This is all 100% true. I did 4 shoots in 2005, with an 18 year old, a mother in her 20s, a 20-something woman and a student who did one or two shoots on the side. In 2007 I got a decent camera, did a couple of shoot off gumtree, one with a woman who did it as a one off, one who did some porn over a couple of years. Since then I have done about 30 shoots - I always pay- with models from modeling sites. These ladies range from well known pros to amateurs who have joined up for fun, I might be the only person who has ever paid them to shoot. Often for the right money too a lady will go to "higher levels" than she normally would eg a topless model doing open leg.
Anyway, that's the bare bones of it. If anyone is interested, let me know and I can tell you more about my adventures. Also, much of what I shot is scattered around this site. I shoot with a basic camera in an amateur style. I'm sure he won't me saying, but the excellent work of member darmagh is similar to mine.