Terry Richardson’s Work is Degrading to Women

[Imaginara]

Nothingless. And that pretty much sums it all up ;D

 

[charliehorse]

It could easily fall under the category of sexual harassment. I just showed this entire thread to a friend who received his PhD in Law a while ago.

Okay, so I guess she has a case!

^ The issue is 2 things: (a) Having a sexually perverted maniac on the loose and (b) Letting dumbas$ models make decisions by themselves.

Just because the model consented it doesn't make it ok. If a model wants to be involved in such vulgar photography she can go f*ck around as much as she wants in a p*rn film, or in a brothel. They get paid just as much there, their commission really is rather impressive.

^^ I really cannot tell whether you're joking or not?

Honestly ,it's not ok whether the law says so or not.

The point of having laws is so we can't persecute each other simply because of our opinions of them.

 

[Over the Sea]

I have to agree that his behaviour with models is really inappropriate. He creeps me out

 

[loladonna]

More models have been coming foward through Jezebel.com. Everyone is doing so anonymously for fear of being blacklisted.

More models come foward with allegations against Fashion Photographer

I found this excerpt interesting for people who think everyone is a willing participant in his shoots and that he doesn't abuse his power at all.

We also heard from a woman who is friends with a stylist who used to work with Richardson. "She quit because of having to watch him sexually harrassing/abusing two (naked) teenage Eastern European models who didn't speak English — she didn't speak up and was so ashamed I don't think she did anymore styling for quite a while afterwards."

 

[nothingless]

More people have come forward with stories of questionable behaviour on Jezebel:

http://jezebel.com/5495699/exclusiv...with-allegations-against-fashion-photographer

I was a model in the late 90s in London, and I was booked on a Terry Richardson job for Arena Homme Plus. The shoot was at an amusement park, and I would estimate that there were 30 models in total [...] and we were told that all of us would be given an opportunity to shoot a cover try. Being familiar with Mr. Richardson's.....peccadillos, many of the models were eager to please; pleasing in this instance consisted primarily of pulling down pants, pulling up skirts, losing blouses, and a bit of finger sucking thrown in for good measure. It seemed painfully clear to me that the phantom lure of a cover try was sufficient reason for a handful of young women with waning career prospects to humiliate themselves in front of each other while Terry Richardson giggled, panted, said "That's hot," and pushed them further. During lunch, I approached him and asked him if he had any moral quandaries about exploiting the sad dreams of models who hadn't yet made it and probably never would. I asked him if he realized that they were enacting what they believed were his expectations and fantasies in order to gain his favor and hence gain a cover or a future booking. "I don't really think about that stuff," he told me. "I guess you're smarter than me."

We also heard from a woman who is friends with a stylist who used to work with Richardson. "She quit because of having to watch him sexually harrassing/abusing two (naked) teenage Eastern European models who didn't speak English — she didn't speak up and was so ashamed I don't think she did anymore styling for quite a while afterwards."

One woman in the industry said, "People should also be asking Terry why he doesn't shoot black girls." It's true that Richardson's extensive fashion work features almost exclusively white models. In fact, I struggled to find this single example of Richardson using a black model for a fashion story.

The following story comes from the only source who wrote to me from an anonymous e-mail address, and who has not responded to my follow-up questions. Does this cast doubt on her allegations? It's for you to decide. I present her story here because even if it cannot be verified, it is still, I believe, worth hearing. The writer says she was 19 at the time of her Richardson shoot, which was two years ago. She took a gig she understood to be "shooting artful nudes" because she'd lost her coffee shop job at and needed the income:

He first asked me to play with myself, and just made really creepy demands.
He said it wasn't pornish because he was shooting still shots, and when I said that I felt like he was seeing if I was just dumb, he handed me the camera and said, "Fine you should [shoot] me playing with myself."
I mean his assistants were like, "Do you think all these celebrities would take pictures with him if it was p*rn?"
Then he said to take pictures of him touching me.
Eventually, he had me go down on him and took pictures of him coming on my face, which I had never done before, and when I went to the bathroom to clean up I could hear him and an assistant joking about it which is when I decided to never tell anyone.

My "friend" looked at me and actually said, "It's not who you know, it's who you blow!" His friend walked me over to this nearly invisible door to the backstage where the real party was going on. I slowly opened it and walked in. The entire room STOPPED and stared at me. That immediately made me uncomfortable. In one corner there was a literal pile of SG bras and panties and the other was a small table with model release forms. Some stranger immediately grabbed me and whisked me over to the panties pile meanwhile, another person came over to me and shoved a model release form in my face. They had no interest in seeing my I.D. or even asking me any questions. I was being pushed towards the front of the line to go shoot with their panties and a blank model release form in my hands. I hadn't even had time time get undressed to put them on.
I saw him shooting some obviously inebriated chick straddling a full naked erect guy with her SG panties pulled over to the side one hand on the camera; the other hand grabbing his **** over his pants. I'm like HOLY ****! I immediately backed away, ran through a bunch of drunk women, confused business people, and out the door like I had just had the worst nightmare imaginable.
[...]To this day, I think it was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

 

[michyed]

I feel like this writer reads TFS

The point of this investigation into Richardson's behavior — which, I hope, is only just beginning — isn't to lead some kind of crusade against the photographer, but to give a voice to the many, many people who, whatever their opinions of his work or his talent, object to the way he treats many of the women he works with — as potential receptacles for his dick. In a witch-hunt, the witch is the blameless one: but Richardson, like any predator, is a powerful individual who manipulates and victimizes the weak. When they speak out against him, people try to silence them. The power structure protects its own. But why should sexual harassment be tolerated? How is it "daring" or evidence of one's heightened sensitivity to the "creative" life to speak up for a wealthy member of the establishment with a client list longer than the hairs of his pedo-stache? Why is Richardson the untouchable one?

 

[sarehak]

Baha, love how after Rie, everyone is starting to come forward. Keep it coming!

 

[meens]

The only difference between this man and the other ones that victimize women from their positions of power is the fact that he holds a camera in his hands and hides behind "art".
This argument about how the models consented is redolent of the argument that girls that get raped ask for it by inviting a guy up for coffee or wearing a short skirt. Being invited to pose nude is not the same as being invited to come and jerk him off and then get a shot of his artistic semen on their faces.

Furthermore, people aren't thinking of how even if a model does it in that moment, it might just be because he's cunning enough to make them feel like its part of the process. Even the most level headed person would have difficulty in that kind of a situation.

There are legal precedents where a man has been convicted of r*pe even though the woman within the situation has seemingly given consent at the time.

I say lock this pervert up in prison with a bunch of guys who could show him a thing or two about artistic money shots.

 

[Squizree]

Okay, so I guess she has a case!



^^ I really cannot tell whether you're joking or not?



The point of having laws is so we can't persecute each other simply because of our opinions of them.

Oh PLEASE! Who the hell cares about the law?! While clueless and stupid young models are being photographed nude and exploited by Terry's c0ck you're waiting around for the law to give us permission. I'm sorry but that same law is also giving Richardson the freedom to do what he's doing.
Don't even for a SECOND think that was he is doing is "ok". Forget about the law, this is old fashioned common sense....something that the law doesn't give room for anymore.

 

[Paws]

I say lock this pervert up in prison with a bunch of guys who could show him a thing or two about artistic money shots.

OMG, that is the best comment I have read!

But I bet his defenders would say, oh no that would be different etc. etc.

 

[LUXXX]

First of all, those Jezebel stories are absolutely horrifying!

Second, does Anna Wintour really use Terry's work? I don't remember seeing his stuff in Vogue...didn't seem like their style. I know Carine uses him a lot though.

 

[charliehorse]

Oh PLEASE! Who the hell cares about the law?! While clueless and stupid young models are being photographed nude and exploited by Terry's c0ck you're waiting around for the law to give us permission. I'm sorry but that same law is also giving Richardson the freedom to do what he's doing.
Don't even for a SECOND think that was he is doing is "ok". Forget about the law, this is old fashioned common sense....something that the law doesn't give room for anymore.

Permission for what, exactly? There's really nothing to be done outside of the law but sit around bad mouthing him. I don't think what he's doing is ok. Some people feel the same way about gay people as you do about Terry, and I thank God that there are laws that keep people from doing something about it.

 

[Decalion]

Oh man, I wonder if Jenna will face any untoward repercussions from this journalism.

In fact, I struggled to find this single example of Richardson using a black model for a fashion story.

I remember seeing some Richardson pictures of Alek Wek looking like a cheap hooker.

 

[LagerfeldBoy]

First of all, those Jezebel stories are absolutely horrifying!

Second, does Anna Wintour really use Terry's work? I don't remember seeing his stuff in Vogue...didn't seem like their style. I know Carine uses him a lot though.

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the last issue had an ed photographed by Terry that consisted of Caroline Trentini modeling

 

[CharlottefromCA]

Oh man, I wonder if Jenna will face any untoward repercussions from this journalism.



I remember seeing some Richardson pictures of Alek Wek looking like a cheap hooker.

LOL, I think the african american community should REJOICE he doesn't use black models

 

[charliehorse]

http://fashiongonerogue.com/2009/06/14/terry-richardson-for-us-vogue/ Here's some of his work for US Vogue. I actually really like his less risque work.

 

[IAmLordZen]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think the last issue had an ed photographed by Terry that consisted of Caroline Trentini modeling

This is correct. He also photographed an ed in December US Vogue with Isabeli Fontana as the model. Plus more I can't remember.

 

[Squizree]

Permission for what, exactly? There's really nothing to be done outside of the law but sit around bad mouthing him. I don't think what he's doing is ok. Some people feel the same way about gay people as you do about Terry, and I thank God that there are laws that keep people from doing something about it.

That's true. He'd definitely be dead by now. But you know that's how things were done in the old days.

And what you said about not being able to do anything outside the law is my point also. What is the point of it, if it's not even protecting people like those abused models and giving power to nymphomaniacs like Terry Richardson?

 

[La bordélique]

Terry has photographed Jourdan Dunn (Vogue Paris calendar), Sessilee Lopez (Vogue Nippon), and I'm sure there are more that I'm missing.

 

[noellejv]

That's true. He'd definitely be dead by now. But you know that's how things were done in the old days.

And what you said about not being able to do anything outside the law is my point also. What is the point of it, if it's not even protecting people like those abused models and giving power to nymphomaniacs like Terry Richardson?

Good point. Also that is how laws and amendments evolve, when people note that something is unjust and take action.

Though I still can't understand why people here keep saying he didn't break any laws. You're not allowed to get your penis out anytime you meet a cute girl. It's against the law.