I do NOT like sex with old, obese men: the perils of being a stock-shot model

[muriel_volestrangler]

It began on Twitter, of course, as these things do. A user called Craig Nunn (@hrtbps) wrote: "'Why not model for stock images?' they said. 'What could possibly go wrong?' they said." And he enclosed a picture from the agony aunt column in this newspaper, showing a concerned-looking young woman in expensive pyjamas beneath the headline: "I fantasise about group sex with old, obese men".

In truth, the young woman, Samantha Ovens – like all models – did know the risks. Stock shots, in case you weren't aware, are photographs illustrating general themes taken not for a specific purpose but to supply magazines, advertisers or anybody else with a library of useful images. Look up "mean boss" or "couple arguing" online and you'll get the gist. Having modelled for a few, you soon start to notice yourself looking worried about a mortgage here, or suffering from PMT there. But you don't expect this. Not this.

"I opened it up when I was with some friends," says Ovens, who had been tipped off at the weekend by the Twitter whirlwind. "In fact, I was with my partner's mum as well. I screeched with laughter and said: 'Oh. You have to see this.' There's me looking very anxious, and I bloody well would be, wouldn't I?"
...
There is, in any case, a certain vapidity about the world of stock shots, with all its perfect families and people who look fantastic even when they're ill, so a measure of ridicule goes with the territory. A case in point is the army of female models who are required to pose laughing with salad (a wholesome scene so popular with picture libraries that it has its own fansite). Just yesterday Ovens was looking worried again, this time illustrating "stress" in the Telegraph.

http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/shortcuts/2013/nov/05/sex-obese-men-stock-shot-model

The 'laughing with salad' collection is bizarre. There must be something deep in the sub-conscious of photographers or those who use them that says "happiness is a woman eating salad".

[csziggy]

1. I like the page of Women Struggling to Drink Water

That is even more bizarre than the salad page!

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. Brilliant!

I don't know if this will play for you (blocked in the UK, because Channel 4 are grumpy old sods who can't bear to let us watch something we saw, with ads, already):

[csziggy]

3. That's cute!

I can say there have been times when I wanted and DID pour water all over my face - to cool myself off. That's why I liked the women struggling to drink pictures.

But I love the five gallon water jug - that is great!