Floyd Baker

  In Western New York, most people have heard the name. Ten years ago when I first moved to WNY it was one of the first names I heard in the modeling community. Models & Photographers alike told me that he was a man that was not to be trusted. He would serve underage girls liquor to get them to do nude shoots when they would not willingly do it sober. That he really wasn't the type of guy to hear "No" and let it not only be a full sentence but let it actually mean "no". 

My first encounter with Floyd Baker happened a few months later when I had a modeling agent and wasn't really booking my own shoots. Floyd called me and offered me a "last minute" TFP shoot at a hotel in downtown Buffalo. I had no idea how he'd gotten my number and he wouldn't tell me. I told him that at that time I was not accepting TFP shoots because I had to pay a baby sitter so I did have a minimum requirement of $50. He was very annoyed by this and stated that I was squandering a "golden" opportunity and that I would regret rejecting him. I didn't. I went on to spend the next 4-5 years being a fairly successful traveling model working with a number of photographers and studios across fifteen states. The full list of which is connected to this page along with how they can be contacted. 

Around the 24th of October of this year, Floyd messaged me on Instagram. I was hesitant but am a firm believer that people deserve a second chance at a first impression. Not everyone gets the same thing from every person. Chemistry and time between people can change things. 

 

I declined both the dungeon and the pole without reason or excuse. 

The conversation then moved to text messaging which is where we discussed his studio and I stated that I'd been there before with a number of photographers but not all of the photographers gave me copies of the images (which is fairly standard for when a model is paid for the shoot) so I couldn't place them all off the top of my head but gave him my very public list of everyone I've worked with, he did not reciprocate. 

The night before the shoot he dropped another text message and stated that he "knew" I was good on the pole and that he had aerial silks if I was interested and he brought up the dungeon again. Both of which I declined. I corrected him on his information about my experience on the pole because I am a novice and still very much a clumsy learner. I have attempted to have the few tricks I know photographed and they do not have a high success rate. 

I went to bed not thinking much of it, but I woke up to Floyd bringing attention back to videos I have done where I am practicing pole work and he inquired further. I stated that "pole dance" is not something I do. I have worked as a stripper which has almost zero interaction with the stage pole and what I do in my home is more pole fitness because I am working on my body. I had to disclose very personal details about my life and body which included me telling him that this was none of his business and that he should have been satisfied with my decline of the use of his equipment. The whole situation made me feel very uncomfortable about the shoot. I told him that very plainly that he was not respecting boundaries and living up to his reputation of coercion and manipulation so I would not be attending his group shoot. 

My denial of his dungeon, pole, and aerial silks should have been enough. The fact that I had to go beyond the "no" and even that was not being respected meant that this was not someone I wanted to do business with. 

Floyd proceeded to dwell on my medical history and stated that I should it should be public knowledge for anyone who wants to do business with me. I had to remind him that these issues were none of his business and do not affect the type of shoot I had agreed to. Had I known that he was determined to book me for pole and dungeon play then I would have declined the shoot at our first interaction and would not have brought it this far. He then began blaming others for "poisoning" me against his when it was his refusal to accept "no" and respect professional boundaries. I pointed out the conversation we had on Instagram which he then proceeded to deny happened. 

Floyd stated he doesn't "insist" on nude, but he made it clear in the Instagram conversation that he wants to "start out nude" and then progress to whatever the model wants. He stated that other models had done the dungeon, pole, and aerial silks "happily and willingly" and that I should have been able to do so as well. I reminded him that other models' behavior does not dictate mine and that I set my own boundaries and this assumption was again why I was not attending his shoot. 

My health and why I do not engage in certain activities is no one's business but my own. If Floyd wants to paint this as me flaking on his shoot then that's the way it was and it is also why I have included screenshots with this recounting of my experience. 

Floyd Baker claims he has over 350 references in his 12 years of shooting but he does not provide you with any names or contact information. 

I hope this helps you understand who I am as not just a professional model but also as a human being. My first interaction with Floyd Baker is also why I will not schedule a shoot verbally or over the phone, it must all occur via text so that things can be referenced when photographers do not feel the need to be professional any longer.