Photographer FAQ

1.1 What is the general process for SuicideGirls sets?

Sets are submitted by models and photographers. Sets can be uploaded two ways - by the model through her Model page, or by the photographer via email. (See section 4.4 of this FAQ for more about submitting sets through email!)

Sets are verified by our Model Coordinator to ensure model age has been documented and that it meets our minimum photographic requirements.

If a set is accepted for Member Review and the model is not yet a SuicideGirl, she will be given a free one year Hopeful account, or have one year of free membership added to her existing Hopeful account. Photographers can email: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com to redeem a free 3 month membership for each set accepted to MR.

Every day we publish at least one set from Member Review as Set of the Day. When a set appears on the front page as Set of the Day, we pay both the model and the photographer. A Hopeful becomes a SuicideGirl when she wins Set of the Day.

1.2 How do you decide what sets go up as the "Set of the Day"?

SG Staff chooses Sets of the Day to be featured on the front page from the sets that get the best feedback and those that we think are the best fit for SG. Here is the criteria we consider:

* Ratio of the amount of likes and comments to time in Member Review 
* Diversity of commenters
 * Quality and length of comments 
*   Ratio of Loved It to Not For Me 
* Feedback from the SG Photographers 
* Model activity on the site (blogs, comments, groups, etc.) 

We don't always pick the sets with the highest number of comments or likes, although often sets with a high number of comments are chosen because a high comment count usually goes hand-in-hand with doing well in other criteria.

The number of sets a girl has in Member Review can sometimes affect whether or not we buy a set, too. If a girl has multiple sets in Member Review, we will not always pick the set that has the most comments or likes - We try to choose the set that we think is the best reflection of the girl.

Any set that is currently in Member Review is eligible to become the Set of the Day. Just because your set is not chosen as Set of the Day right away does not mean that you should lose all hope! We have been known to buy sets that have been in MR for several months to a year, or even longer!

2.1 I'm a professional photographer and I want to shoot sets on a regular basis. How do I get started?

First, you should introduce yourself! Once you've checked out the rest of the FAQ and photography guide send us a link to your portfolio. You can say Hi and direct any other questions or concerns you may have to: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com so that we can make sure you get the help you need.

We can't set you up with any models, sorry. The best way to get us to notice your work is to shoot a set of a friend, so check out the rest of the FAQ for more information about what sets should be like and you will be on your way to planning your first shoot! (Must be 18 or older)

2.2 My friend wants to be a SuicideGirl and asked me to shoot a set for her. Any advice?

Tons! Check out the rest of this FAQ for information from the photographer's standpoint, and then head over to the Girls' FAQ where there's lots more information about how to shoot a really great set, and a link to our Model Guide as well!

If you don't have a membership yet, you can check out our awesome Photo Guide that outlines exactly how to shoot SG sets in our preferred style:
Photography Guide

You and your model must both be 18 or older.

If you still have questions after reading the FAQ, you can email our photography coordinator at: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com.

3.1 What is a photo set?

A "set" is a series of 40-60 pictures of your model, starting clothed and ending fully nude, shot in one session with the same outfit, theme, and setting.   

The model should gradually remove her clothes throughout the set, with nudity beginning in the first third of the set. By the end of the set, she must be fully nude, no exceptions. Fully exposed breasts and bums are required, but think tasteful pin-up style poses, rather than explicit or erotic nudity. Please do not include any spread or overtly sexual shots in your submission, and penetration is definitely not allowed.   

A finished set should be between 40-60 pictures, but you should take lots of pictures and narrow it down to the best photos. You should take out the pictures that you or the model hate from the set as you will not be able to have images deleted until the set has been in Member Review for 90 days. Make sure you have enough variety in the pictures you send us - we don't need 10 pictures of the same pose to choose from.

You should submit your images fully prepped, at the largest size possible. Images smaller than 4000 pixels on the longest side and under 3mb each will not be accepted, and it's best to upload the images at their original size. SG is optimized for retina displays, so the bigger the better!

3.2 What should a photo set be like?

Sets should be fun and creative and showcase the model's physical beauty as well as her personality. Our photography guide outlines all the details on our preferred style of shooting, but here are some general guidelines to follow:

* You must shoot with a digital camera (preferably a DSLR). Shoot your photos at the highest quality your camera has available. (Your final images need to be at least 4000 pixels on the longest side and a minimum of 3mb each.) MAKE SURE THERE IS NO DATE & TIME STAMP ON YOUR IMAGES.

* You must lightly retouch your sets before submitting.

* Every girl's first set must be in color, no black and white sets will be accepted as a model's first submission.

* Shooting a set should be a fun experience! Play some music and take your time. Don't stress or rush through the process.

3.3 Is there any information I can give the model about shooting sets?

Yes, indeed! You should have the model check out the Girls FAQ and the model guide for all the information she will need about modeling for the site.

3.4 Can I post sets I shot for SG on other sites?

No. If you decide to post any sets that are currently in Member Review or the MR queue to another site, they will be rendered ineligible for SOTD and we will not accept future submissions from you.

Please keep in mind that SG owns the copyright to any sets that appeared as SOTD. Reposting or selling SOTD sets on other sites is not only a violation of our Terms of Service, but copyright infringement.

If you submitted a set to MR that the model has since removed from our site, you own the rights to those images and may do with them what you wish.

*You may to share 3–5 images from any MR or SOTD sets you shot to your social media platforms, portfolio site, etc.

4.1 Must I photoshop my own sets?

Yes. We only approve sets for Member Review that have been photoshopped.

4.2 What kind of photoshopping is required before submitting a set?

You should do light retouching on the high resolution images, making sure your color profile is set to sRGB. Thats it!

Our uploader automatically adds the SG logos to the images so please do not add any logos or watermarks.

4.3 How should the photos be sized and labeled?

Though hi res dimensions may vary from photographer to photographer, we ask that you do not resize them in any way when prepping the set. We want the images as large as they come, at a minimum of 4000 pixels on the longest side and 3mb each. SG is optimized for retina displays, so the bigger the better!

The SG logo will be added to your photos at the time of upload, so please do not include these in your images!

The set images should be saved as .jpg files and only be named 01.jpg, 02.jpg, 03.jpg, etc. If the files are not named as two-digit numbers in sequential order the photos will upload in random order and the set will be a big mess.

4.4 How can I submit the set?

Sets can be uploaded two ways:

*By the model through her Model page - This is usually the fastest and easiest method. It also gives the model the ability to choose her set’s cover image, and add an intro.

*By email submission, after your model has approved the set - Send to: modelassist@suicidegirls.com When you send the set, please include the following information:

• Model's full name, email address, and SG username
• Photographer's name, email address, and SG username (if you have a membership)
• Set name
• Link to download the set (you can use a site like WETRANSFER.COM or DROPBOX.COM to send the photos to us, since the .zip file will be too large to send as an attachment)
• Photo Release

Please make sure the download of the set only contains the final set images and that there is nothing else mixed in with it - no extra folders, no photographer forms, no model ids, etc.

Your model will receive an email letting her know whether or not the set is accepted for Member Review, so please stay in touch with her. Once the set is accepted for MR you can email: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com to redeem a free 3 month membership or to have 3 free months added to your existing membership.

4.5 What kinds of things should I photoshop? How much is too much?

Our photo guide will walk you through everything you need to know about prepping sets for SG! Please be sure to review the guide in detail, as we cannot accept sets that aren't prepped to our specifications.

4.6 How long until I hear back about a set that I submitted?

Generally, sets are reviewed within 3 business days of upload. The model can login to her Model page and it will let her know the status of her set so please check with her if you are curious.

Please do not email us to find out the status of a set. It is your responsibility to keep in touch with the model about your set. The model will get an email with the next steps once her set has been reviewed.

5.1 What happens when a set is accepted for Member Review?

If the model is not yet a SuicideGirl, she will be given a free one year Hopeful account, or have one year of free membership time added to her existing Hopeful account. The set will be added to the Member Review queue: suicidegirls.com/photos/hopefuls/queue/ - this spaces them out so each set gets equal time on the the front page when it goes live in MR. Please check the Member Review queue before submitting to get a good idea of when your set will be posted - this is helpful if you want to submit a set with a theme that would need to be in Member Review by a certain time, like for a holiday.

After the set is posted in Member Review, members will be able to comment on the set and it will be eligible to win "Set of the Day". If the set is picked to go live on the front page as Set of the Day, the model will become a SuicideGirl (if she is not one already) and both you and the model will be paid.

5.2 How long is a set eligible to win "Set of the Day"?

Any set is eligible to win "Set of the Day" for as long as the model leaves it up in the Member Review section.

5.3 Who owns the photos? Why can you use the photos if I'm not getting paid?

If the set is in Member Review, we do not claim ownership of the photos, but if the set is chosen as "Set of the Day", you and the model are both paid and SG then owns the photos.

If the set is not purchased after being up in Member Review for at least 90 days, the model can then request the images be removed and you would still retain the copyright and can do with them what you wish. (Photosets are not removed automatically at any point - Their removal must be requested by the model(s) in the set.)

The Photo Release only grants us permission to post the images, but the photographer retains the copyright for as long as the set is in Member Review - SG only owns the photos if the set appears as "Set of the Day".

6.1 Where do I get the forms?

The Photographer Forms package can be downloaded here. It contains all the forms you will need: Photographer Forms Package

6.2 What is the Photo Release?

The Photo Release gives us permission to post your images. It does not grant ownership of the images unless the set is selected as "Set of the Day", at which point you would be compensated.

You must submit this form for each set you submit if you do not have a Creative Services Agreement on file.

This form can be submitted one of two ways. Ask your model to provide you with a sharable link to fill the form out digitally (after the set has been uploaded) or fill out a hard copy by hand. If you choose the second option, the form needs to be printed out on paper and filled out with a regular pen when you shoot the set. You should then scan it or take a clear photo. Please save the file in .jpg format and either give it to the model to upload OR email it to: modelassist@suicidegirls.com and SG staff will add it to the set.

6.3 What is the Creative Services Agreement?

This is the form you must submit to us for us to be able to pay you. It acts as a blanket agreement for all sets you submit - once you have submitted this form we will keep it on file and you will not need to submit this form or any Photo Releases for future sets.

All three pages of this form need to be printed on paper and filled out by hand with a regular pen when you have your first set chosen as Set of the Day. You can scan it or take a hi res photo, email it to us in .jpg or .pdf format, along with your other photographer paperwork.

If you have already filled out a CSA for SuicideGirls, you will not need to submit Photo Releases or additional CSAs - Just remind us your CSA is on file! Such a time saver! :)

6.4 What is the Invoice?

This is the form you will use to request payment when a set you shot is chosen as “Set of the Day”.

Your invoice should be filled out digitally and saved as a .jpg or a .pdf. There is a lot of crucial information that must be *completely* legible, so please do not fill this out by hand! If your PDF reader is up to date, you will be able to type right on top of each of the fields - So easy!

For your first Set of the Day, please email the invoice to us along with your other photographer paperwork. After we have your other paperwork on file, we will just need your invoice for any future Sets of the Day! If you have multiple Sets of the Day in a month, please include them all on the same invoice.

6.5 What is the W9?

The W9 is a tax form we are required to have all US citizens fill out.

* If you are a US Citizen, we need a W9 from you.
* If you are NOT a US Citizen and live outside the US, we do NOT need a W9 from you.
* If you are a non-US Citizen living in the US, you’ll need a Green Card to receive payment.

This form needs to be printed on paper and filled out by hand with a regular pen when you have your first set chosen as Set of the Day. You can scan it or take a hi res photo, email it to us in .jpg or .pdf format, along with your other photographer paperwork.

6.6 You mention "competing sites" in your agreements. What does that mean?

There are only a handful of sites that we would consider to be competing sites. Basically if it is a site that specifically features nude and tattooed, pierced or otherwise alternative models and has a paid members only section, we would consider it to be a competing site. If you should choose to shoot for or create a competing site while you are shooting for SG, we may rescind your member status and/or elect not to purchase your sets from Member Review.

If there are any sites you have questions about, please email: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com with a link to the site (and a translation if it is not in English). More than likely we will have no problem with you shooting for them, but please check with us first if you aren't sure.

7.1 How do I get paid?

We can pay you $200 for a set you shot that went up as "Set of the Day". We just need a few things from you in order to be paid for a set:

1. Invoice
2. Creative Services Agreement (also known as a “CSA”)
3. W9 form (only if you are a US citizen, though!)

Please invoice within 30 days of the set being featured as Set of the Day. We review invoices on the 25th of each month, so if you have a few sets go up in a month, you can invoice for them all at once on the 25th.

Send your invoice and completed forms to: photoginvoice@suicidegirls.com, and we will let you know if we are missing anything. If we have everything we need, we will let you know, and payment will be issued the following month.

7.2 How will you send my payment?

We can send payment to US photographers via check or direct deposit. We can send payment to photographers outside the US via Paxum or Transferwise.

Please fill out your invoice completely, and indicate your preference by checking the appropriate box and entering the required info. That's it!

7.3 When will I receive payment?

Payment will be issued the month after your invoice is received and approved, as long as we have your invoice, hi res images on the site, and paperwork on file. Exactly when you receive your payment depends on your location and whether you have requested a check, direct deposit, Paxum, or Transferwise.

If it has been longer than 8 weeks since your invoice was submitted (or 10 weeks if you are outside of the US), and you still have not received payment, you can email: invoices@suicidegirls.com and they can let you know when your payment was sent. Please do not email us if it has not been at least 8-10 weeks!

8.1 How can I become a SuicideGirls Team Photographer?

Photographers must have at least ten sets purchased by SG as "Set of the Day" before they may be eligible for a Team Photographer position. The best way to get us to notice your work is to shoot a set for us.

You should not solicit any SuicideGirls directly or advertise yourself to any models using the brand name or we will not work with you.

8.2 What do you mean by soliciting for models?

We have always requested that our prospective photographers do not solicit for models. Please do not post any threads in the SG groups advertising your services. There are designated threads in the Photographer Hopefuls group where you may post your contact info for photography services. Please do not post on Facebook, Craigslist, Model Mayhem or any other site trolling for girls to shoot SG sets with you.

We have always put the safety of our current and prospective models first, and posting on sites begging girls to get naked for you is creepy. We take the screening process very seriously and must ensure that the photographers can be reliably recommended 100% of the time, for both quality of images and professionalism. We hope that you understand that we have not worked with you before and therefore cannot endorse your services. Posting in the SG groups can be confusing to new models as to what your level of involvement with SG is. We need to get to know you before we can refer any models to you, so please introduce yourself! Even if you have ten sets accepted to the site, we will probably not offer you Team Photographer status if we have never heard from you before.

8.3 How can I find models to work with without soliciting?

* Find a friend who wants to be a SuicideGirl, have her apply, and shoot her first set. If she's accepted, you can shoot more sets for her in the future!

* Join the SG Photographer Hopefuls group: suicidegirls.com/groups/SGPhotographerHopefuls/. This requires a membership to suicidegirls.com. There you can post in your regional thread with examples of your work and your contact information. Girls will get in touch with you directly if they are interested in shooting with you.

* Have a website and a social media presence, and show off your best work! Build a reputation for being a talented and fun photographer to work with! SuicideGirls and hopefuls will approach you if they are interested in working with you, don't worry. :)

8.4 I have had 10 sets chosen as "Set of the Day", can I be a Team Photographer now?

Maybe. Team Photographer is an invite-only position that we offer to individuals we think are the best fit creatively and professionally to join our roster. They are people we know and trust to consistently submit beautiful, high quality sets. They are reliable, professional, and trustworthy people with different visions and styles that create a constantly changing aesthetic for our site.

If you have had at least 10 sets purchased and would like to be considered as a Team Photographer, please email: photographycoordinator@suicidegirls.com with a link to your sets and your location, and we will take a look and let you know.

9.1 WHAT IS VIDEO OF THE MONTH?

Similar to “Set of the Day”, we will be posting a "Video of the Month" once monthly. The videos submitted are high quality, artfully curated strip teases that start fully clothed and end fully nude. Please visit the VOTM PROFILE to view and “vote” on all of your favorite videos, submitted by our beautiful SuicideGirls. Leave love on the videos by liking and commenting, just like you do for the sets in Member Review. SG staff will select their favorite videos from those that receive the most positive interactions to feature as “Video of the Month”.

9.2 CAN HOPEFULS SUBMIT VIDEOS FOR VOTM CONSIDERATION?

At the moment, only official SuicideGirls may submit videos for VOTM consideration.

9.3 WHAT ARE THE BASIC GUIDELINES FOR VOTM VIDEOS?

Here’s some basic info on the requirements for VOTM submissions:

*Videos should be 3–5 minutes long, shot in landscape/horizontal view
*Videos should start fully clothed and end fully nude, like an SG photoset in motion
*Any music in your video must be license free and royalty free
*Your video cannot include any logos, watermarks, etc.
*Both model and videographer must agree to share the video with SuicideGirls and each submit a video release form
*Videos submitted for VOTM consideration must not be uploaded or sold to any other site

9.4 WHAT KINDS OF THINGS ARE PROHIBITED IN VIDEOS?

We ask that your videos do not exceed the level of nudity allowed in Member Review sets. Our minimum nudity requirements are bare breasts and bum (no pasties, and panties must come off). We also ask that you do not do anything in your video that violates our Terms of Service.

9.5 WHAT'S THE PAY?

We pay SuicideGirls $250 for each video selected as VOTM. Team photographers may invoice $250 for each video they shoot that is selected as VOTM and non-team videographers may invoice $100 for each video they shoot that is selected as VOTM.

Please note: submitting a video for VOTM consideration and having it uploaded to the VOTM profile is not a guarantee that your video will be featured as "Video of the Month" - if SG staff selects your video to appear on the front page as VOTM you will be notified.

9.6 Can I shoot a video?

Yes! We welcome both team photographers and non-team photographers/videographers to film and submit videos for Video of the Month consideration. All parties must be 18 or older and submit a video consent form upon video submission.

9.7 HOW DO I SUBMIT A VIDEO?

If you’d like to submit a video for Video of the Month consideration, please email: VOTM@SUICIDEGIRLS.COM. You will be provided a file request link to upload your video to our Dropbox, then (if it meets our requirements) SG staff will upload the video to our VOTM profile for members to view and leave love on.

9.8 CAN I SUBMIT A “MULTI” VIDEO?

We will accept videos of multiple models as long as they are all official SuicideGirls, have all submitted video releases, and the video is not too explicit. If a “multi” video is selected as VOTM, all models will split the payment equally (i.e. two models would be paid $125 each). Videographer pay does not change for multi-model VOTM selections.

9.9 HOW LONG DO VIDEO SUBMISSIONS HAVE TO STAY UP?

Videos uploaded to the VOTM profile for VOTM consideration must remain viewable to members for a minimum of 90 days. If not purchased after 90 days, the model(s) featured in the video must email SG staff to request video removal from the VOTM profile.

9.10 CAN VOTMS BE DELETED?

Just like SOTDs, once a video is selected as VOTM and we pay you, your video cannot ever be deleted.