I was recently stood up by way of a new and inexperienced model. Alone, this is not a new thing. The model had every to walk away because the situation felt strange and uncomfortable.However, she had utterly didn't communicate with me, even after she'd decided not to attend.And this generated a variety of ill-will on my side for the wasted travel-time and investment.To help avoid this kind of situation, here are a handful of tips that will help you stay safe and confident, not just during your first photo-shoot, but in everyone that follows.BEFORE YOU SAY YES TO THE SHOOT1) GOOGLE-SEARCH THE PHOTOGRAPHERGet a good solid idea of what they like to shoot. Does it overlap with what you want to do? Are there reviews, comments about this person? If their stuff makes you feel uncomfortable, dealing with them will probably make you feel uncomfortable.2) BROWSE THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S WEB-PRESENCEDoes they credit their models? Are they new? Do they have a lot of a following? Are there reviews or comments about other models' experience with this particular photographer?3) CONTACT FORMER MODELSDon't ask for references... Instead, contact the credited models to require their opinions. Believe me, the other models will undoubtedly be glad to share their experience, good or bad.ONCE YOU'VE DECIDED TO DO IT...3) TELL SOMEONE WHAT YOU'RE DOINGTell someone you're going to a photo-shoot. Give them all the details you have from the photographer.4) CONTROL A NUMBER OF THE SHOOT CONDITIONSIf shoot constraints permit, agree to meet in a public place, or even to shoot in a public place. But it isn't just location. You must talk with the photographer to set up what you are going to shoot. assuming you have specific boundaries, it is advisable to communicate those too.The photographer doesn't want you nervous and uncomfortable--that shows up in the image.5) ARRANGE TIMED CALL-INSArrange to call someone you trust at specific times. Say, every hour, to state you're okay which is where you're at...6) BRING AN ESCORTAsk the photographer if you can bring someone along to act as an escort. Different photographers have different takes on the presence of an escort. Many don't like the thought of multiple strangers in their studio with unsupervised access to their equipment. It's always good to ask. Should they say no, it's may be a concern for you.IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO VISIT THE PHOTO-SHOOTIf, for whatever read more , you decide you do not want to proceed through with things, tell the photographer! You want to minimize the photographer's investment of time and--potentially--money committed to this.It's possible that other folks might need to be informed, like a makeup artist, hair-stylist, along with other support people. Unless you tell them you are not coming, they will see this at best as flakiness, at worst being an insult. And it's really possible the photographer may still have to pay the makeup-artist, hairdresser, support-people. The earlier you tell them, the better!DOING YOUR HOMEWORK TAKES CARE OFI recently shot with a fantastic young lady earlier come early july. I approached her on the road, looking to fill a spot left by another last-minute cancellation. The concept I pitched was "beneath the covers making faces"... This involved the dubious-sounding situation of her arriving at my accommodation for the shoot.This lady did her homework. She checked out my Facebook page, my website, tested "the dirty"... , She got a feel for who I am and what I shoot. We set a time-limit and she called a contact at specified intervals.Because she had her safety protocols set up, things went off with out a hitch. She didn't seem at all nervous. Shooting with her was fun and relaxed. And we communicate now and then, hoping to set up another shoot the next time I'm in her neck of the woods.EVERYONE GETS FIRST TIME JITTERSIt doesn't matter who you shoot with, if you are new to modeling, you are going to need to deal with nervousness and discomfort. You're doing something new. But if that is something you truly want, you are going to need to push through it.Discomfort demonstrates you're pushing your boundaries. A GREAT DEAL OF DISCOMFORT shows that you should probably get out of there. You will need to manage yourself. But it is respectful to ensure the others involved with this know what's going on. Once you're safe, of course.Online ResourcesFor more discussion on model safety, have a look at:Model Mayhem Education Page - http://www.modelmayhem.com/education--Jason Tice is an award winning photographer, focusing primarily on costume-play and fantasy portraiture. Have a look at http://www.geoectomy.net to see some of his work.