Choosing a Domain Name — Extra Tip
May 19, 2008 | Leave a Comment
In the section in Book 2 on purchasing domain names, I come up with some creative reasons for not buying your working name for your escort Web site.
Another reason I should’ve mentioned: someone else might not like it.
If you pick the name (or create a similar name) of a celebrity or fictional character, you could get a cease-and-desist letter from their estate or attorney. You run the risk of a defamation or copyright/trademark violation lawsuit as well.
Or you could inadvertently choose the name of a real person, who discovers that an escort is using their name online. If they’re the wrong kind of person, they may well sue you for defamation.
While I haven’t seen this happen yet, an escort I know shares the name of an author (who has made remarks on her blog). Though the escort has been using her working name for a few years, the author was born with that name and could make things ugly if she really wanted.
This is simply something to be aware of when choosing a domain name. Some escorts get around this by purchasing domains like DateAmanda.com or AmandaofDallas.com instead of buying AmandaBrooks.com. Still not very creative, in my opinion, but less likely to make someone else upset.
When You DON’T Need a Site Disclaimer
May 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Though I’ve discussed Web site disclaimers both here and in Book 2, the truth is your site may not require a disclaimer.
If the site is simple and doesn’t allude to sexual activity (paid or unpaid), and your photos are unrevealing; an age limit and/or 2257 statement could be completely unnecessary. You might still want a Disclaimer page to make a copyright statement or to provide visitors the chance to leave if they’ve truly found your site by accident. But if you don’t have this extra page at the front of your site you should not be breaking any current stated Internet laws (I’m not a lawyer and this is not substitute for legal counsel).
I have a Disclaimer on this site (though not the blog since it’s within the site’s structure) because I feel it’s proper. Though I doubt anyone has reached this site looking for information on anything other than safer sex or Internet escorts, I want to cover my bases. The topic is volatile enough.
But a well-made escort site with nothing more than PG-rated content may not have to worry about making a disclaimer at all.
Escort Photo Options
May 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment
If my previous post on model releases concerned you, there are ways around it. This post is only about options for still photographs, not video.
Lying
Of course, the method many escorts will use is to just lie about their real name on the release. That’s not very smart from a legal standpoint – if you have an issue with the photographer and you lied on the model release, you probably won’t win your case. And if they have to verify your age with ID, then you can’t lie unless you have a fake ID (not something I recommend).
Even lying won’t save you if you wish to be discreet about your face, or want control over the photos to remove identifying details, like tattoos. There are other options.
Work for Hire
Different photographers may call it different things, but the basic concept is that you simply hire the photographer for a set amount of time. Not all photographers publicly offer this option, but if they’re good businesspeople, they know what their hourly rate is and can quickly give you a quote.
The purpose of buying a photographer’s time is because you need photos, but don’t want those photos appearing in their portfolio. Whatever they create for you is copyrighted to you, not them (as is normal with most model releases). And you shouldn’t have to sign a model release at all since the photos are yours and completely under your control.
This is usually a more expensive method than hiring a photographer for one of their stated packages. But if you need extreme discretion, this is an option.
Explanations of the “work for hire” concept:
legally defining “work for hire”
how “work for hire” applies in the arts
more on using “work for hire”
Memory Cards
A cheap and easy way of ensuring control of your photos is to buy a memory card for the camera the photographer will use and using only that memory card. This would work great with a “work for hire” contract. It probably won’t work with a standard model release/photo package.
It’s also a great option if you have a friend take pictures for you because you don’t have your own camera. The photos are under your complete control at all times. No question.
Friends
Though most friends won’t ask, techincally, they own the photo they’ve created unless you sign a “work for hire” contract with them. Just so you know.
Film
I’m going to sound old-fashioned, but one great way of owning your photos is to have them taken on film. There’s no way the images can be surreptitiously downloaded from the camera. While less and less photographers use film, you can find skilled amateurs and some professionals willing to use film.
It’s also a fairly inexpensive set-up if you want to take your own photos. Film cameras are dropping in price. Or it works if you have a neighbor/friend who’ll let you borrow their film camera for self-portraits. They’ll never have any idea what you used the camera for.
The caveat: you must have a professional photo lab nearby. They’ll process images with nudity and not ask questions, plus they can professionally scan the images and give you a CD. Professional film scanning costs a few dollars per image, so only scan the ones you really like. The photos CDs you get from processing in a drug store aren’t high-quality scans and won’t translate to the Web very well.
There are professional photo labs who accept mail-in rolls of film for processing, but obviously that’s a time-consuming option.
Self-Portraits
Taking your own photos automatically means you own all rights and the images are under your control from the start. The problem is that it can be difficult to take good self-portraits. Whether you use film or digital, you’ll need a tripod and a cable release (with digital cameras, you may need a “slave” or “remote”). Expect a learning curve.
I offer tips on self-portraits in Book #2, so I won’t go into that here. The important thing to remember is that you can take as many photos as you want. No one but you has to see them. This allows you to be silly, creative and make mistakes.
Purchasing a high-quality camera is imperative. Though 35mm film cameras do okay with professional scanning, you may want to invest in a 120 film camera (also known as 220 or medium-format). If using a digital camera, 6 megapixel is the lowest you should go. Less megapixels means less detail and clarity, giving your pictures a less-professional look.
You may also want to invest in Photoshop to do your own effects. It’s fun and easy to learn color balancing, play with contrast, lightly retouch or create arty effects with your photos.
Discretion
Not everyone needs to go through contortions to get their photos. Those with serious privacy concerns don’t want to waste time finding a trustworthy photographer; so some alternative options are needed.
