on your portfolio and comps, and you handicap your marketing; you will deserve it, too, when you don't book any work!), you have no business trying to book any modeling work until you are ready and have some experience, especially when you will be unable to compete with real professional models who were smart enough to invest in professional portfolios and marketing tools. If you need a portfolio and composite cards, start with investing in a modeling portfolio from a legitimate professional photographer who specializes in effective, career-appropriate modeling portfolios; you will know them from their work, and their portfolio will prove their experience. Keep it family-friendly, too, to maximize your marketability (stay away from "sexy" modeling pictures such as boudoir, glamour, modeling in skimpy bikinis, and modeling in provocative, racy poses which can be easily taken out of context. Although that type of modeling IS legitimate, it is NOT for beginners, and that includes ignorant beginning photographers who try to do this type of work and hurt models with it- There are a LOT of them, too! Pictures are forever, and once taken, they can never be undone! High-risk work in your portfolio will CRIPPLE your marketability for most modeling jobs, and give your competition, who are professional models who were smart enough to avoid such mistakes, an advantage over you. If you want to do high-risk modeling work, get some experience as a model first, and learn what you are doing, because that kind of work is dangerous, and it is, again, NOT for beginners! Experienced models who weigh out the risks and become high-risk models specialize in that work, because it is not easy to return to mainstream modeling once you go there, and other models will always have an advantage over you. Also, models who have high-risk work in their portfolios look insecure and desperate; if you have self-esteem problems and are insecure, get help first, as you have to have you act together before attempting to start a modeling career! Modeling is tough, and it is a bad idea to use it to build confidence and to fix any issues that you have going on with yourself; in order to survive as a model, you have to start with a foundation of being a secure individual, as you will not easily survive in your career otherwise. If you are under 21, too, keep your parents in the loop, as they will be able to help you spot, identify, and avoid scams and other bad things; do not neglect your built-in support, which are your family and trusted friend, as you will need all of the help that you can get!). Stay away from any modeling portfolio photographers associated with modeling and talent agencies, too, as you have to be sure that they are not helping the agencies make money unethically by selling models portfolios instead of doing what an agency is supposed to do, which is find models jobs! Invest in your modeling portfolio before going to any modeling and talent agency, and do not trust an agency until they earn your trust (There are way too many agency scams out there and agencies selling models things instead of doing what they are supposed to. Many agencies are unethical and take advantage of models. Only use agencies as one of many sources of job leads, and that is it! Do not allow an agency to manage you, as they also work for your competition, who are other models represented by them, or tell you what to do, because agencies work FOR models! Put the agencies in their proper place, and MAKE them work for you and get you jobs, and if they don't do their job, go around them and find and book work on your own and cut out the middleman, which is all that an agency really is. Once you book work on your own, you will have leverage over the agencies, who will be FORCED to work harder to find you jobs before you can do so on your own and cut them out of the loop, and this will also give you an advantage over the dumber agency-only models who allow themselves to be dependent upon the agencies for work. After all, the agency-only models are not going anywhere, or doing anything without the agency, are they?) .Also, when looking for a portfolio photographer, stay away from wedding photographers, portrait photographers, and photographers who obviously work consumer markets, as they will not be able to give you what you will need. Many photographers dream of shooting models, but few know what they are doing. If they do not know anything about modeling and doing modeling portfolio photography and composite card set-up and design, they will do you far more harm than good, and will not be able to help you. In closing, anyone choosing to ignore this information will find out the hard way, and may end up paying with their careers, and it is not our fault if you choose to be reckless and ignorant in this industry! - C. A. Passinault, Editor, Florida Models, Tampa Bay Modeling, Advanced Model, and Independent Modeling.

01/12/13 - The new Independent Modeling site, which uses the first of many state-of-the-art Athena Class web sites, is now online, and paves the way for the upcoming Athena Class site which will be used by the new Florida Models site, now scheduled for February 2013. Our new web site will look a lot like the new Independent Modeling site, as will the Athena Class site that will be used by sister site Florida Actors. For a sneak preview of what is coming, check out the new Independent Modeling web site, which is literally the most advanced modeling resource web site in the world, although it is not yet fully up to speed. This will come later in 2013. Check out that modeling job board, too. The new Florida Models modeling job board will use that same format!
Once the new Athena Class Florida Models site launches, it will advance 17 years instantly, armed to the teeth with cutting-edge tools and technology developed by new adopted-mother (the paradox being that we are older than Independent Modeling is, as Independent Modeling was created because of Florida Models!) site Independent Modeling. This classic emulated legacy site will be maintained online as an archive and an online museum, with the existing sections linking to the relevant sections on the new site. The new Athena Class site for Florida Models, which will use new files and file directories, will be built and deployed on top of this existing site.
We have another surprise coming in February, 2013, too, but you will have to wait and see. It will be worth it!

11/15/12 - Added another modeling job to the Florida Models job board. Not bad for a site which is about to be re launched. Also, since the front page updates are getting a bit lengthy, we will be moving most of these updates to our updates section soon.
11/08/12 - Posted two new modeling job offers and a secret support file. Additionally, two model posts are pending for our model listings section, and we also edited this section today. Preparing for one final major update to the classic emulated Florida Models and Florida Actors sites before the new Athena Class sites are built and deployed (again, we are waiting on the deployment of the first two Athena Class sites for Independent Modeling and Independent Acting). The new Athena Class sites for Florida Models and Florida Actors, Athena Class sites 3 and 4, will be online in late November or sometime in December, 2012 (The existing sites will become an online museum and archive, leading into the new sites). Our sites will be part of a powerful fleet of six talent resource sites consisting of these new Athena Class sites by 2013, and these site will literally change industries, as they will be the most powerful modeling and talent resource sites in the world.
10/27/12 - Made minor edits to our modeling scams and our add modeling job sections. Did some house cleaning with the original files on Florida Models and Florida actors, in preparation for one major update on the design of the legacy sites, as well as preparing for the new Athena Class sites, which will launch once the Athena Class sites for Independent Modeling and Independent Acting are online (estimated to be sometime in November 2012, now).
10/25/12 - Added a modeling contest to Talent Searches. Updated About Us. Updated Contact Us. Added submitted content ownership, accuracy, and linking information to contact and submission pages.
10/23/12 - Added another modeling job to modeling jobs.
10/16/12 - Added a modeling job lead to modeling jobs.
10/15/12 - Added more information to modeling jobs. Updated update log.
10/14/12 - Updated our emulated classic legacy site update log for Florida Models. Near-term planned additions are also noted.
10/14/12 - Added a job lead to modeling jobs. Removed some tacky and high-risk job posts (as well as added one hell of a lecture on our TFP/ Service Exchange section). Added anchor tags to job board (Please note that these additions are only for this emulated classic legacy site. The advanced modeling job board, developed by Independent Modeling, on our upcoming brand new site will not work this way).

10/10/12 - Added social media support to Florida Models. New Independent Modeling Athena Class site, which is the first one, about to be brought online, and will be quickly followed by the second Athena Class site for Independent Acting. The third Athena Class site, for Florida Models, and the fourth, for Florida Actors, will follow a few weeks later, and are expected to be launched in late October or Early November, 2012; the new web sites will look a lot different than they do now, so do not be surprised. This emulated classic legacy site, and the one at Florida Actors, will remain online as an archive and as an online museum, as the original files will not be overwritten (this index file was not an original file, and this page will be copied to a main classic legacy site file while this file becomes the main one for the new site). The online museums will celebrate our legacy, our founders, and the birth of the independent talent movement. Tampa Bay Modeling, Tampa Bay Acting, and Tampa Bay Talent will be overhauled with the same advanced tools and technology, but will retain their Raptor Class sites; Tampa Bay Dancer will launch with a brand new Raptor Class site. With the first four Athena Class sites due online this fall, and two more planned for later this year, there will be six Athena Class sites operational by 2013. With new sites, new technology, and advanced talent career tools, it will be a new era for Florida Models and Florida Actors!

10/03/12 - New model added to Model Listing section.
10/03/12 - "Add modeling job" section added.
10/03/12 - "Modeling Jobs" content updated.

We are not an agency. We do not claim to be an agency, nor do we get involved with, or charge for, referring models into jobs. We are a modeling resource site, and we are here for you. Florida Models is a free online resource for models and the businesses who are looking for models in the Florida modeling industry. As an Independent Modeling site, we are also a pro-open market career resource site, helping others to realize that an open market is superior to closed market, and that independent modeling has advantages over the agency-only way. This is the future of the modeling industry, and it will give it integrity and balance.
Modeling agencies should only be used as one of many sources of modeling jobs, as they work for the model. To ensure that agencies make money the way that they are supposed to, by finding models work, and to minimize the risks of scams and conflicts of interest, models need to go to the true source of what they need, which are a modeling portfolio and composite cards, before going to any modeling agency.
Never buy anything from anyone advertising a modeling job, or buy anything from anyone whom they refer you to, especially if it is required for consideration of any job.
Modeling portfolio photographers are qualified to provide marketing tools for models, as this is what they are in business to do. Agencies are not. Models need to invest in a modeling portfolio and composite cards from a professional photographer, who is not affiliated with any agency, is honest about what they are in business to do, and is able to demonstrate experience photographing models and giving them the portfolios that they need.
Want to be a featured model? Click here

Previously Featured on Florida Models

Commercial print model, actress and VO artist.

www.KittyStar.com

CyberCat19@aol.com

Kitty Kavey

Welcome to a new chapter, and a new generation, of Florida Models!
While this site looks just like the one that you have known and loved for the past 16 years, we are in a transition period right now. While we will still be accepting job posts, model listing information, industry feedback, and email, with daily updates to Florida Models, in a few short weeks everything is going to change. We are working on an all-new Florida Models site, with state of the art Independent Modeling technology and over a decade of experience in modeling and talent resource sites, and when that new site launches, this classic emulated site that you are now on, which will remain online, will be in the background as an archive and an online museum paying homage and respect to the accomplishments of the founders. When that day happens, which looks to be in late October, 2012, a new era for Florida Models, and its sister site Florida Actors, will begin. On that day, Florida Models will progress 16 years into the future, and it will join Independent Modeling and Tampa Bay Modeling as one of the most powerful, and effective, modeling resource sites in the world, a position where it deserves to be, and the premier resource site for the modeling industry in Florida. This site is going to be the modeling career resource that models and other industry professionals deserve, and we plan on being there within a year.
When I talk about having over a decade in experience in modeling and talent resource sites, those other sites probably ring a bell. I did not originally own Florida Models and Florida Actors, you see, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Tampa Bay Modeling is my regional modeling resource site for the Tampa Bay market, and it has absolutely dominated that market for the past six years, being the first, the middle, and the final word on anything to do with modeling in the Tampa Bay area. Tampa Bay Modeling launched back in October of 2004. Then we have Independent Modeling, which is what was behind the advancements tested on Tampa Bay Modeling, and Independent Modeling, which launched in 2001, is a legend, and it is the most advanced modeling resource site in the world, which is appropriate because it serves the worldwide modeling industry. With this track record, you can only imagine where Florida Models is heading.
Florida Models, where Florida models build their careers, is going to change. It’s going to be more aggressive. It’s going to introduce new concepts and tools in the Florida modeling industry which will change it. It’s also going to put the Florida modeling agencies, modeling schools, photographers, management companies, scouts, managers, the shady industry players, high risk players, and the modeling scams in their place. This site is going to obtain front line tools and resources originally developed for Independent Modeling, Advanced Model, and Tampa Bay Modeling, all optimized for the Florida modeling industry, and we are not going to hold anything back, either.
There will be some interesting changes, too. In the past, Florida Models was friendly to Florida modeling and talent agencies, and was more supportive. My opinion, having dealt with the agencies first-hand as a professional photographer and the owner of web sites which were costing the agencies money, is that this “let’s all be friends” attitude was more than the Florida talent agencies deserved. Let’s get to it, shall we? I will share my opinion, which is educated, and born of experience. Modeling and talent agencies never liked Florida Models, because, despite it’s nice tone, it helped models find work on their own. Agencies don’t like that, and I know this from experience. If you go around the agencies, they will trash talk you behind your back, slander you, and even call you a scam. Although I do not condone trashing anyone, and it is not ethical to slander anyone who you are in competition with (or even if you are not in competition), there are times when we have to call things as they are, and call a genuine scam, well, a scam (and, if an agency is telling lies about someone, misleading others, or it is otherwise misleading others by stating that their way is the only way, then that would make them a scam. It would also makes them unethical and unprofessional, but such behavior is what I, along with models, have come to expect from most talent agencies. It's no wonder that the State of Florida has to regulate them and look over their shoulders, and have witnesses vouch for agency owners that they are of good character when they apply for an agency license. It's not perfect, and it does not always work, but it is a start). We also need to point out that a bad business practice is a bad business practice, or a flaw, a flaw.
Florida modeling and talent agencies are going to hate Florida Models more than before, and this time, more openly, I am sure. Why? Well, Although I will admit that modeling and talent agencies have a legitimate place in the modeling industry of today, and smart models should allow them to find them work, modeling and talent agencies should ONLY be used as one of many sources of modeling job leads, and THAT IS ALL. I am sick and tired of the same old industry B.S. that clueless people and industry people keep repeating, with that B.S. being that the agency way is the only way to have a modeling career! Well, you know what? Florida Models was one of the first sites to prove this wrong, if not the first one (and this was before I was involved with the modeling industry)! Modeling and talent agencies are a MIDDLEMAN, and they work FOR the models. I think that it is unprofessional and unethical for the agencies to overstep their bounds and promote themselves as the only way in a “legitimate” modeling industry, trying to manage the models who they are supposed to work for and tell them what to do while they also work for the competition of the models who they are “guiding”. The agencies need to be put in their place, and kept there. In my opinion, they have no business managing models, telling them what to do, referring them to photographers, selling models services and products, and doing all of the other inappropriate things that they have been doing for decades. Agencies need to do their job, and concentrate on getting models jobs!
I know, I know. Some might think that these words are industry blasphemy, and that I must be doing something wrong because I do not believe that the agency way is the only way. Well, think what you want, if that alone is ironic, because if some of you were to actually think for yourselves, you’d be open to the points that I am making, and you would realize that I am right. I'm not an idiot, and neither are you. Besides, what have the agencies done for you lately to inspire such blind devotion?
Let’s consider some things for a moment. Let’s sit back, take a deep breath, and look at this objectively. An agency is a middleman. An agency is only supposed to find work for models and refer them to modeling jobs, and when they do that, that is how they make money (and, in Florida especially, that is the ONLY way that they can make money!); the agency charges both the model and the modeling job something called “commission”, usually between 10 to 20% of the rate that the model is being paid for the job. So, it costs the model money to get work this way. It also raises overhead for the modeling job.
Agencies work, and stay in business, because they are convenient. That’s fine. The problem is that the agencies deny that modeling, and booking models, without them being "in-the-loop" works, because they want to continue making money. They want to control everything. They will insult models and tell them that they are not smart, or qualified, enough to find and book work on their own. Some of them will even go so far to imply, and even openly state, that agency models are more professional, and reliable, than independent “amateur” models (their words, not mine). Some might even try to claim that independent models are amateur online models who try to find and book work on their own because they don’t have what it takes to be an agency model. This is WRONG, and we are going to FIGHT the misconceptions that the agencies persist on spreading!
Hey, if the agencies were right, and the agency way was the only way, then there would be no need for sites like Florida Models, right? Yet, we are here, and we have a purpose. What is on this site, and on my other sites, like Tampa Bay Modeling and Independent Modeling, works, and the agencies know that, regardless of if they admit to it or not. That is why agencies are afraid of the independent talent movement.
I’ve heard all of the objections before. Working though my Independent Modeling site the past six years, and testing many of the concepts on Tampa Bay Modeling, we have come up with tools and new concepts to eliminate the convenience factor which gives the agencies leverage in the eyes of some. If the agency tells you that the agency models are more reliable and more professional, have them put it in writing, and watch them backtrack (actually, since I also own an ad agency, and the agencies will want to make money off of me, I will enjoy playing this game and tightening the screws to them. As a client, I call the shots, and have total leverage over the agencies. So do models, and they need to realize that!). Although agencies do ensure that models are paid, and they do refer qualified models to jobs, it does not have to work this way. Models CAN find work without going through an agency, and I am talking about the kind of work that models usually book through an agency, and modeling jobs can find professional models without having to go through, and be dependent upon, agencies. As a matter of fact, most of the time independent models are MORE professional and reliable than the agency models! Because they are more proactive in their careers and they think for themselves, independent freelance models are smarter, faster, and more experienced than the ignorant, lazy models who are dependent upon the agencies for work. Independent models are so effective, actually, that they not only take jobs away from the agency models, but they also directly compete with the agencies themselves, taking jobs away from the agencies before the agency bookers can refer models to them. No wonder the agencies feel insecure about people going around them!
Should models be worried about a backlash from agencies when the agencies find out that they are finding and booking work on their own? Why would they? What is the agency going to do when the model is booking work without going through them? Does the agency have leverage? Can they threaten the model by withholding work which the model has already taken from the agency, and which the model consistently books on their own? The only models which the agencies can actually threaten and control are the models who are dependent upon the agencies to begin with. Independent models have leverage over the agencies, independent models can keep the agencies in their place, and independent models cannot be intimidated, or stopped, by shady agencies. Speaking of leverage, who cares what the agency says when they are squeaking in protest? The bottom line is that, if a model finds and books work on their own, then the model PROVES that they are marketable as models, and that they are worth finding work for. The agencies are not going to want to be cut out. The independent model has leverage on them, and the agency will realize that the model is going to find and book jobs without them any way, and that the only way that they can make money and stay in business is to work harder to beat the independent model to the punch and find the job for that model before the model can, so that they are not cut out of the deal. The result? The independent model works it on both ends, finding and booking modeling jobs on their own, while the agency also works harder to find and book them into work so that they can make money the way that they are supposed to. The agency-only models are the only ones who really lose out on this, and being survival of the fittest, and natural selection in the industry, it’s as it should be. The agency-only model is booked for professional extinction. Models cry “I need an agent!”, while they should be realizing that they need to avoid any possibility of being scammed and taken advantage of, and find a photographer, get the career tools that they need, and go out and find jobs on their own. The agency dynamic will work itself out, and work far better for the model when they come to the agency from a position of strength! Enough of the agencies, though, as they work FOR the model, and since a model is an independent contractor, and the agency is like their employee, but ironically an employee with divided loyalties because they also work for the competition of the model. In the past, that employee pitched a fit, threatened their boss, and tried to tell them what to do. Such employees that do not know their proper place need to be fired, because there are more employees to choose from.
What of the models who believe that they HAVE to go through an agency to find and book work? Well, finding is the only factor, really. Does an agency actually book a model into a job? No. An agency finds the job and bills it, ensuring that the model gets paid IF they book the job, and the model can easily do that on their own. IF? Well, just because an agency sends a model to a go-see doesn’t guarantee that the model is going to book the job. Once there, the model has to book the job on their own, anyway. If the agency was right, and models could not function without them, then why don’t the agencies send a booker handler with the model to the go-see to negotiate on their behalf? What, they don’t do that? Why not? After all, according to agencies, models are too stupid to find work on their own, yet the model ends up booking the job on their own, anyway, once they are referred to it. Finding is the key, and it really is not that difficult if the model goes out and looks. Additionally, the agency also send other models to the modeling job, so the model has competition there with them, which diminishes their chances of booking the job. How is this better than finding and booking work on their own? Why would you ignorantly support a business which also helps your competition and makes it more difficult for you to book work? The agency is all about the agency and making money. That's it. They don't care about the individual model. Why would they?
It makes me laugh when I see models argue that they are devoted to their agency, and that the agency way is the only way, yet the model has their own web site, and finds and books work on their own behind the back of the agency. What, an agency model needs a web site? If the model is finding and booking jobs on their own, why are they going to be a coward and go out of their way to avoid offending their agent? These closet independent models are not as effective as the ones who go out there and work hard to make it happen, and being more visible, the agency is inspired (some may say forced) to work harder for those models because they do not want to end up cut out of the deal.
What about the companies and the modeling jobs out there who believe the self-serving fear-mongering that the agencies serve them when they imply, or say, that independent models are less professional and less reliable than agency models? Well, there are quick ways to minimize that risk. We have tools such as the Risk Analysis System (RAS), which helps professionals quickly, and easily, evaluate the risks of booking an independent model. Basically, a model who is serious about their career is going to be dependable, professional, and they are going to do their job. That’s what modeling portfolios, composite cards, and web sites are all about, and they give credibility to any model. I’m not asking the businesses who are looking for models to do anything that I have not been doing for years! I’ve been finding and booking models into my jobs for years without going though an agency, and over 95% of the models have been professional and reliable. The bottom line is that you have to look at who you are dealing with, and their experience. The agency would tell their business clients, through implication and action, that they are too stupid to evaluate models on their own without being dependent upon the agency to send qualified professional models to them. I’m here to say that a model who has a professional modeling portfolio, which shows their experience, composite cards, and a web site, is going to be a professional, with or without an agency. If someone is smart enough to run a business, they are smart enough to evaluate a model, and they can find and book independent models without paying agency commission. Got your attention, didn’t I?
As you can see, this is just scratching the surface of what is going to happen in the Florida modeling industry. To summarize the points that I made about agencies and independent modeling, an open market is superior to a closed market. Independent modeling is an open market, and it has many advantages over the closed agency market. It could be said that power corrupts, and this is true; if the agency way was the only way, the agencies have power, and that power corrupts. Many agencies feel that they are the only way, it corrupts them, and they take advantage of models and others. Agencies are the root of most modeling scams, in my opinion, because most scams use agency representation as bait. By putting the agencies in their proper place, it helps to bring balance to the modeling industry, especially here in Florida.
I’m sorry, but the agency-friendly days of Florida Models is behind us. While we will respect Florida modeling and talent agencies which do what they are supposed to, and find models work, Florida Models is now an Independent Modeling site, and that time-proven Independent Modeling open market, well, independent philosophy will run through and extend out from this web site, just like all of the others. Our independence is empowering, and it gives us leverage in the industry, as well as an advantage over those who continue to allow themselves to be limited by the agencies and the agency mentality.
Florida Models will also be more aggressive about fighting modeling scams and unethical/ poor value practices in the industry. One thing which has always annoyed me, and has become the most common modeling scam, are modeling job scams. This is why our modeling job board continues to be very important, as the job boards will be cross-integrated into the latest scam fighting resources and tools. With over half of the modeling “opportunities” in Florida either being flawed in some way, or outright scams, we have to do something about it, and we are going to do something about it!
Florida Models will be the first, the middle, and the final word in modeling in Florida, just like Tampa Bay Modeling has been for the Tampa Bay area, but we will do it better than it has been done.
This, of course, has absolutely nothing to do with the original founders of Florida Models, and it is certainly not meant to be disrespectful of them in any way. I’m not implying the there was anything wrong with the site to begin with, or that I can do the job better; it’s just that the industry is changing, and that change requires new tools and tactics. The founders and original owners have done an outstanding job with Florida Models. Kitania Kavey and Ken Horkavey are my friends, and cherished professional colleagues in the industry. Kitty and Ken were there are the beginning of my career in the modeling industry, way back in 1998, when I barely knew what an agency was, or what modeling was all about. The first time that I was on the Internet back in late 1997, I searched for information about modeling, and Florida Models was the first site that I found. I contacted Kitty, and we soon started talking. We became friends. I learned a lot from her and Ken. In 1998, when I built and uploaded my first web page, Ken helped me sort out the problems. As I learned more about the business, and built my photography business and my web sites, Florida Models was always the standard; Florida Models even inspired me to start my first talent resource site, which was Independent Modeling, and ironically, we have come full circle. This is why, now that I am the new owner and editor of the site, that I feel that it is a privilege and an honor to helm a site with so much history and significance. Taking the reins, and guiding Florida Models in the next stage of its journey through a changing modeling industry, is one of the high points of my life. Kitania and Ken, thank you both for entrusting me with sites that you put so much hard work into over the years. I can only work hard to validate that trust by doing everything in my power, and experience, to make Florida Models one of the best modeling resource sites in the world. I know, too, that no matter what I do, that it will never be quite as good as it was when you owned and ran it. I can only hope to support, and expand upon, what you both began, and this is why you will be heavily promoted, and credited, in the present and future of this site. It’s time to sit back, relax, and watch what you planted so long ago blossom and bear fruit. It’s time to change the modeling industry for the better, and to empower models and businesses to ensure proper balance in the industry. It has only just begun, and this all began from what you both started. You are forever my inspiration, and the inspiration of the next modeling industry!
Sincerely,
C. A. Passinault
Editor
Florida Models

NEWS 09/28/12 - New Florida Models and Florida Actors sites in development

Tampa Bay, Florida - Florida Models and Florida Actors editor C. A. Passinault announced today that new web sites were in development for both Florida Models and Florida Actors, and that the sites were expected to launch in late October, 2012. The new sites will be state of the art Athena Class sites, the 3rd and the 4th web sites of that class after Independent Modeling and Independent Acting, with a 5th planned for an Independent Talent site in late 2012. Passinault indicated that the new sites would have a new color scheme comprised of dark blues and reds, and that the existing sites would remain unchanged, and used as an online archive and museum, isolated from the new site menu interface of the new sites, as the new sites would be built and deployed over them. With the legacy Florida Models and Florida Actors sites being 1st generation talent resource sites, and the new Athena Class sites being new 5th generation sites with over 11 years of research and development and 4 generations of experience gained, the new sites will be about 15 years ahead of what they are now, and will join their sister sites in becoming the most advanced, and effective, talent resource sites in the world. New features for both Florida Models and Florida Actors will include, but not be limited to, state of the art Independent Modeling-level job boards which tie in directly with the risk and scam analysis databases, risk and scam analysis databases which match up patterns with established threats , interactive tutorials, conventional tutorials, modeling and talent stories (anecdotes and fiction, which tie into relevant content and sections of the sites), anti scam agreements, several types of pay vouchers, agreements and contracts, career tools and forms, a featured model section which ties in with the job board, videos, and more. The job boards will also have advanced countermeasures built into them which prevent others from stealing information and selling it back to talent. Passinault indicated that the job boards would be core, and key, components of the sites, and that they would all be updated daily. Passinault also reported that the sites would continued to be offered free of charge.

NOTICE: As of September 27, 2012, Florida Models is now an Independent Modeling site under new management. It is now directly affiliated with Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Advanced Model, and Aurora PhotoArts Tampa Bay Photography and Design. Our new editor and webmaster is C. A. Passinault. This is a classic emulated section of the original site for SEO continunity, with minor updates, which will soon be maintained in our archive section, as we are building a new Athena Class web site for this site, much like the one used by Independent Modeling. Although we will respect the original rules established by the founders, we will be adjusting site policy, effective immediately, in regards to advertisers and what we allow posted (it will mirror policy established for Independent Modeling and Tampa Bay Modeling). Thank you.

09/27/12 -

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Original Florida Models modeling resource web site founded by Kitania Kavey and Ken Horkavey in 1996, making it one of the first modeling resource sites in the world for independent models. On September 27, 2012, Florida Models became an Independent Modeling site, and is directly affiliated with Tampa Bay Modeling, Independent Modeling, Advanced Model,and all of the Passinault.Com companies, which includes Aurora PhotoArts, all of which operate out of the Tampa Bay area, but offer services throughout Florida. This is a free modeling resource site, and you are not obligated to buy any services or products advertised on this site to use it. As of September 27, 2012, the site editor and webmaster of Florida Models and sister site Florida Actors is C. A. Passinault. The current owners are not responsible for the content published by the original owners. This web site is based out of, and published in, the Tampa Bay area of Florida, which is ground-zero of the next modeling industry.

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