New York photographer shamed for charging $100 more to snap plus-size models

A photographer has hit back after it was revealed he charges extra to take professional photos of plus-size models.

A US photographer has hit back after it was revealed he charges an extra $US100 ($A130) to take professional photos of plus-size models compared to prices for “standard” models.

New York photographer William Lords came under fire for his pricing policy over the weekend when model Megan Mesveskas, 24, took to TikTok to share a now-viral email she received from his photography studio, the New York Post reports.

The email quoted $950 for Mr Lords to take snaps of a “standard” model and $1050 for him to photograph a “plus/curve” model.

“I guess he just doesn’t want to have to look at them through his camera,” Ms Mesveskas said in her video, which quickly garnered over 100,000 views, including reposts.

@meganmesveskas This is insane! A well known New York photographer shamelessly charges curve and plus size models an extra $100 for his dissatisfaction of having to look at them on set. #williamLords#curvemodel#Plussizefashion#plussize#plussizemodel♬ original sound - Megan Mesveskas

Mr Lords is now facing allegations of “fatphobia”, and there are calls for him to be cancelled – but the photographer has come out and said there’s a reason his fee is higher for larger models and it reflects an industry-wide problem.

“It’s easy to jump on something you don’t understand,” Mr Lords told The Post, saying he was stunned Ms Mesveskas went straight to social media to shame him before asking for any kind of explanation.

The photographer said his prices are for “test shoots”, whereby he creates a look-book for models to take with them to auditions. The pricing includes access to a wardrobe full of designer clothes, which the models then wear while being photographed.

Mr Lords claims that designer clothes for “thin” models (usually US sizes 0 to 4) are easy to come by, but clothing for curvier women is more expensive and harder to source as less of these sizes are made.

“Getting those clothes is very difficult,” Mr Lords said. “I need to charge a bit higher, because it’s hard to find anything. I go out there and buy the clothes with my own credit card for the models to wear as part of our package.”

The email revealed the photographer charges more for plus-size models. Picture: TikTok

Fellow model Sixtine Rouyre also expressed her disappointment. Picture: TikTok

Over the weekend, Ms Mesveskas’ video was shared by fellow model Sixtine Rouyre, who also hit out at the price gap.

“This is just one more example of how awful the modelling industry is to literally anyone over a size 0,” Ms Rouyre declared in her own subsequent TikTok video, viewed more than 100,000 times.

“Your fatphobia is showing, it’s f***ing disgusting, and you should be ashmed of yourself.”

Viewers reacted with outrage to Ms Rouyre’s video, with one stating: “This is so typical. It’s sad.”

But Mr Lords is adamant his pricing policy is justified.

The photographer – who sounded noticeably upset while speaking with The Post – said he is now considering legal action against Ms Mesveskas and Ms Rouyre.

“I’m a black man in America, and two white women tell me I’m discriminating them?” Mr Lords said. “I’m so hurt by this. Nobody is telling the true story.”

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission