How would I know if a photography studio in UK is legitimate?

[ennuh]

I was contacted by a photographer from UK for a fashion photoshoot. He will handle the accomodations and round trip ticket. I am from another county and the offer seems to good to be true.
I was contacted by a photographer from UK for a fashion photoshoot. He will handle the accomodations and round trip ticket. I am from another county and the offer seems to good to be true.

Here is the site of the photographer: http://lugs.webs.com/

[Kittysue]

That sounds like a Nigerian modeling scam that is all over social networking and online modeling sites http://www.newmodels.com/Nigeria.html or it's a con to traffic you for prostitution. Almost all women trafficked into sexual slavery were tricked into travelling overseas for a supposed modelling, nightclub or nanny job

Did you google the photographer's name? If this is a real fashion photographer you should find hundreds of hits on his name and he should have a website. If he has a website then verify the number and email they gave you were the same as on the photographer's site as scammers often use real photographer names but false contact details.

NO photographer will pay travel expenses for a model they have not met or who is not a supermodel signed to a top agency. NONE. Nobody is going to pay for an unknown model they've never seen.

NO photographer is going to arrange a fashion shoot with someone they've never seen in person. If you haven't gone to the studio for a "go see" then the job doesn't exist

Photographers DO NOT organise fashion shoots - it would be the designer or their creative agency who would book the shoot if it's for an ad campaign, catalogue or editorial shoot. The designer hires the models, hires the photographer, hires the hair/makeup team, etc

If you are not an EU citizen, you would never get a UK work visa for a photo shoot, which would be required if this were a paid job, if you are not already represented by a modelling agency in your own country.

PM me or edit your post to add the name and address of this so-called photographer and I'll check this out for you, but this is not how the industry works.

These scams can be very dangerous

[Mike M]

if it sounds too good to be true it is

ask them for the registered company name, number and registered and trading addresses - this can then be checked via companieshouse.gov.uk
if both addresses are not listed then its a con.
it the uk it is illegal to pay for the ability to work - so what is the deal - are you paying for a portfolio? if so who will use this? if the studio themselves then they will do the shoot for free - if its for you to use then its just a transaction of hiring a studio and photographer for your own purposes.

why can you not do this in your own country?