David Moyle wrote:
When you contact a photographer for TFCD/testing work, do you generally contact them with the thought in mind they will want to do the type of work they have in their portfolio, or do you contact them because you generally like their ability and have an idea and want help executing it?

Are you sayin you get emails from models askin for TFP/TFCD? Wow, if I am contacted by a model first, its always her soliciting a shoot, with her rates attached,lol.

Glamour Boulevard wrote:
Are you sayin you get emails from models askin for TFP/TFCD? Wow, if I am contacted by a model first, its always her soliciting a shoot, with her rates attached,lol.

That's just tacky. I can't believe some models have the nerve to do such a thing. Wait, yes I can.

Glamour Boulevard wrote:
Are you sayin you get emails from models askin for TFP/TFCD? Wow, if I am contacted by a model first, its always her soliciting a shoot, with her rates attached,lol.

I've gotten a few lately. They ask if I'd be interested, and they are great looking models, so sure. But lately I'm trying to perfect a specific style, and have allot of it in my portfolio, so I'm willing to shoot whatever they want in return for their help working on my type of work (I try to keep a variety in my portfolio to show I can do different things). I'm just wondering if that is unreasonale to assume? When they ask, do they mean they are interested in my style of work, or not necessarily? I mean, I don't really have the need for allot of headshots, "maxim" style, etc...my goals are different. But I'll shoot that if I can get some help with my own ideas in return.

David Moyle wrote:
When you contact a photographer for TFCD/testing work, do you generally contact them with the thought in mind they will want to do the type of work they have in their portfolio, or do you contact them because you generally like their ability and have an idea and want help executing it?

Usually if I contact someone it's because I like their style. I don't always have an idea in mind at that moment, but that usually comes to me later.

Envy wrote:

Usually if I contact someone it's because I like their style. I don't always have an idea in mind at that moment, but that usually comes to me later.

So, if I replied with, "sure, what did you have in mind? would you be interested in shooting some of the more artistic stuff in my portfolio in return for whatever you want to do? I would keep the copyrights to my artistic work, and you can do what you want with the stuff you want to shoot"

Would that be unreasonable to you, or am I making an unfair suggestion?

David Moyle wrote:
So, if I replied with, "sure, what did you have in mind? would you be interested in shooting some of the more artistic stuff in my portfolio in return for whatever you want to do? I would keep the copyrights to my artistic work, and you can do what you want with the stuff you want to shoot"

Would that be unreasonable to you, or am I making an unfair suggestion?

Very reasonable to me. It's alot more than what most photographers would offer for TFP that's for sure.

David Moyle wrote:

I'm just wondering if that is unreasonale to assume? When they ask, do they mean they are interested in my style of work, or not necessarily?

I wonder the same thing when I do get a TFP/TFCD request, although that is rare. I actually ask them why they picked me out of everyone else though. I ask especially since if you look at my portfolio, nothing really looks the same as the other. All the models shoots have their own style to them. I actually change styles to fit what I and the model think would make her look best according to what we want. I guess you could say *that* is what my style is, variety.

David Moyle wrote:

So, if I replied with, "sure, what did you have in mind? would you be interested in shooting some of the more artistic stuff in my portfolio in return for whatever you want to do? I would keep the copyrights to my artistic work, and you can do what you want with the stuff you want to shoot"

Would that be unreasonable to you, or am I making an unfair suggestion?

Very reasonable. I would not do a TFP/TFCD shoot if it were not benificial to me. Many times I have done shots of a model that she wanted that I had absolutely no use for as long as she did some shots that I did need. Sometimes the model did a style of shots for me that she had no use for in exchange for images she did.Its a you scratch my back ill scratch yours kinda thing all the way.

Ken Mierzwa wrote:
Interesting... most of the models contacting me want to do something within one of my existing concepts.  Maybe that's in part because the concepts are often described in some detail on my main web site.  Just had one yesterday inquire about a specific artistic idea all her own, but she's the exception, and I've worked with her once before.  I actually enjoy it when a model comes in with creative ideas, but I don't like to sketch a shoot out in extreme detail in advance; better, for me at least, to start with the framework of a concept and see where the unique creative synergy of each photographer-model combination leads.

Yea. I also list ongoing projects on my profile here and on every other site like this where I am a member. Usually they email me with a selection of projects they would like to participate in. When I reply I also ask if they have anything else they would like to do and I list any new themes/projects I have come up with.

Glamour Boulevard wrote:

Yea. I also list ongoing projects on my profile here and on every other site like this where I am a member. Usually they email me with a selection of projects they would like to participate in. When I reply I also ask if they have anything else they would like to do and I list any new themes/projects I have come up with.

I suppose I should start doing this, I don't know why I just never get around to changing my profile text.

Envy wrote:

Very reasonable to me. It's alot more than what most photographers would offer for TFP that's for sure.

I look at it as building a business relationship. I also like to consider the people I work with as friends or sort of "business partners". You get further that way I think. They remember you when they run into someone looking for someone to do a job. Besides, I'm in a different market, I don't try to pretend I'm some fashion shooter in a competitive market, I do mostly product and catalog work for a living. This is just my art.

nakedpoet wrote:
Usually I contact the photographer as I like the style/genre of work that they show in their portfolio.

I contacted Steve (nakedpoet) after I saw his post to a local group stating that he was heading to my area and wanted to schedule with photographers. We communicated a bit via emails and covered all the details including the ride back to Seattle.

It was a win/win situation.

Craig

Btw, Yes, I've photographed male models and a very naked male model...
Steve is a great model and a very nice person