Based on information from conversations with models and photographers, information on the web, and as the parent of a teen-age daughter, I'd like to pass on the following safety advice to models working with photographers that they are not familiar with:

• Request a face-to-face meeting in a public place or phone conversation with your photographer.  Get a feel for their business approach before the shoot. 
  • They should exhibit vision and enthusiasm for their proposed project(s).
  • They should be able to describe their camera/lighting equipment and techniques.
  • They should exhibit social skills and graces.
• View a sample of their portfolio, so you can see the types of images that they like, then make sure it is also what you like. Look for quality images that impress you and/or that you wish were in your portofolio. Look for a common theme to their images and decide if that theme is within your comfort zone. Look for a wide variety of images and not with just one or two models and/or not too much focus on a single model.
• Look at multiple portfolios:
  • A real business website (highest ranking)
  • One Model Place website or other paid website
  • Model Mayhem or other free sites (lowest ranking)
• In an effort to determine if the images are theirs, ask them how certain shots were setup and what they like about them.  Typically the photographer will do this without you prompting them because  they are proud of their work.
• Request current references and follow-up on them. If they have a www.ModelMayhem.com or equivalent site, review the tags (testimonials) that models have left for the photographer.
• Ask the photographer how they will pose you and what their policy is for touching models.  A good photographer respects the model's space.
• Ask what accomodations have been made for changing, especially on location.  Is there a changing room or tent? Will you change in the back of your car?  Will your escort hold something?  Make sure you have the privacy you feel you need.
• You should be aware of photographers looking for dates and/or sex. They should not be:
• Asking to go out to dinner for entertainment.
• Traveling into the area and looking to shoot you in their hotel room.
• Take an escort to the meeting and the photo shoot.  Tell the photographer ahead of time and if the photographer says that's unacceptable, then they aren't thinking of your best interest.  (Note: If you are underage, I require that you have an adult escort approved by your parents or guardian.)   Make absolutely sure that your escort can go the distance; it's a real letdown when a model is getting into his/her element at the time the escort has to leave.
• Your escort must understand how to be invisible and not disrupt the session.  If the escort is not hidden from sight, the model tends to look at them instead of the camera.  My experience has been extremely positive with escorts; they are either invisible, helping hold reflectors and identify things out of place, and a lot actually participate in the shoot with the model.
• If an escort is unavailable, ask if someone other than the photographer will be present during the entire shoot. This person may be a make-up artist, or hair stylist, or both. If the photographer uses an assistant, ask if they are male or female. Never place yourself in a situation where you are the only female present with a photographer you don't know or are not personally familiar with. If you don't have an escort, be sure you are comfortable with the photographic environment and the photographer.
• Bring your own or your escort's vehicle, so you have control over when you can leave.
• Determine upfront how to get to each location and home again.
  

There are plenty of good professional photographers out there, so do your homework and pass on any opportunity that you don't feel comfortable with.