• ModelMayhem

ModelMayhem

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Overview

ModelMayhem has a rating of 3.2 stars from 148 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. ModelMayhem ranks 15th among Modeling sites.

  • Service
    21
  • Value
    18
  • Shipping
    7
  • Returns
    7
  • Quality
    16
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 100%
Positive
1
Neutral
0
Negative
0
6
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How would you rate ModelMayhem?
Top Positive Review

“Great! But if under 18 or so a parent should supervise if possible”

Holly G.
5/5/24

Model Mayhem is great! I've worked with it for years and have made lots of side gig money. Be wary of photographers trying to get free nude work. And minors should be supervised I think. But it's fun and can be profitable.

Top Critical Review

“Nice website but completely lacking customer service...”

James A.
12/12/14

Nice website but completely lacking customer service and over sight. No phone numbers, direct emails, managers etc. If you want a refund or have a problem don't waste your time trying to resolve it. They just ignore everything while laughing in a bubble. I'm actually surprised the parent company doesn't get more involved.

Reviews (148)

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model mayhem (49) customer service (13)
Thumbnail of user alexd48
California
1 review
32 helpful votes
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July 24th, 2014

Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOOOOTTTT use this site! I have been working as a model (AGENCY MODEL) for 6 years and the only thing this site has brought me is a bunch of fauxtogropher sex offenders! Seriously, if you are an aspiring model, I would highly discourage you from using this site. It is dangerous to meet up with these men. The good photographers will even try to violate/rape you. STAY AWAY!

Thumbnail of user robertd145
Illinois
1 review
12 helpful votes
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September 21st, 2015

There is no free speech on their site in forums, and it's become a site for creepers to pray on new models, it's become a Guys with a camera site models use face book and do your research.

Thumbnail of user jessicab22
Texas
1 review
6 helpful votes
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May 5th, 2013

I loved model mayhem, i made so many great connections. But BEWARE if you win Picture of the Day too often or the photographers you work with win too often they will delete your account and disqualify your submissions. Very UNPROFFESIONAL

Thumbnail of user jeffc363
Utah
2 reviews
3 helpful votes
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August 22nd, 2018

I ran into Doug Rolls and he has a bad attitude and seems incompetent. He did not listen and he and a co-worker tried to use their power to intimidate an individual. Do not hire this individual.

Thumbnail of user joed113
Indiana
1 review
15 helpful votes
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August 17th, 2016

I am a professional photographer, recruiter and agent. We discover new talent all the time. We started referring our amateur models to use this site to start networking until we started noticing a pattern. We started monitoring the friend requests, messages and job offers they received on a daily basis. They noticed it and closed our account because we can not monitor our models profiles from scammers and pervs. They received friend requests and offers from amateur photographers and some 'professionals' that only focus on male nudes. We also noticed after trying to keep our account active, the moderator himself had a profile and website. We google him and found... guess. Nudes and more nudes. This isnt ART. You are not pleasing or helping anyone other than yourself. How often are these poor victims models going to use these photos to land a job? Only in porn probably.
This site also has nude contests. Seriously? Check it out... it is not about ART and PHOTOGRAPHY. The guy with the biggest $#*! or girl with the biggest boobs will win. Regardless of how crappy the photo is.
This is not your site if you want to be taken seriously. They are not professionals and it is not ran by professionals either. Just a bunch of perverts helping other perverts. Straight and gay...

Thumbnail of user markl86
Indiana
32 reviews
97 helpful votes
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August 17th, 2015

You get what you pay for, if you want to be noticed then you need to make it happen. Joining a site and putting in a free page in the midst of 100,000 others, it isn't realistic that you will get noticed. Model Mayhem offers lots of good advice for free and provides a place for new and experienced models to grow their careers. As a photographer I found that page to be very helpful and exceptional in what they do. I have been reading a ton of the previous reviews from people that clearly want everything for free and expect instant results. That isn't realistic and will never happen especially in modeling. You need to get out there, buy the premium packages, join more than one site. Get your portfolio to as many agencies as possible. Do several shoots, spend money get a different job so you can afford to keep yourself going while you are modeling. If you don't have the body type or the looks, don't expect someone to give you a shot it isn't gonna happen. Be realistic find someone that will look out for your best interests an agent that is more there for you then for them. Look out for scams, there is no free ride in modeling. Let me say that again NO FREE RIDE IN MODELING and anyone that tells you, you will make it to the top without putting effort in is a hack, get rid of them and hire someone that will work with you.

Thumbnail of user lillithr
Oregon
1 review
15 helpful votes
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January 27th, 2018

Dont bother having any sort of expectations of customer appreciation or customer service for that matter when choosing a membership level to sign up for. Whether youre a long time paying member at the VIP membership level or opt for to go the thrifty route and spring for the free basic unpaid membership level, rest assured that you will be completely frustrated and annoyed in any interactions you may be unfortunate enough to have with Model Mayhems site Moderators.
Not only do these moderators show clear favoritism towards friends and colleagues in public site communication in forums and contests, they also manage to tick off about 95% of their paying members by making unfair judgment calls in regards to censorship which greatly impacts the photographs overall exposure possibilities on this platform.
Its a shame too, because of the sites long standing history there is a great potential here if only the creative moderators could approach their positions from a place of wanting to contribute for the art form and its participants greater good. Sadly, and quite predictably they go the way of greed and favoritism like the rest of the corporate sell outs.
As soon as a better option arises I will gladly join it. Be warned, of Model Mayhems Malicious Moderators. They are true bullies and Ive never seen a business treat their customers so horribly, absolutely ridiculous.

Thumbnail of user johnj249
California
1 review
28 helpful votes
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January 7th, 2016

After opening a photographer profile on the ModelMayhem site last year, I read several reviews here on on sitejabber that made me think I had made a mistake. Well, guess what? I did.

During several months of being on MM, I kept a low profile and took care not to violate any site rules. I did read the discussion boards and noted a strong undercurrent of user resentment concerning vague image rules, inconsistent enforcement and arbitrary removals from the site. (Removal is like an execution - you can never return.)

I did not participate in a discussion of these matters publicly, because I had noticed that members who had made critical remarks seemed to strangely disappear shortly after doing so. Sort of like the way Russians who criticize Putin always seem to turn up dead.

I did, however send some private messages to a few users warning them to beware of openly posting criticism. I was sh*tcanned within hours of sending these *private* messages.

Others have documented how the MM thought police maintain a database with user's ISP and camera serial number info. What my experience shows is that they also break into private messages in their zeal to purge all dissidents.

No one should go anywhere near this site.

Tip for consumers:
Don't.

Thumbnail of user brucem71
Pennsylvania
2 reviews
3 helpful votes
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September 5th, 2015

I'm a photographer and have been with Model Mayhem since 2006. It's a great site for finding models, photographers, makeup artists, retouchers, etc. because you can search by city, state, country, etc. Especially good if you're a traveling model or photographer. Here really is no other model/photo site that comes close in scale. And it's possible to check who else someone has worked with which helps models separate the legit photographers from the creepy "GWCs" (Guy With Camera) who just want to see women nekkid. There are a lot of creeps on MM and models need to be selective, and careful who they work with.

That's the good part. What really SUCKS about Model Mayhem are the Moderators who are supposed to maintain order and resolve problems. There are some good ones but there are more than a few moderators who are rude, petty, arbitrary and downright abusive. There are rules for photo content and behavior, most of which make sense. But the moderators can be very subjective about interpreting the rules and, as others have pointed out in this forum, can "close" your account without warning or recourse--even if you have paid for a premium membership.

So, like most things in life, Model Mayhem is a mixed blessing.

Bruce

Thumbnail of user tarab118
California
1 review
8 helpful votes
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September 12th, 2018

I used this site in the past and often found so many creepers on the site, who would push for nudity or other horrible suggestions for modeling. Thankfully I had a good head on my shoulders and did not give into any of the creeps. Later, I turned my focus to working with other models on the site, to ensure we were all given quality work with not creepers. As a model, I really hated this site to find work - so I started finding models to work with me on projects that I found... We Brandi, a worker at Model Mayhem, decided that she did not providing actual quality work to models and shut down my account. I guess her thoughts are to leave the creeps on the site who try to rape or kidnap poor models and aspiring models, than to allow another model to get ACTUAL job and opportunities... after all that - I really hate this site and hope that models find other avenues to promote themselves on. This site is just full of creeps and that is probably because it is ran by creepy people who have no interest in adding value to this industry.

Thumbnail of user christyb7
Nevada
1 review
18 helpful votes
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September 11th, 2015

I am a modeling manager and have had THREE MODELS FROM THIS SITE BOOK A GOOD INTERVIEW WITH WILHEMINA AND ELITE! AND ALL THREE BONEHEADS DID NOT SHOW UP. THIS SITE IS FULL OF MODEL WANNA BES AND FLAKES IT ACTUALLY SHOULD BE shut down and re started with Legit Models. This site has caused me nothing but grief. Its a complete joke. I find better serious models in FB and IG... period.

Thumbnail of user dwainc5
Florida
1 review
9 helpful votes
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October 18th, 2014

I love the site! The have pictures of national and international beautiful women. It is easy to navigate, and I love the nudes. I also like the pointers about how to be a better photographer. Dwain

Thumbnail of user lucys109
Cambodia
1 review
9 helpful votes
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September 27th, 2018

I had a model account and a photography account for many years. I was also a VIP member on my photography account for quite a long time.

2 models who were friends of mine asked me to help them setup a model mayhem account, because they did not know how(along with email, twitter, Instagram etc) so I did. Periodically they would ask me to help them upload photos, due to the archaic upload system(less than 1mb files and pixel amount limitations) so I did.

I then had both my model and photography page removed and told I had breached the rules. I contacted the moderator about this and they said the rules state accounts can only be handled by one person. I said fair enough, honest mistake but rule is the rule. I was also told I would not be allowed to create any new accounts.

However, both models, who were the ones who asked me to help and therefore ALSO broke their apparently unbreakable rules, were allowed to create new accounts with no issue at all.

So I did not give others access to my account, but I broke the rules and was banned but the ones who DID give access to another were not banned.

Completely contradict their own rules and show a complete double standard. It is not a surprise that the site is slowly dying.

Tip for consumers:
dont, use modern options.

Service
Value
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Returns
Quality
Thumbnail of user aubreyw16
Florida
1 review
10 helpful votes
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September 27th, 2018

The site is built upon making ladies and their pics readily accessible to pervs.

They allow your photos to be collected into lists for creepers to keep in folders to use later. There's no benefit to the posted to have their pics off their profile where it has their contact info, stats, rates, etc. Most of us call lists the spano bank. List for boobs are creatively renamed to hide their intent,. But it's frighteningly transparent.

Hobbyist pervs are indignant if you don't want to pull your convo off of model mayhem where they try to get your contact info under guise of work. These profiles give false legitimacy as there's no review system to show whose actually gotten work by these losers.

Popular opinion is more heavily regarded in the forums than professional advice from those with higher credentials but doesn't use the site for social pandering with friends.

All the professionals dumb enough to think there's enough quality on there to compensate for the poor customer service,. Ancient infrastructure, support of creepers, and created a profile, wuickly regretted it and fled.

The site is only good for fake Pat's on the back and escort exchanges

Thumbnail of user anthonyl159
New York
1 review
11 helpful votes
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April 27th, 2018

Aside from Uber, these guys take the cake. I am a paying customer and have been on the site for years. They shut me down without a warning, telling me I was outside my bounds and that i needed to upgrade my account to a monthly paid service beyond what I was already paying. No one reached out to help, they just shut me down. Funny how they figured this out after me being on their site for over 5 years, duh. So i opened another account which i thought was in compliance, I reached out to their customer sevice team and they could not have been any more unprofessional / rude. They shut my account down again saying that i clearly didn't read their term of use otherwise i wouldn't have opened another account. No explanation or assistance to help me get my paid account back on their site, they basically told me to go screw myself.

So they lose, they don't get my money and to the folks at MM, go screw yourselves. The site is awful and full of low class individuals especially those at the top, management and customer service. I hope they all get on a plane one day and wind up floating in the ocean, where they belong. The lowest of the lowest scum of the earth. Modelmayhem.com Stay away

Thumbnail of user barneyl
California
41 reviews
517 helpful votes
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February 10th, 2011

Sites like this get very mixed reviews because of the very nature of social networking sites. You either love them or hate them. Before the advent of the internet and digital photography, most people who were photographers really were only just photographers and models, well that was their sole occupation. The internet and in particular social networking sites like this allow basically anyone with a digital camera to call themselves a photographer (GWC-guys with cameras) and pretty girls can call themselves models. The photographers need willing subjects to photograph and the models want pictures of themselves to help them land jobs. These sites will exist and this one does do a pretty good job of connecting photographers with models. Sometimes the photographer will pay the models and other times models pay the photographer. It just depends on supply and demand. I give this site a full heart for changing the game in the way people can connect and can find jobs online. I will also say that if a photographer has meager skills or a model is not skilled or attractive they will not find any of these types of sites very useful just like IRL.

Thumbnail of user marya1782
Texas
1 review
1 helpful vote
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July 23rd, 2020

As with ANYTHING, buyer beware...

I've used the free level of Model Mayhem since 2011 as a model... it has served me well... the vast majority of people I've met and worked with through the site have been really cool people, just there for the business of art and modeling... sure, there are creeps... hello, a certain proportion of the entire human population are creeps... be honest and direct, set your boundaries and stick to them, say so when something bugs you, meet in person for coffee first before shooting, and if ANYTHING feels the least bit off, LEAVE... bring ID to prove your age, and if you're under 21, DO NOT GO ALONE! And, for f*cks sake, don't do anything to impair your ability to advocate for yourself! Myself, I choose not to drink during a shoot, and I choose not to engage in anything that restricts my physical movement, or my ability to speak, with anyone I haven't known for a really loooong time... exercise prudent caution!

Model Mayhem is not an agency, it is not a model management company, and they never claim to be... it is just a networking website... if someone presents themselves as representing Model Mayhem to book you for a gig, do not respond, they're a scam and spoofing them...

Used with candor and appropriate skepticism, this site is excellent!

I will update when I try out the paid levels...

Tip for consumers:
This is not a dating site ... it's a site for networking for business and art.

Products used:
Free profile thus far

Service
Value
Quality
Thumbnail of user thep9
Florida
1 review
13 helpful votes
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October 5th, 2015

I have to agree with one of the earlier comments where someone stated the administrators have NO contact with you UNTIL in "their opinion" you have crossed the guidelines of posting images which are either 18+ or not. Although, they have written guidelines, they are subjective on which images they deem as 18+.

I have viewed pictures in their "contest" category which I thought should be 18+ but it wasn't called out as such. And when I re-created a similar image mine was flagged for not being in the 18+ category. And vice versa for 18+ images, when I have added my images in this category it is flagged with an e-mail stating it shouldn't be there. And then I have the conversation with myself asking, "didn't i just see a similar concept in this category a few days ago?" Then all of a sudden you received a 90 day suspension for not following the rules OR you could be removed permanently.

They should have general contest entries and THEY decide if the images are deemed 18+ and enter them as such. It's so frustrating. At this point, I think I am going to close my account because I have been suspended AGAIN for 90 days from entering into the "contest" and I informed them I did not think it was fair because I followed their "reasons" in what category the image should be entered. So, they'll probably close my acccount anyway because I spoke out.

Bye, MM!

Thumbnail of user ulyseeh
Oregon
1 review
8 helpful votes
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August 27th, 2017

Most models won't show up for appointments and you stand to loose a lot money in the process.

Only go after models with a known body of work.

Thumbnail of user mikes1758
California
1 review
6 helpful votes
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May 27th, 2019

I signed up for an account - they took my money and never opened an account - best to call the better business bureau first - it's a scam!

Thumbnail of user peterh53
California
1 review
12 helpful votes
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May 27th, 2013

I am a professional commercial photographer out of New York that also specializes in portraiture, fashion and glamour photography. I am 'considered' top in my city as I work with a healthy amount of agencies as their 'go-to' photographer. I am also the owner of a popular 4 hour DVD on photography teachings, which was produced and distributed by Kelby Training Institute.

Recently I have considered expanding my studio to Dallas Texas and Los Angeles. My clients kept saying I should join Model Mayhem as it would help access a large database of potential clients as I expand my global presence.

After registering and paying their VIP account ($100Yr) and uploading about two dozen of my images from various shoots, I get an email saying my account was closed and I am now banned. Several other photographers who also work as 'Admins or Mods' chimed in saying I was not who I said I was and marked all my work as stolen, effectively saying none of it was mine.

Clearly my Credit Card name matched my Model Mayhem account name, yet when brining this issue up by their support email, there has been no response. It has been nearly three weeks.

I now have filed a dispute with my credit card company, as I've complained about their malpractice and poor business.

It was ironic how the Admins (Competitive photographers) happened to be from Los Angeles, Texas, and New York.

Sounds like they didn't want me getting in to their territories and potentially 'stealing' their clientele.

You've been warned people!

-Peter

Thumbnail of user tammia2
California
1 review
11 helpful votes
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April 30th, 2017

A 100% Useless Site. Run'd by Zero Talent and You can expect Major Lies from Brian Diaz, Dean Johnson, and the IB (Internet Blunders) who Own MM. The Major Lie, that IB Internet Blunders INSIST on repeating is the number "ACTIVE MEMBERS" MM has. They will lie right to your face... saying there is over 1 million "ACTIVE MEMBERS" that is 100% a Lie. Less than 20,000 are active on MM... and 900,000 Plus Members are now flew the coup. IB (Internet Blunders) should be honest to the members and Advertisers on the actually "ACTIVE MEMBERS"

A Poorly Run Website... Get this... Internet Blunders who owns MM cannot release a new feature to MM... WITHOUT destroying an old feature. IT takes. The Crack Tech Team. Weeks, Months... to correct their mistakes... Or even own up... they destroyed MM. Internet Blunders have own MM and in that time... cannot release a new feature without slowing down, or destroying your own ability to post pictures, or even going from one page to another... without Internet Blunders Crack Tech Team preventing you to do so. Simple surfing MM... is impossible because, the Crack Dumb Cluck Team run'd by Brandi, (must be 10 years old and thin'd skinned) has no clue how to run a simplistic website. Brandi's main goal in life on MM is to LIE! If you thought Trump was a massive liar... Brandi, Dean Johnson and Brian Diaz make Trump look like Nixon. AVOID THIS WEBSITE. SAVE YOUR MONIES! Use Facebook.

Thumbnail of user franka69
Florida
1 review
12 helpful votes
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February 8th, 2017

I was harassed to post nude photos of myself. Big fish scammer tried to scam me from this site. This site is a bad environment. Please avoid it

Thumbnail of user artemiya
New York
1 review
8 helpful votes
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November 14th, 2018

The worst experience I've ever had before, they stole the money from my card! And when I call them they never respond

Thumbnail of user ckj1
Maryland
1 review
8 helpful votes
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April 8th, 2013

THIS SITE HAS BEEN CONNECTED WITH THE DISAPPEARANCE OF YOUNG WOMEN.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/07/raven-cassidy-furlong-missing-found-la_n_*******.html?utm_hp_ref=crime&ir=Crime&ncid=webmail1

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Model Mayhem is the #1 portfolio website for professional models and photographers. Create a profile, upload your photos and connect with other professionals

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