Anyone here done business with Suicide Girls?

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/17/2008 11:51:51 AM · #1

I have some questions. Need some answers.

I'd appreciate it.

Either answer here or PM me if you have done business with them in the past please :)

DrAchoo

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

10/17/2008 12:13:42 PM · #2

If anybody could get you in touch with Leroy, I think he had done some work with them.

hyperfocal

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

10/17/2008 12:21:14 PM · #3

I did a shoot for a local woman, but the set wasn't chosen. She handled all the interaction with SGs, but I know a little bit. I know they are very open to body type, race, etc., But the woman I did the shoot for thought her set was rejected because of her age (35).

10/17/2008 12:24:01 PM · #4

I have PMed Leroy. Waiting on a response. But, as he is SUPER busy these days, I am not counting on it :)

Did you sign anything for them hype?

hyperfocal

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 105mm f/2.5 AIS

10/17/2008 12:37:19 PM · #5

No I didn't but she said that if I wanted to be credited as the photographer, I'd have to set up an account. I'm not sure what that would entail as I didn't do it at the time because I was really busy (it was during wedding season). I know that she has several items to sign as I took photos of her ID & such for her since she didn't have a scanner.

It looks like a real interesting community, even my wife was impressed at its diversity, but most of my advertising is through wedding and portrait sites and venues so I don't get too many boudoir inquires or I'd get more involved.

10/17/2008 12:41:28 PM · #6

Ah. Gotcha. Okay, thanks :)

Sunniee

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

10/17/2008 01:03:58 PM · #7

Lots of negative press about them over at Model Mayhem....

Link to a couple of threads....

Thread 1

Thread 2

I have no experience with or opinion of them myself.... just relaying what Ive read :D

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

10/17/2008 01:35:59 PM · #8

Thank you for the link.... ahhhhhh I love MM :)

rossbilly

Nikon D200

10/17/2008 01:46:15 PM · #9

they are well-known for screwing the photographers, lots of legal problems, etc. call me if ya wanna know more, but I will never shoot / submit for them (and yes, I've been asked & turned it down).

You are better than that jojo. stick to your guns.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

10/17/2008 01:53:52 PM · #10

Okay, here was the deal:

I shot these for a very good friend of mine who has aspirations of becoming an actress. ETA: as you can see, a couple are actor headshots...

I sent a digital display permission form to her for SG. She responded with an e-mail saying they couldn't use my release and needed me to sign theirs.

I read it (duh, right) and immediately realized that they would own me and her for 2 years as well as ALL rights to the photographs and the originals as well. That is when I posted this thread. It just felt fishy to me.

I wasn't about to sign myself away for two years but would release the copyright on the images if it benefited my friend. Now, I feel that the most responsible thing I can do for both of us is to NOT sign that release. I also told her NOT to sign their model release.

I am hoping, that as long as I don't grant them rights, even if she did happen to sign a model release, she will be protected as far as defamatory use of her pics go.

She may go somewhere else and have them re-done, but I will have NO part in ruining her career and I will sleep better tonight.

Thanks for the quick responses guys :)

I love ya'll!

ETA2: IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT RELEASE, PM ME AND I WILL SEND IT TO YOU. You will be aghast!

Message edited by author 2008-10-17 13:55:47.

fadedbeauty

Nikon D300

10/17/2008 02:04:54 PM · #11

I would be careful with Suicide Girls. They seem to be a fairly sleazy organization underneath their facade of being "artistic" and for "feminine empowerment".

They have been known to treat their models and photographers badly.

You can find a lot about it on this site: //community.livejournal.com/sgirls/profile

My personal experience with them was through my ex-wife being a Suicide Girl. To me it seemed more like an exploitation of naive young girls than anything. At the time my ex was on the site they would only pay $300 per set (I think this got raised later to $500). When you sell a set to them you are completely signing over all rights to those photos so they can use them however they wish. This includes plastering them on any promo materials and reselling them to other adult sites.

Beyond giving up complete control of the photos I really didn't like the way their system of buying sets was done. Once one set was bought they would not buy another set untill that first set was posted. In the meantime they expected the girls to be an active part of the site community. In other words they wanted them spending time posting blogs, communicating with members, etc. for free with the hope that they would have another set bought from them. In a four year period my ex only had two sets bought from her.

They also have some unreasonable noncompete agreements as well. Just do a search to see what they did to one of their more well known photographers, Lithium Picnic. They sued him for over $100,000 in damages for supposedly shooting some pictures for a competing site.

rossbilly

Nikon D200

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4D

10/17/2008 02:05:16 PM · #12

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

I knew you'd make the right choice!

photogs: 1
SG nazis: 0

10/17/2008 02:28:29 PM · #13

Just read the model contract, and it's scary!

10/17/2008 02:32:55 PM · #14

Originally posted by fadedbeauty:

They also have some unreasonable noncompete agreements as well. Just do a search to see what they did to one of their more well known photographers, Lithium Picnic. They sued him for over $100,000 in damages for supposedly shooting some pictures for a competing site.

From what I see, his wife's site that they argue is not competing, since it's a single-person site.

For anyone interested, here's the model agreement.
The way I understand it, they're under a year contract, but if they do ANY work in that year it's extended, year by year that they work. On top of that, they belong to SG for another two years afterward. They also give rights to such things as their signature, voice, personal history, etc.

Slavery anyone?

eta; oh, and even if you don't pose nude they still have the right to alter the photo to make you appear nude. Try explaining THAT to grandma...

Message edited by author 2008-10-17 14:34:21.

10/17/2008 02:44:26 PM · #15

I tried to tell her that...

They won't get the pics I took (OR ME) anyway.

She already signed that model release... grrrrrrrr

I just read it. Can I just say, "HOLY CRAP!"

ETA: I just realized that I can now be considered "competition" and she cannot shoot with me for at least 3 years unless they release her from this obligation :(

Message edited by author 2008-10-17 14:54:04.

10/17/2008 02:44:36 PM · #16

So with out reading it you are almost literally signing your life away... truly sad. I was going to give it a read but our firewall has the site blocked for some sick reason lol, then again prob for good reason...

Good for you Jojo for NOT signing :D *high five sweets*

-dave

10/17/2008 02:56:32 PM · #17

Originally posted by BeeCee:

Just read the model contract, and it's scary!

I just realized you were up before noon... THATS Scary :P

Sheila, is everything ok? Do you need medical assistance? Blink once for yes and twice for no...

10/17/2008 02:56:53 PM · #18

Dave, just PMed you the files.

A scary read.

10/17/2008 03:00:44 PM · #19

Originally posted by dknourek:

Originally posted by BeeCee:
Just read the model contract, and it's scary!

I just realized you were up before noon... THATS Scary :P

Sheila, is everything ok? Do you need medical assistance? Blink once for yes and twice for no...

Shup, brat, I was up just after 9 today! Hmm... actually, come to think of it, there must be something wrong....

Oops, /hijack off
Sorry!

10/17/2008 03:08:06 PM · #20

Originally posted by TCGuru:

Dave, just PMed you the files.

A scary read.

Cool tkx, Ill have a look see :) sry for the hijack, couldn't help myself :P

10/17/2008 03:14:11 PM · #21

Originally posted by dknourek:

Originally posted by TCGuru:
Dave, just PMed you the files.

A scary read.

Cool tkx, Ill have a look see :) sry for the hijack, couldn't help myself :P

Get bent. I am the LAST person to go off on someone for a thread hijack :)

10/17/2008 03:28:04 PM · #22

Originally posted by TCGuru:

Originally posted by dknourek:

Originally posted by TCGuru:
Dave, just PMed you the files.

A scary read.

Cool tkx, Ill have a look see :) sry for the hijack, couldn't help myself :P

Get bent. I am the LAST person to go off on someone for a thread hijack :)

LOL I know easy there girl ;)

what ever you do NEVER sign that contract, model or photog one, they are both freaking scary to the extreme!!!

and I only got to the first page of both, they look literally like signing a contract from the Devil him self, near impossible to get out of unless they let you which I cant see happening...

Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS for Nikon

10/17/2008 03:35:02 PM · #23

I won't. I agree. Scary stuff there.

I told her to TRY HER DARNEDEST to get out of it. I hope she listens. I hope they let her out of it when they realize I am not signing over my soul.

Greetmir

Nikon D60

10/17/2008 03:42:03 PM · #24

Scary, scary, scary stuff there, Johnna.

(hugz)