As others have said, check references.  In particular, talk to people he's shot with regardless of who he gives you for a reference.   Look for credits on the images in his portfolio and send the model a message and ask.

From a purely personal standpoint, I don't think I'd go to a photographer's home (or in my case a model's home) to shoot unless I'd at least met with them ahead of time someplace public for a meeting.   A preliminary meeting over coffee at Starbucks is an awesome way to assess the situation.   If after such a meeting, I was still unsure, I'd either call it off, or insist on a location shoot, again, someplace public.

I do understand the "creep" factor, but be sure to make an objective judgment.  Many photographers shoot out of their homes, some professionally, and not every one has the luxury of a studio.

One resource that i have told several models and photogs about is to use the public records system that nearly every state has in place,(example:North Carolina Dept of Corrections Offender search)and other sites,It doesn't hurt to be sure of who your shooting with.Just enter a name,race and male or female and you should get back results.
As someone who works with the law enforcement within our state,and having seen what people are capable of,as has been stated above,follow your instincts,If you feel creeped out,then don't shoot with the person.Better safe than sorry.
Also,try putting the name in gooogle,you might be surprised at what pops up...or doesnt.
just my $0.01

Concerns about safety tend to be overblown.  I don't mean to suggest models should be absolutely oblivious to concerns, or should not act prudently, but it's quite rare for anyone working with a real photographer to have much of a problem.  The worst that is likely to happen is that you won't get along, or you are made to feel uncomfortable, and in that case, just end the session and leave.

Let me add another thought:  there is an old saying, "rank has its privileges".

What that means is that if you see a photographer's portfolio, it's been on the site for a long time and has lots of absolutely excellent pictures of many models - there is very little chance, nearly none, of you having a severe problem.  For all the distance we cover (essentially worldwide) this is still a relatively small community, and if someone has been in it for very long, worked with lots of people, word gets around.

I don't mean to suggest that new photographers are dangerous (see the first paragraph), but the danger, such as it is, goes down precipitously with skill and time on these sites.  It seems prudent to devote more effort to "checking references" or whatever techniques you choose on the photographers who are lesser known.

""Concerns about safety tend to be overblown.  I don't mean to suggest models should be absolutely oblivious to concerns, or should not act prudently""

I tend to agree here   I talked to a woman that clerks are a truck stop I frequently have coffe at. ive seen her occasionally but we had never really talked.  I mentioned I was a photographer and casually asked if she ever thought about modeling, I asked her to think about it and went on my way.  later I heard  she was uncomfortable or freeked  at my query which suprises me.  later  I go in and see her and  offer an apology for making her feel uncomfortable and if she didnt want to model for me that there were no hard feelings and i would not bother her again, I took the opertunity to explain that I allways discuss with a model what their comfort level is  as some models are consurvative and others are more adventurous.  she seemed in good spirits, I didnt ask if she had changed her mind  and at this point  she is in the "not interested" column.
I think she jumped to conclusions  either for lack of info  or bad info its especially tough when the model wont allow you a chance to explain  and they prejudge that you want to only take trashy porn pictures of them.

I always recommend checking references, but I also strongly recommend finding a mentor in the area that a model (though this works for photographers too) can contact when an opportunity arises.  Sometimes, that model might not have shot with that photographer, but may still have heard stories (or in some cases, have verifiable evidence to not shoot with the person).  2 examples.

1. A couple years ago, a model I had met was traveling to my area and looking to shoot with someone.  He didn't have very many references despite him saying he'd been shooting over 30 years, and his MM profile was rather new.  She dropped me a line with a link to his profile.  It turned out to be Bob Kozel, who was in the process of being investigated on various counts of possession of child pornography.  His profile was new (and under an unrelated name) because when he'd been arrested prior that year, I had worked with MM to get 2 of his profiles shut down.  He'd gotten in under the gatekeeper radar, and under mine.  I provided the traveling model with the info I had, including case numbers, and told her to not shoot with him.  I then let MM know and had that profile removed as well.  Mr. Kozel is now in jail.  There was a thread about it all here: http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=541998

2. About 3.5 years ago I had planned to work with a local photographer and another model.  Our planned theme was angel and devil.  Prior to the shoot, he and I went to look at a costume shop to rent costumes.  Not only were we not on the same page for wardrobe, but we weren't even in the same book, which normally would be fine--we'd just compromise--but he attempted 3 times during our trip to the shop to talk me into shooting nude or topless (which I don't do).  The other model and I ended up mututally cancelling the shoot.  Fast forward to 2 years ago, when a friend of mine shot with him.  He slapped her ass, kissed her boob, and called her a fat cow during their shoot.  Someone else I know shot with him and everything was fine.  But a couple months ago, I talked with a reputable local model and, it turns out, during their second shoot, he took it upon himself to help her perk up her nipples.  With his mouth.  Now, if someone asks me about him, I'm going to direct them to both my friend, and this other model, for their stories.

Rachel Jay wrote:

Oh, I also encourage models to not put too much weight on where the photographer's studio is.  A rented space turned into a studio doesn't make someone a professional.  It just makes them someone who has the income to spend on renting space.  Many photographers have home studios, and many of them are quite professional (at least in how they act). 

I would much rather work with someone who acts professionally out of their home, than work with an unprofessional douche out of a storefront studio.

Yup.  London Andrews crashed here this weekend, and I was showing her the basement we're renovating.  We actually went downstairs so she could see my wine collection, and the first thing she said was "OMG you could make this in to a totally amazing studio!"  We have a 3 story house, the basement has an adjacent bathroom & its own entrance.  I can provide impeccable references from a number of models who've shot with me & stayed with me in homes in 2 states, including this one.  I have a HUGE space here where I can build a studio, so why not do that rather than spending all sorts of money to rent a space?

Behaviorists tell us that rational people exhibit behaviors that they believe will result in soon, certain and positive outcomes.  At the same time, rational people tend to avoid behaviors that they suspect will result in soon, certain and negative outcomes.

That being said, I tend to look at this question on the flip side.  Inviting any stranger into one's home, for whatever reason, is a behavior that presents a degree of risk.  The scenario of a male photographer inviting a female subject into his home for a shoot presents a high degree of risk to the photographer.  Typically the photographer is older, more well off, has a reputation to uphold.  In other words, a sitting duck for all sorts of nefarious intents on the part of the "model."  We must assume that the photographer understands these risks, yet is willing to bear them in order to capture images that certainly could be captured under circumstances that do not carry the same level of risk.  Given that, if I were a female model, I would be somewhat wary of a person who would be willing to bear the risks that I, as a stranger, pose to him just so he could take my picture.

Yes, I do occasionally shoot models in my place.  But they are always people I have shot on many other occasions outside my home.  I don't invite them here to shoot until I trust them at least as much as I trust people I invite over for parties or other social events.

Before all the howls start, let me say that I do understand that there are plenty of upstanding professionals who shoot out of home studios.  Over the years I have come to know plenty of them.  The vast majority of them had their studios set apart, outside the living quarters.  Most had Yellow Pages ads and/or some other means of establishing at least some modicum of legitimacy. 

I guess the bottom line is this, if I were a female model I would not shoot in a photographer's home unless he, at a minimum, met the test in the paragraph above.  I certainly would shy away from shooting in the living space of a stranger and would never shoot in a photographer's bedroom, regardless of how well I knew him.

John Rayner wrote:

I agree in part with what you say Rachel. It all depends on the Mentor. Some folks are vintictive and will lead folks astray. Others can exagerate until it is tough to believe them. Both male and female. A mentor who is actually looking out for a persons well being is what is needed, not someone who has ulterior motives. Hearing something about someone from a friend of someone is heresy and not admissable in court. Don't convict a team member on heresy. Talk to the actual witness/victim before you convict.

That's true, which is why, in the case of the nipple fluffer, I refer people who ask me about him to the people who told me their experiences.  They've both agreed I can do this.

John Rayner wrote:

Your best friend can shaft you as much as a total stranger. So weigh anything someone tells you with a grain of salt. If they accuse someone of criminal behavior, ask for the case number. Innocent acts can sometimes be misconstrued. For example, if a model was posing on a ladder and started to fall, I would have to let her fall. If I caught her I would be touching a model, if I threw myself on the ground to break her fall again I would be touching a model and it would reflect poorly on me and my reputation. Personally, I would do that later and reputation be danged. I know a very fine photographer who suffered from catching a falling model.

That's unfortunate, yet something that doesn't surprise me.  So many people take things differently... what might be OK to one model (say, reaching in to brush hair behind the shoulders) might make another scream "ZOMG SEXUAL HARASSMENT!!"

Look at the model on MM who was saying that a photographer who "kept calling the model stuff like 'sex kitten' and saying things along the lines of 'show me those sexy sad eyes' and 'let me take some photos of your sexy bum'" was a creep and a perv.  Yet it was a glamour shoot she was the escort at, and her friend seemingly was fine with everything until later.  (The thread, which has the OP quoted a couple posts in, thankfully: http://www.modelmayhem.com/po.php?thread_id=672949)  I'm still convinced it was the OP of that thread that planted it in the new model's head that the photographer was a sleeze, but anyway... my suggestion in that thread was for the OP to step away from her friend's modeling 'career' and suggest that her friend find a mentor who's not emotionally invested.

I mean, yea, I guess no matter what there will always be people who have agendas.  But at the same time, a new model can find more than one mentor, and talk to (and learn from) multiple people all at the same time.

The photographer/model thing  can get very complicated  ive met several different types of models in my  search for subjects.
basicly im poor(fixed income)  I have enough equipment to begin doing some shoots (camera, tripod, lights, some backgrounds)
im 46  and a bit over weight  and maybe not the handsomest guy on the block 
I would like to have up to classical nudes as part of my work (think playboy) or some partial or implied

I occasionally pell people I am a photographer and ask them is they might be open to modeling for me  if they reply  not interested i thank them and move on. occasionally i get or hear about a much more extreem responce like I asked them to shoot a gangbang or something   sometimes I cant even talk with them to even explain what really want to acomplish
I think some people are prudish and assume everything is about trashy pornographic  pictures.
when i talk with a perspective model  I allways try to meet them in a comfortable public location  and will go over alot of detail about their comfort level  as well as physical, visual,verbal interaction  and also write down an outline of the content of the shoot.  I don't have my own studio or shooting location so I usually sugest to shoot at the models home or on location  sometime after the initial meeting possibly the same day I visit the home to scout out shooting locations and go through the modes sugestions and wardrobe  and outline a shooting script.
I try to be as open an honest as I can.  if a model does not want to do full nudity or even partial  its ok as long as I beleve it wasnt just a global snap decision  its a goal for me not a requirement.
I do want the person to be serious and objective and and chalange their boundries  but I don't want them leaving the shoot with a negative experience  its another reason I tell the models that  we will discuss what pictures from the shoot are made public  I want models to feel confident that I won't make them look bad or cause drama with friends or family.

Peter Flanagan wrote:

"...test in the paragraph above" is the operative phrase here.  I am less concerned by a photographer who is somewhat established who works out of a home studio than I am by a guy who is not well established working out of his home - especially if he utilizes the living quarters as a studio as opposed to a separate studio space located on/in the same premises.

Many of the photographers (that I've worked with) who work out of their homes have just MM pages, no websites, and certainly no Yellow Pages ad.  Spare 4 that I can think of off the top of my head who have a website.

brent847 wrote:

I would never do anything without the models knowlege and consent and if we arranged a no nudity shoot and the model changed her mind we would have to make changes to the written sgreement specifying the change in intent. and it goes both ways  if the model origionally was interested in doing nudity and changed her mind  we would just have to  determine the new boundries for the shoot. its fustrating because you spend alot of time working out a shoot and what looks your going for, but it happens.

You obviously do a lot more documenting and contracting for shoots than I do.  I am far, far more casual about pre-shoot agreements.  I'm not sure I understand the purpose of all this documentation, and I can't imagine that insisting on it would help you attract models.

brent847 wrote:

im no lawyer  and the model isnt signing up for the army but some amount of planning I believe would save alot of stress and headachs later on  unless you guys have  some other sugestions?  I would love to hear your ideas or input 
I mean if I was hiring a model for a particular theme or comfort level then of course that is what I would expect but its different when the model has no real legal stake in in  wether or not she shows up. you just have to go on trust and faith that we both will be professional.
I plan to just go over certain areas. 
of course there is the model release
but I also plan to  go over  the models comfort level and what she will or wont allow to be photographed. if a model is open and all ready knows than this goes quickly. with the models I will probably be working with they wont know and we will have to talk about different types of set ups  like see through (low or high) shilouette, are they ok with backs and if so how far down
or shots showing the side of the leg and hip or side breast, and are they talking about the whole breast or just the areola  and if they will do implied or near nude do they want to use a modesty cover like a paisty?

im not saying I would ask every single model all these things  just  some things that might come up.

The boundries and parameters of the shoot like do they want a "hands off" policy  or will they allow certain interacton regarding hair, wardrobe, props or pose    if they bring an escourt that is able to help out than this is also not an issue. I would never do anything without the models knowlage or consent and would allways default to a consurvative stance lol this might actually anoy some models that are very comfortable modeling because all the caution would slow a shoot. like if I turned away or left the room every time a model  made adjustments or changed wardrobes.

I would also go over  themes that they might be interested in doing  wether its western or bikini or lingere, nastalga, pinup ect.  I would actually  outline a shooting script after I visit the persons house and we see what they have to work with as far as clothes or props. Part of the reson for this is so you dont have "destroyed hair" themes mixed in with  fancy hair themes.

I dont want to end up wasting alot of time because a model didnt realize that  a bikini or  sheet or bathtub were part of a shoot  and I definatly dont like suprising a model with an "oh by the way can you remove your top"

Brent, the issue raised is that you seem to feel the need to put all this in a formal,written agreement.  Even raising the kinds of issues as specifically as you do pre-shoot, let alone in some kind of quasi-contract, seems to me to risk  being thought kind of creepy.  I really think you need to consider more carefully the way you approach models.

Sure, unwelcome surprises are bad.  But covering all these contingencies in advance is, it seems to me, a considerable over-abundance of caution.