TAMPA BAY MODELING - FLORIDA MODELING CAREER - INDEPENDENT MODELING

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

Tampa Modeling Portfolio Photography Services and Tampa Model Testing Services available. Call (813) 546-0092 today!

MODELING MATTERS FOR TAMPA MODELS

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

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who are misled by being referred to modeling agency-owned modeling resources sites which are full of misleading and outdated modeling industry propaganda.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tampa Modeling Scam Alerts on Top Tampa Modeling Scams

Modeling Job Scams - Modeling Consultation Scams - Modeling School Scams

Florida State Statute 817.41 Misleading advertising prohibited.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tampa Bay Modeling Scam Alerts on Top Tampa Modeling Scams

Modeling Job Scams - Modeling Consultation Scams - Modeling School Scams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UPDATED 06/14/09

Tampa Modeling Agency - Tampa Talent Agency - Tampa Photographer - Tampa Photography - Tampa Bay Modeling - Tampa Bay Photographers - Florida Modeling Career - Independent Modeling - Advanced Model - Tampa Boudoir Photography - Tampa Glamour Photography - Tampa Film Review - Tampa Model Search - Tampa Model Testing - Tampa Modeling - Tampa Photographer - Tampa Headshots - Tampa Bay Photographer

 

A1-M

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The FREE Modeling Career Resource!