A backpacker is filmed after having her hair shaved in Dunedin.

A former Dunedin student feels violated after finding a picture of her head being shaved on a fetish website.

The woman, who declined to be named, said she became alarmed after reading stories about backpackers paid hundreds of dollars to have their hair shaved on camera.

The woman has since located images from the shoot on a website for extreme hair fetishes.

"I was scrolling through not expecting to actually find images of myself but I did find a couple of them.

"I was a bit shocked that I did discover images of myself . . . I feel a bit violated."

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She joins a growing number of people involved in the project, including salon staff and videographers/photographers, who have become increasingly concerned over what happens to the footage.

The woman, who has since left the city, said "I'd like to know where it is . . . or who's actually watching it."

After searching for online casual jobs, she responded to the advertisement. Her shoot was held in Dunedin in March 2014.

She was surprised that the dramatic haircut was at a barbershop, and the experience was "odd".

"I was filmed and asked questions throughout the time . . . I did inquire what was to happen with the footage and they said it was sold to salons for "extreme haircuts"."

She was paid $700.

The person behind the project, Gemma Guthro, claims she took over the project from a former University of Otago student, Mohammed F. AL-Rawi.

"He said, that he no longer want [sic] to work in the project and passed all the materials to me," she said via email.

Asked for proof, she replied with a March 16 email from Mohammed saying "I am no longer interested in working in the project".

"It is time consuming, no budget available, and I am planning to do my Masters in the UK. ... I can give you access to the dropbox account, you can download all the materials ( videos and photos) , you can modify the concept the way you like.

"Do you think you will be interested?"

However a former videographer, who filmed more than 100 women as part of the project, believed Gemma and Mohammed — who she knew as 'Justin' — may be the same person.

She became increasingly concerned over the project, pitched as a marketing project aimed at hairdressers.

BLACK DRESSES AND HEELS

Advertisements asked for "highly committed and adventures [sic] female models aged between 18-40, who are willing to go short as part of an exciting hair makeover video project and a professional photo shoot".

The chosen women were usually 20-year-old brunette backpackers who were instructed by Justin to wear black dresses and heels.

"I have no doubts he picked people who are transient so no-one raises any alarms," the videographer said.

The women were given bowl cuts or extreme bobs and then shaved several times.

In an email to Justin, she questioned why he wanted to see the texture of the head while shaving, while the constant filming of hair on the floor was "suspect".

"Genuine hairdressers do not need to see this in detail over and over again."

She asked him directly if the videos were for a fetish site, and if so, "I feel like a cheat if I am deceiving these innocent girls".