What is meant by Playboy modeling? This is a commonly used term that describes a tasteful style of nude modeling intended for print or Internet publication. More specifically, Playboy style modeling is modeling where you shoot fully nude, but tasteful images with a cute sex feel that is sexual, but not crass. Like what you see at www.playboy.com .

Now, the reality is that most of you won't shoot for Playboy, which is the king, the top of the genre, but everyone and their brother wants to shoot for Playboy and aspires to appearing in that magazine. This applies to both photographers and models and most of the people involved in the glamour world.

What is a typical Playboy-style shoot like? On a typical shoot, you will arrive at the location or studio and depending on the budget, you may or may not have someone to do your hair and makeup. If you are working with the top of the line, you will work with top hair and makeup people and possibly an airbrush artist too.

"Air brush?" you ask. Yes. Most shoots for big magazines like Perfect Ten, Playboy and so on are either airbrushed or heavily retouched. No one's skin is that perfect. When I was younger, I shot some glamour work and in one of the shoots I did, I was airbrushed from head to toe.

At some shoots, you will be left to do your own makeup so you need to understand what glamour makeup entails and involves so if you have to do your own makeup, you'll know what is expected of you. I recommend that you buy a few issues of Playboy Magazine as well as books about doing makeup such as Kevin Auconin's book "Face Forward." (You should buy this book in any event if you are a model and you should read it, study it, use it and learn from it.)

You need to be your own best makeup artist and hairstylist so you should learn the proper way to do these important aspects of modeling because sometimes things happen -- the makeup artist doesn't show up for some reason or the hairstylist doesn't make it to the shoot. If these things happen and you can do it yourself, you will make everyone happy. Plus, you may make a little more money at the shoot if you show that you can do your makeup nicely in half the time it would otherwise take. I sometimes made an extra $100 doing this for myself. As far as hair is concerned, you also need to learn that as well. I highly recommend practice, practice and more practice. The more you know, the more people will like working with you.

Now, as far as clothing is concerned, you always need to have a few pairs of nice heels and they need to be high heels. I used to call them stripper heels -- not too high, but high enough to give your legs a nice shape. There are stores online that sell them and you can usually find them in stores in most major cities. You should have black, white, red and clear shoes -- the basics. You will also need some cute sets of underwear. Victoria's Secret is a favorite of this world and so are other places like Frederick's of Hollywood. These are the places I went to for most of my basics and, to this day, I go to them when I want to feel more like a woman even though I am really a bit of a tomboy. You can check out other places too. Stores like Target sometimes have neat stuff. There are a lot of options.

As part of your basics, you should get matching bras and panties in a few styles, colors and shapes. Lace is always good and solids are also usually good to have. I found that staying away from too many prints is good because people are strange and what you may like, the photographer may hate. Classic is always good and a woman can never go wrong with classic black, white, red, pink, blue. Push up bras are also always a plus and you won't go wrong by getting different types of bottoms, thongs, lace shorts, and so on. Select a few cuts in each color and style.

You will also need to have a few sexy evening dresses, a few bikinis, two short skirts and a few cute tops as well as shorts and small tight shirts. As far as shorts go, the shorter and tighter ones are the best for this type of modeling. You will also need a pair of jeans and a pair of nice pants as well as garter belts and stockings. These are a MUST. You cannot depend on the photographer to have clothing for you. Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't, but, as a model, it is your responsibility to have what is needed for the assignment.

Now, let's talk about the other essentials of Playboy style modeling. Most important is your body. To do this type of modeling, you need to be toned. When I was doing a fair amount of glamour modeling, I weighed about 120 lbs. because the photographers and clients wanted to see curves. (As I do more fashion modeling now, I stay at around 105 lbs.). In order to have a toned, curved body, I suggest that you follow the FIT FOR LIFE program in Harvey and Marilyn Diamond's book Fit for Life which is in every bookstore. It will help your modeling career, but it will also change your life and help you maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle plan. I have done them all, and this one really works. I also suggest that you walk or run and least every other day to achieve the curves you need for this work. You may also need to go to the gym and do some weight exercises.

With respect to your hair, you should discuss this with the photographer before you arrive at the shoot. Be sure to bring a razor and shaving cream too because, remember, this type of modeling will require you to be naked, so don't forget to shave and, just to be safe, bring a razor with you.

Now that we've talked about what you need to do this type of modeling, the next question is -- how do you find this type of work?

Well, for starters, go right to the top of the line and check out Playboy Magazine. Look at the photo credits and then find the photographers who are PUBLISHED in the magazine. Or, contact the editors of the magazine directly. Perfect Ten is another good place to start. Also check out the magazine called Ultra and other Playboy-style magazines, These magazines pay anywhere from $500 for a shoot to in excess of $1000, depending on the shoot.

If you are rejected by the magazines, you can also try to find similar glamour work shooting calendars or working for websites. There are tons of opportunities in these areas. You can also find work with amateur, semiprofessional and professional photographers who shoot glamour. The rates are pretty standard -- around $100 per hour for nudes although calendars do pay more occasionally (sometimes starting at $500 per day). Once you are established or have made a name for yourself in this genre, you can potentially make $150 per hour and between $800 to $1,500 per day doing this type of work. As far as I can tell, this is where the rate maxes out.

As for finding this type of work, the best way is to network. Find a few established models and ask them for references or simply follow their websites' links to photographers and then follow those photographers' links to other models. It's relatively easy, but, to get work, the photographers need to know you exist so you will need to have images and a portfolio. You should start by setting up an online portfolio at websites like www.onemodelplace.com or www.glamourmodels.com or www.garageglamour.com . There are so many other sites too where you can set up a portfolio, but these are the ones that have been around for a long time and they tend to bring a large amount of people. You will need to post a headshot, a full body shot (front, side and back), as well as all of your information. (A word of advice -- do not lie about your size. You will destroy your credibility and reputation as a model pretty fast if you lie.) Also, chances are that whoever is doing or paying for the shoot will want to see nude photos of you. Remember, this is nude work so, of course, they are going to want to see what you look like naked. Don't be surprised if you are asked to provide samples of nude images. Word of mouth will also help you find glamour work, so bear this in mind and be careful about how you act and treat others. If you lie, steal, or try to use people, it will haunt you and hurt your ability to find work.

Okay! So you bought the basics, set up a portfolio and now all these people want you to work for them and they are willing to pay you $500 per day and fly you to Cancun. You think to yourself, "Wow! That was quick!" as your head starts spinning. Well, let me explain something to you about this particular world of modeling. They like fresh meat and if you are new and young and fresh, so let's talk about some real things you need to know.

First, if they say they shoot for Playboy, bear in mind that they may be lying. You need to make sure they're being truthful before you hop on that plane to Cancun so go to the websites, go to the magazines or do other research to make sure they are who they say they are or call the magazine and ask for the bona fides of the assignment and/or photographer. You might also want to find another model who did a shoot for them and ask her about her experience. Also a lot of photographers are "has-beens." They may have shot for Playboy ten year ago and still say they shoot for Playboy when, in fact, they haven't done any work for the magazine in years. Be smart. When they tell you they shoot for Playboy (or any other well known, established glamour magazine), ask for references and ask for tearsheets. Legitimate photographers won't have a problem providing either references or tearsheets.

When dealing with amateurs, semiprofessionals and others, most of the time, they are on the up and up. They will be good people who will be honest and respect your limits as a model. Sometimes, however, they will push you to do more than you might be willing to do. Sometimes they will try to bribe you with more money and there are also times when they may try to intimidate or force you to do more than you signed on for.

What do you do when this situation arises? Let's start with the money first. Money is tempting, especially if you are 18. When a photographer says, "I'll give you another $400 to be more explicit" and you want to move out and quit your job at the mall where you make $400 in a week and you're already naked, you think, "What's the big deal?" Well, it is a big deal! Many unscrupulous photographers will count on you to think this way, plus women generally (not all, but many) tend to bend. It's a girl thing and you need to be aware that in this case, someone is wrongfully taking advantage of you and your situation.

You also need to be mindful of the long-term effects making this quick $400 cash can have on your life because once you go from Playboy to Penthouse to wherever else, it will change your life because a picture is forever. FOREVER! Think of your mother, your younger siblings, your future husband and/or your children. Once you cross that line and shoot something you were pressured into shooting by the enticement of a little extra money, they will see it. Your family may not see it for a while, but eventually, some day, they will see it. Trust me. It will find you out and if you don't want the whole world, including your parents, husband and children, seeing that you did explicit work, think twice before you take that extra $400. If the offer of money to do somethign you were not prepared to do from the outset makes you feel unsure or confused, don't do it. Money is only money. Your health and happiness is more important. (On a related note, if you are considering doing more adult work, I suggest that you wait till you are in your mid-twenties because, by then, you will understand more about yourself, the industry and the effects nude or adult work can have on you.) Don't be afraid to say no. Decent, professional photographers will respect you if you tell them "no" and if they don't, they are not worth your time and you should have no hesitation about leaving the shoot.

Now, lets suppose they try to presure you and talk you into doing something more explicit by saying things like, "no one will care," " everyone is doing it," " no one will ever see it," or "it's no big deal." Let me tell you something -- they are lying. The truth is that people will care, not everyone is doing it, it will be seen and it can be a big deal. People will judge you for doing adult work. We live in a sexually repressed country so they definitely will judge you. Second, yes, many are doing explicit adult work, but years later, they are not all thrilled about having done it when they were younger. Finally, the images will be seen and if they make their way to the Internet, they will be seen by everyone and they will be around for many years.

Being forced to do something you dio not want to do is a sad reality of the industry, but there are ways to protect yourself. Bring a chaperone or escort. Most reputable photographers won't object to this if you request bringing someone with you to a shoot. Also, make sure someone knows where you are and arrange to check in with them periodically. Keep your cell phone where you can reach it easily and program 911 into the speed dial. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, get up and leave.

Let me share with you a horror story from my personal experience. When I was 18, I was offered a chance to do a Playboy style shoot. Once I arrived at the shoot, the photographer pushed and pressured and intimidated me into doing things I really did not want to do. For years, this caused me a great deal of sorrow and pain. I had been pushed and pressured and I didn't know what to do about it. That experience gravely affected me and, as a result, I ended up doing many other things that I otherwise might never have done. I felt that I would never recover from it. Well, as you see, I have recovered and thrived despite this bad experience, but the damage it did was severe. It ultimately got resolved when I involved a lawyer, but I also ended up spending time in therapy as a result of that experience.

I know that experiences like mine are not unique and that I am not alone. Just remember that if you're pushed to do something you don't want to do, it's hard to see yourself getting out. But that's not really true. I know of several models, actors and musicians who did work they were pushed to do or did while they were in a dark phase. They have risen above this work and moved into very successful mainstream careers.

Remember two things: First, don't be afraid to speak out about a bad experience. Second, don't worry so much about what people think. You can do mainstream work if you have done nude or adult work as long as you are honest and truthful and work hard. The fact of the matter is that doing nude work can be a positive or a negative experience just like any other thing in life. If you are smart and safe, you can use nude modeling as a stepping stone or to help pay for college or to help you get out of a bad situation. If, however, you are not smart and act recklessly, this type of modeling can drain you emotionally and spiritually and leave you empty and weak.

Nude modeling is still somewhat controversial in the United State, but it is more accepted in Europe. before you do it, you need to be 100% comfortable with the idea of posing nude and having the images recorded for posterity. If you are at all unsure, my advice is not to do it. Don't do it for anyone but yourself -- don't do it for a lover or a boyfriend or anyone other than yourself. And, if you do decide that this work is something you want to pursue, be smart. Study, learn, avoid the temptations to get caught in drugs and parties, use it to build a bank account, plan for the future and, most of all, make beautiful pictures.

Personally, I did very well in this world. I learn a lot; I traveled to beautiful places; I ate in the best restaurants; I had long conversations and made many wonderful friends. I also saved a large amount of money which I used to finance my move to New York and to build a recording studio. I used it to improve my life and to fund my larger goals. I spent time reading and learning in my down time. If you are going to do it, do the best you can and like I just said, make very beautiful images.